The Gospel

• What is the Gospel?- Greg Gilbert

o   If someone asked you to explain the good news of Christianity in 2 minutes, could you do it? Would it be complete? Would it be biblical? This small book explains the Gospel by using for pillars: God, Man, Christ, Response. It will encourage you in your own joy in the Gospel, and help you understand how to communicate the Gospel simply, clearly, and biblically.

• The Bookends of the Christian Life- Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington

o   What happens if you put a bunch of books on a shelf without bookends? They inevitably fall down or fall off. This excellent book gives two foundational bookends that must be in place for the Christian otherwise the books (individual parts) of our life will be out of sync. You will see the Gospel as being more foundational and more practical than you ever thought, and you will learn how God’s power and your own obedience are supposed to play out in everyday life.

• The Explicit Gospel- Matt Chandler

o   Are we all talking about the same thing when we say “Gospel”? Matt Chandler sets out to make that issue clear. Read Chapter 1 about a magnificently holy and transcendent God, and you will want more. In the first section, Chandler shows the Gospel up close for each individual. In the second section, he shows the grand and glorious sweep of the bigger picture, surveying God’s purpose and plan from 20,000 feet in the air. Finally, he makes it very practical, applying the Gospel to the realities of our lives. This book will broaden your understanding of God and the Gospel He has given us.

• The Prodigal God- Timothy Keller

o   Keller deepens our understanding of the Gospel by looking at the parable commonly called “The Prodigal Son.” He shows that the parable is not just about one son, but two, and more than that, it is a story about all of our hearts. We tend to undercut the Gospel in our own lives in one of two ways. This book will not only open your eyes to the true meaning of this famous parable, but it will re-expose our hearts to the wonder of the Gospel that we sometimes leave behind.

• Gospel- J.D. Greear

o   Some people think the Gospel is for salvation only. But after salvation, there isn’t a great need for the Gospel. J.D. Greear cuts through that, reminding us that our greatest need for all of life is the Gospel. It not only saves us from hell, but it sustains our love for God. It not only delivers us from sin, but it drives us forward every day. We will have no lasting motivation for evangelism, holiness, or just day-to-day life unless we see the cross and the empty tomb at the backdrop of all of life.

The Bible

• What is Biblical Theology?- James Hamilton

o   The God of the universe has revealed himself in a book. The Bible has it’s own worldview, God’s worldview. Christians must seek to understand and conform to that worldview. Biblical theology helps us to see the big picture of what is going on in Scripture. When we have a better understanding of the whole, the parts begin to make more sense. Hamilton will help you understand the whole, and some of the confusing parts as well.

• The Forest and the Trees- Michael Riccardi

o   This small book sets before us the purpose of the Bible. It shows (1) the main theme of scripture, (2) the storyline of scripture, and (3) how the parts fit into the whole. It will help us practically, as we read our Bibles. We are encouraged to ask right questions about the Bible, and use wisdom in applying Scripture. We will have our hearts invigorated by the greatness of God, the glory of the Gospel, and the great opportunity we have before us as we open God’s Word.

• Before You Open Your Bible- Matt Smethurst

o   What do you think about before you open up your Bible? For most of us, we don’t think anything, we just begin reading God’s Word. The author says in the introduction, “How we approach things matters in a huge way…so whether you are new to the Christian faith or someone who has been following Jesus for a long time…I hope this book will help open your eyes to all that awaits you in God’s Word—and what you may be missing out on simply because of your approach.”

And so this book gives you nine heart postures that you need as you open up God’s Word. If you ever find yourself in a rut, or bored with God’s Word, you need to read this little book.

• Why Trust the Bible- Greg Gilbert

o   Do you believe the Bible is absolutely true? Much hangs on this question…for ourselves and for those around us. Sometimes someone will ask us a question about the Bible that we have no answer for. Some Christians don’t tell other people about the Gospel because they are afraid that someone will ask them a hard question that they don’t know how to understand. It’s important for Christians to not only be convinced that God’s Word is utterly trustworthy, but also to know why it is trustworthy. In this book, Greg Gilbert answers some of the common concerns and criticism that people have toward the Bible. Your faith will be bolstered, your heart encouraged, and this will be a great resource for you when you talk to others about the Bible.

