My Top 10 Family resources

There is a lot of junk on the internet. But there’s also a ton of great information and resources – much of it free! Today I want to point you to some of the better resources for Christian Families that I feel will be of benefit to you. Some are specifically geared toward families, others are not. But all of them will prove helpful to you in one way or another. So here we go, my top 10 Christian family resources on the internet… (in no specific order)

1. Visionary Family Ministries

You may have heard the podcast conversations I’ve had with Rob Rienow of Visionary Family. You can find them in episode 16 and episode 35. Rob’s a great brother in the LORD who has a tremendous heart for the family. His story is especially moving. The ministry he and his wife Amy do there is an extension of what they’re doing in their family and they have a clear calling from the LORD. They minister to parents, children, empty-nesters, and have a wealth of video, audio, and text resources from which you can benefit.

2. Family Time Training

I met Kirk Weaver years ago and have always been impressed with what the LORD is doing through the ministry he runs, Family Time Training. Kirk truly has a heart to equip parents to pass along faith in Christ. He’s produced many family activities and resources available absolutely free, and you can sign up for his free monthly activity that will come right to your inbox. There are also paid products you can purchase from Family Time.

3. Focus on the Family

The legacy that Dr. James Dobson began years ago is still going strong, and provides a wealth (and I mean a wealth) of resources for the family. Focus on the Family provides their weekly radio show, counseling referrals, many resources, and connections with other ministries across the nation that could be of help to your family. The ministry is also involved in public awareness on policy and social issues that are going on currently.

4. E-sword

E-sword is an absolutely free Bible study software that you can download to your computer.. and I love it. I used it for years when I was studying and preaching for Sunday morning sermons. The program includes many Bible versions, commentaries, word study tools, and other devotional resources. Rick Meyers is the computer programmer behind E-sword and his philosophy is “Freely you have received, freely give.” By the way, his daughter is a Christian musician and has some great music out there too.

5. Family Life

Family Life has been around for quite a while too, and provides a ton of resources for families (as their name implies). They might be familiar to you as the ministry behind the “Weekend to Remember” retreats and the “Passport 2 Purity” curriculum. They have video options, a weekly radio show, many different forms and types of curriculum, and a counseling referral service. You can find almost anything you need through their website.

6. Deep Roots Library

Luke Wilson is the guy behind Deep Roots Library – an online library of Christian classic literature that’s been made available both for free and for purchase. I had a fun conversation with Luke on the podcast in episode 44. Luke recently finished a very successful Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the production of 500 Christian classics, many which have not been in print for years. I can’t stress enough how influential and powerful classic Christian literature has been in my life and I know that as you make use of the rich literature that is available, you too will be impacted and be able to better lead your family as a result.

7. When You Rise

Desire Miller is the fire power behind “When You Rise” a website that provides many resources for putting the instruction of Deuteronomy 6:4-7 to work in your family. I spoke with Desire in podcast episode 14. On the website you’ll find many ideas for projects and lessons you can use to teach your children about faith in Christ, the Bible, and living a life that pleases the LORD. This past year Desire gave birth to their youngest son Caleb, who was born with a serious heart defect. He’s still in the hospital and they are continuing to ask for prayers for him and their family. Please check out the prayer needs they have here.

8. The National Center for Biblical Parenting

Scott Turansky and Ed Miller, both from the National Center for Biblical Parenting were my guests on podcast episode 25. The ministry is focused around the seminars and teaching of Scott Turansky and Ed’s wife, Joanne Miller. You can sign up for free email parenting tips, find out information about hosting a parenting seminar at your church, or look through their wide array of resources.

9. Covenant Eyes

Every Christian family needs internet protection. If you don’t have it, you are running a terrible risk. Covenant Eyes** provides both filtering and accountability software to help you maintain control over what comes into your home via the internet. I spoke with Luke Gilkerson who works for covenant eyes on podcast episode 23. If you use the link in this paragraph to go to the Covenant Eyes website you can get 1 month of free service.

10. Desiring God

Desiring God is the ministry of John Piper, who recently retired after 32 years of ministry at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN. I have been impacted powerfully by the work God has done through John Piper and believe that you can benefit greatly from the teaching provided there. Every resource on the website is free in a downloadable format and available for a charge if you want a print copy. There is also a section where you can look up resources by topic, and there are available resources on parenting, marriage, family, etc.

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