Resources
Church Leadership Courses from Bill Sheidler
School of Ministry
Bible Reading Tools
The Bible Recap
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Have you ever closed your Bible and thought, “WHAT DID I JUST READ?”
→ The Bible Recap follows a chronological Bible reading plan and offers short daily recaps of God’s Word—explaining the challenging parts and connecting the dots to help you develop a deep friendship with God.
→ Each day’s Bible reading is approximately 12 minutes long and each video recap is about 8 minutes long, where we highlight and summarize that day’s Bible reading in a casual, easy-to-understand way.
YouVersion Bible
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The YouVersion Bible App, provides access to hundreds of Bible translations and features to help you engage with Scripture anywhere. Available in over 1,000 languages, the app offers daily devotionals, Bible reading plans, audio Bibles, and a Verse of the Day. It also includes tools like highlights, bookmarks, and notes for personal study, as well as a prayer tracker and community features to connect with others.
With options for offline reading, shared plans, and a separate Bible App for Kids, YouVersion is designed to make Scripture accessible and engaging for all ages.
Bible Hub
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Bible Hub is an online bible study suite featuring classical Hebrew and Koine Greek text analysis, allowing you to dive deeper into a passage or verse. The website and app offer other resources such as commentaries, concordance, devotional, sermons, and dictionaries.
The Bible Project
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Discover the Bible Project, your go-to resource for understanding the Bible like never before! With beautifully animated videos and insightful podcasts, the Bible Project helps you explore Scripture as one unified story that leads to Jesus. Dive into biblical themes, book overviews, and key ideas with engaging visuals and thoughtful explanations designed to make the Bible come alive.
Whether you’re a seasoned believer or just starting your journey with Jesus, the Bible Project offers easy-to-access content that’s perfect for personal growth.
Recommended Books
Prayer & Pursuit of God
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Prayer is the lifeblood of the Christian faith--but many followers of Jesus still struggle to make prayer part of their daily lives. In Pray First, bestselling author and pastor Chris Hodges shows us how to make prayer a first response instead of a last resort.Why is it that so many Christians find it difficult to develop a vibrant and exciting prayer life? Even though prayer is foundational to the Christian life, many are intimidated or uncertain about how to talk to God. Prayer feels quaint and old-fashioned to some, sacred and uncomfortable to others. It's not a lack of inspiration--there's plenty of that. And it's not that we don't realize prayer is important--we know it is. So, what's the issue?
Pastor Chris Hodges has spent years studying the prayers of the Bible and the models of prayer that the scriptures provide for Christians. Now, he shares the teachings and methods he's used to successfully help hundreds of thousands of people understand how to spend time in conversation with God--and enjoy every minute.
Pray First will give you the tools you need to:
Bring the joy back into your time with God
Take a journey through the prayers of the Bible, which reveal how to make prayer more personal and powerful
Learn about fasting, an often overlooked but powerful discipline that's a vital companion to prayer
Follow proven, biblically grounded methods for making prayer a priority, not an afterthought
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The Knowledge of the Holy by beloved author and Christian mystic A.W. Tozer illuminates God’s attributes—from wisdom, to grace, to mercy—and aides to restore the majesty and wonder of God in the hearts and minds of all Christians and spiritual beings.
Timelessly inspirational and insightful, The Knowledge of the Holy combines old prayers and ancient wisdoms for modern times to draw you closer to the Lord through His Word. This Christian bookshelf staple focuses on the towering concept of God as the center of the religious mind—miraculously renewing our appreciation of the magnitude of His glory.
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At the cross Christ made possible a "divine exchange" for everyone who believes in him. What is this exchange? Because Jesus endured all the evil due to humankind, believers can actually partake in all the good due to him. In this meaty book, acclaimed scholar Derek Prince explores the astounding results of the atonement for followers of Christ. In place of punishment, wounding, death, poverty, shame, and rejection, Christ freely offers forgiveness, healing, life, abundance, glory, and acceptance. In addition, Prince gives biblical grounding for five areas of deliverance that are made available through the cross: deliverance from this present evil age, from the law, from self, from the flesh, and from the world.
