Our hope here is to list a few books that have been helpful to us in the journey. This list is by no means exhaustive, and we may adapt it and expand it in days ahead. There are great ones here though, and we hope you enjoy.

DEVOTIONAL READING

If you feel like you are brand new to reading the Bible or having a devotional time of reading in your day – you are not alone! We are asked all the time, “where do I start?”

Some recommendations from us:

Stick close to the Bible. I encourage you to read more of the Bible than anything else. Where should you begin? The gospel of John is a great place to start. There you meet Jesus. The writing is simple and clear. From there I would move to the book of Ephesians. This epistle lays out Christianity beautifully. When you’ve tackled those – then read the whole thing! At your own pace, try to read the entire bible. As you have questions, write them down. Don’t be afraid of questioning what you read. Write down your questions and then take them to a source that could help you: a pastor, a trusted friend who is a little farther down the road, or get a good commentary. The Psalms and Proverbs are also a great place to start.

It’s okay to get help. A great book to guide you into how to have a devotional time with the Lord is Wired by Louie Giglio. I highly recommend it. He points the reader to the Psalms, which are great devotional material. Howard Hendricks has written a book called Living by the Book that also may be helpful to you. Though it is not a devotional book, it will teach you basic bible study skills that will help you as you read the text.

How do you do it? I am often asked what my devotional life looks like. Truthfully, it varies. I think that is good too. I do not believe we should ever bore ourselves with the Word of God. So I mix things up to keep it interesting. The things that are constant: they always involve (1) prayer (2) reading the Bible (3) writing. These are fundamental. I also try to always have (1) a place I can focus (2) a time that I am awake (3) a plan of what I will be reading or working through. Presently, I am physically writing out a New Testament epistle. I write slow, so I only get a few verses a day, but that’s intentional. I want to move slowly. I read carefully and then make notes all around the text in different colors. After I’ve spent time with just me and the text and prayer, then I will consult commentaries. I like to include their thoughts as well. I also take time to pray, often writing my prayers. This helps me focus. I do all of this in the mornings, usually at a coffee shop. It may look different for you, and that is okay. The goal is intimacy with God. I hope this is helpful. Blessings to you as you seek Him.

THEOLOGY

Warning: please don’t replace your time of devotional reading with these. Make sure you are cultivating a LOVE for the Lord as you read and not simply a wealth of answers so you can appear spiritual/brilliant. Don’t be that guy. With that said, these authors have helped me understand the Lord, His Word and His world. I commend them each to you.

Demarest, Bruce

The Cross and Salvation – this is a modern work. Demarest devotes chapters to important aspects of salvation, and in each chapter presents the views of different camps within evangelical circles before presenting his own.

Edwards, Jonathan

His collected works – a pastor/theologian from the First Great Awakening, often regarded as the greatest mind ever produced by America. He is stunning. I recommend beginning with his Resolutions and his Treatise on Religious Affections.

Owen, John

His collected works – one of the greatest puritan theologians, his writings focus on issues of sanctification. They are long, but the writing style is simple and his treatises typically focus on a few main ideas. J.I. Packer, a modern theologian, has been heavily influenced by Owen. If Owen’s Treatise on the Mortification of Sin sounds daunting, then pick up anything by Packer. He is brilliant and would give you many of the same ideas.

Piper, John

His collected works – a modern pastor/theologian in the mold of Jonathan Edwards. His web-site www.desiringgod.org is a wealth of knowledge on everything from sexual temptation to supralapsarianism. Unapolegetically Calvinist, he certainly challenges your view of God, and does so with great skill.

DEVOTION

Bunyan, John

The Pilgrim’s Progress

Giglio, Louie

I Am Not but I Know I Am; Wired

CHURCH HISTORY

Bingham, Jeffery

Pocket History of the Church – this is a VERY brief introduction to the history of the church. It is also a very well-written one from a brilliant historian. This is a great place to start if you want to get the basics.

