resources
whole-life discipleship
In theFormed.life, there are daily small steps we can take together to intentionally cultivate various spiritual habits in our lives. Some days have video teaching or articles to go deeper. Other days, there is guidance in practical spiritual disciplines. Repetition is used to help cultivate a new weekly rhythm, while other parts of the week rotate through fresh practices.
Every bit of theFormed.life is designed to provide daily steps toward greater wholeness and influence in Christ. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit would work through this resource to form us together into more faithful followers of Jesus in all of life.
family resources
welcome
At Christ Community, we truly believe that parents hold the primary role in discipling their children. We also believe that children play a vital role in the spiritual formation of their parents. That is why we desire to encourage and equip both parents and children in your efforts of mutual discipleship. Below you will find a collection of books, websites, and podcasts that you may find helpful as you seek to grow in the likeness of Christ together.
Select a tab below to see our suggested resources. Share this list with others and let us know if you have a suggestion to add to our list.
GENERAL PARENTING
Spiritual Parenting – Michelle Anthony
Don’t Miss It – Reggie Joiner and Kristen Ivy
Mom Set Free – Jeannie Cunnion
Bible Praying for Parents – Keith Ferrin
Kids Can! – Leah Archibald
Faith begins at Home – Mark Holmen
Grace Based Parenting – Dr. Tim Kimmel
Pass It On – Jim Burns and Jeremy Lee
Faithful Families – Creating Sacred Moments at Home – Traci Smith
Becoming a Spiritually Healthy Family – Michelle Anthony
Faith Conversations for Families – Jim Burns
The Sticky Faith Guide For Your Family – Dr. Kara Powell
Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family – Paul David Tripp
Handfree Mama: A Guide to Putting Down the Phone, Burning the To-Do List, and Letting Go of
Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters! – Rachel Stafford
Raising Grateful Kids in an Ungrateful World – Kristen Welch
INFANT to TODDLER
The Look and Tell Bible – Thomas Nelson
God Bless You & Goodnight – Hannah Hall
Who Sang the First Song? – Ellie Holcomb
You Are – Emil Assell
Tonight – Emily Assell
The Read-Aloud Bible Stories – Ella K. Lindvall
Loved: The Lord’s Prayer – Sally Lloyd Jones
The Biggest Story ABC – Kevin DeYoung and Don Clark
PRESCHOOL
BIBLE GOSPEL STORY
The Big God Story – Michelle Anthony
Images of God Marie – Hélène Delval
Everything A Child Should Know About God – Kenneth N. Taylor
Jesus Storybook – Sally Lloyd- Jones
WOW! The Good News in Four Words – Dandi Daley Mackall
God’s Very Good Idea – Trillia Newbell
I Am: The Names of God for Little Ones – Diane Stortz
The Storm That Stopped – Alison Mitchell
Goodbye to Goodbyes – Lauren Chandler
The Friend Who Forgives – Dan DeWitt
When I Pray for You Matthew – Paul Turner
The One O’Clock Miracle – Alison Mitchell
The Read-Aloud Bible Stories – Ella K. Lindvall
Loved: The Lord’s Prayer – Sally Lloyd Jones
The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible – Jared Kennedy, Trish Mahoney
GENERAL
The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies
to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind – Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
The Phase Guides – Orange
ELEMENTARY
BIBLE GOSPEL STORY
3-1 A Picture of God Joanne Marxhausen
Action Bible Sergio Cariello
The Biggest Story Kevin DeYoung
The Read-Aloud Book of Bible Stories Amy Steedman
The Story of God’s Love for You Sally Lloyd-Jones
DEVOTIONAL BOOKS
Thoughts that Make Your Heart Sing Sally Lloyd- Jones
The Radical Book for Kids George Thornton
Bible Infographics Harvest Kids
Notes from Jesus Mikal Keefer
I Am: Names of God Diane Stortz
The Case for Christ for Kids Book Series Lee Strobel
Indescribable: 100 Devotions for Kids About God and Science Louie Giglio
Exploring Grace Together: 40 Devotionals for the Family Jessica Thompson and Elyse M. Fitzpatrick
GENERAL
Lord’s Prayer Cards She Reads Truth
Praying in Color Sybil MacBeth
The Ology Marty Machowski
I Will Thank You! Kids Read Truth, guided journal, scriputre, and art
SEASONAL
ADVENT / CHRISTMAS
Unto Us Family Worship Guide Doorposts Music
Advent Storybook Laura Richie
The Christmas Story Autumn Ward Preschool
The Advent Storybook: 25 Bible Stories Showing Why Jesus Came Laura Richie and Ian Dale
The Christmas Promise Alison Mitchell, Catalina Echeverri
Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story Sally Lloyd Jones
EASTER
The Garden, The Curtain, The Cross Carl Laferton
The Easter Story Patricia A Pingry Preschool
The Story of the Easter Robin Dandi Daley MacKall Preschool
The Easter Story Autumn Ward Preschool
Holy Week: An Emotions Primer Danielle Hitchen and Jessica Blanchard Preschool
Benjamin’s Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs
The Story of the Resurrection Eggs Melody Carlson and Jack Stockman
Easter Love Letters from God
TOPICAL RESOURCES
SEXUALITY
God Made All of Me! Justin and Lindsey Holcomb
God Made Boys and Girls: Helping Children Understand the Gift of Gender Marty Machowski
God Made Your Body Jim Burns
How God Makes Babies Jim Burns
Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality: A Biblical Approach to Prepare Them for Life Jim Burns
GRIEF / DEATH
Goodbye to Goodbyes Tales That Tell the Truth Lauren Chandler and Catalina Echeverri
Someone I Love Died Christine Harder Tangvald
IDENTITY
When God Made You Matthew Paul Turner
When God Made You Jane G. Meyer
