Compiled by Ron L. Deal, President, Successful Stepfamilies
www.SuccessfulStepfamilies.com
Updated January, 2005
National Ministry Organizations:
InStep Ministries: www.instepministries.com InStep Ministries is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the community by providing practical, Biblical resources, support and counsel to single, divorced and remarried individuals, their families and the churches who minister to them.
Jeff Parziale & Judi Babcock-Parziale, Directors; 2506 N. Alvernon
Tucson, Arizona 85712. Phone: (520)721-0800; Email: info@instepministries.com
Institute for Family Research and Education: www.blendingfamily.com
Dr. Donald Partridge and Jenetha Partridge, Directors;
Email: don_partridge@blendingfamily.com
Mend Workshops: www.mendworkshops.com MEND Workshops is an outreach to stepfamilies, single parents and couples struggling to make their home a sanctuary. Offering consultations, workshops, support groups, retreats, couple's weekends, curriculum, and hands-on training, MEND's heart is to reach into our society and offer support for those who are hurting.
Dottie and Terrill Williams, Directors.
Phone: 888-872-1293
Successful Stepfamilies: www.SuccessfulStepfamilies.com
This site provides resources for pre-remarital couples, stepfamilies, and the churches who serve them. Site includes free articles as well as books, curriculum, audio/video resources, and information on live conferences around the country.
Ron L. Deal, President; 7905 London Court, Amarillo, TX 79119; Phone: 806-356-7701; Email: ron.deal@successfulstepfamilies.com.
Christian Stepfamily Web Sites:
Christian CoParenting: www.christiancoparenting.com
InStep Ministries: www.instepministries.com
Institute for Family Research and Education: www.blendingfamily.com
Mend Workshops: www.mendworkshops.com
Natalie Nichols Gillespie: www.stepfamilysurvivalguide.com
Stepfamily Services: www.stepfamilyservices.com
Stepfamilies Work: www.stepfamilieswork.com
Successful Stepfamilies: www.SuccessfulStepfamilies.com Christian resources and conferences for pre-remarital couples, stepfamilies, and the churches who serve them. Author and stepfamily expert Ron L. Deal, President.
Other Helpful Web Sites:
Association of Marriage & Family Ministries: www.amfmonline.com (Stepfamily Focus Group)
Family Medallion: www.familymedallion.com (a gift to share with children during remarriage wedding ceremonies)
FamilyLife: www.familylife.com
Focus on the Family: www.family.org
Getting Remarried: www.gettingremarried.com
GrowthTrac: www.growthtrac.com
National Stepfamily Resource Center: www.stepfamilies.info
Opportunities Unlimited: www.cgtaylor.com
Stepfamily Services: www.stepfamilyservices.com
** Other links available here.
Books for Christian Stepfamilies & Couples Considering Remarriage:
NOTE: An ** indicates highly recommended resources.
** Adkins, Kay, (2004). I’m Not Your Kid: A Christians Guide to a Healthy Stepfamily. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Barnes, Bob. Winning the Heart of Your Stepchild. Zondervan Publishing, 1992.
Becnel, Moe & Paige, (2000). God Breaths On Blended Families: A Testimony of the Becnel Family. Baton Rouge, LA: Healing Place Productions, Inc.
** Broersma, Margaret, (2003). Daily Reflections for Stepparents: Living and Loving in a New Family. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal Publications.
Broersma, Margaret, (2004). Stepparent to Stepparent: Answers to 50 Common Questions Stepparents Ask. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal Publications.
** Deal, Ron. The Smart Stepfamily: Seven Steps to a Healthy Home. Bethany House Publishers (2002). Contains a discussion guide for stepfamily groups and questions for pre-remarital couples.
Douglas, Edward & Sharon. The Blended Family: Achieving Peace & Harmony in the Christian Home. Franklin, TN: Providence House Publishers, 2000.
** Gillespie, Natalie Nichols, (2004). The Stepfamily Survival Guide. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell.
** Goodman, Karon Phillips (2002). The Stepmom’s Guide to Simplifying Your Life. Culver City, CA: EquiLibrium Press.
** Goodman, Karon Phillips. (2004). A Stepmom’s Book of Prayer. http://KaronGoodman.com.
Kniskern, Joseph W. (2003). Making a New Vow: A Christians Guide to Remarriage. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Lauer, R.H. & Lauer, J.C. (1999). Becoming Family: How to Build a Family That Really Works. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress.
Parrott, Les & Leslie. (2001). Saving Your Second Marriage Before It Starts. Zondervan.
** Partridge, Donald R. (2001). Single Parents Savvy Partnering: Stage 1—Dating. Pleasanton. CA: Ginger Court Press. Designed to help pre-remarital couples date intentionally and anticipate stepfamily issues.
** Partridge, Donald R. (2001). Single Parents Savvy Partnering: Stage 2—Engagement. Pleasanton. CA: Ginger Court Press.
** Partridge, Donald R. (2001). Single Parents Savvy Partnering: Stage 3—Merging. Pleasanton. CA: Ginger Court Press.
Smoke, Jim (2004). 7 Keys to a Blended Family. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Pub.
