In between the last post and this post (about two months!) some friends tagged me on a Facebook list. It asked what 15 authors have influenced you the most and it was interesting to see some of the responses. The most encouraging comment I received was that my author list reflected my vintage! So please keep that in mind as I make some suggestions in this list. It is by no means exhaustive and it is highly reflective of my Gen-Y vintage.
Paul writes to the Corinthians that when they were ‘infants in Christ’ he fed them ‘spiritual milk’. This is appropriate since infants need milk. But for a Christian of a few years – say, spiritually 5 years old and up – it’s a massive concern if they are still on milk. A child of 5 years old should be stomaching solid food. A child of 10 should be eating a wide variety of food and should be able to readily identify what is good and bad for them. And even more so for someone much older. So with this in mind I’ve separated each section into ‘for starters’ and ‘moving forward’.
First – The Framework. Books to build your understanding of God and His Word.
For starters:
– The Bible – keep reading and re-reading! It is simple enough for babes to grasp, and profound enough to keep even the wisest among us in awe. Keep reading the Bible!
– Tim Keller – The Prodigal God – This is a great little book to remind you that the gospel isn’t first and foremost about people but about God.
– CJ Mahaney – Living the Cross Centred Life – my book of 2008 and 2009. Worth owning and re-reading yearly.
– Josh Harris – Dug Down Deep – my book of 2010. Excellent, clear and simple introduction to doctrine and how great it can be.
Moving forward:
– Tim Keller – Counterfeit Gods – we all have idols, those things that replace God as the centre of our lives. Identifying them and letting them go, however, is hard. This little book has some helpful pointers.
– John Stott – The Cross of Christ – Immerse yourself in the cross of Christ and you’ll find yourself constantly digging deeper and deeper.
– John Piper – Desiring God/The Pleasures of God/Battling Unbelief – Piper can be hard to get into. I’d suggest starting with ‘Battling Unbelief’ as it is smaller and clearer, but once you warm to Piper’s style a treasure trove awaits.
Second – The roof and the walls – those things you need to keep the weather and baddies (like false doctrine) out. Books to help you understand how the message of the Bible fits together alongside Doctrine and life.
For Starters
– Robert Vaughn – God’s Big Plan – A great little book which is clear, easy to read, and helpfully showing how the Old and New Testaments fit together.
– Kevin DeYoung – Just Do Something – Another great little book on the issue of guidance. This seems to be a regular issue with new Christians and this little book can be of great benefit amidst the many unhelpful things people can say about ‘seeking God’s will’.
– Peter Jeffrey – Bitesize Theology – Jeffrey does us all a great service by helpfully summarising the bible’s teaching on a variety of topics like, ‘Jesus’, ‘The Holy Spirit’, ‘Justification’, ‘Sanctification’ etc…
Moving Forward
– Graeme Goldsworthy – Gospel and Kingdom/According to Plan – Bigger and weighty books on how the Old and New Testaments fit together.
– Mark Dever – The Message of the OT/NT – Dever summarises in his own words what each book of the Bible is about, their main themes and how (especially the Old Testament) point forward to Christ.
– Gordon Fee & Douglas Stewart – How to Read the Bible for all it’s Worth – one of the more helpful reference books you could own, a great book on understanding how the Bible is to be read according to context, genre and literary setting.
– Commentaries – a bit of a minefield in terms of finding good and helpful commentaries. I’d suggest speaking to your pastor or someone you might know who goes to a theological college/seminary, or head here www.bestcommentaries.com. Old Testament and New Testament commentary surveys by Tremper Longman III and Don Carson (respectively) are also very helpful.
– Don Carson – A Call to Spiritual Reformation – Carson is always good value. This is a great book on the topic of prayer and how the New Testament should shape the way we pray.
– Mark Driscoll – Death By Love – one of the best books I’ve read lately which helpfully connects doctrine and life. The subject matters are weighty, as doctrines of the Cross are, and Driscoll helpfully applies each doctrine to pastoral situations. A tough slog, but worth every bit.
Third – interior decoration. This is where it’s up to you. Here are some suggestions in some categories…
Apologetics:
Apologetic books can, like commentaries, tend to be a minefield. I’d suggest that apologetic books only be read after you’ve built your framework and walls/roofs a little more. You’ll often find that some apologetic arguments might run counter to your framework and understanding (ie – the ‘free will’ response to the issue of suffering running counter to the Reformed view that the will is in bondage and isn’t really ‘free’ at all). But some of the more helpful apologetic books include:
- John Dickson – The Christ Files – evidence for why we know what we know about Jesus
- John Blanchard – Does God Believe in Atheists? – A rather thick book which tackles a wide variety of philosophical and theological issues.
- Ravi Zacharias – Can Man Live Without God/Jesus Among Other Gods – for those who love a good philosophical challenge. Not for the feint of heart.
- Ray Galea – Nothing in my hand I bring. A personal journey of one man through Catholicism to a personal faith in Jesus Christ.
Otherwise I’d suggest that the best apologetics come from a solid understanding of Christ and the Cross.
Boy/Girl Relationships
– Joshua Harris – I Kissed Dating Goodbye/Boy Meets Girl – two of the best books about singleness and courtship respectively.
– Some might include the books by Eric and Leslie Ludy, but I personally find them a little bit soppy.
– Joshua Harris – Sex is not the problem, Lust is. Fantastic little book on the issue of sexual immorality, ways to think through it and the hope of the Gospel in the struggle.
– Amelia and Greg Clarke – One Flesh. This one is definitely for engaged or married couples only.
Service/Ministry:
– Colin Marshal and Tony Payne – The Trellis and the Vine – a new and excellent book on thinking through how and why we serve in church.
– Colin Marshal – Growth Groups – one for future leaders of churches.
– Karen and Rod Morris – Leading Better Bible Studies – similar to Colin Marshal’s book but has a few other very helpful insights, particularly if you’re going to be in any teaching capacity.
Preaching/Teaching
– SMBC – How To Speak at Special Events – one of the most helpful entry level books on preaching and how to preach.
– Don Carson – Exegetical Fallacies – if you’ve read through some of the other books already listed, this one might be worth getting if you’re getting into serious preaching. Carson’s list of exegetical fallacies, how the bible is often used wrongly in sermons, is lengthy and varied. Sometimes the matters can be quite technical (ie – incorrect use of Greek grammar for emphasis) but it’s an otherwise helpful book.
– Jay E Adams – Preaching with Purpose – a short book to spur you towards passionate preaching.
Missions:
Missions biographies are always gold. These are worth stocking up on.
Fourth – the rubbish bin. You can generally judge these books by their covers because they usually have the author’s face plastered dominantly on the front.
– Anything by Joel Osteen deserves to be binned. He’s basically Oprah Winfrey ‘think positive’ with a Christian Badge…a very small Christian badge…
Well, there are my suggestions. What would you add to the list? Would love to hear from you, especially the non-Gen-Yers!
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