Recommended Reading



Please note: The following books may be helpful to your walk with the Lord. The mere listing of a book does not indicate full agreement with everything an author may teach or believe. Always measure everything by Scripture.

In general, the books are listed in order of increasing difficulty (i.e., easier to understand are listed first, more challenging ones last).  Most of these should be readily available at www.ChristianBook.com orwww.amazon.com.

Understanding What Jesus Has Done to Save Us (The Gospel)

  • The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges
  • Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney
  • Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die by John Piper
  • The Cross of Christ by John Stott


Knowing God

  • The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
  • The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
  • The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
  • The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink
  • Knowing God by J.I. Packer


Growing as a Christian

  • What True Holiness Looks Like
    • Humility by C.J. Mahaney
    • Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
    • The Hole in our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung
  • How to Grow as a Christian
    • The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
    • The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges
    • Desiring God by John Piper
    • Holiness by J.C. Ryle
  • Developing a Consistent Devotional Life
    • The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges
    • When I Don't Desire God by John Piper
    • Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
  • Devotional Tools
    • Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
    • A Godward Life, Volumes 1&2 by John Piper
    • For the Love of God; Volumes 1 &2 by D.A. Carson


Theology/Bible Doctrine

  • The Most Important 18 Words You Will Ever Know by J.I. Packer 
  • The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson
  • Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem
  • Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson
  • The Doctrine of God by John Frame


The Church

  • Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris 
  • What is a Healthy Church Member by Thabiti Anyabwile
  • Why We Love the Church by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck
  • Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever


Telling Other about Jesus (Evangelism)

  • Life on Mission: Joining the Everyday Mission of God by Dustin Willis and Aaron Coe
  • The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever
  • Jesus the Evangelist by Richard Phillips
  • Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer 


Global Missions

  • Let the Nations be Glad by John Piper

Defending the Faith

  • How Do We Know the Bible is True Volumes 1&2 by Ken Ham and Bodie Hodge
  • More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell 
  • Jesus Among Other Gods by Ravi Zacharias
  • Kingdom of the Cults edited by Ravi Zacharias
  • Apologetics to the Glory of God by john Frame

How to Study the Bible/Bible Study Resources

  • How to Study the Bible by John MacArthur
  • The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur
  • Explore the Book by J. Sidlow Baxter
  • How to Read the Bible for All its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
  • An Introduction to the New Testament by D.A Carson, Douglas Moo and Leon Morris
  • An Introduction to the Old Testament by Dillard and Tremper Longman
  • Hard Sayings of the Bible by Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F.F. Bruce, and Manfred T. Brauch
Prayer
  • A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller 
  • A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson
  • The Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett

Living as a Christian in a Non-Christian World:

  • Relationships/Purity/Marriage:
    • Each for the Other by Bryan Chapell
    • The Purity Principle by Randy Alcorn
    • Sex is not the Problem, Lust is by Josh Harris (appropriate for 13 year-olds and up)
    • I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Josh Harris
    • Boy Meets Girl by Josh Harris
    • When Sinners Say “I Do” by Dave Harvey
    • Relationships: A Mess Worth Making by Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp
    • Your Family God’s Way by Wayne Mack
    • Strengthening Your Marriage by Wayne Mack
    • God, Marriage, and Family by Andreas J. Kostenberger
    • Lasting Love by Alistair Begg
  • Biblical Manhood/Being a Biblical Husband:
    • Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes
    • The Complete Husband by Lou Priolo
    • Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God by C. J. Mahaney
    • The Exemplary Husband by Stuart Scott
    • Fatherhood by Tony Payne
    • Rediscovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem
  • Biblical Womanhood/Being a Biblical Wife:
    • Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney
    • Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
    • The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
    • Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh Demoss
    • Heaven at Home by Ginger Plowman
    • Rediscovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem
  • Raising/Discipling Your Children:
    • Successful Christian Parenting by John Macarthur
    • The Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp
    • The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo
    • Teach Them Diligently by Lou Priolo
    • Don’t Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman
    • Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
    • Instructing a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
    • Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware
    • Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell Moore
    • Your Family God's Way by Wayne Mack
  • Family Worship:
    • Family Worship by Joel Beeke
    • The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
    • The Building on the Rock Series (4 volumes of inspiring adventure and missionary stories for kids) by Joel Beeke and Diana Kleyn
  • Suffering/Grieving as a Christian:
    • Grieving: Our Path Back to Peace by James R. White
    • When God Weeps: Why Our Suffering Matters to the Almighty by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steve Estes
    • Suffering and the Sovereignty of God edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor
    • How Long, O Lord by D. A. Carson
  • Use of Money/Finances:
    • The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
    • Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn
    • Business for the Glory of God by Wayne Grudem

 Biographies:

  • The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
  • Spurgeon: A New Biography by Arnold Dalimore
  • George Whitefield by Arnold Dalimore
  • Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography by Iain Murray
  • John Paton: Missionary to the New Hebrides by John Paton

Other good recommended reading lists – including more scholarly and technical books – are found here,here, and here.