This edition is sponsored by Baker Publishing Group
How do you instill God’s Word in a child’s heart from the youngest age? As someone who grew up in early-2000s evangelical homeschool culture, I’ve seen a lot of approaches: mandated daily Bible study, catchy songs containing Scripture, or even competitions like Bible quiz. Two of this week’s books adopt the format of catechisms, adapting them into Bible studies for the whole family. Reviewer Elizabeth Woodson looks at these books—as well as a new title from Charlotte and Andrew Ollerton—in today’s column.
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Do you ever feel like there’s more to life in Christ that you haven't experienced just yet? If you’re yearning to find a richer Gospel, one that truly meets you at your point of need, you’ll find it on the pages of Theology That Heals, a new book from pastor and theologian Ike Miller. Inside, you’ll be invited to broaden your understanding of the Gospel, seeing Jesus not only as Savior but as the Great Physician who entered our broken world, shared our struggles, and has the power to bring complete restoration to our souls.
As you come to understand Jesus as the Great Physician, you’ll find new freedom to:
Name your pain honestly, without feeling that struggle disqualifies you from faith
Understand your brokenness more clearly, including the ways your coping strategies reflect a deep hunger for something only God can provide
Experience the Gospel not only as forgiveness received but as healing that reaches into your relationships, your mental and emotional life, and your sense of self
Embrace Jesus as someone who shared our struggles, knows our pain from the inside, and is not distant from the hardest places in your life
For anyone wrestling with the pain in their lives and for pastors, counselors, and ministry leaders, Theology That Heals is a balm for the soul and a guidebook to experiencing the Gospel more fully. Get your copy of Theology That Heals today and get to know the Great Physician.
God’s Story, Our Story is a fun and energetic journey through the Bible, designed for parents and children to enjoy together. Starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation, this nine-week devotional progressively walks through select biblical stories, weaving together a mosaic that introduces key biblical characters, tells their stories, and reveals the metanarrative of Scripture.
Where this book truly shines is in its ability to frame each biblical story within the larger context of God’s story, consistently illuminating how God is the focus and main character of Scripture. For example, the Ollertons begin the story of Daniel by explaining why God’s people went into exile; this context helps young readers understand the significance of Daniel’s presence in Babylon and how his faithfulness points to God’s greater plan of redemption. The Ollertons also create bridges to connect the life experiences of the biblical characters with the life experience of the reader. This especially enables children to clearly grasp how we can live in light of the truth of Scripture.
Impressively, the book is filled not only with discussion questions but also with audio and video versions of every devotional, making this a multimedia resource that should work for each family’s unique needs or dynamics. However you choose to engage with it, God’s Story, Our Story should spur dynamic conversations with children about the Bible—and that’s always a positive.
Where God’s Story, Our Story provides a systematic treatment of Scripture, Faith Foundations provides a systematic treatment of the “big truths” that arise out of our reading of Scripture. Brian Dembowczyk is passionate about equipping parents to “craft a strong spiritual foundation” for their children, helping them live with clarity and conviction as followers of Jesus.
Structured according to The Family Catechism, each of the 99 devotionals addresses the basics of faith in a question-and-answer format, encouraging readers to recite and memorize them. Sections encompass topics such as God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, sin, and the church, breaking larger theological truths into smaller pieces. This helps parents and children slowly build their theological competency while reflecting on how each specific belief shapes their everyday reality.
One element of this book I deeply appreciated was the “Jesus Connection” Dembowczyk shared at the end of each devotional. This short reflection connecting the devotional topic to the person and work of Jesus delivers a consistent reminder on the “why” of theology, highlighting that Jesus is the model, means, and motivation for us to live out the truth we believe.
Resources about theology can often be overcomplicated and confusing, making gospel connections challenging to understand—especially for young readers. Dembowczyk’s book does just the opposite, simplifying complex topics to make them approachable for children. This makes it an invaluable resource for shaping children’s spiritual foundation and pointing their hearts to the one who makes what they are learning possible.
Training Hearts, Teaching Minds focuses on helping parents impart doctrinal instruction to their children. Starr Meade begins the devotional with a robust diagnosis of the current issues within the spiritual formation of children by the church. Notably, even though it was written almost 30 years ago, her observations still feel relevant. Meade disapprovingly observes, “What are the church’s priorities for its children? That they are entertained and that they have fun. ... Even where teaching the Bible to children is a priority, teaching Bible doctrine seldom is.”
To remedy this formation gap, Meade crafted a set of devotions based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Similar to Dembowczyk, Meade takes children through the basic tenets of the Christian faith, guiding their understanding of not only what to believe but how to embody these biblical truths. Accounting for the short attention span of children, each devotional is brief and includes a brief Scripture reading.
As I read through this book, I continued to feel like Meade was ahead of her time. She emphasized an issue within the church not many were discussing: understanding that a “truly changed life flows from a truly changed mind.” In doing so, she created a resource to shape the minds of children in ways that would bear fruit for years to come.
Elizabeth Woodson is a Bible teacher, a theologian, an author, and the founder of The Woodson Institute, an organization that equips Christians to understand and grow in their faith.
August is Make-a-Will Month. Have you reviewed your estate plan recently?
Through Christianity Today’s partnership with PhilanthroCorp, you can receive free, biblically grounded estate planning guidance to help you steward what God has entrusted to you and support the ministries you love.
Whether you need to create a will, update your existing plan, or simply have questions, take this wise step with confidence. Learn more.
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EXCERPT: “Jesus Never Said ‘Blessed Are the Rich’,” by Lindsey Medenwaldt & Douglas Groothuis
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