Gonzalez, Justo

The Story of Christianity – this is arguably the best out there today. Written in two volumes, Gonzalez breaks his chapters down into small segments that you could read daily as a supplement to your devotional reading. His style is simple and engaging. This is a wonderful read.

Piper, John

The Swans are not Silent Series (about Edwards, Calvin, Bunyan, etc.) – often people want to get some background on a certain figure in church history but they don’t necessarily want to read a huge biography. These books can help you there. Every year at his pastor’s conference, Piper presents a paper on a famous pastor or theologian or missionary. You can get them online, or you can buy a book from his “Swan” series where several figures are combined in each volume. Again, these are good for brief introductions to great figures in Church History.

APOLOGETICS

Zacharias, Ravi

Anything he’s written – He is a modern apologeticist and a genius. Raised in India, his insider view of Eastern religion combined with his outsider view of American culture provide refreshingly different perspectives. His book, Can Man Live Without God was adapted from a series of lectures he delivered at Harvard. Some copies of the book come with one of the lectures included, and I would recommend this highly if you are searching to bolster your faith with rational argument.

Lewis, C.S.

His Collected Works – Arguably the most famous apologeticist, C.S. Lewis is a must read. It’s hard to recommend one book of his against another. I would recommend reading several and in doing so get a handle on his seminal ideas.

Schaeffer, Francis

He is There and He is Not Silent – What Lewis was in the 40’s, Schaeffer was in the 60s. The pastor to the hippies, he was a voice of stability for many troubled by an erosion of their understanding of the basics of reality. His thoughts are deep and his heart was big, making him a joy to read.

BIBLE STUDY METHOD

Hendricks, Howard

Living by the Book

Giglio, Louie

Wired

MISC

Bock, Daryl

Jesus According to Scripture – If you want a greater understanding of the gospels and the nature of Jesus’ ministry, you will find it here. This is a wonderful guide through the gospels, showing the reader the reason for the narrative decisions of the gospel writers, as well as providing much-needed Old Testament background to the scenes of Jesus’ ministry. I recommend this book as highly as possible.

Schaeffer, Francis

True Spirituality – This unpacks basic spirituality in very accessible terms. I read this book in college and it helped me understand how a Christian thinks and lives.

Lewis, C.S.

The Chronicles of Narnia – A series of fictional stories written by Lewis, these take the reader into the imaginary world of Narnia, where animals talk and magic thrives. These are thinly veiled allegories for the Christian life, and I have learned more from these than I can express to you. I love God more because of Lewis’ pictures of Him in this story. I recommend these as highly as possible.

Packer, J.I.

Knowing God; Keep in Step with the Spirit – Knowing God is as essential to Christians as spandex was to 80s hair-bands. Everyone should read this.

COMMENTARIES

I won’t list them all here, but there are many great commentaries available today. If you want a commentary that touches every book of the Bible, The Bible Knowledge Commentary covers all 66 books of the Old and New Testaments in an inexpensive, two-volume set. Deeper study involves more involved commentaries on each book. If you are looking for great commentaries I encourage you to check three places. First, www.desiringgod.org has a great commentary list. Denver Seminary also has a list of recommended commentaries on their web-site that is enormously helpful. D.A. Carson also writes reviews of commentaries and he is helpful at selecting which are the most scholarly and thorough. Listed below are some of the highlights of my own study and from the aforementioned list. Not all great commentaries are mentioned, and not all commentaries mentioned have been read by me. However, I would recommend any of the books below if you are looking to study a book of the Bible at a deeper level.

