Recommended Books
Books can be really helpful, but choosing a book can be overwhelming. We recommend the following titles based on a few criteria: 1) It aligns with our value of gospel-centrality, 2) It speaks to your heart and mind, and 3) It addresses a topic of need that we think is important for our church. For your benefit, titles are listed in order from introductory to more in-depth and the publisher's descriptions have been included.
Gospel & Theology
- The Gospel-Centered Life by Will Walker and Bob Thune
The Gospel-Centered Life was developed and written by Will Walker (lead pastor of Providence) and Bob Thune (lead pastor of our sending church Coram Deo). This nine lesson small group study is intended to help Christians understand how the gospel shapes every aspect of life and conduct. Colossians 1:6 says that the gospel is “continually bearing fruit and increasing” in and among us, even after we first believe it. How does that happen? Why is a continual rediscovery and application of the gospel so important? How will our personal growth and missional life be stunted if we don’t grasp the gospel deeply? These are the questions that GCL seeks to answer.- Prodigal God by Timothy Keller
- Using his characteristic intellectual approach to faith issues, Keller uncovers an unexpected message in the familiar – and often misunderstood – New Testament parable of the prodigal son. Seekers and believers alike will see Christianity in a whole new way when they learn how Christ’s followers are supposed to love, so they can join him in heaven.
- Saved By Grace by Anthony Hoekema
- The second book in a triad of expository studies in central topics of Reformed theology. Characterized by careful scriptural analysis and accessible writing, the late Anthony A. Hoekema clearly teaches the theological foundation of soteriology.
Worship
- Unceasing Worship by Harold Best
- In this fruition of a lifetime of study, reflection and experience, Harold Best casts a holistic vision for worship as continuous outpouring in all settings and contexts. With careful exposition and eloquent analysis, Best addresses popular misunderstandings about the use of music and offers correctives toward a more Biblically consistent practice of artistic action. Incisive, provocative, profound and comprehensive, Best’s landmark volume is one by which all other statements on worship and the arts will be measured.
- Rhythms of Grace by Mike Cosper
- Is it singing? A church service? All of life? Helping Christians think more theologically about the nature of true worship,
Rhythms of Grace shows how the gospel is all about worship and worship is all about the gospel. Mike Cosper ultimately answers the question: What is worship? - The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
- Jesus told a story about a hidden treasure that, once discovered, brought life-changing joy. In
The Treasure Principle , Randy Alcorn unearths a simple yet profound principle that will radically change your concept of stewardship. Short on guilt, Alcorn illuminates the liberating joy of giving and its impact, not only for today but for eternity as well. - Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards
- This book is among the best-known works of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards seeks to distinguish between true and false religion by showing the marks of a saving work of the Holy Spirit in men.
Spiritual Formation
- You Can Change by Tim Chester
- Whether you’re a new believer or a seasoned Christian struggling with a besetting weakness, you can find freedom from negative behaviors and thoughts - through God’s transforming power! The author of
Total Church offers a practical, interactive, and Biblical program that will help you triumph over sin - by focusing on what God has already done in you. - The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
- Even as Christians we can forget the Gospel of grace and quickly turn instead to our own rules and good works. This book will help you to remember the Gospel and rely on the work of Christ in your life.
- Desiring the Kingdom by James K.A. Smith
- Malls, stadiums, and universities are actually liturgical structures that influence and shape our thoughts and affections. Humans – as Augustine noted – are "desiring agents," full of longings and passions; in brief, we are what we love. James K. A. Smith focuses on the themes of liturgy and desire in
Desiring the Kingdom , the first book in what will be a three-volume set on the theology of culture. He redirects our yearnings to focus on the greatest good: God. Ultimately, Smith seeks to re-vision education through the process and practice of worship. - A Praying Life by Paul Miller
- Miller offers a practical real-life approach to prayer for busy families! His honest down-to-earth advice shows you how to practice praying in the midst of daily routine. You’ll learn to pray like a child, live your Father’s story, understand unanswered petitions, and more.
- Dynamics of Spiritual Life by Richard Lovelace
- Reviewing the history of revival from Biblical models to Jonathan Edwards and the Jesus Movement, Lovelace isolates elements of live orthodoxy and proposes a comprehensive approach to spiritual rebirth. He examines primary and secondary elements of renewal; revitalization of local congregations; ways revivals go wrong; evangelical efforts at church unity; and Christian approaches to social concerns.
Church & Leadership
- Total Church by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis
- “Church is not a meeting you attend or a place you enter,” write pastors Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. “It’s an identity that is ours in Christ. An identity that shapes the whole of life so that life and mission become ‘total church.’” With that as their premise, they emphasize two overarching principles to govern the practice of church and mission: being Gospel-centered and being community-centered. When these principles take precedence, say the authors, the truth of the Word is upheld, the mission of the Gospel is carried out, and the priority of relationships is practiced in radical ways.
- The Church by Edmund Clowney
- Perhaps no other doctrine has more tangible impact on Christians that their doctrine of the church. In a cultural climate where the very word church sounds a tone of dull irrelevance, the doctrine of the church has suffered studied neglect. The persistent demands to market and grow the church threaten to quench serious theological reflection on its abiding nature and mission. But few activities bear greater promise for renewing and reshaping the church than the work of theology.
