The 5 Books You’d Give Your Children

[Username3000]

If you could give each of your children five books when they left home, what would they be? Assume that Christian books are harder to come by, so they couldn’t just go get whatever else they wanted afterward. So five books of long-term value.

Bonus points for separate lists for sons and daughters.

 

[Jake]

A good Bible (potentially study edition), copy of the Confession and related documents, a Psalter, a practical resource (like Thoughts for Young Men by Ryle), and a good reminder of church history (Foxe's Book of Martyrs or Fair Sunshine).

 

[Tom Hart]

I won't mention Your Best Life Now or
Good Morning, Holy Spirit since those probably go without saying.

 

[Tom Hart]

For boys:

1. A nice leather-bound KJV that'll last a lifetime
2. Banner of Truth's Westminster Standards
3. Marshall's The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification
4. Watson's The Doctrine of Repentance
5. Something by Calvin


For girls:

1. A nice leather-bound KJV that'll last a lifetime
2. Banner of Truth's Westminster Standards
3. Marshall's The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification
4. Watson's The Doctrine of Repentance
5. Something by Calvin

 

[alexandermsmith]

For boys:

1. A nice leather-bound KJV that'll last a lifetime
2. Banner of Truth's Westminster Standards
3. Marshall's The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification
4. Watson's The Doctrine of Repentance
5. Something by Calvin


For girls:

1. A nice leather-bound KJV that'll last a lifetime
2. Banner of Truth's Westminster Standards
3. Marshall's The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification
4. Watson's The Doctrine of Repentance
5. Something by Calvin

Why Banner's edition??

 

[Tom Hart]

Why Banner's edition??

It's the only one that I know of with everything in it. Confession, Catechisms, Directory for Public Worship, Solemn League and Covenant...

 

[alexandermsmith]

It's the only one that I know of with everything in it. Confession, Catechisms, Directory for Public Worship, Solemn League and Covenant...

I know another. Without the American distortions included.

 

[Tom Hart]

I know another. Without the American distortions included.

Really? I'm curious to know it.

 

[ADKing]

Matthew Henry's Bible commentary. I find myself turning to it again and again.

 

[Steve Curtis]

Matthew Henry's Bible commentary.

That's 6...

 

[ADKing]

That's 6...

Haha. Fair enough. I guess even if I held one volume back, he'd be well supplied for a long time

 

[Steve Curtis]

Or you could recommend the abridged, one volume edition - and have 4 more slots to fill!

 

[Thinkingaloud]

2000 years of Christ's power by Nick Needham (if I sellotape the volumes together does it count as 1?)

Pilgrims Progress with all the Bible verses and original footnotes included

A daily devotional by Spurgeon

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

I'll pinch the leather bound bible idea but make it NIV.

I'll assume that through family, church and Christian friends that my children will have a good solid grasp of theology by the time they leave home and therefore I chose books that inspired me in my daily walk and hope it would have the same effect on them.

 

[bookslover]

I'll pinch the leather bound bible idea but make it NIV.

Nah, make it the ESV. Let's not saddle the young'uns with either the KJV or the NIV.

 

[Andrew35]

1) A cheap, hard-cover Bible that could take some abuse(so they wouldn't feel guilty about marking it up, making sloppy marginal notes, or spilling coffee on it), probably ESV.
2) Augustine's Confessions
3) Pilgrim's Progress
4) Trinity Psalter-Hymnal
5) Something in the apologetics vein (still not decided yet). Would probably depend on child's abilities/inclinations.

 

[Inactiver user19912]

Assuming I've already given them a quality leather TBS Authorised Version w/Metrical Psalms, which I will have done by the time they leave home (Spare me the commentary, CT advocates, this isn't the place.), I'd go with:

1. Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible
2. Matthew Henry's One-Volume Whole Commentary
3. Thomas Watson's "Doctrine of Repentance"
4. John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress"
5. Robert Hawker's "Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions"

 

[JH]

1. Reformation Heritage Study Bible KJV
2. 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith w/appendix on baptism + catechism
3. Valley of Vision
4. The Christian in Complete Armour unabridged
5. Bavinck's abridged Reformed Dogmatics in one volume

 

[CathH]

Probably much the same as I left home with...

1. Boston's Human Nature in its Fourfold State
2. something by Thomas Watson, maybe The Lord's Prayer or The Ten Commandments or The Beatitudes
3. Matthew Henry's Commentary
4. The Christian's Great Interest by William Guthrie
5. Practical Religion by JC Ryle

 

[Username3000]

Thank you all.