God

• Knowledge of the Holy- A.W. Tozer

o   Tozer masterfully demonstrates the wonder of who God is by setting before us God’s attributes. Each short chapter unpacks another of God’s attributes. Taking a long look at God in all his glory is sure to stir up greater love and zeal for God in any Christian. All of our problems come from seeing God incorrectly. Therefore, the solution to all of our problems is to gaze upon God.

• Knowing God- J.I. Packer

o   We were created to know God. Packer shows that knowing about God is one thing, but actually knowing God is a whole different thing. Studying about God is the most practical thing we can do, if we aim to actually know him. This books draws us in to see God for who he is, not just so we have information about him, but so that we can know him…and in knowing him, we will be changed.

Biography

• Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret

o   What would motivate a young man to forsake an easy life in the medical community for a life of hardship, pain, and sadness as a missionary in China? Only a large view of an amazing God could create such lasting zeal. Hudson Taylor yearned for God. He desired to know God, and make him known. He prayed…he communed with God and depended on God. God used him in a great way. Reading of Taylor’s life you will be encouraged to pursue the Lord more and walk with him in a deeper way. You might even be pushed to walk forward in faith and obedience when you don’t have all the answers.

Prayer

• Prayer, A Biblical Perspective- Eric Alexander

o   Do you want to grow in prayer? This book is a simple, easy to read, biblical overview on prayer. Alexander will encourage you, challenge you, and teach you. He examines the teachings of Jesus, Paul, and David to give us more biblical patterns for our own personal praying, as well as corporate praying.

• Praying the Bible- Donald Whitney

o  Do you struggle with what to pray for? Do you run out of things to pray for after a few minutes? Do you find yourself praying the same things over and over? Don Whitney teaches us to pray through scripture, a simple but revolutionary approach to prayer that combines prayer and God’s Word. You will never run out of things to pray when you learn to pray the Bible.

The Christian Life

• The Pursuit of God- A.W. Tozer

o   Have you ever read any of the Psalms that talk about “thirsting” for God or “yearning” for God and you think, “I don’t really feel that way about God, what’s wrong with me”? Tozer shows us how amazingly satisfying God is, and how we are called to seek out this glorious God who has saved us. You will see ways in which you lack desire for God, and be stirred and encouraged to pray for and seek after more hunger for God. This book has challenged and motivated many Christians young and old to pursue God with fresh zeal.

• Christ has Set us Free: 9 Words Every Christian Should Know- P. Griffiths

o   In the past, many Christians were accused of speaking “Christianese”—a language that no one outside of church understood. There is a different problem in the church nowadays. Many people don’t understand many Biblical words that are central to our understanding of the Gospel. This book sets out to unpack words like Redemption, Forgiveness, Propitiation, Imputation, and others to show how important it is that every Christian understands these words. If we don’t, we won’t grasp our identity as Christians. And truly comprehending our identity as Christians is foundational to living as Christians.

• Don’t Waste Your Life- John Piper

o   Did you know that your life is not about you? You were made for something bigger. You were made for something better. You were made to know, love, worship, serve, and enjoy the God of the universe. Did you know that seeking God’s plan is not different than seeking your own happiness? Piper paints a magnificent picture of what it means to be alive and be a Christian. He shows how easily we are distracted. He demonstrates that true satisfaction in life comes in a different way then we have often thought.

Sin Issues

• Finally Free: Fighting For Purity with the Power of Grace- Heath Lambert

o   Pornography…Perhaps you’re enslaved. Perhaps someone you know is enslaved. What do you need to conquer this sin? More willpower? Better accountability? This book will NOT drag you through the mire talking about your sin. Rather, it will show you that true change comes a different way in God’s kingdom. Lasting change requires more than new resolutions, or stricter standards. Lasting change comes in God’s way. What is that way? Read and find out.

• A Small Book about a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace-Ed Welch

o   This book is for people who know they have an anger problem, but also for those who maybe have never admitted they have an anger problem. In fact, this book is for everyone, because as the author points out, “To be human is to get angry.” This book will take you on a 50 day journey to see your own heart exposed, and guided, and ultimately changed.

 Evangelism

• Today’s Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic- Walter Chantry

o   What is the Gospel we preach? Is it scripturally true? Or is it tainted with traditions and opinions? How do we evangelize? How do we think about evangelism? These are important questions. Chantry views the narrative of Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler to ask if our message (and thus evangelism) fits in line with Jesus’ message (and his evangelism). Are we willing to trust Jesus’ methods even if they seem illogical to our contemporary ideologies? Perhaps the rise of “nominal” Christianity is a result of a misunderstanding of the Gospel, evangelism, and salvation in the church.