Educational Curriculum, Videos, & Ministry Resources for Churches, Christian Stepfamilies & Couples Considering Remarriage:
NOTE: An ** indicates highly recommended resources.

**Adler-Baeder, Francesca. (2002). Smart Steps for Parents and Children. 6-week curriculum for stepfamily adults and their children. Includes two videos and a CD with Power Point and handout masters. An integrated Christian supplement entitled “Growing in Wisdom” by Ron Deal is included. Order from www.SuccessfulStepfamilies.com.
** Deal, Ron (2004). Blended Families: Helping Yours, Mine, and Ours Become a Family. DVD produced by AACC; designed for stepfamily educators and counseling. Available at www.SuccessfulStepfamilies.com.
** Deal, Ron. “Building A Successful Stepfamily” Audio Seminar & Workbook (6 CD’s). Listen-in as Ron Deal presents his live national stepfamily conference.
** Deal, Ron. “7 STEPS To Stepfamily Success” Video Seminar (75 minutes; available in DVD or VHS).
** Deal, Ron. “Ministering to Stepfamilies: What Churches Must Do” Audio Seminar (3 CD’s). Presented at the 2004 Association for Marriage & Family Ministry Conference.
** Deal, Ron. “Preparing Couples With Children for Remarriage” Audio Seminar (1 CD). Presented at the 2004 Single Parent Family Ministry Conference.
** Dunn, Dick. New Faces in the Frame: A Guide to Marriage and Parenting in the Blended Family. Nashville: LifeWay Press, 1997. A 12-week workbook study for Bible classes. Call 1-800-458-2772 to order.
Focus on the Family (2004). The Blended Marriage. Colorado Springs: Focus on the Family. A 4-session study based on their small group marriage series. The study provides good discussion questions but unfortunately does not provide the leader with any background study material to help answer the many questions that arise in stepfamily classes. Recommended for advanced stepfamily educators only.
** Parziale, Jeff (2004). How to Start and Lead a Stepfamily Support Group. Tucson, AZ: InStep Ministries. A self-published guide for ministry leaders.
** Parziale, Jeff & Judi (2002). Looking Before You Leap…Again! Preparing Yourself for the Adventures and Challenges of Remarriage. Tucson, AZ: InStep Ministries.
· Also, Jeff and Judi have a 10-session group study available based on Looking Before You Leap. It is called Second Chances: Preparing for Remarriage in the 21st Century. A Leader’s Guide and Couple’s Workbook is available. Tucson, AZ: InStep Ministries.
** Parziale, Jeff & Judi (2002). The Journey: A Traveling Guide for Christian Stepfamilies. Tucson, AZ: Fenestra Books.
· Also, Jeff and Judi have a 10-session group study available based on The Journey. It is called How to Succeed as a Stepfamily. A Leader’s Guide and Couple’s Workbook is available. Tucson, AZ: InStep Ministries.
Pratt, Lonni Collins. Making Two Halves a Whole: Studies for Parents in Blended Families. Elgin, Ill: David C. Cook Publishing Co., 1995. A 13-week Bible study curriculum for adult groups.
** Taylor, Carri & Gordon (2003). Designing Dynamic Stepfamilies: Bringing the Pieces to Peace (video series). Eight-part VHS or DVD series includes a study guide. "Ready-to-use" for workshops, conferences, and small groups. Order from www.SuccessfulStepfamilies.com.
Townsend, Loren (2002) Pastoral Care with Stepfamilies. St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press.
Resources for Therapists and Family Life Educators:
Bray, James. Stepfamilies: Love, Marriage, and Parenting in the First Decade. New York: Broadway Books, 1998.
Deal, Ron. Video: Blended Families: Helping Yours, Mine, and Ours Become a Family. Part of the AACC Caring for People God’s Way series, Vol. 2, 2004.
Emery, Robert E. Renegotiating Family Relationships: Divorce, Child Custody, and Mediation. New York: Guilford Press, 1994.
Hetherington, E. M. & Kelly, J. (2002). For Better or For Worse: Divorce Reconsidered. W.W. Norton & Co., New York.
Gamache, Susan. “Parental status: A new construct describing adolescent perceptions of stepfathers.” Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia, 2000.
Ganong, Lawrence H. & Coleman, Marilyn (2004). Stepfamily Relationships: Development, Dynamics, and Interventions. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
Journal of Divorce & Remarriage. The Haworth Press, Inc. 1-800-342-9678.
Kelley, P. (1995). Developing Healthy Stepfamilies: Twenty Families Tell Their Stories. New York: Haworth Press Inc.
Martin, Don & Martin, Maggie. Stepfamilies in Therapy: Understanding Systems, Assessment & Intervention. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1992.
Papernow, Patricia. Becoming a Stepfamily: Patterns of Development in Remarried Families. Analytic Press, 1998.
Visher, Emily & Visher, John. Old Loyalties, New Ties: Therapeutic Strategies with Stepfamilies. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1988.
Visher, Emily B. & Visher, John S. Therapy With Stepfamilies. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1996.