Books for Gifts – Marriage and Parenting

This category of books is huge.  So instead of recommending every book out there I’m going to recommend my all-time favorite marriage book and my all-time favorite parenting book.  I consider these to be must reads and have personally benefited greatly from them.  They are,

• When Sinners Say I Do, Dave Harvey
• Shepherding a Child’s Heart, Tedd Tripp

Books for Gifts – Fiction Classics

Continuing in our series of book suggestions for Christmas gifts we’ll tackle fiction today.  Good Christian fiction is hard to come by so I’ll concentrate on the three classics that everyone should read.  On a personal note, we are on a continual cycle of reading through these in my house.  In fact I’ve literally read the covers off of my Narnia and Lord of the Rings books.  Hardbound editions of both are on my wish list this year.

The must reads for any age are,

• Pilgrim’s Progress (Parts 1 and 2), John Bunyan
• The Chronicles of Narnia, CS Lewis
• The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, JRR Tolkien

Books for Gifts – Calvin

John Calvin is arguably the most influential Bible teacher of the last millennium.  If you or someone on your list hasn’t read any of this works then you should start with these two:

• The Institutes of Christian Religion, John Calvin
• Commentaries, John Calvin

Books for Gifts – Mahaney

I’ve benefited deeply from the writing of CJ Mahaney.  His books — as well as his wife’s books — are excellent examples of how to apply gospel truth to practical living.  Any of them would make great gifts.

• Living The Cross-Centered Life, CJ Mahaney
• Humility, CJ Mahaney
• Wordliness, CJ Mahaney et al (my review)
• Feminine Appeal, Carolyn Mahaney

Books for Gifts – Apologetics

If you’re looking for books on apologetics — the reasoned defense of the Christian faith — then look no further.  I’ll give you three very different but equally well written and important works.

• Mere Christianity, CS Lewis
• The Defense of the Faith, Cornelius Van Til
• The Reason for God, Tim Keller

If you had to go with one to start with, I’d go with Keller’s book.