Resources:
Christian Growth for Adults
Find Focus on the Family broadcasts, best-in-class books,
referral recommendations, and more.
10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe by Larry Osborne (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Are Urban Legends & Sunday School Myths Damaging Your Faith?”
A.D. The Bible Continues: The Book of Acts by Dr. David Jeremiah (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Examine the story of the first Christians alongside photographs from the filming of Mark Burnett and Roma Downey’s miniseries A.D. The Bible Continues.
All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life by Mark Batterson (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Exploring biblical accounts as well as contemporary stories, Batterson writes, “When did we start believing that God wants to send us to safe places to do easy things?… Jesus didn’t die to keep us safe. He died to make us dangerous.”
All the Places to Go … How Will You Know? by John Ortberg (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“God has placed before you an open door. What will you do?”
Anger by Gary Chapman (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Taming a Powerful Emotion”
Basic Christianity by John Stott (2012) (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Stott (1921–2011) explores the historical truths of Christianity. “If Jesus was not God in human flesh, Christianity is exploded. We are left with just another religion with some beautiful ideas and noble ethics; its unique distinction has gone.”
Burning Bush 2.0 by Paul Asay (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“How Pop Culture Replaced the Prophet”
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
A seasoned journalist in search of the truth, Strobel recounts his spiritual journey from atheism to faith in this compelling look at the credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth was—and is—positively the Son of God.
The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel (2000)
Strobel investigates the toughest objections to Christianity—heart barriers to faith. Written primarily for skeptics, it will also help deepen believers’ convictions and give them confidence in discussing Christianity with others.
The Case for Grace by Lee Strobel (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Strobel weaves his journey with others’ stories (from prodigals to addicts to murderers) to explore God’s redeeming love.
The Case for Hope by Lee Strobel (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Looking Ahead With Confidence and Courage”
The Case for the Real Jesus by Lee Strobel (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
The historic picture of Jesus is under an attack that has confused seekers and created doubt among many Christians. Strobel offers readers truth to defend Christianity in a hostile world.
Changed by Faith by Luis Palau (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Dare to Trust God With Your Broken Pieces … And Watch What Happens”
Chasing God by Angie Smith (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Smith explores the difference between following God and trying to catch Him. Lean into the joy of the Christian walk.
Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller
“The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power—And the Only Hope That Matters”
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
Even those who’ve made a commitment to follow Christ can lose sight of the wonder of God’s love. Chan reminds readers to let the Lord’s love impact your life, and he issues a call for selfless, Christ-like living.
Crossing the Waters by Leslie Leyland Fields (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Following Jesus Through the Storms, the Fish, the Doubt, and the Seas”
C.S. Lewis & Mere Christianity: The Crisis That Created a Classic by Paul McCusker
In 1940 WWII, the British people were struggling to make sense of God and suffering— and C.S. Lewis spoke hope and truth to a hurting nation. Discover the adversity and history behind Mere Christianity.
The Daniel Prayer by Anne Graham Lotz (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Prayer That Moves Heaven and Changes Nations”
Experiencing God Day-by-Day by Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
This devotional journal invites you to trace your journey toward a closer relationship with God. There’s a page for each day of the year with a Bible verse, a short devotional reading, and space for your own reflections.
Experiencing Prayer With Jesus by Henry Blackaby and Norman Blackaby (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
The Blackabys delve into a subject many individuals aren’t experiencing in their prayer life: intimacy with God. More than simply information about prayer, this book leads you into a life-changing encounter with Christ.
Extraordinary Grace: Where God’s Love Meets Your Deepest Need by Gary Chapman and Chris Fabry (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Explore the imperfect lineage of Jesus and what it means to receive and give grace.
The Faith by Charles Colson and Harold Fickett
“What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters”
Forgive, Let Go, and Live by Deborah Smith Pegues
“If you’ve been wounded by another, this book will empower you to find joy, freedom, and peace as you let go of your desire to avenge the wrong and make a commitment to release the offender from his debt.”
