# Library Resource List



## Bryan (Feb 17, 2004)

I notice Webmaster that you have 15 years as the amount of tiime the advanced liberary could be gathered in, how long did the basic one take you? An perhaps more importantly how much did it coast? I have around 30 books in my libary (and not expensive ones) and I'm over $600 CND!

Bryan
SDG


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Feb 17, 2004)

You can't go by me because I had special treatment going through college in getting free books. But, if you were to buy the books, for the basic library, about $10-15,000. Now over time (over 15 years say) you could spend $1000 a year. What's that - $80 or so a month. That's not bad. Its miscellaneous money, or your allowance. 

It took me about....oooooohhhh.........(thinking)..........(still thinking).......8 years to acquire them as they came out and I could afford them.

However, between free books at school, the books I have bought, books that have been given to me from my grandfather (who collected puritan works), etc. my advanced library runs about $50-60,000. If God wanted to punish me, he woudl burn down my house or flood it with water. That would be bad. Very, very bad. :shocked:

The advacned library runs about 3500 volumes (maybe a bit less). But basically religious books cost bucks. You either buy food or books, and so I buy books. 

Remember too, I have been a pastor with &quot;book expense.&quot; That is a wonderful perk.

So all in all one has to be choosey, they have to buy the best they can find (dont' waste your time with spending money on mediocrre books.) And master a few of them (not all of them). Five good books, or ten, on theology and the Christian life, mastered well, is better than a huge library that collects dust. 

What is hard, is when you want to master them !!


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## wsw201 (Feb 18, 2004)

[quote:a6101db109]
So all in all one has to be choosey, they have to buy the best they can find (dont' waste your time with spending money on mediocrre books.) And master a few of them (not all of them). Five good books, or ten, on theology and the Christian life, mastered well, is better than a huge library that collects dust. 
[/quote:a6101db109]

Excellent point. Its about quaility no necessarily quantity :wink1:


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## Puritan Sailor (Feb 18, 2004)

[quote:f6f256d9b3][i:f6f256d9b3]Originally posted by wsw201[/i:f6f256d9b3]
Excellent point. Its about quaility not necessarily quantity :wink1: [/quote:f6f256d9b3]

They only problem with this is that there are an extraordinary amount of high quality books out there too :shocked2:

And if you are going to stick with 5-10 books alone to &quot;master&quot; from this great wealth of material which ones do you choose? uzzled:

[Edited on 2-18-2004 by puritansailor]


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## wsw201 (Feb 18, 2004)

[quote:5d5ef971a8]
And if you are going to stick with 5-10 books alone to &quot;master&quot; from this great wealth of material which ones do you choose? 
[/quote:5d5ef971a8]

Read the Institutes 5-10 times :wink1:


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## fredtgreco (Feb 18, 2004)

[quote:b884881fa3][i:b884881fa3]Originally posted by wsw201[/i:b884881fa3]
[quote:b884881fa3]
And if you are going to stick with 5-10 books alone to &quot;master&quot; from this great wealth of material which ones do you choose? 
[/quote:b884881fa3]

Read the Institutes 5-10 times :wink1: [/quote:b884881fa3]

No, NO NO NO Wayne!!



You must rather:















read the Institutes 5 times,


read Owen's works once,



then read the Institutes 5 more times!!!


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## Harrie (Feb 18, 2004)

Ecc 12:12 &quot;And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.&quot;

I found out I toke pride in collecting many books. Now I just keep it simple. If I just like to read about some topic than I go to our theological library of our university. 

And like Pastorway said, I think we should read less theological works and more in our Bible. The larger part of the apostles were also simple men.


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## Randall Pederson (Feb 18, 2004)

*Make Use of Libraries*

I think it's borderline unwise to spend too much on books. I have recently cut down my library from about 5,000 to 3,500. I still buy books, but only ones that I know I will use a lot. What profit is it to have a ton of books and never read half of them? We need to have a core library, and make use of theological libraries. If there isn't one in your area, then you have more freeness is purchasing (as long as you first provide for your family, of course).


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## dkicklig (Feb 18, 2004)

Ah, the smell of books is finer than a nice perfume. 5,000-10.000 should provide just the right aroma for any library. In fact I make my wife get rid of her shoes just to make room for my books.

I got lucky, my father bequethed his library to me, and the rest I colelcted in college. Used books sales are great especially if you live near a seminary. And there are alot of online sellers that give great deals like Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service
I own a lifetime of reading, and I can't stop buying more. Is there a support group for Book Collectors?

[Edited on 2-19-2004 by dkicklig]


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## exscentric (Feb 20, 2004)

pick up a few good cdroms and save yourself a bundle!  just don't try to read in bed unless you have a laptop :yawn:


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## Bryan (Feb 21, 2004)

I don't like reading long things on the computer screen, I much perfer a book I can hold and take with me. 

I have begun in the last month go to used books stores and have found some great books there; Berkohfs Systametic theology, Warfield's Plan of Calvation and a couple John MacArthur ones. 

I believe it was 2 years ago that I began to buy books for myself starting with The Case for Christ. Since then the books I have been buying have been narrowing down to a few new authros who I enjoy reading (Sproul, MacArthur, Piper), whatever topic I'm currently looking at (IE. The case for Amil) and trying to get my hands on the classics (Confessions, Puritian's works things along those lines). So I think I have a good start, jsut when I look at those lists you have up there I am jsut blown away 

Bryan
SDG


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## exscentric (Feb 22, 2004)

You know I have the same feeling - yet I can spend hours reading on the internet - hummmmm where does that disconnect come from


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