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Sometimes we ask What is God’s will for my life? when we should really be asking Who should I be? The Bible has an answer: Be like the very image of God.
By exploring ten characteristics of who God is―holy, loving, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise―this book helps us understand who God intends for us to be. Through Christ, the perfect reflection of the image of God, we will discover how God’s own attributes impact how we live, leading to freedom and purpose as we follow his will and are conformed to his image.
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God is self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, immutable, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, sovereign, infinite, and incomprehensible. We're not. And that's a good thing.
Our limitations are by design. We were never meant to be God. But at the root of every sin is our rebellious desire to possess attributes that belong to God alone. Calling us to embrace our limits as a means of glorifying God's limitless power, Jen Wilkin invites us to celebrate the freedom that comes when we rest in letting God be God.
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For A. W. Tozer, no question is more important than, "What is God like?" The desire to know God consumed his entire life and ministry.
That's why those who read him come to know God more intimately.
Originally preached as sermons at Southside Alliance Church in Chicago, this first volume of The Attributes of God examines ten attributes of God. It also includes a study guide for an in-depth look at each attribute:
Infinite
Immense
Good
Just
Merciful
Gracious
Omnipresent
Immanent
Holy
Perfect
Steeped in Scripture and filled with the Spirit, Tozer preached with striking clarity and power. The sense of his sermons comes through on every page, bringing the Word of God to bear upon you. -
For A. W. Tozer, there is no question more important than, "What is God like?" The desire to know God consumed his entire life and ministry.
That's why those who read him come to know God more intimately.
Originally preached as sermons to the Avenue Road congregation in Toronto, this follow-up to The Attributes of God Volume 1 examines ten more attributes of God. It also includes a study guide for an in-depth look at each attribute:
Self-Existent
Transcendent
Eternal
Omnipotent
Immutable
Omniscient
Wise
Sovereign
Faithful
Loving
Steeped in Scripture and filled with the Spirit, Tozer preached with striking clarity and power. The sense of his sermons comes through on every page, bringing the Word of God to bear upon you.
Purpose & Next Steps
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Have you ever felt like something important is missing from your life? Do you feel stuck in a spiritual rut? A deeper and more intimate relationship with God is closer than you think.At various points along our life's journey, we've all found ourselves asking, "Which way do I go? Where will this road take me? Is that really where I want to go?"
Pastor and bestselling author Chris Hodges teaches us that at these crossroads, it's essential to pause and remember our priorities. In What's Next, Hodges reveals the four practical steps anyone can use to gain lasting spiritual maturity, helping us:
know God better than ever
find freedom in our day-to-day lives
discover our God-given purposes
make an impact on everyone we meet
What's Next teaches us that it's time to look beyond what seems logical, convenient, or advantageous. Instead, we need to look to God as our ultimate GPS, our soul's true compass, if we want to live a purposeful, joyful, and significant life for eternity.
Accessible and clear, concise but profound, What's Next? is the guide you need to find your way and discover the joy that comes walking the road of deeper faith--no matter where you are in your journey.
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Before you were born, God already planned your life. God longs for you to discover the life he uniquely created you to live--here on earth, and forever in eternity. The Purpose Driven Life is far more than just a book; it's the road map for your spiritual journey. A journey that will transform your life.
Designed to be read in 42 days, each chapter provides a daily meditation and practical steps to help you discover and live out your purpose, starting with exploring three of life's most pressing questions:
The Question of Existence: Why am I alive?
The Question of Significance: Does my life matter?
The Question of Purpose: What on earth am I here for?
The book also includes links to 3-minute video introductions and a 30- to 40-minute audio Bible study message for each chapter. Plus questions for further study and additional resources.
Growth & Maturity
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A road map for discipleship with Jesus that is powerfully transformative.
