Wading through the assortment of Christian parenting books can be overwhelming. Some are great, some dubious, others downright subversive. Making it even harder is that many books don’t meet standards of Scriptural fidelity. Below are helpful books, recommended for their insights that assist parents in their duty to actively train our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord so when they are old they will not depart from paths of righteousness (Proverbs 22:6).
- Shepherding a Child’s Heart, Tedd Tripp
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The goal of Christian parenting is not acceptable behavior; it is obedience to God from the heart. Tripp’s book abounds with biblical and practical advice for reaching your child’s heart and leading him in paths of righteousness.
- Standing on the Promises, Douglas Wilson
Wilson provides helpful principles grounded in Scripture for parents, addressing the nature of biblical promises and the importance of disciplining and training children when they are young. While Wilson can hit hard at times, the principles are sound and faithful.
- Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child, Anthony Esolen
Much like C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, the author takes the opposing view in attempting to persuade his readers to eradicate wonder in their children. Our real goal as parents is to inculcate in our children a God-centered humanity full of wonder and human flourishing.
- Age of Opportunity, Paul David Tripp
The teen years are the parent’s God-given opportunity to minister, teach, and plant seeds. Tripp encourages parents to actively train children to think Biblically and live by faith, rather than just praying that teens will make it through the difficult years.
- Habits of the Household, Justin Whitmel Earley
Whitmel Earley addresses numerous issues of family and marriage in light of good habits and routines, including bedtime, mealtimes, devotions, screentime, and work/family balance. A strength of the book is the intentionality of biblical parenting; a weakness is his lackadaisical approach in handling discipline, so be sure to pair it with another book on this list.
- What the Bible Says about Parenting: God’s Plan for Rearing your Child, John MacArthur
MacArthur uses Scriptural principles to cover everything from communication to discipline in this helpful overview for parents, specifically outlined roles for fathers and mothers as well.
- How to Be Free from Bitterness and Other Essays on Christian Relationships, Jim Wilson
Practical advice on how to dwell together in unity in our relationships. Essays include “Forgiving Others,” “How to be Free from Bitterness,” and “Saturation Love.” The latter essay is particularly helpful for fathers, who can tend to be more discipline-oriented than nurture-oriented (both are important).
- Parenting By God’s Promises, Joel R. Beeke
Beeke writes as a humble parent and pastor. “Covenant children have this advantage: all the means of grace are furnished to them. Our homes, our churches, and Christian schools form a triangle community of faith committed to teaching and training these children, though this responsibility falls on parents first of all.” Readable, convicting in the right ways, and encouraging.
