Books To Read

Part of your christian walk is stimulating your mind, soul, and heart with writtings that men and women of the church have produced over the ages.  This page is dedicated to that end and I hope you are greatly encouraged and strengthed by these selections.  I have broken them down into several categories to better assist you in your search. 

The Bible

          Believing that God's Word is our only rule for faith and practice, I highly recommend reading it more than
          any other book on this list.  In it, we learn about the only source of true knowledge and wisdom, the Lord
          Jesus Christ.  If you do not have a Bible, here is a website to check out.

          If you are new to reading the Bible, I highly recommed reading a children's bible to get started.  It should
          never replace the Bible, but it can be very helpful in understanding the flow of The Old and New Testaments,
          especially if you are new to Bible reading.

Theology

1. Westminster Confession of Faith including both Larger and Shorter Catechisms.  If you don't have the ability to buy, borrow, or even check out of your local library the confession, click here.
2. Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion volumes 1 and 2. Nowhere will you find a more helpful document in understanding the reformed faith than Calvin's treatis. -Highly recommended. 
   
3. The Christian Life, A Doctrinal Introduction by Sinclair Ferguson.  A wonderful short book on christian theology that I seek to work through will all my students.
4. Redemption, Acomplished, and Applied by John Murray.  If you have questions about the purpose of Jesus' life, death, and resurreciton, this book has all your answers.  It can be hard to read, but if you can work your way through it, you will be better off than when your started. 
   
5. Far as the Curse is Found, The Covenant Story of Redemption by Michael D. Williams.  If your passion is understanding God's covenant framework to redemption, this book will be very helpful to you.  Other books in this field that I recommend are:  God's Promise, Introducing Covenant Theology by Michael Horton and The Christ of the Covenants by O. Palmer Robertson.
   
6. Putting Amazing Back into Grace by Michael Horton.  Again a very helpful read concerning reformed theolgy.  Very readable and highly recommended.
7.  Knowing Scripture by R.C.Sproul.  If your questions are, "How are we supposed to know and read Scripture?"  This is a great book to read.
   
8. Redemptive History and the New Testament Scriptures by Herman Ridderbos. If your questions are concerned with how we got the new testament scriptures and are they trustworthy, this book is for you.  Very short but what it lacks in length it makes up in content. 
   
9. Evangelism & The Sovereighty of God by J.I. Packer.  Great book dealing with our call to evangelize and God's work in bring sinners to Christ.  
   
10. Knowing God by J.I. Packer.  A most read by all Christians. A classic.
    
11. The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson.  If you have ever wanted to know what the Holy Spirit is about or even what he does in justificaiton, sanctification, glorification, this book is for you.  One of my favorite books I ever read in seminary. 
    
12. The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall.  Being united to Jesus in everyway is the catalyst to our sanctification and Marshall does a wonderful job at spelling this out in his book.  Highly recommed this book. 
    

Practical Theology

1. Inside Out by Dr. Larry Crabb.  A wonderful read that challengs its reader to pear deep within him/herself and put to death the core sins of their life.  Highly recommened
2. How Long O Lord? by D.A.Carson.  If you have questions about suffering and evil and how they play a part in your christian walk this book will be very helpful. 
   
3. The Heart of Evangelism by Jerram Barrs.  A great book that should be coupled with Packers Evanglism & The Soveriegnty of God.  Written to help the lay person view evangelism is a postmodern setting.
   
4. Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, People in need of Change helping People in need of Change, by Paul DavidTripp.  If you are wondering how God could use you, a weak, needy, poor sinner,  to ministry to other people, this book will be eye-opening.  Great book that is Highly recommended
   
5. Tranforming Grace by Jerry Bridges.  If you ever ask the question, "What is Grace and how can I taste of it?"  This book is for you.
   
6. Praying with Your Eyes Open by Richard Pratt.  A honest book that deals with our quesitons concerning our prayers, our communcation with God, and God's role in all our communication. 
   
7. When People are Big and God is Small, Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codepedency, and the Fear of Man, by Ed Welch.  Great book that we all should read because we all deal with this struggle.  Highly recommneded.
   
8. Perfecting Ourselves to Death by Richard Winter.  Struggling to be perfect in everyway?  Struggle with overwhelming guilt when you don't meet the world's, your parents, or even your own standards?  This will be a very helpful read for you. 
   
9. The Enemy Within, Straight Talk about the Power and Defeat of Sin, by Kris Lundgaard.  Faith, repentance, and rest are vehicles in which our growth in Christ is played out.  This book will be an enormous help to you at finding not only the surface sins by the sins behind the sins that are leading the charge in your sinfulness. 
   
10. Ministries of Mercy, The Call of the Jericho Road, by Timothy J. Keller.  A book that will tranform your view of the poor, homelss, and needy.  Moreover, it wil tranform your view of mercy ministry and the essential part it must play in our christian walk.  Highly recommend
11. Holiness by J.C. Ryle.  A masterful book written to help you and encourage you in your pursuit of holiness.
    
12. Mortification of Sin by John Owen.  A masterpiece concerning our sin, its role in our lives, and the need to put it to death.  Great book. Highly recommend.
13. Children of the Living God by Sinclair Ferguson.  Short little book that helps its reader understand their new status as a child of God and how that new status is played out in the Family of God. 
    

Thinking About Ministry?

1. The World of Grace by William Still.  Great little book that all seeking to go into ministry should read.
2. The World of a Pastor by William Still.  Highly recommend reading this book if one desires to be a pastor.
3. Called to Ministry by Edmund Clowney.  Again a must read if you are debating if you are called to ministry.
   

Other Very Helpful Reads

1. Mere Christianity by C.S.Lewis.  A classic.
   
2. The Reason For God by Timothy Keller.  If you or a friend is sceptical about Christianity this book will be very helpful to you in aswering your quesitons. 
   
3. Total Truth by Nancy Pearcy.  Great resourse book that deals with all kinds of worldview questions. 
   
4. Not the Way It's Supposed to Be by Alvin Plantiga  "How has sin affected our world and us?"   Read this book and find out. 
   
5. On Being Presbyterian by Sean Michael Lucas.  If you have every wondered, "What does it mean to Presbyterian?"  This book is for you.
   
6. Longing To Know by Ester Meek.  Very readable book about epstiomolgy.
   
7. Creation Regained Albert Wolters.   Short helpful worldview book that can be read quickly
   
8. Enduring Community, second edition by Brian Habig and Les Newsom.  What is the church all about?  This book, written by two RUF campus ministers, will be very helpful in answering your questions. 
   

Marriage in the Future?

1. When Sinners Say "I DO" by Dave Harvey.  "What is it like to get married?"  Read this book and it will help you start important conversations with you future spouse. 
   
2. Sheet Music by Kevin Leman.  A great book that deals with sexual intimacy in marriage.  Another must read before you get married. 
   
3. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken.  Great book about love and suffering.  Must read before you get married