Editor’s Pick: Children’s Discipleship Resources

Discipling kids at home and in the church is an ever-changing challenge. The truths of Christianity never change, but our culture mutates so rapidly it’s hard to keep up.

A friend of mine planned to have the kids in her Wednesday evening discipleship class memorize Psalm 67. The effort launched almost exactly when the “six seven” meme overtook the internet. There was no way to predict that emphasizing one of the ordinary means of grace would become a weekly distraction.

Of course, by the time the adults figured out how to capitalize on the meme by building a lesson around important 6:7 verses in the Bible, the trend had passed. Attempts to leverage such fads are likely to be met with groans rather than grins.

Thankfully, Christian publishers are always producing new, helpful resources to equip parents and teachers for discipling the next generation. As part of an ongoing effort to serve local churches, we’re highlighting some recently released books useful for families and churches as they seek to disciple their children.

Resources for Parents and Church Leaders

1. Shane Pruitt and Shelly Melia, Reaching Generation Alpha: A Ministry Guide for Discipling the Church Beyond the Screen (B&H, 2026) (Amazon)

No one can better help parents and teachers reach a younger generation than people who have invested their lives doing it. Pruitt is an evangelist dedicated to reaching the next generation; Melia has invested much of her adult life studying children’s and family ministry. Their message is clear: The world changes, but the truth never does.

They offer specific data about Gen Alpha, students born from around 2010 to 2024, from surveys and their experience. The goal is to help Christians understand the particular technological and cultural challenges those young people are facing so we can reach them with the never-changing gospel of Christ. The authors also emphasize ways youth and family ministries in the local church can equip parents to do the work of discipleship in the home.

2. Abbey Wedgeworth, Help! I’m Ruining My Kids: A Gospel Guide for the Mom Who’s Desperate for Change (Zondervan, 2026) (Amazon | TGC Store)

Don’t let the title scare you! This isn’t a book intended to convict harried mothers but to encourage them in their efforts to love their children well. Wedgeworth reminds moms that the grace that saves us is the grace that makes us someone who can love and serve and disciple without finding our identity in our parenting or its outcomes.

In a world where mom-life is filtered through Insta filters, Wedgeworth declares, “We cannot let our thoughts, our actions, our inaction, the state of our homes, or the behavior of our children tell us who we are. Instead, we need to walk into motherhood with a settled gospel identity.” Many women will be blessed by her reminder that we’re not left in this world as orphans, but that we’re adopted and beloved by the God who saved us.

3. Kyle Hoffsmith, Youth Ministry and the Vine: A Ministry Mind-Shift for Discipling the Next Generation (Matthias Media, 2026) (Amazon | TGC Store)

Tony Payne and Colin Marshall’s The Trellis and the Vine has been a favorite among pastors since it was published in 2009. The message is helpful. Though programs (the trellis) are important for a church’s health and life, pastors need to emphasize the more challenging personal and spiritual work (the vine) of ministry. All trellis and no vine is a recipe for a shallow, ineffective ministry.

Hoffsmith builds on that paradigm in this new resource for youth ministry leaders. Without abandoning lock-ins, pizza nights, and other attractional programs, he reminds readers that youth ministry’s lasting benefits often come from the less flashy efforts of teaching, one-on-one Bible study, and building relationships with parents.

Resources for Kids

1. Trevin Wax and Thomas West, The Gospel Way Catechism for Kids (Harvest Kids, 2026) (Amazon | TGC Store)

The first time we introduced the New City Catechism in our local congregation, we had parents asking, “Isn’t a catechism the thing that Roman Catholics do?” It took time to show people that catechesis has deep roots in the Protestant tradition—even among Baptists. As our kids wrestle with a flood of information, using catechisms in our homes and churches to provide a framework for orthodox belief may be one of the most important things we can do.

That’s why I’m excited about The Gospel Way Catechism for Kids. Wax and West are both excellent cultural analysts who think deeply about the biggest challenges our culture raises for kids. This book emphasizes key truths about what it means to be human, why we can trust the Bible, and why gathering in a local church is so important. Whether this catechism is used in Sunday school or in the home, it offers ancient answers to contemporary questions in language kids can latch onto.

2. Matt Dodd and Thom Bransdon, Philippians: God’s Very Special Letters—the Epistles for Kids (The Open Word, 2025) (Amazon)

Reading this translation of Philippians and pondering the illustrations was a delight! Most Bible storybooks emphasize Scripture’s narrative portions. It’s hard to find illustrated resources for kids on the Pauline Epistles, but that’s exactly what Matt Dodd (author) and Thom Bransdon (illustrator) have worked together to provide.

The colorful format strikes the right balance between pictures and words per page. More importantly, the text hits the mark for both understandability and faithfulness to the text for kids ages 5–12. This is the sort of book that’s perfect for reading with your family, whether all in one sitting, in a small chunk, or as a way to refer to individual verses. Colossians, Philippians, and 1 Peter are all available in Australian hardback editions, with U.S. editions forthcoming.

3. Alison Mitchell, All About the Bible (The Good Book Company, 2026) (Amazon)

I’m a sucker for those information-laden books for kids—you know, the ones from Usborne and DK. All About the Bible fits in that genre that combines a creative visual layout with interesting facts.

Kids (and parents) can explore the timeline of Scripture, learn why it’s important to understand the different genres in the Bible, and gain a deeper appreciation for how our modern Bible came to be. It’s just the sort of book I can picture 7-to-10-year-olds hunched over for hours, just before they come to the dinner table to see what their parents know about Johannes Gutenberg.

4. Linda Finlayson, Around the World with 80 Missionaries (Christian Focus, 2026) (Amazon | TGC Store)

It’s never too early to teach kids about the Great Commission. Around the World with 80 Missionaries contains rich stories about missionaries and cultures to show that the body of Christ is much bigger than their local church. It’s probably better suited for kids on the upper end of the 8-to-14-year-old age range the book is advertised for.

Parents and kids will have plenty to enjoy as they walk through the timeline of Christian missions and see how the gospel has made its way around the globe. Drawings, photographs, and maps (including a foldout!) offer hours of entertainment and instruction.

5. Todd R. Chipman, 10 Questions About the Bible: 30 Devotions for Kids, Teens, and Families (Crossway, 2026) (Amazon | TGC Store)

This volume in the 10 Questions series from Crossway is another good resource for parents to help their kids grow as Christians. Chipman helps 8-to-14-year-olds explore big questions like how we got our Bible, why we can trust it, and how to wrestle with hard passages.

This series’ books are useful for general discipleship, as part of a homeschool curriculum, or as part of answering the questions many kids ask. Parents and church leaders should remember that some readers may require more assistance than others in working through these books.

6. Kate Hox and Joe Hox, Who Is God? 52 Pictures to Share with Your Family (New Growth, 2026) (Amazon)

This resource uses the principle that a picture is worth a thousand words to bring theology into the home. Illustrator Joe Hox presents colorful pictures of specific scenes from Scripture that highlight attributes of God. Then Kate gives us a short explanation of the Bible story that makes the theology plain. The book also includes questions that can help continue the conversation on the way to school or the practice field.

Resources like this aid us as we look for ways to help our kids delight in God’s character. It’s written for use in the home with 5-to-12-year-olds but could also be part of ongoing discipleship in the local church.