Genesis

Wenham (Word Biblical Commentary) ; Sailhamer (Expositor's Bible Commentary); Waltke, Bruce

Exodus

Enns (NIV Application Commentary)

Leviticus

Hartley (WBC)

Numbers

Wenham (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries)

Deuteronomy

Wright (New International Biblical Commentary)

Joshua

*Hess, R. S. Joshua: An Introduction and Commentary. TOTC

Judges

*Block, Daniel I. Judges, Ruth. NAC

Ruth

*Hubbard, Robert L., Jr. The Book of Ruth. NICOT

1 & 2 Samuel

*bergen

1 & 2 Kings

House, P. R. 1 and 2 Kings. NAC. Broadman, 1995

1 Chronicles

Braun (WBC)

2 Chronicles

Dillard (WBC)

Ezra and Nehemiah

*Williamson, H.G.M. Ezra-Nehemiah. WBC. Word, 1985

Esther

Baldwin (TOTC)

Job

Andersen (TOTC)

Psalms

Kidner (TOTC)

Proverbs

Kidner (TOTC); Bridges (Banner of Truth)

Ecclesiastes

Longman, Tremper, III. Ecclesiastes. NICOT. Eerdmans, 1997

Song of Songs

Longman, Tremper, III. Song of Songs. NICOT. Eerdmans, 2001

Isaiah

Oswalt, John N. The Book of Isaiah. 2 volumes. NICOT. Eerdmans, 1986, 1998

Jeremiah

Thompson (NICOT)

Jeremiah & Lamentations

Harrison (TOTC)

Ezekiel

Allen, Leslie C. Ezekiel 1-19, 20-48. WBC, 2 vols. Waco: Word Books, 1990

Daniel

Baldwin, Joyce G. Daniel. TOTC. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1978 Longman III, Tremper. Daniel. NIVAC. Zondervan, 1999*Collins, John J. Daniel. Hermeneia. Fortress, 1993

Minor Prophets

McComiskey (3 volumes; superb)

Matthew

Carson, D. A. "Matthew," in EBC, ed. F. E. Gaebelein, vol. 8. G.R.: Zondervan, 1984.

Mark

Lane, W. F. Commentary on the Gospel of Mark (New International Commentary on the New Testament). G.R.: Eerdmans, 1974.

Luke

Bock, D. L. Luke (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), 2 vols. G.R.: Baker, 1994-96

John

Carson, D. A. The Gospel According to John (PNTC). G.R.: Eerdmans, 1991 Acts:Longenecker (EBC)

Romans

Moo, D. J. The Epistle to the Romans (NICNT, rev.). G.R.: Eerdmans, 1996. *Cranfield, C. E. B. The Epistle to the Romans (ICC, rev.), 2 vols. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. 1976-79

1 Corinthians

Fee, G. D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT, rev.). G.R.: Eerdmans, 1987

2 Corinthians

Barnett, P. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT, rev.). G.R.: Eerdmans, 1997

Galatians

Longenecker, R. N. Galatians (WBC). Dallas: Word, 1990

Ephesians

O'Brien, P. T. The Letter to the Ephesians (PNTC). G.R.: Eerdmans, 1999. *Hoehner, H. Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary. G.R.: Baker, 2002.

Philippians

O'Brien, P. T. The Epistle to the Philippians (NIGTC). G. R.: Eerdmans, 1991.

Colossians/Philemon

O'Brien, P. T. Colossians, Philemon (WBC). Waco: Word, 1982.

1 & 2 Thessalonians

Bruce (WBC)

Pastoral Epistles

Mounce, W. D. Pastoral Epistles (WBC). Nashville: Nelson, 2000.

Hebrews

Ellingworth, P. The Epistle to the Hebrews (NIGTC). G. R.: Eerdmans, 1993.

James

Moo, D. J. The Letter of James (PNTC). G. R.: Eerdmans, 2000.

1 Peter

Grudem, Wayne. The First Epistle of Peter (TNTC, rev.). G. R.: Eerdmans, 1988

2 Peter and Jude:

Bauckham, R. Jude, 2 Peter (WBC). Waco: Word, 1983. Moo, D. J. 2 Peter, Jude (NIVAC). G. R.: Zondervan, 1996.

Johannine Epistles

Kruse, C. The Letters of John (PNTC). G.R.: Eerdmans, 2000 Stott, J. R. W. The Epistles of John (TNTC). G. R.: Eerdmans, 19882.

Revelation

Beale, G. K. The Book of Revelation (NIGTC). G. R.: Eerdmans, 1999.