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It's difficult to imagine a growing, vibrant, vital Christian who doesn't
read much. Reading gets us into the heart and mind of God himself, and
into the hearts and minds of some of his most passionate servants, who
have written books for us to feed our own souls. Here's what Pastor Bryan
recommends you chew on for the life of your soul.
The Real Deal: Bible Study
The Bible
Obvious, right? You wouldn’t think so when you realize how
many people might read all of the following books, tearing through a new
one every week, but neglect the only one without any errors in
it. I try to read through it at least once a year. If you're looking for a great study Bible that has good introductions to each book, and great notes in the margins to help you understand what you're reading, I highly recommend the ESV Reformation Study Bible, and the forthcoming ESV Study Bible (available late 2008).
How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour, by
Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
This book is exactly what it sounds like! It walks through the Bible with you, book by book, giving you an introduction to each book that explains what each book is about, gives you an outline of the book, and helps you know what to look for in each book of the Bible. If you are frequently discouraged by Bible study because you don't understand much of what you're reading, this is an incredibly helpful place to begin.
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
This book is a companion volume to the above book. It focuses less on individual books of the Bible and instead helps you to understand how to read and study the different kinds of book in the Bible well. Reading this together with the above book would give anyone an excellent grasp of what skillful, powerful, life-changing Bible study looks like.
For
the Love of God (Vols. 1 and 2), by D.A. Carson
Carson's two volumes are absolutely priceless. Each of them gives daily guidance for yearly Bible reading. This book provides a reading plan to take you through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice in a year, and provides a brief reflection on one of the assigned chapters of Scripture for the day each day. A particular strength of these books is its ability to help readers understand how the Old Testament and New Testament fit together.
New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, by D.A. Carson
This is the best one-volume commentary on the entire Bible available anywhere. Having this book next to your Bible is like having a world-class pastor and scholar sitting next to you, ready to explain any difficult biblical passage or question as you come to them in your own reading.
Soul Food: Books for Discipleship and Growth in Grace
The Cross-Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing, by
C.J. Mahaney
Stop Dating the Church. Fall in Love With the People of God, by Joshua Harris
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney
The Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry Bridges
The Discipline of Grace, by Jerry Bridges
The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
The classic on true, costly, cross-bearing discipleship, written by a man who learned a thing or two about it while battling for the life of the church during the horrors of Nazi Germany.
Don't Waste Your Life, by John Piper
When I Don't Desire God, by John Piper
The Life of God in the Soul of Man, by Henry Scougal.
An oldie (1656) that blew away everything I used to think about “religion” and replaced it with truth. It battles “The Pleasures of God” for my favorite book of all time.
Further Up and Further In: Books for Knowing God Himself
Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, by John Piper
The Truth of the Cross, by R.C. Sproul
Knowing God, by J.I. Packer.
The classic work on the evangelical faith by the old master. If you have never read much theology and would like to start with something that is substantive but not intimidating, this is the place to begin.
Desiring God, by John Piper.
This is the book God used more than any other (outside of the Bible) to
shape who I am and how I think about the Christian life. The overarching theme: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
The Holiness of God, by R.C. Sproul.
In this book R.C. Sproul grasps the holiness of God and makes it real, tangible, powerful, and affecting better than almost anyone.
The Pleasures of God, by John Piper.
This is probably my favorite book of all time (outside of the
Bible). It is a companion piece to Desiring God and is an unspeakably beautiful
meditation on God’s own delight in being God. In reading this book, there
will be at least a dozen times when
you’ll set the book down and lift up your hands in worship.
For your reference and convenience, the
NHC website contains many links to external websites and files whose
content may or may not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions
of New Hope Church. Our effort is to include only content that helps
lead individuals to God’s truth. To report links which may be
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