Reviews

Best Children’s Books (Book Recommendation)

Kirk E. Miller

For this month’s book recommendation, Kirk reviews and composes a list of some of the best children’s books currently available.

Children’s Bibles

  • The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm
  • The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung
  • The Biggest Story Bible Storybook by Kevin DeYoung
  • The Gospel Story Bible by Marty Machowski
  • The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
  • The Beginners Gospel Story Bible by Jared Kennedy

Children’s Translations

  • New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)
  • International Children’s Bible (ICB)

Family Worship

  • The Trinity Hymnal
  • The New City Catechism
  • Family Worship by Donald Whitney

Topical Books

  • The Ology by Marty Machowski
  • Little Pilgrim’s Progress by Helen Taylor
  • The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross by Carl Laferton
  • God’s Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell
  • Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer by Laura Wifler
  • God Made You and Me by Shai Linne
  • God Made Boys and Girls by Marty Machowski
  • God Made All of Me by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb
  • God Made Me Unique by Joni Eareckson Tada
  • Everything a Child Should Know about Prayer by Nancy Guthrie
  • Everyone a Child Should Know by Clare Heath-Whyte
  • Good News for Little Hearts series by Ed Welch
  • The Prince with Dirty Clothes by R.C. Sproul
  • The Poison Cup by R.C. Sproul
  • Psalm 23 by Sally Lloyd-Jones
  • Loved: The Lord’s Prayer by Sally Lloyd-Jones
  • The Lord’s Prayer by Harold L. Senkbeil
  • The Apostles Creed by Ben Myers
  • The Story of God Our King by Kenneth Padgett and Shay Gregorie
  • The Story of God with Us by Kenneth Padgett and Shay Gregorie
  • I See Jesus by Nancy Guthrie
  • That Little Voice in Your Head by Andy Naselli
  • His Grace is Enough by Melissa Kruger

Bonus: Audio

Other recommendations:

Christian Theology by Christopher Morgan (Book Recommendation)

Kirk E. Miller

The Christian faith consists of certain beliefs, called doctrines. And theology is the study of doctrine. Theology is important if we are to know God rightly and live in his world accordingly as those he has redeemed. Christopher Morgan’s Christian Theology: The Biblical Story and Our Faith provides a fantastic and accessible overview of our Christian beliefs.

An Accessible Guide to Systematic Theology, Christian Theology by Christopher Morgan

Kirk E. Miller

For a while now, I’ve been on the hunt for a solid, entry-level systematic theology to use with people in my church. We have a wealth of in-depth, academic-level systematic theologies available to us today, especially for those of us in the Reformed tradition. But there’s a notable gap in literature that hits the sweet spot—at least for those of us who are Reformed and Baptist—between those more technical, lengthier works and systematic theologies that are geared to the average person in the pew.

This is partly why I think Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology has been so popular despite its methodological and theological problems. I’ll be honest; I’ve used it with people! It’s accessible, easy to understand, saturated with scripture, and generally takes Reformed positions. In terms of those qualities, it’s ideal for use in the church. But alas, there’s that pesky methodology (Biblicism) along with his odd (Grudem’s view of prophecy) to even straight-up aberrant (eternal subordination of the Son) theological positions at times.

So I’ve long desired a replacement, something that’s equally accessible, readable, scripture saturated, but without the problems of Grudem.

I’m pleased to say that I think I’ve found that in Christopher Morgan’s Christian Theology: The Biblical Story and Our Faith.

Continue reading →

Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton (Book Recommendation)

Kirk E. Miller

On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany—so beginning the Protestant Reformation. This book tells the story of Luther’s life, how he came to discover the gospel of justification by faith alone for himself, and how he then sparked a movement of gospel recovery across Europe.