Larry Hurtado has said that Christianity, by its very nature is a “bookish” religion. And it is true – Christians began collecting the books and letters of Scripture, and were even helpful in popularizing the use of the codex, which allowed those letters to be gathered into a single volume rather than in scrolls. We are a book-producing people. We are people of the word, and believe in the power of words.
Because of these things, there are many books – especially in our own day – for Christians to choose from. But with so many choices, what should Christians actually read? One of my favorite things is when visitors or members of our church ask me for book recommendations. I decided it might be helpful to put my primary book recommendations on various topics here for all to see.
I have sought to organize these lists by skill level. In most cases there is a “beginner,” “intermediate,” and “advanced” recommendation depending on the reader’s experience level. I hope these book recommendations are a blessings, but I do mention the caveat that there is nothing exhaustive about this list, nor does a book’s inclusion mean that I endorse every word of what they say.
Christian Living
- Biblical Decision-Making
- Depression and Anxiety
- Devotional Readings
- Evangelism
- Holiness (Sanctification)
- Marriage
- Mercy and Acts of Service
- Parenting
- Prayer
- Study Bibles
- The Lord's Day