• All of Grace- C.H. Spurgeon

o   God’s word says that God will “by no means spare the guilty.” God’s Word also says that God “justifies the ungodly.” In this little book, Spurgeon sets out to explain the Gospel in a way that would make sense to an unbeliever. He actually writes the book as if he is writing to unbelievers. Believers, however, will tremendously benefit by growing in their understanding of the Gospel, but also their understanding about how to communicate the Gospel in a winsome way. Spurgeon is friendly, kind, and generous, yet passionate, straightforward, and zealous to see his readers come to Jesus for salvation. Any Christian will grow by reading this… not only in their own walk, but also in their ability to share the Gospel with others.

Discipleship

• One-to-One Bible Reading – Matt Smethurst

o   Have you ever wanted to know how to disciple someone one-on-one? Have you wanted to know what to do with a non-believer who seems to be interested in things of the Lord? Did you know many unbelievers would be willing to study the Bible with someone if they were asked? In some studies of 1500 people, 61% of unchurched people in their twenties and 42% of people 30s and older said they would study the Bible if someone asked them? What does this mean for us? We could study the Bible not only with Christians, but non-Christians around us. In this Book, David Helm gives a simple, step by step process that will benefit those who don’t know where to start, as well as some helpful reminders for those who are already doing it. You can disciple someone!

• Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart – J.D. Greear

o   Are you confident that you are saved? Are you absolutely sure that when you die you will spend eternity in heaven with God rather than in hell? Many people wrestle with these questions. Many people in the church don’t have the confidence and assurance regarding their salvation that they wish they had. Many people find themselves asking for salvation or rededicating their lives to Christ over and over. If this is you, or you know someone who struggles with these questions, this book is very helpful. God desires that his people would have solid answers to these questions, and so these questions are addressed in Scripture. J.D. Greear unpacks many scriptures to show us how we can really be sure that we are saved.

The Church

• Creature of the Word- Matt Chandler, Josh Patterson, and Eric Geiger

o   What is the center of every true church? The Gospel. This book shows what it means for a church to center itself on the person and work of Jesus. This is applied to worship, community, service, evangelism, etc… every part of the church and life. Have we thought through the implications of the Gospel for all of these things? We must, otherwise we will just ended up “playing church.” God is calling Christians to join in on his epic mission, and the way he has promised to do it is through his church. Quit warming pews and figure out what church is all about.

• I Am A Church Member- Thom Rainer

o   Do you wish your church was thriving? Do you want to see your church bear more fruit? Read this book. What does it mean to be a part of a local church? Does it mean privileges and responsibilities? Does it mean sacrifices and benefits? Is it more about getting or more about giving? What happens when you’re no longer content with your church, what should you do? Rainer gives a clear biblical picture of what it means to be a part of a church. He attacks many false presuppositions about church membership. You will be challenged to re-examine your own thinking and practice of church participation.

• The Compelling Community- Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop

o   Is the church just like a club? You gather with people like you, with similar interests? You participate in something that is mutual to everyone? In “The Compelling Community,” Dever and Dunlop answer a resounding “No!” to that question. The thing that makes the church different than every other group on the planet is that it is supernatural. We aren’t a bunch of similar people, but rather a bunch of very different people. We are different in jobs, in ages, and a variety of other things, but the supernatural work of God in salvation unites us to a level that the world doesn’t understand. In the church we should expect to see many of the normal barriers of human interaction broken down. Young and old should encourage one another. The Farmer and the businessman should serve one another. The stay-at-home mom and the businesswoman should exhort one another. What makes the church compelling is that God is doing supernatural work in the lives and interactions of the people.

• What is a Healthy Church Member? – Thabiti Anyabwile

o   In the physical world, much is made about our health. Diet, exercise, medicine… these things dominate todays commercials and billboards. But what about your spiritual life? Are you a healthy Christian? Are you a healthy church member? Thabiti Anyabwile offers up 10 marks of Christianity. These marks will encourage you in prayer and evangelism. They will instruct you on conversion and growth. You will even learn how better to listen to sermons. Ultimately, they will give you a litmus test to show what healthy church member is like. Are you one? Read and find out.

