One of the fun parts of being church librarian is that I get to order new books for the library. Along with requests and suggestions I receive from others in my church, I use blog book suggestions and reviews when deciding which books to order. So I’m always collecting book posts for future reference and I’ve decided to share some recent ones with you in a Round the Sphere post. Most of these I won’t end up ordering because I don’t have a big budget, but they’re all ones I am or have considered.
Children and Families
- ESV Illustrated Family Bible (Mark Tubbs at Discerning Reader)
While my children and I were making our way through this book I regularly recommended it to other families, and I still do. It’s well worth the investment even if it wears out by the time you finish it.
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Give Them Grace (John Bird at While We Sojourn)
These two experienced mothers don’t pretend that they are perfect, that their children are perfect, or that they have the secret key to perfection. They don’t give readers a formula for parenting; there are no “three steps,” or even specified rod dimensions (though they do say that an open hand is okay, regardless of what other parenting books have said). Instead, they remind us that it is God, and not parents, who determines a child’s destiny in this life and the next, and that we need His grace as much as our children do.
John has a couple of reservations about this book, so you might want to check that out.
- Grandpa’s Box (Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds)
It’s a creative presentation of the biblical storyline, as a grandpa uses objects in an old box to retell the stories. I think parents will be surprised at the nuanced biblical theology at play here. I am being instructed as I read.
Young Adults
- Thriving at College (Frank Turk at Pyromaniacs)
Imagine you’re a college student, and you had a big brother who was watching you (not stalking you, just paying attention) who had been through college and turned out pretty good. And imaging that, because he loved you, he gave you a relatively short list of “to do’s” for your 4 years at college.
If he wrote down all the advice he would give you, it would be this book.
Women
- Gospel Meditations for Women (Dan Phillips at Biblical Christianity). There’s also, by the way, Gospel Meditations for Men.
- By His Wounds You Are Healed, a study of Ephesians for women by Wendy Alsup.
Biography
- John Piper’s list of favorite biographies (Desiring God Blog).
- Hudson Taylor: Gospel Pioneer to China (Tim Challies)
In Hudson Taylor: Gospel Pioneer to China, Vance Christie has given us a short but powerful account of the life of a man who was truly great in the Kingdom of God. If it has been too long since you have read the biography of a missionary, don’t miss out on the opportunity to be blessed by this one.
Theology
- Historical Theology (Ordinary Pastor)
As a pastor we have used Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology as a text to introduce men to the theological truth. Now, I am thankful, that Gregg Allison has published a Historical Theology that functions as a companion to Grudem’s very helpful work.