Recommended Reading List
The following resources are suggested books based on various topics of interest.
Index of Topics
Doctrine of God: Who is God? | Doctrine of Christ: Who is Jesus? |
Doctrine of the Holy Spirit: Who is the Holy Spirit? | Doctrine of the Church: What/Who is the Church? |
Christian Living | Missions |
Evangelism | Marriage & Family |
Christian & Pastoral Ministry | Contemporary Issues |
Christianity and Culture | Christianity and Racial Reconciliation |
Christianity and Politics | What is the Gospel? |
Christian Apologetics | Christian Biographies |
Biblical Theology | New Testament Theology |
Christian Ethics | Christian Philosophy |
Old Testament Studies | New Testament Studies |
Old Testament Theology | The Gospels |
Biblical Archeology | Christianity and Other Religions |
New Testament Textual Criticism | Old Testament Textual Criticism
Race Relations Social Justice |
Doctrine of God
- The Attributes of God by A. W. Pink
- Biblical Theology: The God of the Christian Scriptures by John Goldingay
- The Doctrine of God (A Theology of Lordship) by John M. Frame
- Knowing God by J.I. Packer
- Pleasures of God by John Piper
- The Forgotten Trinity by James R. White
- God’s Passion for His Glory by John Piper
- The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction by Veli-Matti Karkkainen
- The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
- The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship by Robert Letham
- The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God by John M. Frame
- God in New Testament Theology by Larry Hurtado
Doctrine of Christ
- God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen J. Wellum
- The Incomparable Christ by John Stott
- The Atonement: Its Meaning and Significance by Leon L. Morri
- The Person and Work of Christ by Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield
- Jesus And The Gospel In Africa: History And Experience by Kwame Bediako
- Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity by Larry W. Hurtado
- The Person of Christ by Donald Macleod
- Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ by Thomas F. Torrance
- The Person of Christ by
- Jesus Divine Messiah: The New and Old Testament Witness by Robert L. Reymond
Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
- He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit by Graham A. Cole and John S. Feinberg
- Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit by Clark H. Pinnock
- Gift & Giver: The Holy Spirit in the Church by Craig S. Keener
- God’s Empowering Presence by Gordon Fee
- The Holy Spirit: A Pentecostal Perspective by Anthony D. Palma
- The Holy Spirit: In Biblical Teaching, through the Centuries, and Today by Anthony C. Thiselton
Doctrine of the Church
a) General
- Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church by
- Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever
- Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Church by Don Whitney
- What Is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission by
b) Church Leadership and Governance
- The Cross and Christian Ministry: Leadership Lessons from 1 Corinthians
by D. A. Carson
- Deacons: Answering Key Questions by John MacArthur
b) Christian Education
The Bible
- The Doctrine of the Word of God by
- The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures
by D. A. Carson
- A Peculiar Glory: How the Christian Scriptures Reveal Their Complete Truthfulness
- The Inerrant Word: Biblical, Historical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspectives by John MacArthur
- A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament: The Gospel Promised
-
by Kevin J. Vanhoozer
-
by N. T. WrightChristian Living
a) Spiritual Disciplines
- Desiring God by John Piper
- Future Grace by John Piper
- Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper
- The Doctrine of the Christian Life by
b) Devotionals
- My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
- Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
- Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett
- Pierced by the Word by John Piper
- My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
- Valley of Vision: A Collections of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
c) Worship
- Worship by the Book by D.A. Carson
- Worship in Spirit and Truth by John Frame
- For the Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship by Daniel I. Block
- We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry by G. K. Beale
d) Prayer & Fasting
- The Call to Prayer by J.C. Ryle
- Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life by Charles Spurgeon
- A Hunger for God by John Piper
- The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer
- Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D. A. Carson
e) Conversion
- Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards
- The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance by Thomas Schreiner and Ardel Caneday
- Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray
Missions
- Introducing World Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Survey
by A. Scott Moreau and Gary R. Corwin
- Let the Nations Be Glad! by John Piper
- Salvation to the Ends of the Earth by Andreas Kostenberger
- Through Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliot
- The Life and Diary of David Brainerd by Jonathan Edwards
- The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission by
- The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative by Christopher J. H. Wright
- The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God by G. K. Beale
- Developing a Strategy for Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Cultural Introduction
by J. D. Payne and John Mark Terry
- Crossing Cultures in Scripture: Biblical Principles for Mission Practice
by Marvin J. Newell and Patrick Fung
Evangelism
