Family Ministry releases new resources

By Caitlin Magness

LCMS (Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod) Family Ministry has released several new resources for family devotions and Bible study. They include resources for parents instructing children of all ages in the faith as well as resources for older children and young adults digging deeper into God’s Word.

For parents teaching children, the Daily Devotions Guide for Families provides an outline for family devotions, including suggested hymns, catechism memory work and Bible verses for each week of the year. The resource also includes a guide for reading the Bible throughout the year, with suggested books to focus on based on content and ease of understanding.

The Catechism in the Home offers a brief guide for parents seeking to incorporate Luther’s Small Catechism into family life, devotion and study. It outlines how Luther intended the catechism to be used in the home, how it can help parents fulfill their calling to instruct their children in the Word, and how it can shape and strengthen people of all ages in their faith.

For older children and young adults, Digging Deeper provides a series of in-depth Bible studies intended for those nearing the age of confirmation study or above. Included are the “God’s Answers” study, which explores the Augsburg Confession and Christian worldview; “Important Words,” which defines words such as “faith,” “forgiveness,” “freedom” and “Gospel” in a Christian context; “Living Planted,” which covers vocation; and “Our Questions,” which discusses the Book of Job and suffering as a Christian.

Christian Character and Calling explores vocation and the Christian life through a series of Bible studies intended to be used by parents or youth leaders instructing teenagers. Each installment covers an area of Christian living and includes Scripture verses and discussion questions. Topics include “Meditate on God’s Word,” “Forgive as I Have Been Forgiven,” “Share the Faith” and “Encourage Other Believers.”

Parents and youth leaders can also use Short Studies on Tough Topics, a series of studies covering difficult questions for teenagers and young adults. Each study includes conversation starters, a short devotion and Scripture verses to provide biblical context for the topic. Families can use the resource as a starting point to discuss tough topics such as “Authority,” “Marriage,” “Isolation” and “Natural Disasters,” with God’s Word as their guide.

“We are excited to add these new resources,” said the Rev. Andy Becker, manager of family discipleship for the LCMS Office of National Mission. “These join other resources to help families develop faith practices in their homes. Faith habits will vary between households, and so we will continue to develop resources to support these healthy habits.”

LCMS Family Ministry is dedicated to equipping families to pass on the faith, nurture the well-being of the family and proclaim Christ. The resources above, and others, are available at lcms.org/family.

Caitlin Magness is a freelance writer and editor in St. Louis.

Posted Feb. 3, 2026/Updated Feb. 5, 2026