Holiness

• The Hole in Our Holiness- Kevin DeYoung

o   “The reason you are not holy is because you don’t want to be.” Ouch! Kevin DeYoung shows that in our hatred of legalism, many of us have quit pursuing the holiness that God calls us to pursue. God has made us holy, and now calls us to be holy. Is that even a possibility?

• Humility: the Beauty of Holiness- Andrew Murray

o   Short but profound. Murray skillfully diagnoses the root of our sins. Murray compassionately shares the solution to our problems. If you think that you have no need for this book, you must read it. If you know you probably should read this book, you must read it. If you think you should read it…just start reading.

• The Pursuit of Holiness- Jerry Bridges

o   A Christian classic. Bridges helps us to gaze upon the holiness of God that we might realize his majesty, our sinfulness, and our need to actively intentionally pursue holy lives. He addresses some of the questions we have asked in our own pursuits. “Why can’t I get over this sin?” “How should this work out daily?” Thoroughly biblical, Bridges grounds all pursuits of holiness in a deep understanding of the Gospel. Holiness is not about keeping the rules, but becoming more like Jesus because we love him.

• Gospel Treason: Betraying the Gospel with Hidden Idols- Brad Bigney

o   Why is it that every once in a while, you blow up in anger? Why can’t you seem to shake that struggle against lust? Why are you often paralyzed by anxiety? Many have turned to medicine for answers to these questions. But what if the issue is much deeper? What if more of our struggles are more related to our inner person than they are related to our bodies? Brad Bigney carefully teaches through the biblical concepts of change, growth, and our own hearts. He shows that most of our problems are way closer to home than we realize, but that there is tremendous relief and freedom to be found when we willingly ask God to search our hearts (Psalm 139:24). God heals us with the very Gospel by which we were saved

Parenting

• Parenting – Paul Tripp

o   Parents, your souls need this book. Long before your children can change, you must have your own hearts changed by the Gospel. In this book, Paul Tripp does help expose the heart of the child, but he doesn’t let parents off the hook. This book is does not teach about specific situations. Rather, the 14 Gospel Principles that Tripp shares give parents wisdom from God’s Word that will help every parent in every situation. If you have never opened up a parenting book, you need to read this. If you have read many, this one is probably going to be different than any you have read before…in a good way.

Check Out Great Books from the 

9 Marks of a Healthy Church Series: 

• Expositional Preaching- How We Speak God’s Word Today (Orange)
• Biblical Theology-How the Church Faithfully Teaches the Gospel (Purple)
• The Gospel- How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ (Green)
• Conversion- How God Creates A People (Yellow)
• Evangelism- How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus (Red)
• Church Membership- How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus (Blue)
• Church Discipline- How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus (Orange)
• Discipling- How to Help Others Follow Jesus (Blue)
• Church Elders- How to Shepherd God’s People Like Jesus (Brown)
• Prayer- How Praying Together Shapes the Church (Red)
• Missions- How the Local Church Goes Global (Tan)
• Sound Doctrine- How A Church Grows in the Love and Holiness of God (Light Green)

Check Out Great Booklets from 

Church Questions Series:

• How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics? (Red)
• Is it Loving to Practice Church Discipline? (Red)
• What If I’m Discouraged in My Evangelism? (Green)
• What If I Don’t Desire to Pray? (Yellow)
• What If I don’t Feel Like Going to Church (Light Green)
• What Should I do Now That I’m a Christian? (Maroon)
• Why Should I Be Baptized? (Blue)
• Why Should I Join a Church? (Teal)

Check Out These Great Resources

Minibooks for the Christian Life:

• A Father’s Guide to Raising Boys
• A Father’s Guide to Raising Girls
• Accepting God’s Forgiveness
• Angry Children
• Breaking the Addictive Cycle
• Caring for Survivors of Sexual Abuse
• Chronic Pain
• Conflict
• Dealing with a Rebellious Teenager
• Forgiving Others
• Freedom from Guilt
• Grief
• Grieving the Loss of Your Child
• Healing Broken Relationships
• Homosexuality and the Bible
• I’m Exhausted
• Leading Your Child to Christ
• Life after Retirement
• Managing Your Emotions
• Overcoming Anxiety
• Preparing for Fatherhood
• Preparing for Motherhood
• Restoring Your Broken Marriage
• Single and Lonely
• Suffering
• Teaching Your Child About Money
• Temptation
• When Bad Things Happen
• When Cancer Interrupts
• When Your Kid’s in Trouble