- Evangelism Handbook: Biblical, Spiritual, Intentional, Missional by Alvin Reid and Thom S. Rainer
- Tell the Truth by Will Metzger
- Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer
- The Soul Winner by Charles Spurgeon
Marriage and Family
a)The Christian Man & Husband
- Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes
b) The Christian Woman & Wife
- Women Helping Women by Elyse Fitzpatrick
- The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
- Feminine Appeal by Caroline Mahaney
- Women’s Ministry in the Local Church by Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt
c) Parenting & the Christian Family
- Treasuring God in our Traditions by John Piper
- Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Ted Tripp
- Parenting in the Pew: Guiding Your Children into the Joy of Worship by Robbie Castleman
- The Duties of Parents by J.C. Ryle
d) Courtship, Gender, and Marriage
- Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God by C.J. Mahaney
- Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity Without Hierarchy
Christian and Pastoral Ministry
a) Pastoral Ministry : General
- Pastoral Ministry by John MacArthur
- Spiritual Depression, Martyn Lloyd-Jones
b) Biblical Preaching
- Preaching and Preachers by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
- Between Two Worlds by John Stott
- Preaching by John MacArthur
- Doctrine That Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and Teaching to Life
by Robert Smith
-
Our Sufficiency Is of God: Essays on Preaching in Honor of Gardner C. Taylor by Timothy George and James Earl Masse
- Preaching with Sacred Fire: An Anthology of African American Sermons, 1750 to the Present by
-
Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of SkepticismTimothy Keller
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Designing the Sermon: Order and Movement in Preaching by James Earl Massey
- The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper
- Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages
c) Biblical Counseling
- Biblical Counseling by John MacArthur
- A Theology of Christian Counseling by Jay Adams
- Foundations for Soul Care: A Christian Psychology Proposal by Eric L. Johnson
- Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the Bible by Jay Adams
- Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Christian Perspective by
- Psychology & Christianity: Five Views by
The Gospel
- The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur
- Ashamed of the Gospel by John MacArthur
- Today’s Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic?, Walter Chantry
- Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die by John Piper
- Saved from What? by R.C. Sproul
- The Death of Death in the Death of Christ by John Owen
- God Is the Gospel by John Piper
-
The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisitedby Scot McKnight
- What Is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert and D. A. Carson
-
The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures by D. A. Carson
Contemporary Issues
a) General
- The Gagging of God by D.A. Carson
- God in the Wasteland by David Wells
- No Place for Truth by David Wells
- Above All Earthly Powers by David Wells
- Christ and Culture Revisited by D.A. Carson
- The Gospel in a Pluralist Society by
b) Divorce and Remarriage
c) Christianity and Homosexuality
- What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung
- The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics by Robert A. J. Gagnon
- Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis by William J. Webb
d) God, suffering, and the problem of evil
- The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith
by Christopher J. H. Wright and John R. W. Stott
-
God Behaving Badly: Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist?
- Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God by Alvin Plantinga
- The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis
- Evil and the Justice of God by N. T. Wright
- The Many Faces of Evil (Revised and Expanded Edition): Theological Systems and the Problems of Evil by John S. Feinberg
- Is God to Blame? Moving Beyond Pat Answers to the Problem of Suffering
by Gregory A. Boyd
Christianity and Culture
- Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel by Russell D. Moore
- The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity by Soong-Chan Rah
- American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us by Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell
- Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church by Soong-Chan Rah
- Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing by Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice
- Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times by Soong-Chan Rah
- The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity by Soong-Chan Rah
- The Intolerance of Tolerance by D. A. Carson
Christianity and Racial Reconciliation
- From Every People and Nation: A Biblical Theology of Race by J. Daniel Hays
- One New Man: The Cross and Racial Reconciliation in Pauline Theology by Jarvis Williams
- Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian by John Piper
- Heal Us, Emmanuel: A Call for Racial Reconciliation, Representation, and Unity in the Church by Doug Serven
- Oneness Embraced: Reconciliation, the Kingdom, and How We are Stronger Together by Tony Evans
- Transcending Racial Barriers: Toward a Mutual Obligations Approach by Michael O. Emerson and George Yancey
- Transcending Racial Barriers: Toward a Mutual Obligations Approach by Michael O. Emerson and George Yancey
- People of the Dream: Multiracial Congregations in the United States by Michael O. Emerson
- More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel by Spencer Perkins and Chris Rice
- The Elusive Dream: The Power of Race in Interracial Churches by Korie L. Edwards
Christian and Politics
