One of the most encouraging things about the current moment in Christian publishing is that much of the best content is freely available online. The organisations that produce it are funded by donors who want good theology to reach as many people as possible. Here is a curated guide to the best free resources for Christian parents wanting to build their family's faith life.
The Best Faith Resources Are Free
BibleProject — For Family Watching and Discussion
BibleProject videos are the single best free resource for family Bible engagement. The animated overviews of Bible books and biblical themes are engaging for children from about age 8 upward and rich enough to hold adult interest too. A family practice of watching one BibleProject video per week and discussing it over dinner is simple, low-effort, and genuinely formative over time.
Recommended starting points for families: the Gospel of Luke overview (6 min) as a Christmas season watch; the Jonah overview (5 min) for a conversation about mercy and mission; the Image of God theme video (5 min) for a conversation about why every person matters.
Desiring God — Articles and Devotionals for Parents
Desiring God has a rich section of articles specifically on parenting and family faith formation. Articles like How to Pray With Your Kids, What to Do When Your Child Questions Their Faith, and Raising Children Who Love the Church are freely accessible and written by pastors who are also parents. The Solid Joys daily devotional app is free and provides a one-paragraph Bible reflection each morning — small enough to read before the school run.
The Gospel Coalition — Parenting Section
The Gospel Coalition has a dedicated parenting section with articles on raising children in a secular culture, talking about sex and identity from a Christian perspective, handling teenagers' doubts, and what it means to disciple your own children. The quality is consistently high — these are not superficial listicles but substantive, theologically grounded reflections from experienced pastors and parents.
Bible Gateway — Every Translation, Free
Bible Gateway provides every major Bible translation free online, along with reading plans, audio Bibles, and a search function covering the entire Bible. For families reading the Bible together, the New International Reader's Version (NIrV) is excellent for primary-aged children — simpler vocabulary than the NIV but faithful to the original. The English Standard Version (ESV) is well-suited for upper primary and secondary. The audio Bible function (you can listen to any passage read aloud) is excellent for car trips.
Ligonier — Free Booklets on Core Doctrine
Ligonier Ministries offers free downloadable booklets in their Crucial Questions series covering core Christian doctrine. For parents who feel uncertain about their own theological grounding, booklets like What Is the Trinity?, Who Is the Holy Spirit?, and What Is Faith? are 40-page primers that build confidence quickly. Reading one a month over a year gives parents a solid theological foundation they can draw on in conversations with their children.
