I'm going to be sending books to the father of the two girls that my family is adopting and he is in prison. He can receive mail and books and so I want to speak with him about the things of God while he is behind bars. I just don't know what books to send because he has zero understanding of the Bible, God, or theology. On one hand I feel like just sending him an ESV Study Bible because, despite its faults, he can read the Word itself and have a little help when necessary.

Do you think I should send him books + the Bible, and if so, what books? Or do you think he should work through the Word first? (Wasn't there something by Sproul that outlines the basics of the faith or something?)

Thank you.

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Andrew Thornquist My Photo Album
Calvinistic Baptist
Ukiah, California
To follow Christ was the best decision God made for me!

He can read. Really!

Send him some sort of apologetic work, like evidence for the resurrection of Jesus or something.

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Steven Nemes
Phoenix, AZ

Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy must be answered - C.S. Lewis

Thank you for responding, Steven! (Other people can see this thread. Sweet!)

I don't think he needs evidences actually. He is showing some surface fruit; the Lord may indeed be working in him already. What he needs is help in understanding the faith in terms of basic history, doctrine, etc. Like I said, he has zero understanding of the Bible and of Christianity beyond that good guy Jesus who died for people for whatever reason. He's a blank slate. Thus, I'm wondering if having him read the Word at first would actually be the most profitable thing because he would not have any sort of foundation or context. In this case, would a book explaining basic doctrine be more profitable at first, and if so, what would some good books be for him?

Andrew,

You shouldn't need to send him a Bible. He should be able to easily get one in prison. As far as books go, he a good devotional that will help him understand the basics of the doctrine of God, Christ and salvation. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening or his Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith come to mind. Morning Thoughts and Evening Thoughts by Octavius Winslow are also good. You should be able to get these through Reformation Heritage Books.

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Steven J. Carr (Sven)
http://beholdingthebeauty.blogspot.com/
Eagan, MN
PCA
"Weak is the effort of my heart / And cold my warmest thought / But when I see thee as thou art / I'll praise thee as I ought."--John Newton
Trophy Wife/Arm Candy: Crystal Ann Children: Steven Jr. and Hannah Grace

One thing to be careful about (or perhaps ask about) -- I tried giving away old SS literature to a local jail when in Mississippi, and it was refused. It was not b/c of the content, but because it was stapled together, and the fear was that the inmates would remove the staples and use them for nefarious purposes.

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Tim Phillips
Pastor, Midlane Park Presbyterian Church (ARP)
Louisville, KY
Husband of Scottish Lass
My Blog: Gairney Bridge
My Facebook/My Avatar

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

"Wherever the gospel is preached, it is as if God Himself came into the midst of us." ~ John Calvin

How many inmates know that you can use a staple, a couple styrofoam plates, and some toilet paper to escape from prison anyway?

It might not hurt to send some sort of guide to studying the Bible, one that teaches solid exegesis, to prevent possible "creative interpretation" of Scripture passages. Suggestions?

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Jonathan
Audio Engineer
Reformed Anabaptist
Ohio

Moroni's magical glasses of proper interpretation:

I think the fear was that they could remove all the staples, twist them together, and make a shiv out of them. Ouch.

Pilgrim's Progress?

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Lee Dodd | Twitter: @LeeDodd
Layperson - FBC Daisetta
Dayton, TX

"We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work." - John 9:4

Send him the Word, the Word, and the Word. Make sure he has a good concordance.

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

I would send him a Tim Keller book. I think these are particularly useful for someone who has no background in Christianity or biblical thinking. Reason for God is probably the best one. Make sure not to send him something to heavy theologically. He'll need a foundation first.

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Kathleen M
nondenominational
Montana

What books is he allowed to have? Prisons may have restrictions on what a particular inmate is allowed to possess. Also, his current status will be a factor. He should have a case manager or a unit manager who can help you out with this.

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A Bible with solid notes seems like your best choice. Once you get a reaction from that it will help direct you as to what else might be acceptable.