Peter Scazzero learned the hard way: you can't be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature. Even though he was the pastor of a growing church, he did what most people do--avoid conflict in the name of Christianity; ignore his anger, sadness, and fear; use God to run from God; and live without boundaries.
Eventually God awakened him to a biblical integration of emotional health and the spiritual practice of slowing down and quieting your life for to experience a firsthand relationship with Jesus. It created nothing short of a spiritual revolution in Scazzero, in his church, and now in thousands of other churches.
In this updated edition, Scazzero shares new stories and principles as he outlines his journey and the signs of emotionally unhealthy spirituality. Then he provides seven biblical, reality-tested steps to become emotionally mature:
Become your authentic self
Break the power of the past
Let go of power and control
Surrender to your limits
Stop to breathe by practicing rest and Sabbath
Learn new skills to love well
Love Christ above all else
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People Fuel outlines the twenty-two relational nutrients we all need to cultivate good relationships that provide energy, focus, and the support to be all you were meant to be.
Just as good nutrition is necessary for a healthy body and physical energy, so the right kinds of relationships are critical to living a successful and confident life. If we don't take enough iron, we can develop anemia. Too little calcium leads to bone disease. In the same way, we need the twenty-two relational nutrients essential to a healthy, energized, and productive life.
In People Fuel, Dr. John Townsend--psychologist, leadership consultant, and coauthor of the New York Times bestselling Boundaries--shows you how truly good relationships give you energy, focus, and the support you need to succeed. Through stories and clear applications, Dr. Townsend shows you how to:
Identify the types of people who can be either energy gains or energy drains
Receive from relationships the help and support that God intended
Create higher-quality connections with your family, friends, and coworkers
Boost your productivity and creativity at work
Build your essential Life Team
As we learn to tap into these vital nutrients from quality relationships, we will experience more energy, positivity, focus, and the exponential growth to become the confident people God created us to be.
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Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Overscheduled. Sound familiar? Today’s velocity of life can consume and control us . . . until our breakneck pace begins to feel normal and expected. That’s where the danger lies: When we spend our lives doing things that keep us busy but don’t really matter, we sacrifice the things that do.
What if your life could be different? What if you could be certain you were living the life God called you to live―and building a legacy for those you love? If you crave a simpler life anchored by the priorities that matter most, roll up your sleeves: Simplified living requires more than just cleaning out your closets or reorganizing your desk drawer. It requires uncluttering your soul. By eradicating the stuff that leaves your spirit drained, you can stop doing what doesn’t matter―and start doing what does.
In Simplify, bestselling author Bill Hybels identifies the core issues that lure us into frenetic living―and offers practical steps for sweeping the clutter from our souls. -
Sacred Pathways reveals nine distinct spiritual temperaments and their strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies, to help you improve your spiritual life and deepen your personal walk with God.
Stewardship
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Discover how to transform your financial future with this life-changing book. Learn how to discuss money without emotional triggers and create a budget that makes sense to you. Say goodbye to debt and replace guilt with vision and passion for your financial choices. With this book, you'll also gain valuable knowledge on the home buying process and understand the differences between retirement accounts. Plus, get the inside scoop on how financial service professionals are paid and how to build your own dream team. Don't wait any longer to live the life you were meant to live - without relying on the bank for permission.
• Change the way you think about and discuss money for a healthier relationship with your finances
• Build a budget that works for you and your unique financial goals
• Eliminate debt and replace negative emotions with positive motivation
• Gain insider knowledge on the home buying process
• Understand the differences between retirement accounts and make informed decisions
• Learn how financial service professionals are paid and how to build your own team for financial success.
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Behind every great movement of God stands a few generous men and women called Gospel Patrons. This book tells three of their stories from history and invites us to believe God, step out, and serve the purposes of God in our generation too.
Bible Study
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Demonstrates twelve different methods for reading the Bible that will not only help you understand its words more fully but will also nudge you toward applying those words to your life more faithfully.