The Gospel In Color – For Kids: A Theology of Racial
Reconciliation for Kids Curtis A. Woods, Jarvis J. Williams, Pip Craighead, Rommel Ruiz
God Made Me AND You: Celebrating God’s Design for Ethnic Diversity Shai Linne, Trish Mahoney
God’s Very Good Idea: A True Story of God’s Delightfully Different Family Trillia Newbell, Catalina Echeverri
ANXIETY / FEAR
It Will be Okay: Trusting God Through Fear and Change Lysa TerKeurst
Hey Warrior Karen Young
Zoe’s Hiding Place David Powlison
How to Talk to Your Child about Communion
At Christ Community, we believe communion is one of two sacraments of the church, with baptism being the other. A sacrament is a directive, something you do because someone told you to do it or a command. Communion is a sacrament because Jesus commanded the church to practice it. Communion is a ceremony the church observes and practices as a sign of the grace God has shown to each of us. Communion is a way for those who have experienced the saving grace of Jesus to remember and celebrate what Jesus did when He died on the cross, and God raised Him from the dead.
When do I talk to my child about Communion?
Children are naturally curious and commonly ask questions about communion. If your family is involved at church, they may start asking these questions at a really young age. If the question is asked, it is the time to talk about communion.
Questions Kids Might Ask & How You Might Respond
WHAT is Communion?
Communion is for people who have made the choice to live their lives for Jesus and follow Him. They will eat small pieces of bread to remember Jesus’ body, which was broken because of His love for us. They will also drink juice to remember Jesus bled because of His love for us. Communion has other names. Sometimes communion is called the Lord’s Supper and communion can also be called the Eucharist, which means giving thanks.
WHY do we take Communion?
Communion is our way of remembering the last supper Jesus had with the disciples before He was arrested. That is why it is sometimes called the Lord’s Supper. The story about this meal with Jesus and the disciples is found in Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-23, and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.Jesus said some very important words to His disciples during this meal. He said “Do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). We include communion in our worship service as a special way to remember who Jesus is and what He did for each of us.1 Corinthians 11:26 says, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” When we take communion, we are reminded of Jesus’ death and we’re able to thank Jesus for sacrificing His life for ours on the cross.
WHO should take Communion?
People who are part of God’s family, and have asked Jesus to forgive their sins, are invited to participate in communion. Participating in the holy sacrament of communion reflects living lives of worship and obedience to God.How do you become a part of God’s family? You pray and surrender your entire life to Jesus and ask God to forgive you of your sins. The Holy Spirit gives you strength and wisdom to obey.
NEXT STEPS:
Each Christ Community campus has resources available to help guide your conversation with your children about Communion. If you feel your child is ready for more, please contact your Children’s or Student Pastor.
video library
RightNow Media is an incredible video resource we believe will help us all as we seek to be a caring family of multiplying disciples.
Everyone in our Christ Community family receives a free account to the RightNow Media library, the Netflix of Christian content. You will have instant access to thousands of great videos for kids, youth, parents, and more. You can view these videos from your phone, tablet or computer, and you can also view them in a group setting through a TV or projector. Check out this video to learn more about RightNow…
position papers
books
Work. For some this word represents drudgery and the mundane. For others work is an idol to be served. In either case, a biblical understanding of work as godly activity and a means of spiritual formation is lost.
Striking a balance between theological depth and practical counsel, Work Matters engages the theological basis of God’s plan for everyday work. Tom Nelson explains how the fall has impacted vocation, how God’s redemption touches every sphere of our lives including our work, and how what we do now is connected to what we will do forever. As Nelson connects Sunday worship to Monday morning, he gives readers practical tools for understanding their own gifts, so that they may better live in accord with God’s design for work.
What does the good news of Jesus mean for economics? Too often, Christian teaching and ministry have focused only on the gospel’s spiritual significance and ignored its physical, real-world ramifications.
But loving our neighbor well has direct economic implications, and in our diverse and stratified society we need to grapple with them now more than ever. In The Economics of Neighborly Love Tom Nelson sets out to address this problem. Marrying biblical study, economic theory, and practical advice, he presents a vision for church ministry that works toward the flourishing of the local community, beginning with its poorest and most marginalized members. Nelson resists oversimplification and pushes us toward more complex and nuanced understandings of wealth and poverty. If we confess the gospel of Jesus, he insists, we must contend anew with its implications for the well-being of our local communities. Together we can grow in both compassion and capacity.