Recommended Reading
These are books I have encountered to some degree or another. Some I have read in depth; others I have only briefly engaged with. All of them are significant for their potential impact on our spiritual lives. In addition to the books listed below, the following sites offer a variety of free books in electronic format: Desiring God Ministries, Monergism.com, and Sovereign Grace Ministries.
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Bible Doctrine By Wayne Grudem / Zondervan Corp.Here’s a theology textbook specially created for you, the layperson. A shorter, more accessible version of Grudem’s Systematic Theology, it covers the gamut of Bible doctrine in clear language: God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, redemption, and more. Includes personal application questions, an appendix of historical creeds and confessions, and a glossary of terms. 448 pages, hardcover from Zondervan. |
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Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know By Wayne A. Grudem, edited by Elliot Grudem / Zondervan Corp.If you have questions about the fundamentals of faith, this easy-to-understand handbook has the answers. Grudem provides you with a solid grasp of 20 key doctrines, including the Trinity, the person of Christ, sin, atonement, and more. Three appendixes—confessions of faith, a bibliography, and a glossary—round out this outstanding resource for new and mature believers. 144 pages, softcover from Zondervan. |
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Desiring God, Revised & Expanded By John Piper / Multnomah Publishers Inc.Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. Now revised and expanded, Desiring God reveals how delighting in God can motivate us to glorify Him through worship, stewardship, loving our neighbor, rejoicing in suffering, and other “duties.” John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn’t truly exist: Delight is our duty. Discover how to lay a biblical foundation for a life of celebration by truly desiring the Lord. |
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Engaging with God : A Biblical Theology of Worship By David Peterson / Inter-varsity PressHow should Christians worship? Ask three believers and you’ll get four different answers! In this scholarly examination, David Peterson conducts a careful exegesis of the Old and New Testaments in search of a purely biblical model for Engaging with God. Discover how God’s people are meant to praise and interact with our Creator . . . on his terms, and in a way he alone makes possible. 317 pages, softcover, InterVarsity. |
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The Existence and Attributes of God By Stephen Charnock / BakerStephen Charnock was a Puritan theologian, whose hours of daily Bible study contributed to a vast and intimate knowledge of the Scriptures. Though this book was written in the seventeenth century, Charnock’s keen grasp of biblical theology ensures its relevance in all eras, particularly today. His exhaustive discussions on the existence and attributes of God form one of the best general theology books available. His reflections on the Bible clarify for all readers the full implications of understanding God as he was revealed in both the Old and New Testaments. Ever the pragmatist, Charnock focuses his reflections on sustainable, practical application, offering Christians at all times the knowledge that leads to greater obedience and more invigorating worship. The discourses in this book cover such important theological themes as: the existence of God; the failure of practical atheism; the spiritual nature of God; spiritual worship; God’s eternality; God’s immutability; God’s omnipresence; God’s knowledge (omniscience); God’s wisdom; God’s power; God’s holiness; God’s goodness; God’s dominion; God’s patience. Each discourse combines with all others to produce a truly broad, multifaceted look at God and God’s qualities, giving all readers an inspirational, devotional, and scholarly look at Christian theology. Let this seventeenth century classic bring your twenty-first century faith to a whole new level. As you learn more about God, you will begin to reflect more of His character and nature to the world. |
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God is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s Love as the Gift of Himself By John Piper / Crossway BooksWhen you ponder what it means to be loved by God, are your thoughts God-centered or self-centered? Best-selling author and pastor Piper reveals that the most loving thing about God is not his making much of us, but his enabling us to make much of him. Paradigm-challenging reflections on the gospel message! 160 pages, hardcover from Crossway Books. |
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The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others By Scot McKnight / Paraclete PressMany of us have memorized the Great Commandment. However, tragically, quite few of us have learned how to live by it. In “The Jesus Creed” Scot McKnight explores how Jesus connected the ancient Jewish commandments to “love the Lord your God with all our heart, soul and strength” and to “love your neighbor as yourself” in order to create a creed that transforms his disciples’ lives. If you are passionate about discipleship and love the writings of John Ortberg, Dallas Willard and Richard Foster, you will treasure The Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight. |
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Knowing God: 20th Anniversary Edition By J.I. Packer / Inter-varsity PressJ. I. Packer’s Knowing God has become a classic of the Christian faith. Why? While it gives us information about God with clarity and grace, it does much more—it aids us in actually knowing him, in building our relationship with him, and helps draw us closer to him in love and worship. This 20th anniversary edition of Packer’s classic has new Americanized text, reader-friendly type, and a new preface. Study guide not included. |
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Living the Cross-Centered Life By C.J. Mahaney / Multnomah Publishers Inc.Have the extremities taken over and left the core of your faith forgotten? Do you get confused by what you feel versus what is real? Let pastor C. J. Mahaney strip away the nonessentials and bring you back to the simplest, most fundamental reason for your faith: Jesus Christ. Blending material from The Cross-Centered Life and Christ Our Mediator with new insights, Living the Cross Centered Life is packed with powerful truth to grip your heart, clear your mind, and invigorate your soul. Get ready to behold a breathtaking view of what God intends to accomplish in and through you every day. |
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Overcoming Sin and Temptation By John Owen & edited by Kelly Kapic & Justin Taylor / Crossway BooksThe writings of John Owen are a challenge to any reader, to say the least. His intricacy and complexity are intimidating and his language is downright befuddling at times. However, the depth of thought and the immense value of Owen’s works cannot be quantified. His three classic works on sin and temptation are profoundly helpful to any believer who seeks to become more like Jesus Christ. In this volume, the editors have made updates to the language, translated the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew and footnoted difficult or unknown phrases, all without sacrificing any of the wonderful content of Owen’s work. It is a uniquely accessible edition of John Owen’s previously daunting work. “The editors of this volume have worked hard to make Owen’s unrivalled insight into the Christian’s inner war with sin accessible to all, and the result is truly a godsend.” “To read Owen is to mine spiritual gold. Unfortunately, as in mining, reading Owen is hard work. Now, Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor have made Owen’s work accessible to modern readers while still retaining his unique writing style. |
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The Practice of Godliness By Jerry Bridges / Nav Press Scripture tells us the God has given us “everything we need for life and godliness.” But what makes a Christian godly? In The Practice of Godliness, Jerry Bridges examines what it means to grow in Christian character and helps us establish the foundation upon which that character is built. Bridges opens our eyes to see how character formation affects the way we relate to God, to ourselves, and to others. |
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The Pursuit of Holiness By Jerry Bridges / Nav PressWhy does holiness often seem so unattainable? Bridges believes it’s because we’re not exactly sure what holiness is—but he wants to change that! Discover how God has equipped you to lead a holy life, how reason and emotion influence your will, how habits and personal discipline play a part in holy living, and more. 192 pages, softcover from NavPress. |