"The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us like the Son of God." —Rick Warren.
You were created to become like Christ. This is one of the five God-ordained purposes for your life that Warren describes in his bestselling book The Purpose Driven Life. And this is why studying the Bible is so important.
The Bible's truths have the power to shape you, transform you, align you with the character and ways of Jesus Christ as you encounter him in the gospels and throughout all of Scripture. Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods is an easy-to-understand guide through twelve effective reading methods that allow Scripture to do just that.
Simple step-by-step instructions guide you through the how-tos of the following methods:
Devotional
Chapter Summary
Character Quality
Thematic
Biographical
Topical
Word Study
Book Background
Book Survey
Chapter Analysis
Book Synthesis
Verse Analysis
The organization of this book allows you to explore each method or jump around to find the ones best suited to your reading and learning style as well as your spiritual growth.
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The beloved and classic Bible companion has been thoroughly updated, while retaining its time-honored features and Dr. Halley's highly personal style, to offer even greater clarity, insight, and usefulness.
Whether you've read the Bible many times or never before, you will find insights that provide a firmer grasp of God's Word and an appreciation for the cultural, religious, and geographic settings in which the story of the Bible unfolds. Written for both mind and heart, this completely revised, updated, and expanded edition features:
All-new maps, photographs, and illustrations
Contemporary design
Practical Bible reading programs
Helpful tips for Bible study
Fascinating archaeological information
Easy-to-understand sections on how we got the Bible and on church history
Improved indexes
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The essential handbook for anyone who wants to read and understand God’s Word.
Inside this revised and updated edition of Henrietta Mears’ classic, you’ll find an overview of every book in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, and a foreword by Dr. Billy Graham. In addition, What the Bible Is All About will:Provide a complete guide to the Scriptures
Explain how Jesus is revealed in the Old and New Testaments
Show why the Bible is one book, one history, one story
Introduce key people in biblical history
Give historical background for every major event
Highlight recurring biblical themes
Provide helpful reading plans, maps, and charts, and other Bible study tools
Discover for yourself why What the Bible Is All About is one of the world’s best-selling NIV Bible handbooks, with more than 4 million in print. This user-friendly and easy-to-read guide makes it easier than ever to plant the Word in your heart and mind!
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The Foundations of Christian Doctrine provides one of the most relevant and clear presentations of the great doctrines of faith. Without a solid foundation in theology, it is difficult to be a sound interpreter and exegete of the Scriptures. This highly acclaimed textbook is fast becoming a standard work for many Bible colleges around the world.
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Kevin J. Conner's comprehensive study of the Church and God's eternal plan for it is laid out in the Church in the New Testament. This encyclopedic reference work is designed to give a comprehensive biblical understanding of the universal and local New Testament Church.
Leadership
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Discover the secret to igniting a life-giving, soul-transforming, people-inspiring movement in your organization, church, or ministry--and the trick to keeping the momentum going.
In Lead Like It Matters, New York Times bestselling author and pastor Craig Groeschel shares the transformative insights he's learned about how to effectively build a thriving, enduring ministry and organization.
Using the leadership skills he's mastered as the founder and senior pastor of Life.Church--one of the largest churches in the world and an organization that Glassdoor has named a #1 U.S. Best Place to Work--he combines straight talk and wry honesty with biblical and leadership principles to equip you to:
Recognize when your organization or ministry has the indefinable but tangible "it" that leads to success
Identify and implement seven leadership principles for a church that lasts
Ignite a fire in your team to leave behind "what we've always done" for the meaningful ministry you know is possible
Discover the three areas every leader must master for success
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Do you want to be a better leader? Raise the threshold of your pain. Do you want your church to grow or your business to reach higher goals? Reluctance to face pain is your greatest limitation. There is no growth without change, no change without loss, and no loss without pain. Bottom line: if you're not hurting, you're not leading.
