Recommended Resources
Resources mentioned and recommended in our weekly gatherings — books we've discussed, tools dads in the group actually use, and places that have shaped our families. Each one links back to the meeting notes where it came up.
Books for Dads
Fatherhood & Parenting
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The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
The great rewiring of childhood, antifragile kids, and why the physical world is safer than our anxiety says.
from Antifragile Children and Raising Brave Kids
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Fathered by God by John Eldredge
The masculine stages of development: boyhood, cowboy, warrior, lover, king, sage.
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Feeding the Mouth That Bites You by Dr. Kenneth Wilgus
Planned emancipation: progressively handing freedom to your teens instead of holding control until 18.
from Planned Emancipation and Part 2
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The Intentional Father by Jon Tyson
Designing rites of passage that mark growth in your children.
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Raising Emotionally Strong Boys by David Thomas
We also attended his live presentation on the Three R's: recognizing, regulating, repairing.
from Ending the Year Strong and David Thomas Presentation Review
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Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey & Rachel Cruze
The antidote to entitlement is humility.
from Raising Stewards
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Things Father's Do by Paul Manwaring
The source of "to be a father, you must first become a son."
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Marriage
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Date Your Wife by Justin Buzzard
The "ground war and air war" of investing in your marriage.
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Get Married by Brad Wilcox
Against the soulmate myth: fulfilling obligations, not happiness-seeking, leads to marital joy.
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Wired for Love by Stan Tatkin
The "couple bubble": marriage as a two-person survival alliance.
Faith & Spiritual Growth
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The Great Omission by Dallas Willard
"Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning."
from Raising Stewards
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A Plain Account of Christian Perfection by John Wesley
A classic picture of a life wholly aimed at God.
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Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
A couple in our group worked through this workbook to build a shared rule of life.
from Unity With Your Wife
Family Culture & Habits
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The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni
Building a rallying cry and shared identity for your family.
from Impulse Control
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Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
Why instilling a love of physical books cultivates patience and empathy.
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Atomic Habits by James Clear
"Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become."
from Year Four opener and Planned Emancipation
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Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley
Everyday rhythms of prayer, Scripture, and family gathering.
from 3 Morning Practices
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The Power of Moments by Chip & Dan Heath
The four elements of defining moments: elevation, insight, pride, connection.
Emotional Health
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The Grief Recovery Handbook by John W. James & Russell Friedman
Processing grief as "conflicting emotions caused by a change in a familiar pattern."
Reading Aloud With Your Kids
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The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett
Classic stories, fables, and poems gathered by virtue: courage, honesty, compassion, faith, and more.
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Dangerous Journey by Oliver Hunkin
An illustrated retelling of The Pilgrim's Progress that brings Bunyan within reach of young readers.
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The Door in the Dragon's Throat by Frank E. Peretti
The first Cooper Kids adventure: a Christian adventure story with real danger in it.
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Little Britches by Ralph Moody
A true story of a boy growing up on a Colorado ranch and learning from his father what it means to be a man.
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A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A girl loses everything and holds on to kindness and imagination anyway.
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My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
A boy leaves home to live on his own in the Catskills. The kind of book kids beg for one more chapter of.
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The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
The case for reading aloud to your kids at every age, and the questions that turn a story into a conversation.
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Trial and Triumph by Richard M. Hannula
Short, readable stories of faithful men and women from church history. Good from about age 7.
from You Can't Read It at 1.5x and Week 5: Intentional Discipling
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The Weighty Word Book by Paul M. Levitt, Douglas A. Burger & Elissa S. Guralnick
One big word for each letter, each with a short, punning story. Five minutes at breakfast builds a real vocabulary.
Discipling Your Kids
The Action Bible — graphic-novel Bible great for bedtime reading. (from Keeping God Present and Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Action Bible Guess-It Game — Bible trivia cards one dad keeps in his truck. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Advent, Easter & Sabbath Blocks — seasonal family discipleship blocks. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Children's Summer Bible Reading Plan: John by Rachel Wojo — printable plan for reading one book of the Bible with kids. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
A is for Adam by Ken Ham — gospel-and-Genesis spiral book for younger children. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Jesus Storybook Bible — used as part of one dad's discipleship plan with his children. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
New City Catechism — question-and-answer faith basics, used at the dinner table. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling and The Day They Leave)
NIV Adventure Bible — a kids' Bible recommended by dads in the group. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Our Daily Bread — short daily devotional for sparking dinner-table conversation. (from Keeping God Present and The Father's Heart)
Westminster Shorter Catechism — a classic alternative for daily family liturgy. (from The Day They Leave)
What is a Christian? and I'm a Christian Now — booklets for introducing the faith around ages 7–8. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
YWAM Hero Biographies — Christian biography series for children. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Watch & Listen
Doubletake: "A Digital Revolt" — the podcast episode that introduced us to the Postman Pledge. (from Framing the Digital Conversation)
Hunter Davis: Becoming a Family on a Mission (keynote) — the full talk behind our family-mission series. (from Week 9: Becoming a Family on a Mission)
Inside Out (Pixar) — for talking with kids about sadness and joy existing together. (from Recognizing & Regulating Emotions)
The Jesus Film — watch 5–10 minute snippets at bedtime with your kids. (from Keeping God Present and Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Kid's Bible Stories Podcast — Bible stories for car rides. (from Keeping God Present)
Old Enough — Netflix show of very young kids doing real tasks; great conversation-starter on independence. (from Week 8: Fostering Independence)
Red Pen Logic — YouTube channel of short clips on discernment and misused Scripture. (from Starting by the Spirit)
Superbook — Bible-based animated series on Prime. (from Keeping God Present)
Torchlighters: Heroes of the Faith — animated church-history series. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Tools & Apps
Calm Down Corner Poster Set — visual home tool for emotional regulation. (from Raising Emotionally Strong Children)
Circle — parental controls for bedtime shutoffs and platform blocking (now part of Aura). (from Building a Different Current)
Emotion Wheels — printable wheels for helping kids name what they feel (physical versions are on Amazon). (from Emotions: Naming, Breathing, Coping)
PrayerMate — prayer app with cards for praying over your children. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Tales Conversation Card Decks — easy, repeatable dinner-table conversation starters. (from Biblical Q&A in the Car)
Articles & Websites
Intentional Fathers Resource Guide — the group's original resource spreadsheet (download).
The Postman Pledge — a parent-led commitment to delay smartphones and social media together. (from Framing the Digital Conversation)
Redemptive Quests — living out faith through work and creativity. (from Savage Family Mission & Vision)
Sabbath Is a Way of Life by Dallas Willard — solitude and silence as essential disciplines. (from Servanthood and Rest)
Camps, Conferences & Places
Deerfoot Lodge and Pine Cove — Christian camps where young men meet godly role models; a modern rite of passage. (from Building Godly Homes)
Durham Rescue Mission — a local, accessible way for families to serve together. (from Building Godly Homes)
Reality Apologetics Conference — youth apologetics conference in Georgia (ages 11+). (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
St. Francis Springs Prayer Center — retreat center for silence, solitude, and Sabbath rest. (from Servanthood and Rest)
Summit Ministries Student Conferences — worldview conferences for students. (from Week 5: Intentional Discipling)
Washington Duke Inn Executive Club — a local membership spot for dating your wife. (from Valentine's Day Edition)