Happiness by Randy Alcorn (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Alcorn dispels centuries of misconceptions about happiness and provides indisputable proof that God not only wants us to be happy, He commands it.”
Healing Your Church Hurt by Stephen Mansfield (not available through Focus on the Family)
“What to Do When You Still Love God But Have Been Wounded by His People”
How Now Shall We Live? by Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Learn to present the Gospel in ways that will capture the hearts and minds of a culture ensnared by lies.
How to Begin the Christian Life by George Sweeting (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
New believers will learn what’s involved in a life of faith—of God, the Church, and the world.
How to Find Selfless Joy in a Me-First World by Leslie Vernick (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
A counselor, Vernick explores Scripture and offers anecdotes from her experiences to offer the truth about self-esteem and the God we humbly worship.
How to Forgive … When You Don’t Feel Like It by June Hunt (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
When someone hurts us, our natural response is to strike back—but in the end we only multiply our hurt. Speaking from personal experience, Hunt offers compassion and scriptural truth to help you find true freedom through forgiveness.
I’m Happy for You (Sort of … Not Really) by Kay Wills Wyma (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Finding Contentment in a Culture of Comparison”
Jealousy by R.T. Kendall
“The Sin No One Talks About”
Know Your Why by Ken Costa
“Finding and Fulfilling Your Calling in Life”
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
An anniversary edition of Packer’s classic work reminds readers of God’s sovereignty and the foundational truths of Christianity.
Life With a Capital L: Embracing Your God-Given Humanity by Matt Heard (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Explore what it means to be human and how life plays out in ten specific areas: freedom, heart, beauty, illumination, story, worship, love, time, brokenness, and heaven.
Lord, I Just Want to Be Happy by Leslie Vernick (not available through Focus on the Family)
“Even if nothing changes in your circumstances, your inner chains can be broken and you can go free … into a new path of real hope and happiness.”
Love Kindness by Barry Corey (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Discover the Power of a Forgotten Christian Virtue”
Make Your Voice Heard in Heaven by Barry Black (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“How to Pray With Power”
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Adapted from his BBC radio broadcasts during WWII, Lewis desired to “explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times.”
Misfits Welcome by Matthew Barnett (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Find Yourself in Jesus and Bring the World Along for the Ride”
Move On: When Mercy Meets Your Mess by Vicki Courtney
Courtney addresses areas where we need to seek God’s mercy so we can live effectively for Him: needing approval, struggles and broken dreams, shame, legalism, “Christian snobbery,” and idolatrous living.
My Heart—Christ’s Home by Robert Munger (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Christians need to be fully devoted to the One who created them. Munger compares Christ’s place in an individual’s life to an owner’s possession of a home.
No More Faking Fine by Esther Fleece
“Ending the Pretending”
Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson (not currently available from Focus on the Family)
“Living With Intention, Bold Faith, and Generous Love”
The Power of Humility by R.T. Kendall
Kendall defines social, racial, financial, sexual, and spiritual pride—and he outlines God’s principles for overcoming arrogance.
The Power of Praying Through the Bible by Stormie Omartian
Journey from Genesis through Revelation to see how God designed prayer. Learn to embrace the promises of Scripture, release burdens to God’s care, listen to the Holy Spirit, and walk with Jesus daily.
The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Timothy Keller
Keller uncovers an unexpected message in the familiar (but often misunderstood) New Testament parable of the prodigal son: God holds out prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and the moralistic.
Pure Pleasure: Why Do Christians Feel So Bad About Feeling Good? by Gary Thomas
Thomas clarifies how pleasure as God designed brings deeper joy and connection in our relationship with Him and with others in our life.
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream by David Platt
Platt examines how American Christianity has manipulated the Gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He challenges readers to rediscover the path to authentic discipleship.