But this book is not a theological treatise on pain. Rather in Leadership Pain Samuel Chand—best-selling author recognized as "the leader's leader"—provides a concrete, practical understanding of the pain we experience to help us interpret pain more accurately and learn the lessons God has in it for us.
Chand is ruthlessly honest and highly practical as he examines the principles and practices that make our pain a means of fulfilling God's divine purposes for our churches, communities, and us.
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The book you hold resonates with this conviction: that leaders such as you have the potential to be the most influential forces on planet Earth. Yours is the staggering responsibility and the matchless privilege of rallying believers and mobilizing their spiritual gifts in order to help people who are far from God become fully devoted followers of Christ. Life transformation and the eternal destinies of real people depend on the redemptive message entrusted to the local church. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to lead your church effectively so God's message of hope can change the world? Then this book is for you. Courageous Leadership is Bill Hybels' magnum opus, a book far too important to be written before its time. Only now, after nearly thirty years leading his own church from a handful of people with a burning vision into a globe-spanning kingdom force---only after almost three decades of victories and setbacks, of praying hard and risking big---is Hybels ready at last to share the lessons he has learned, and continues to learn, about Christian leadership. Too much is at stake for you not to maximize your spiritual gift of leadership, insists Hybels. In this passionate, powerful book, he unpacks the tools, tasks, and challenges of your calling. You'll discover the power of vision and how to turn it into action. You'll gain frontline insights for developing a kingdom dream team, discovering your leadership style, developing other leaders, making decisions, walking with God, embracing change, staying your God-given course, and much, much more. Drawing on his own richly varied life experiences, Hybels fleshes out vital principles with riveting firsthand stories. This is far more than another book on leadership strategies and techniques. You'll find those topics in here, to be sure. But beyond them, you'll find the very essence of one of today's foremost Christian leaders---his fervent commitment to evangelism and discipleship and his zeal to inspire fellow church leaders even as he seeks to keep growing as a leader himself. If unchurched people matter to you . . . if you love seeing believers serve passionately with their spiritual gifts . . . if God's heartbeat for the church is your heartbeat as well . . . then this book is a must. Courageous Leadership will convince you to lead with all your might, all your skill, and all your faith. And it will give you the tools to do just that.
Parenting
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Written for parents with children of any age, this insightful book provides perspectives and procedures for shepherding your child's heart into the paths of life. Shepherding a Child's Heart gives fresh biblical approaches to child-rearing.
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When it comes to the matter of teaching kids about sex, Christian parents are often confused about what to say and when to say it. The Talk is a series of 7 studies, all anchored in the Scriptures, that helps parents to talk meaningfully with children about sexuality. The Talk was written for parents to read with children ages 6 to 10 years old. The study supplies elementary-age children with foundational truths about sexuality at a level they can understand.
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The problem with lies is they don’t often sound like lies. They seem harmless, and even sound right. So what’s a Mama Bear to do when her kids seem to be absorbing the culture’s lies uncritically?
Mama Bear Apologetics® is the book you’ve been looking for. This mom-to-mom guide will equip you to teach your kids how to form their own biblical beliefs about what is true and what is false. Through transparent life stories and clear, practical applications—including prayer strategies—this band of Mama Bears offers you tools to train yourself, so you can turn around and train your kids.
Are you ready to answer the rallying cry, “Mess with our kids and we will demolish your arguments”? Join the Mama Bears and raise your voice to protect your kids—by teaching them how to think through and address the issues head-on, yet with gentleness and respect. -
Raise Them to Value God’s Design
Starting at a young age, kids are being fed damaging misinformation about sexuality, gender identity, and human biology. As a parent, it’s up to you to help your children understand God’s truth about these integral concepts in the face of the candy-coated lies that saturate today’s world.
