Christian Home Essentials: Books Every Christian Home Needs
As a newly married couple begins their life together, they likely come across a helpful list of new home essentials, things that are needed in every home. Kitchen gadgets, bathroom accessories, and a toolbox. No longer can the single man subsist with just a towel, spoon, fork, knife, plate, and a lawn chair! Now that he is married and starting a new life with his wife, there is much more needed. The married couple cannot just think of themselves either, they should anticipate hosting others in their home. So, they need hospitality essentials. Soon, they will also need essentials for raising their children. Perhaps they get a bigger house in a few more years and they now are responsible for a lawn. They will need gardening and lawn essentials. Add a pet and you need pet essentials. The kids start swim lessons. Now they need swim essentials. Lists of essentials abound, and their costs increase too! Generally, we’re willing and able to outfit, at least, the true essentials.
What about the spiritual essentials for each home? Are we willing to outfit this list of essentials? We need to first understand that these essentials include regular Bible reading, prayer, and singing as a family. It would most assuredly include regular church worship on the Lord’s Day. These events, moments, disciplines, and habits instruct a healthy spiritual life in the home. But what practical resources support these spiritual essentials and provide Christian families with invaluable wisdom, instruction, and help? What follows is a list of books that ought to find their way onto every Christian bookshelf for the sake of the Christian home.
The Bible It is vital that Christian families would regularly turn to the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, where God himself has disclosed his will and ways, namely the redemption we find in Christ Jesus. Three specific recommendations come to mind for owning and using a Bible at home: 1) As your children move into grade school this ought to take the form of regular, systematic reading through books of the Bible, interspersing Psalms and Proverbs throughout. When your children are younger, up through about age six or seven, other books that present the Biblical stories or basic orthodox theology may be helpful. The most famous of these is Sally Lloyd-Jones’ The Jesus Storybook Bible, other recommendations are listed below. None of these Story Bibles are perfect, since human beings are summarizing the stories of the Bible and illustrations can often be confusing or (more rarely) blasphemous, but the best of them certainly help communicate Biblical truth to younger listeners. 2) The selection of the family Bible could be special for your family. If it’s special than perhaps adults and children alike will treat the family worship time with more respect. A quality Bible, in your hands, for the family is important. Recommendations for these are below. 3) Finally, it may be wise for some families to purchase a family Bible that is also a Study Bible. It is understandable that not all adults know everything that is in the Bible. They will not be able to answer some of their children’s questions, or perhaps their own questions. Likewise, there are books of the Bible that are not usually preached on in Church. A Study Bible can help when we lack familiarity. Some thoughts on the available options are below.
A Hymnal It is obvious that not everyone is musical. Certainly not all families own a piano or any instrument at all. None of these disclaimers result in never owning a Hymnal in the Christian home. A good Hymnal is a rich resource for family worship, especially as preparation for worship on Sunday. At the very least, it would be wise to read through at least one of the hymns that was sung on the previous Sunday or will be sung in the upcoming Sunday. On top of this basic use, you may intersperse the Doxology or the Gloria Patri into family worship, which are typically known and easily sung a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment). Children can easily learn these and then anticipate being able to sing them on Sunday at church with all the adults. My own daughters know both short trinitarian praise songs. After about a week of singing them every night before bed during family devotions, my youngest, who is presently two years old, knows them well and sings them at Church. Hymnals provide the words to some of these short praise songs and many familiar hymns that you can sing around the house or in family worship. Having a Hymnal in the home may also inspire a family to gain some musical ability for the sake of family worship and weekly corporate worship in the Church. Typically, a good Hymnal will also have various readings in the back. These readings may include Psalm readings, Confessions, or Catechism. They can be used at home in family worship to great effect!
A Confessional Standard The motto of “no creed but the Bible” neglects the fact that the Bible can be used and abused to support all manner of human lunacy, as we have seen throughout history. Likewise, it neglects clear and careful teaching from brilliant Christians in Church history who aimed to faithfully summarize and defend Biblical truth. Finally, it neglects Biblical commands to pass along the faith to the next generation, which is clear teaching on the scriptures not just simply the scriptures themselves. To not fall into this trap, families ought to invest in and read through faithful summaries of God’s Word in the historical Creeds and Confessions of the Church, which will act as guardrails against false teaching, overemphasizing, and wrong-headed assumptions. A few examples of books that provide several different Reformed Confessions and the catholic Creeds are listed below.
Classic Spiritual Literature There are many great books to purchase for your family that helps to construct an atmosphere conducive to good, true, and beautiful things. I think of Anne of Green Gables, the Beatrix Potter stories, Aesop’s Fables, Charlotte’s Web, Jane Austen novels, Beowulf, John Dunne poetry, Shakespeare, and many others. But there are those stories in literature that purposefully inspire and instruct covenant children and spark their God-given imaginations, serving as a substantial touchpoint in their spiritual maturity. The story that stands above the rest, historically speaking, is John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. For many generations this story has instructed and inspired Christian homes, as well as playing the role of a literacy tutor. Other books that may be considered along these lines would be C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia series for children and his Screwtape Letters for younger teenagers. J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, while not intended as a spiritual Christian analogy nor a spiritual guide, nevertheless stand at the top of a list of the classics for Christians to read starting in the Middle School years.