Rest Assured by Vicki Courtney
“A Recovery Plan for Weary Souls”
Sons & Daughters: Spiritual Orphans Finding Our Way Home by Brady Boyd
Seeing how his children embraced their adoption, Boyd considered how God adopted him—not because of Brady’s goodness, but because of the Lord’s. Live out your calling faithfully and joyfully as you reflect on biblical truths and firsthand stories.
Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contaminated World by Craig Groeschel
Goeschel explores how to overcome toxic behaviors, emotions, and influences. Live a life of freedom and grace in Christ.
Stronger: Trading Brokenness for Unbreakable Strength by Jim Daly (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Daly weaves together compelling true stories with biblical wisdom to show how God uses struggles to strengthen the faith of His followers.
Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall
“When Everything in You Wants to Hold a Grudge, Point a Finger, and Remember the Pain—God Wants You to Lay It All Aside”
Unfinished: Believing Is Only the Beginning by Richard Stearns (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Consider your part in God’s story and how your faith impacts every area of life, including family, finances, and career.
What Every Christian Ought to Know by Adrian Rogers
“Solid Grounding for a Growing Faith”
Who Is This Man? The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus by John Ortberg
Ortberg examines the powerful impact that Jesus had and continues to have on human history. Jesus’ influence extends to all areas of culture—and His teachings on dignity, compassion, forgiveness, and hope are our model of a life well lived.
The Women of Easter by Liz Curtis Higgs
“Encounter the Savior With Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene”
Wounded by God’s People: Discovering How God’s Love Heals Our Hearts by Anne Graham Lotz
Sharing her own story of being wounded and drawing from the biblical story of Hagar, Lotz helps readers experience the power of the Lord’s redeeming love.
Your 100-Day Prayer by John Snyder
“The Transforming Power of Actively Waiting on God”
Addressing the State of the Church (Dr. Ed Stetzer)
First aired in 2015, Stetzer talks about research showing a decline in church attendance. But in reality, he says, Evangelicals have increased. Stetzer discusses how churches and families can prepare for the reality of secularism in our nation.
Authentic Christianity: Counting the Cost (Ray Vader Laan)
Vander Laan shares lessons from the Apostle Paul about living an authentic Christian life, changing culture, and serving the broken world around us.
Being Thankful for God’s Blessings (Dr. R.T. Kendall)
Kendall emphasizes the importance of practicing daily thanksgiving to God for even the smallest things in life through journaling, individual prayer, and corporate prayer.
Bringing Purpose and Power to Your Prayer Life (Kathi Lipp)
Lipp speaks honestly about her struggles to have an effective prayer life. She discusses the scriptural importance of prayer—and she shares how prayer has helped improve her marriage, parenting, and other life situations.
Chasing After Christ (Dr. David Platt)
Platt challenges Christians to re-examine their priorities to maximize service for God’s Kingdom. Don’t let materialism distract you from evangelizing the world; get involved in sharing Christ, both at home and abroad.
Cultivating a Life of Character (David Brooks)
Brooks shares insight into the value of cultivating character traits like integrity, honesty, and humility—and how we can impact the culture by putting them into practice.
Encountering Jesus Through the Women Who Loved Him (Liz Curtis Higgs)
Curtis Higgs highlights the faith, love, and sacrificial service of several women mentioned in the Gospels. She explains what their lives can teach us about trusting God, even when life seems hopeless.
Finding God’s Mercy When Life Is Messy (Vicki Courtney)
Courtney shares about her son confessing that he and his fiancée were pregnant. Speaking to parents of prodigal children, she offers hope in the midst of difficult situations. And describing how her past choices—including an abortion at age 17—shaped her Christian walk, Courtney challenges us to embrace grace and live out an authentic God-centered faith.
Finding Your Identity As a Child of God (Pastor Brady Boyd)
We become God’s adopted children through the gift of faith and salvation in Jesus. Boyd explains the need for Christians to really believe and act like they are the Lord’s treasured sons and daughters; they don’t need to work their way into His favor.
