Written by Deb del Villar, Director of Communications
Every year, as June rolls around, memories of my wedding and all the preparations fill my thoughts. I was a June bride like so many people. In fact, June is the most popular month for weddings, with September coming next. The pleasant weather, as well as tradition, play a role. All my grandparents, as well as my parents and in-laws, were married in June.
Have you shared your wedding story with your grandkids? Better yet, share your wedding photos? This month naturally gets me thinking about what I can do as a grandparent to help my grandchildren in this area.
While there is so much confusion around gender and sexuality, what can you do as a grandparent? Of course, share your story, but start with the Biblical model. God is not confused, nor does He desire for your grandchildren to be.
Holiness, demonstrated through biblical sexuality, will help lay a strong foundation for their hearts, souls, and minds. If holiness is the target of their lives, the issue of biblical sexuality will be easier to navigate.
The story begins in the Garden of Eden, so that is a great place to start. God, our Loving Creator, had a plan and purpose when He created mankind. Some other great scripture passages to explore and discuss are Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 19:4-6; and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5.
In addition to the Bible, there are wonderful resources out there to help you as you encourage lives of holiness. An excellent read on cultural issues and how to have conversations around them is John Stonestreet and Brett Kunkle’s book A Practical Guide to Culture. There is an edition for the older grandchildren titled A Student’s Guide to Culture. There are chapters on gender and sexual issues that may prove extremely helpful for you as well as for them. A recently released book, Raising Gender-Confident Kids, by Kathy Koch and Jeff Myers, is another great one to educate and encourage you.
This list has been carefully compiled to be helpful, but we encourage you to review each resource and talk with your children about this topic before introducing it to your grandchildren.
Books on Holiness
- Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story by Christopher Yuan
- The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
- The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
- The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
- Spiritual Disciplines and the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
- Tempted and Tried by Russell Moore
- The Hole in Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung
- Holiness by J.C. Ryle
- Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen
- Be Holy by Jason Garwood
- Rediscovering Holiness: Know the Fullness of Life with God by J.I. Packer
- Act the Miracle by Dr. Piper
- Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall
- Christ Formed In You: The Power of the Gospel For Personal Change by Brian Hedges
- Licensed To Kill: A Field Manual for Mortifying Sin by Brian Hedges
- Active Spirituality: Grace and Effort in the Christian Life by Brian Hedges
- Holiness by Grace: Delighting in the Joy That Is Our Strength by Bryan Chapel
- Birds & Bees Course by Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson – Age-appropriate conversation guides about sex, bodies, and biblical values for children.
- Mama Bear Apologetics by Hillary Morgan Ferrer – Strong apologetics resources helping parents discuss gender ideology and sexuality biblically.
- Talking to Your Kids About Sex by Mark Lasser – Practical and approachable family conversations resource.
General for Children
- God Made All of Me by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb – Teaches children about being made in God’s image as boys and girls.
- Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr. and Good Pictures Bad Pictures by Kristen A. Jenson – Simple introduction to protecting young minds from pornography exposure.
- Passport2Purity by Dennis Rainey and Barbara Rainey – Parent-child retreat resource discussing purity, relationships, and growing up.
Books for Boys
- A Little Boy After God’s Own Heart by Jim George, Elizabeth George, Judy Luenebrink
- A Boy’s Guide to Making Really Good Choices by Jim George
- Letters to Philip by Charlie Shedd
Books for Girls
- A Little Girl After God’s Own Heart by Jim George, Elizabeth George
- A Girl’s Guide to Making Really Good Choices by Elizabeth George
- Letters to Karen by Charlie Shedd
- Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ’s Control by Elisabeth Elliot
- Quest for Love: True Stories of Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot
- And the Bride Wore White: Seven Secrets to Sexual Purity by Dannah Gresh
- A Young Woman After God’s Own Heart: A Teen’s Guide to Friends, Faith, Family, and the Future by Elizabeth George
- Lies Young Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free,
by Nancy Leigh DeMoss - Beautiful in God’s Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman
by Elizabeth George - With an Everlasting Love by Kay Arthur
Other Resources
Here are some trusted evangelical Christian resources on holy sexuality, biblical identity, gender, and discipleship that are thoughtful, biblically grounded, and widely respected across evangelical churches and ministries.
- The Holy Sexuality Project – Dr. Christopher Yuan
What is covered in The Holy Sexuality Project®? Twelve lessons with three videos per lesson, covering the most pressing issues related to sexuality and gender for a total of over 4.5 hours of content. Available for teens and coming soon for preteens. - True Girl – Dannah Gresh
While this is focused on parents and daughters, there is great information to help you connect with your granddaughters. - Center for Biblical Sexuality
Blogs, online resources, and books to help find your Biblical identity in a broken world. They seek to equip people with a faithful understanding of Scripture so they can pursue sexual integrity that honors God and strengthens families. This commitment ensures that truth is not only proclaimed but lived out with love and compassion. - Got Questions
Easy-to-understand biblical answers to common sexuality and gender questions teens often ask. - Stand to Reason
Apologetics ministry with helpful material on truth, identity, and sexuality. - Plugged In
Media reviews from a Christian worldview to help families discuss sexual content in entertainment.
Foundational Ministries & Organizations
- Focus on the Family
Strong biblical resources for parents, grandparents, marriage, sexuality, and gender conversations with children and teens. - Axis
Excellent culture translation ministry helping parents and grandparents discuss sexuality, identity, and media with younger generations. - Harvest USA
Compassionate, gospel-centered ministry addressing sexual brokenness, pornography, same-sex attraction, and discipleship. - The Gospel Coalition
Articles, podcasts, and theological resources on biblical sexuality and Christian ethics. - Center for Faith, Gender, Sexuality
Thoughtful evangelical discussions on sexuality, gender identity, pastoral care, and discipleship. - Biblical Counseling Coalition
Counseling-oriented articles and resources for churches and families navigating sexuality-related issues. - Pure Desire Ministries
Recovery and discipleship resources focused on pornography and sexual integrity.
Conclusion
When considering the choice of what to use, think:
- gentle but biblically clear
- conversation-oriented
- respectful of parental authority
- helpful for understanding modern cultural language
May God bless your efforts and maximize their impact for His glory and your grandchildren’s good.
