I learned a lot more than I thought I would while working at my seminary’s library. Shelving books seems mundane, but the task taught me something worth thinking about. As I wandered between shelves and counted the call numbers, I daydreamed about how hard it is to maintain a personal library. Bookshelves in our homes or churches are a constant reminder: it’s easy to collect resources, but harder to curate good ones.
We all share in the exhaustion of being buried under a constant stream of social media rants, influencer monologues, and AI-generated articles. The countless words swirling around us all the time threaten to suppress the truly great ones, including God’s Word itself. What Arthur Schopenhauer once said rings true: “If a man wants to read good books, he must make a point of avoiding bad ones.” Too often we settle for getting a resource for our Bible studies rather than getting a faithful one. Budget constraints are real, but even before we fill a shopping cart, we are overwhelmed by the options.
As parents, we are uniquely called and responsible to disciple our children, but that doesn’t mean we are alone. As youth ministers, we have the opportunity to teach the Bible to students, but we would be foolish to think we can do it all in our own wisdom. Whether you are a parent discipling your kids at home or a youth minister equipping students and their families, reliable resources can be the difference between a lesson plan that faithfully lands and one that misses.
The good news is that reliable Bible study tools don’t have to be elusive! Free, accessible, and faithful online resources are out there—we just have to find them and use them. The following resources won’t cost you a thing, can be bookmarked on your browser, and are historically proven and doctrinally vetted.
1. New City Catechism
Throughout church history, catechisms have served the church worldwide. Two are widely considered the best in Protestant circles: the Heidelberg Catechism (read alongside the Three Forms of Unity) and the Westminster Catechism (read alongside the Westminster Standards). For centuries, catechisms have been invaluable tools for parents seeking to obey Deuteronomy 6 and Matthew 28.
Many catechisms are worth exploring—John Calvin’s, Martin Luther’s, and others—but most parents and ministries don’t usually have the margin to use all of them. The New City Catechism draws from all of these and helpfully distills them down into one resource! It’s free on their website and available as an app. Two versions are available: the full catechism and a child-friendly version. For a busy parent or youth minister, this is invaluable.
2. The Commentaries of John Calvin and Mathew Henry
The commentaries of John Calvin (1509-1564) and Matthew Henry (1662-1714) are accessible to a parent trying to understand a passage of Scripture for a family devotional, or for a youth minister needing a quick reference. These men were not always right about everything, but the Protestant church has esteemed their commentaries highly ever since their ink touched paper. John Calvin’s commentaries are widely available online, though he did not write on every book of the Bible. Matthew Henry’s commentary is equally accessible.
Charles Spurgeon once told his students to sell their coats if they had to in order to get their hands on a copy of Matthew Henry’s commentary (Lectures to My Students, Chapter 13). The abridged version is particularly strong for a quick reference—it’s tighter and punchier than the full edition. Bible Gateway links to the abridged version while you’re reading any passage. Look under “Commentaries” in the “Resources” tab.
3. A Collection of Early Church Fathers
It is invigorating to read the thoughts of the early church fathers. There is such a wide gap in time between them and us. Consider men like Clement (c.35-99), Ignatius (c.50-108), Polycarp (c.70-155), Irenaeus (c.120-200), Augustine (354-430), and Athanasius (293-373). Many of these men lived closer to the birth of the church than we do to the Civil War!
The Christian Classics Ethereal Library contains a vast collection of ancient Christian works, all freely accessible. If you find yourself studying a specific passage of Scripture, another resource is this Early Christian Commentary, which cross-references more than 40 ancient authors throughout Scripture. These voices from the early church can remind us that we belong to a long line of faithful men and women.
4. Exposition Tools
Studying the biblical languages helps pastors, preachers, and teachers to expound the text for others. Still, you don’t need to know Greek or Hebrew to take advantage of the following incredible tools, which will also aid in your exposition.
Step Bible may be the most user-friendly option. Simply click any word to instantly see definitions, original language usage, and cross references.
Blue Letter Bible offers a very helpful interlinear reading option. Click “Tools” next to any verse and view the passage in the original word order.
The Bible Project is always available as well. If you’re a parent who would like to offer informative videos, I highly recommend their summary videos of each book of the Bible.
Lastly, the Gospel Coalition Commentary is an invaluable resource. Every book of the Bible has a multitude of trusted authors, scholars, and pastors, and an abundance of linked articles or videos to go even further.
5. Resources from Rooted Ministries
I’d be remiss not to mention Rooted’s own resources. Whether you’re a parent and need guidance on a particular topic or a student ministry volunteer who received a unique question from a student last night at youth group, Rooted Ministry has something for you, and is ever-growing! You would be well served by spending some time simply exploring all the different categories of topics that have been covered so far through the parent resources or youth ministry resources.
You Are Not Alone in Teaching the Bible
We stand on the shoulders of thousands of years of God’s people discipling their children. We can glean from their wisdom as well as the wisdom of those around us—and all without breaking the bank or traveling far. Don’t think you’re alone. Don’t feel unequipped. And don’t believe the lie (something I remind myself of often) that you need to be an expert. Instead, focus on the salvation we all share in Christ. He took your sin to the cross and, in return, gave you a Holy Spirit-empowered life to live, full of learning and growing and teaching the wonderful truths of God’s Word!
May God bless you in your efforts to teach your family and students the truth of God. I pray you can find some helpful and encouraging tools in this list. Your family and church will be most blessed by you when you remember that you are also a student of God’s Word and take joy in growing in the knowledge of God, just as you hope they will (2 Pet. 3:18).
If you’re looking for curriculum to teach your students the Bible, consider Rooted’s Bible-based studies. We offer a free Philippians download so that you can try out a study before purchasing a full package.