In the footsteps of the bestselling Mama Bear Apologetics comes this invaluable guide to training your kids to know and respect God’s design in a world that has rejected it. This book will equip you to…understand God’s design for gender, sex, marriage, and family as a beautiful portrait that reveals the nature of God Himself
identify the tactics being used to trick children into adopting an unbiblical view of sexuality under the guise of Christian-sounding words like love, identity, tolerance, and justice
teach your kids to treat those who hold different beliefs with gentle, Christlike compassion without compromising biblical values
As society continues to blur the lines of what is good, true, and acceptable, God’s standards remain clear and unchanging. This book will give you the wisdom to confidently raise your children to understand sex and gender through a biblical lens.
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Find out what Dr. James Dobson, author of Bringing Up Boys and today’s most trusted authority on parenting, has to say about:
What makes strong-willed children the way they are
Shaping the will while protecting the spirit
Avoiding the most common parenting mistake
Setting boundaries with the defiant child
Strong-willed children and ADHD
If you are struggling to raise and teach children and teens who are convinced they should be able to live by their own rules, The New Strong-Willed Child is a must-read! This new edition is part of Dr. James Dobson’s Building A Family Legacy initiative, designed to help you overcome common frustrations and create peace in your home.
Challenging as they are to raise, strong-willed children can grow up to be men and women of strong character―if lovingly guided with understanding and the right kind of discipline. -
Much-needed answers to your toughest parenting questions! Why are boundaries so important? Do children really want limits set on their behavior? My spouse doesn’t seem to care about discipline; why I am I stuck being the “bad guy?” Is it okay to spank my child, or will it lead him to hit others and become a violent person? Join the millions of caring parents who have found answers in the wisdom of parenting authority and family counselor Dr. James Dobson. The New Dare to Discipline is a revised and updated edition of the classic bestseller, designed to help you lead your children through the tough job of growing up. This practical, reassuring guide will teach you how to meet your children’s needs of love, trust, affection―and discipline.
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For Christian parents, there is no greater joy than seeing their children learn to walk with the Lord. And there is no greater fear than that their children will walk away from God.
After serving together in pastoral ministry and raising their now-grown children, Phil and Diane Comer know those hopes and fears well. Like all new parents, they were intimidated and unsure about how to take on the task of spiritually training their young children. But now, with all four of their children grown and establishing their own households of faith, Phil and Diane have embarked on a quest to help the next generation of parents raise passionate Jesus followers.
Drawing on years of pastoral counseling, teaching, leading, and decades of watching families from the perspective of pastors and leaders in ministry, Phil and Diane instruct, guide, encourage, and offer hope and practical help to Christian parents.
Raising Passionate Jesus Followers is a manual full of practical, biblically based, and time-tested guidelines that parents will be able to turn to again and again through every stage of their children's development, including . . .
Formulating a plan
Laying the foundation, ages 0-5
Doing the framing, ages 6-12
Installing the functional systems, ages 13-17
Completing the finish work, ages 18-22
And keeping the front door open for your grown children
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“But everyone else has it.” “If you loved me, you’d get it for me!”
When you hear these comments from your kids, it can be tough not to cave. You love your children―don’t you want them to be happy and to fit in?
Kristen Welch knows firsthand it’s not that easy. In fact, she’s found out that when you say yes too often, it’s not only hard on your peace of mind and your wallet―it actually puts your kids at long-term risk. In Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, Kristen shares the ups and downs in her own family’s journey of discovering:Why it’s healthiest not to give your kids everything
Teaching them the difference between “want” and “need”
What it takes to give kids perspective through service and hard work
The secrets to guiding children to become fulfilled, flourishing adults
With many practical, biblical tips and anecdotes, she teaches Christian parents how to say the ultimate yes as a family by bringing up faith-filled kids who will love God, serve others, and grow into hardworking, thankful, and successful adults. Now with discussion questions, a list of recommended resources, and a sample cell phone agreement for teens, Kristen shows it’s never too late to raise grateful kids.
Get ready to cultivate a spirit of genuine appreciation and create a Jesus-centered home in which your kids don’t just say―but mean!―“thank you” for everything they have.