Marriage & Family
- Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller
- Using the Bible as his guide, coupled with insightful commentary from his wife of thirty-six years, Kathy, Timothy Keller shows that God created marriage to bring us closer to him and to bring us more joy in our lives. It is a glorious relationship that is also the most misunderstood and mysterious. With a clear-eyed understanding of the Bible, and meaningful instruction on how to have a successful marriage,
The Meaning of Marriage is essential reading for anyone who wants to know God and love more deeply in this life. - The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. At the center of the story is a baby, the child upon whom everything will depend. Every story whispers his name. From Noah to Moses to the great King David – every story points to him. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle – the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the story unfolds, children will pick up the clues and piece together the puzzle. A Bible like no other, this book invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God’s great story of salvation – and at the center of their story too.- Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God by Marty Machowski
Long Story Short will help busy parents share with their children how every story in the Old Testament points forward to God's story of salvation through Jesus Christ. You won't find a more important focus for a family devotional than a daily highlighting of the gospel of grace.Long Story Short is a family devotional program designed to explain God's plan of salvation through the Old Testament and is suitable for children from preschool through high school.
Masculinity & Femininity
- Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper & Wayne Grudem
- In this new edition of
Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood , more than twenty contributors provide a thorough response to evangelical feminism, with relevance for family, society, and church life. Combining systematic argumentation with popular application, this volume deals with all of the main passages of Scripture brought forward in this controversy regarding gender-based role differences. - Manhood Restored by Eric Mason
- The earthly crisis within manhood will be there until Jesus returns, but in Christ men are pointed toward the gospel as the vision for renewal.
Manhood Restored by combines theological depth with practical insights, putting men in step with a gospel-centered manhood that will enrich every facet of their lives. - The Envy of Eve by Melissa Kruger
The Envy of Eve guides readers to understand how desires grow into covetousness and what happens when this sin takes power in our hearts. Covetousness chokes out the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, allowing discontentment to bloom. The key to overcoming is to get to the root of our problem: unbelief—a mistrust of God’s sovereignty and goodness. An ideal resource for deeper study or group discussion.
Culture & Renewal
- Culture Making by Andy Crouch
- In
Culture Making Andy Crouch challenges Christians to step back from harsh critiques and condemnations of popular culture and instead calls them to lead in becoming culture makers. Often known for hasty attempts in “taking back” popular culture, Christians have too often formed an insufficient view of our culture at large. In turn, Crouch unpacks the complex inner workings of culture and gives believers tools for cultivating and creating culture by helping them to make sense of the world around us. With keen insight and the use of Biblical exposition, Crouch demonstrates that creating culture is central to the Scriptural narrative, as well as to the ministry of Jesus and the call of the church. This groundbreaking book is sure to be a rallying cry for a new generation of culturally creative Christians. - When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett
- Often times when we believe we are doing good, we are in fact doing harm. When this happens we may all stand back and shout “I was only trying to help!” but the damage is done, and often cannot be reversed. Such is the case with many of the ways local congregations have contributed through their various projects such as short-term missions. This book discusses ways in which Christians can help those in poverty without harming those who are already suffering, and how to keep themselves from getting hurt. In a world of increasing violence and hunger this book is quite timely and will help churches be more effective in both helping the poor and spreading the Gospel.
- Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper
Let the Nations Be Glad! is a modern classic in missiology. A trusted guide for thousands of missionaries, pastors, churches leaders, and laity, it provides a Biblical basis for missions, the expansion of the Gospel, and for worship. The third edition has been expanded to include new material critiquing the prosperity Gospel and its presence in the church and in missions.
Worldview & Apologetics
- Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
- Arguably the 20th century’s most influential Christian writer, C.S. Lewis sought to explain and defend the beliefs that nearly all Christians at all times hold in common. His simple yet deeply profound classic, originally delivered as a series of radio broadcasts, is a book to be thoroughly digested by believers and generously shared with skeptics.
- Reason for God by Timothy Keller
- Keller is a pastor of a large church in New York City. For several months, he would stay after his sermons on Sundays to answer questions that believers and non-believers have about God and religion in general. He addresses many of these questions and others that people had written in this book. Like Mere Christianity, you need to read this book.
The Basics of the Reformed Faith Series
These booklets address many of the questions and define much of the vocabulary that someone unfamiliar with Reformed theology may need answered. The titles are self-explanatory for the content of each booklet.
- How Do We Glorify God? by John Hannah
- What Are Election and Predestination? by Richard D. Phillips
- What Is Church Government? by Sean Michael Lucas
- What Is Justification by Faith Alone? by J V Fesko
- What is the Lord’s Supper? by Richard D. Phillips
- What is True Conversion? by Stephen Smallman
- How Our Children Come to Faith by Stephen Smallman
- What Is Providence? by Derek Thomas
- What Is A Christian Worldview? by Philip Graham Ryken
- What Is a True Calvinist? by Philip Graham Ryken
- What Is A Reformed Church? by Stephen Smallman