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Ruben
Moderator
F.P.C.I.
Indiana

Vanities and disguises have covered us, and thereby we are naked; licenciousness hath inflam'd us, and thereby we are frozen; voluptuousness hath fed us, and thereby we are sterved, the fancies and traditions of men have taught and instructed us, and thereby we are ignorant.
John Donne

Board Rules - Signature Requirements - Suggestions?

Calvinistas Conversando
Teología en Mexico
The Howling Wilderness

At our prison we're not allowed to send the inmates hardcover books. Oh, and any books can be given as long as they are mailed by a third party source. Check into that kind of stuff.

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Jake; Hold to Original WCF, member of SBC; Greater Atlanta, Georgia Area

The cross does not give us a minor shift or two with regard to a few of our ethical and moral and religious values; the cross radically disrupts the very center and citadel of your life from self to Christ. —Albert N. Martin

Essential Truths of the Christian Faith.

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Nathan Tyler
Reformed Baptist
University of Toronto (Student: Hons. B.A. in Philosophy)
Ontario, Canada

1689'er

http://nathantyler.wordpress.com

I would send him Putting Amazing Back Into Grace, by Michael Horton. It would be a good read for a man in prison.

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soli Deo gloria!
~Nicholas~ Ordained Pastor
Member, Fulton PCA; GPTS Student
Christians are like snow covered dung; it is the purity of the covering which the Father sees. -Luther-
There is nothing more ugly than a Christian orthodoxy without understanding or without compassion.
-Francis Schaeffer-

Thank you for your suggestions. I really appreciate it. Tony (the inmate) is in very good standing at his prison because he wants to stay in touch with his daughters. I don't know about books with staples or hard covers, but I'll check into it. I have years to send him stuff, so I hope most of your suggestions will be sent over time. One thing about Pilgrim's Progress: Tony is intelligent but uneducated. I think he stopped school at the 8th grade since he was making bank as a leading pot grower ($100,000 - more than $1,000,000 a year) so anything that isn't modern English won't work. He'll need help with modern English anyway. I wonder if that "Pilgrim's Progress in Modern English" is accurate or not.

Jake is right, the book has to come from a bookstore directly. I haven't heard of no hardbacks but I only have experience with sending things to a reformatory for women. I think the "Essential of the Christian Religion" is a good pick. You could also send him Confession. I am partial to the WSC.

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Traci
Lynnwood OPC
"I have taken all my good deeds, and all my bad deeds, and cast them through each other in a heap before the Lord, and fled from both, and betaken myself to the Lord Jesus Christ, and in him I have sweet peace."--David Dickson

Some Ken Blanchard books would make a good start.

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

Rules may vary form jail to jail.

As for Federal Prison they are all the same

Paper backs can come to him from friends. Hardbacks they must order from a bookstore.

One I send that is well received is How to Handle Trouble by Jay Adams.

Also they need to know God is sovereign and most likely will not get much of that.

Rejoice always by Thimas Gwynn BTT is great.

And encourage the to go to Bible studies and seek out the men who seem to have some serious interest in Christ.

Yes a Geneva Study Bible or a Sproul study Bible would be good. They often have liited access to Bibles and may only have Gideon's if they do.

The Plight of Man and Power of God MLJ
The Covenants by Robertson
All Things for Good, modern English version of Divine Cordial

There are so many that will be useful.

Chapel Library has a free program for prisoners. You can ask them to send him an application to his address.

A church or religious ministry can get authorization to send books, CDs and DVDs to the prison chapel. They will be able to get access to them in some cases.

Also no stickers on the outside like return address labels. Hand write it.
No stamps or anything except pictures put inside.

They have a limit of 5 books in one shipment but no limit on how many times you can ship

Ask him to check on his particular rules where he is.

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DonP

This might be helpful-

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Bill Cunningham
Covenant Reformed Church, URC
Kansas City
There are three kinds of people- those who can count, and those who can't.

Two Paperbacks to consider:

R.C. Sproul's Knowing Scripture, a book on layperson hermeneutics.

J.I. Packer's Concise Theology , a small theology book (each topic is only a couple of pages) that can be used for devotions. Lot's of scripture references for additional study.

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Jonathan
College Student
Grace Family Fellowship {SBC}
Kentucky

... yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

1 Corinthians 8:6

Excellent suggestions, especially Sproul's book.