With Father’s Day just around the corner, we wanted to highlight a few of the new Christian books for dads that will entertain, enlighten, or maybe just help a Sunday afternoon pass by. Being a father is something that feels both perfectly natural and utterly foreign at times. All men have a natural urge to protect and provide for their families, but it isn’t always easy. These new Christian books for dads aim to help fill in the gaps and answer questions that many fathers have. You can also find a couple of great new books that will warm your heart or force you to consider the world in a new way. Maybe you’ll find a present for Father’s Day to give to the man of the house. Let’s look at a few of these books and what they offer.
The process for having your first child can be intense. Fortunately there are at least a million books out there to help new parents. Or at least the ladies. NFL tight end Benjamin Watson wrote this book so that first-time fathers know what to expect and how they can help during and after the pregnancy. Full of sports analogies and common sense wisdom, this book is a great tool for dads who are feeling overwhelmed or maybe just want a little extra guidance. Watson has eloquently written on a number of topics in recent years including race and family issues.
“Wild at Heart” has long been considered one of the best books ever written on manhood, but it’s not the only time author John Eldredge has touched on the idea. “Killing Lions” is a bit of an autobiographical work in that it is the story of Eldredge and his son Sam. The book is an examination of both men’s lives, their hopes, fears, and challenges, and what it means to be a grown man. If you have a son who is college-aged or in his twenties, this might be a great opportunity to read through a book together. At less than 200 pages, you could wrap “Killing Lions” up in no time.
It may seem strange to have a female author included in a list of new Christian books for dads, but there’s plenty of wisdom to come from the opposite sex. Truth be told, this parenting book is written from the perspective of its author, so a lot of the parenting advice comes from a female point of view. On the other hand, raising kids in today’s world is very different from what it was like even 20 years ago. We can use all the help we can get. Welch’s book shares many insights from her own family’s journey in slaying instant gratification and teaching children important aspects of discipline, patience, and more. Like “Killing Lions” for fathers and sons, “Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World” could be nice for spouses to read together.
There is a tendency for just about every book written for Christian men to be about business, leadership, or biblical commentary. What happened to reading for fun? You won’t find too many works of fiction aimed at today’s Christian man, but occasionally you can find new Christian books for dads that want to be entertained. Fishing has long been a popular hobby for guys who want to enjoy the great outdoors. You may be surprised to know that there is a rich history to the sport that goes back hundreds of years. Coming from Willie Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame, this book makes for a great read for any man who has ever felt that an afternoon at the lake is about as good as it gets.
One of the most natural ways to take care of your kids is to pray for them. We all do it from time to time, but there’s probably room for improvement. Many people, including pastors, are not satisfied with their prayer lives so it stands to reason that we could be praying more effectively for our children. The only thing Chapman writes about more than family and relationships is hunting and the great outdoors in books like “A Look at Life from a Deer Stand.” This short book will open you up to new ideas that can have a profound effect on your prayer life.
If you want to hear from another professional football player-turned-author, former quarterback Jeff Kemp offers a book packed full of wisdom in “Facing the Blitz.” Every man knows the experience of facing a storm. Whether it’s a lost job, family issues, or any other setback, every family faces crises. Kemp draws from his career in sports and life off the field to teach three different strategies for dealing with the struggles that life throws our way. When the head of the household is drowning under the pressure, everyone suffers. Find out what changes you need to make so that the next time you’re “Facing the Blitz,” your family can persevere.
Do you ever feel overcome by the idea that the world is too big of a place for you to ever make a difference? Part of man’s punishment after the Fall is that the concept of work has been corrupted and perverted into being unfulfilling, tiresome, and futile. Between the urge of passivity and the distractions of this world, we run the risk of missing out on God’s calling for our lives. Justin Camp’s book is about discovering your purpose and learning how you can achieve more than you ever imagined. This is a book for the dad who is burnt out at work or struggling with the daily routine.
Mark Batterson has been one of the most successful Christian authors in recent years as “The Circle Maker” and other works have taken off in the religious community. In “Play the Man,” Batterson confronts the popular yet often elusive idea of biblical manhood. We know that the secular perception of what a man should be is dangerous because it often leads to greed, lust, and a rejection of responsibility. By examining men from the past and the virtues they aspired to, we can understand what it takes to be a man. The book isn’t just about manhood for today’s generation, though. We also have to take into account how we will pass on the ideals of manhood to our sons.
Maybe your reading life has been bogged down by infinite books on leadership and manhood. Maybe you need something that is both masculine and heartwarming, a page turner of sorts. “I’ll Push You” is the story of two best friends who decide to take on the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile trail in Spain. The catch is that one of the men has a neuromuscular disease that confines him to a wheelchair. A story of travel and friendship, this book will inspire you and show you a great example of the kind of bond that can exist between two men.
These are just a few of the new Christian books for dads that we’d recommend. Some are newer than others, but this list is a good representation of the options available in today’s market. We know that books can have a powerful influence on individuals, families, and the Church as a whole. That’s why at the K-LOVE Fan Awards we like to celebrate the books that are making the biggest impact. As much as we love books, though, each year’s festivities also honor the biggest achievements in film, music, and sports. Find out how you can attend this amazing show by clicking on the icon below.
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