Following Jesus Through the Seas (Leslie Leyland Fields)
Leyland Fields shares about being a commercial salmon fisherwoman in Alaska—the marriage tension that comes in working with your spouse, and parenting in the midst of challenging circumstances. She parallels the Christian faith with Jesus calling the first disciples to drop their nets and follow Him.
Heeding God’s Call in Faith (Dickson Mully)
Mully’s family was living in an African desert with hundreds of children to feed and no clean water. He describes miraculously discovering water deep underground—a find that would help transform thousands of lives.
Jesus and His Power (Dr. Tony Evans)
Evans explains how the death and resurrection of Jesus is the power for victorious living today and the hope for the future.
Learning to Be Honest With God (Esther Fleece)
Fleece talks about the healing and freedom we can experience by engaging in open, honest, passionate dialogue with God during life’s difficult seasons.
Lessons Learned While Serving Others (Pastor Matthew Barnett)
Barnett talks about the Dream Center in Los Angeles. He’s worked with gangsters, addicts, orphans, the homeless, and trafficked victims—many whose lives have been redeemed by the Gospel. Barnett challenges us to look for the misfits who cross our paths, and he suggests how to demonstrate unconditional love.
Living for Christ in a Me-First World (Leslie Vernick)
Humility—the honest view of our own imperfect, broken lives—helps free us to become all God intends. Get ideas on how to avoid pride and how to pursue godly humility.
The Power of Persistent Prayer (Dr. John Snyder)
Snyder shares about a vision problem that has limited his activities for the past 40 years—and has helped him grow in faith. Whether God’s answer to our prayer is yes, no, or wait, be encouraged by the truth that He knows what’s best for us.
Pursuing Happiness in Godly Ways (Leslie Vernick)
Vernick examines what true happiness really looks like, and how to slow down, practice gratitude, and savor the joyful moments God gives.
Serving God With What You Have (Dr. Lori Salierno)
Salierno talks about her ministry to share Jesus with high school and college students. She explains how God is constantly inviting us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves—and we need to train our souls to discern His voice.
The Transforming Power of God’s Grace (Pastor Lee Strobel)
Atheist-turned-Christian Strobel tells of God’s grace interlaced with his own experiences. He paints a powerful picture of how grace impacts every aspect of our lives.God’s grace is a free, unmerited gift.
Faith, Hope, and Luck by Andy Stanley (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
“Discover What You Can Expect From God”
Taking Responsibility for Your Life (Because Nobody Else Will) by Andy Stanley (not currently available through Focus on the Family)
Through four video sessions (Let the Blames Begin, The Disproportionate Life, This Is No Time to Pray, and Embracing Your Response Ability) and a participant’s guide, Stanley explores godly responsibility.
The Truth Project
Many believers today fail to live life from a Christian perspective—but Focus on the Family’s The Truth Project® seeks to counter this trend. Through home-based small groups, participants journey through 13 one-hour lessons to learn about and discuss the relevance and importance of living out a Christian worldview.
That the World May Know® by Ray Vander Laan (Focus on the Family)
Vander Laan weaves together the Bible’s historical, cultural, religious, and geographical contexts. He offers insights into Scripture’s significance for believers today.
Focus on the Family Counseling Consultation Line
If you need someone to talk to, Focus on the Family offers a free phone counseling consultation with a licensed or pastoral counselor. Call 1-855-771-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday, 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM (MT).
Focus on the Family’s Christian Counselor Network
Search for licensed Christian counselors in your area.
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
This organization offers faith-building resources for the entire family.
Insight for Living (Dr. Charles Swindoll)
Insight for Living’s website offers resources associated with the daily broadcasts.
Navigators
This international ministry focuses on discipleship and Christian growth.
Truth for Life (Pastor Alistair Begg)
This ministry proclaims the Word of God through radio, print, and web.
Walk Thru the Bible Ministries
This non-denominational ministry ignites a passion for Scripture through events, resources, and a global impact.