- Politics – According to the Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in Light of Scripture by
Christian Apologetics
- Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics by
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The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticismby Timothy Keller
- Fool’s Talk: Recovering the Art of Christian Persuasion by
- The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
-
Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Messageby Ravi Zacharias
- To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview
-
by Douglas Groothuis
Church History
a) General Church History
- How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity by Thomas C. Oden
- The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation by Justo L. Gonzalez
- The Story of Christianity, Vol. 2: The Reformation to the Present Day by Justo L. Gonzalez
- Documents of the Christian Church
b) Global Church History
- Black Fire: One Hundred Years of African American Pentecostalism by Estrelda Y. Alexander
- The Black Church in the African American Experience by C. Eric Lincoln and
Lawrence H. Mamiya
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Black Church Studies: An Introduction by Stacey Floyd-Thomas and Juan Floyd-Thomas
-
A History of Christianity in Africa: From Antiquity to the Present by Elizabeth Isichei
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The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand-Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia–and How It Died by Philip Jenkins
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The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity by Philip Jenkins
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Christianity in Latin America: A History by Justo L. González and Ondina E. González
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Christianity in the Caribbean: Essays on Church History by Armando Lamp
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The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity by Robert Louis Wilken
Christian Biographies
- Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther, Roland Bainton
- Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography, Iain Murray
- The Life and Times of Howell Harris, Edward Morganr
- Spurgeon: A New Biography, Arnold Dallimore
- The Life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Iain Murray
- The Life of Arthur W. Pink, Iain Murray
- The Hidden Smile of God: The Fruit of Affliction in the Lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd, John Piper
- The Roots of Endurance: Invincible Perseverance in the Lives of John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce, John Piper
- The Legacy of Sovereign Joy: God’s Triumphan Grace in the Lives of Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, John Piper
Biblical Theology
a) Systematic Theology: General
- Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof
- Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine by Wayne Grudem
-
Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson
b) Biblical Theology
- Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments by Geerhardus Vos
- The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments by Thomas R. Schreiner
- God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology by James M. Hamilton Jr.
New Testament Theology
- A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New by G. K. Beale
- New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel by I. Howard Marshall
- A Theology of the New Testament by George E. Ladd
- New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ by Thomas R. Schreiner
- Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity by Larry W. Hurtado
Old Testament Theology
- Old Testament Theology. 2 vols by G. Von Rad
- An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic by Bruce K. Waltke
- Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Gospel. Volume 1 by John Goldingay
- Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Faith. Volume 2 by John Goldingay
- Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Life. Volume 3 by John Goldingay
- Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy by Walter Brueggemann
- Old Testament Theology: An Introduction by Walter Brueggemann
- Old Testament Theology. 2 vols by W. Eichrodt
- Old Testament Theology: A Thematic Approach by Robin Routledge
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Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants by Peter J. Gentry, Peter J., and Stephen J. Wellum
Old Testament Textual Criticism
- Holy Writings, Sacred Text. The Canon in Early Christianity by John Barton
- Invitation to the Septuagint by Karen H. Jobes and Moisés Silva
- The Text-Critical Use of the Septuagint in Biblical Research: Completely Revised and Expanded Third Edition by Tov Emmanuel
- Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible by Tov Emmanuel
- The Text of the Old Testament by Ernst Würthwein
Christian Ethics
- The Moral Vision of the New Testament by Richard Hays
- The Indelible Image: The Theological and Ethical World of the New Testament, 2 vols by Ben Witherington III
- Old Testament Ethics for the People of God by Christopher J. H. Wright
Christian Philosophy
- A History of Western Philosophy and Theology by
- Warranted Christian Belief by Alvin Plantinga
- Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by J. P. Moreland and William Lane Craig
Biblical Archeology
- The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East. Five vols by Eric M. Meyers
- Life in Biblical Israel. Library of Ancient Israel by Philip J. King and Lawrence E. Stager
- On the Reliability of the Old Testament by Kenneth A. Kitchen
- The Archaeology of Society in the Holy Land by Thomas E. Levy
- The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land by Ephraim Stern