Christian Biographies Often the stories of others can shape our own stories. I recall diving into a short biography on Francis Schaeffer in college that was formative for my own sense of call. Likewise, biographies can give us a glimpse into healthy rhythms and patterns of life that we may want to imitate. Iain Murray’s massive biography on D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a memorable Summer read for me many years ago. I discovered a principled man dedicated to the Word of God and preaching for the cause of the gospel in the context of the church. Biographies are helpful for every level of reader. Consider buying a few for your kids, teenagers, or yourself. Suggestions of biographies are below.
Bible Recommendations
The ESV translation is a very reliable translation of the Old and New Testaments. The ESV Study Bible has some quality contributions and contributors, while other aspects show particular theological emphases or unique readings of certain passages.
Reformation Study Bible (ESV Text)
The Reformation Study Bible, produced by Ligonier ministries and R.C. Sproul, removes a few of those theological concerns in the ESV Study Bible but still has a unique perspective. This Study Bible is in its second edition and has many formats that are helpful including a Reformation Student Study Bible.
Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible
A quality Bible, with study notes edited by Joel Beeke, using the KJV text, which has its historic merits.
Another quality Study Bible, with study notes edited by D.A. Carson, using the very readable (although occasionally odd) 2011 translation of the NIV.
Children’s Story Bibles and other Children’s Bible and Theology Recommendations
The Children’s Story Bible by Catherine Vos
A true classic written by the wife of Geerhardus Vos. This is a bit more understandable and readable for kids six years and up. It presents the theology of the story through episodic retellings.
Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
This text has become a favorite in many Children’s ministries and typically provides wonderful connections between Old Testament passages and the coming of the Messiah, Jesus.
Bible Stories Every Child Should Know by Kenneth Taylor
Good summaries of many Bible stories with helpful reading comprehension questions at the end of each episode. This is a great Bible Storybook for ages four to six.
Baby Believer Board Books from Catechesis Books
This set is invaluable for the early years, working through basic knowledge of shapes, numbers, letters, emotions, etc. and utilizing those frameworks to highlight beautiful orthodox belief.
Hymnal Recommendations
Trinity Hymnal, revised
The second Trinity Hymnal, produced in the 1990’s from Great Commission Publishing, remains a quality hymnal with which many people are familiar. There is a great selection of hymns, some with guitar chords. There are wonderful texts and readings in the back as well.
The most recent addition to the Trinity Hymnal lineup, provides a very robust Psalter in the songs marked between 1-150, linked to the same number Psalm. The hymn section from 151 and beyond is helpful too. However, there is a marked quality spectrum in this hymnal with many tunes or lyrics falling flat or feeling stiff. Wonderful collection of a variety of Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms in the back, however no Psalms readings.
Confessional Standards Recommendations
Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Reader’s Edition
These two collections of a variety of Creeds, Reformed Confessions, and Catechisms are both helpful and instructive. The second, edited by Chad Van Dixhoorn, may be favored by those of Reformed but slightly different denominational leanings beyond Presbyterianism, especially given the inclusion of the London Baptist Confession.
Classic Spiritual Literature Recommendations
The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan with illustrations by William Blake
This edition, with William Blake’s brilliant illustrations, is a quality book for the family home. Families may want to invest first in a readable or abridged version of the story to prepare younger readers for later readings of the original story.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
These classic instructive spiritual analogies for the Christian faith are a must for family read aloud and quiet personal reading for children ages five and up, to be repeated many times. Parents should not squirm about imagery and creepy parts, especially if children have not seen a movie or television series before reading.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
A creative story of demons’ correspondence, instructs younger teenagers and beyond on spiritual disciplines and spiritual warfare from the opposite perspective.
The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
These wonderfully rich tales, with significantly more depth than Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, are an absolute necessity for Christian teenagers and adults alike.
Christian Biographies Recommendations
Theologians on the Christian Life Series by Various Authors
This series of biographies has never disappointed and would be deeply helpful and encouraging for High School students and above.
Christian Biographies for Young Readers by Samantha Carr
This extensive series of biographies on a wide variety of Christians from Church History could be very helpful and inspiring for your children.
Other Family Worship Resources
Family Worship by Joel Beeke
A very brief guide for Family Worship in the home, providing not only helpful direction but also a great vision for this important practice.
Family Worship Bible Guide from Reformation Heritage Books
A guide through all the chapters of the Bible that highlights the key ideas, truths, information, and themes in a passage, so that families have help they need to dive deeply into God’s Word together.
