“Illuminated by the gospel, we now perceive and enjoy God’s truth, goodness, and beauty–whether it’s in the blazing sun of the inspired Word of God, in the moonlight of creation, or in the starlight of great books.” – Tony Reinke in Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books
Someone (I have no idea who) said that Christian people are reading people. By necessity, we are people of The BookTM (the Bible), and there are now countless books available for Christians to read to aid us in understanding and living out The BookTM. In no particular order, here is a collection of works that have been hugely influential and helpful for me on my pilgrim way.
The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
“Infinitude can belong to but One. There can be no second.”
“In coming to Him at any time we need not wonder whether we shall find Him in a receptive mood. His is always receptive to misery and need, as well as to love and faith.” – A. W. Tozer
I have lost count of how many times I’ve read this one. This is the most succinct, lovely, and powerful introduction to God and his attributes I have ever read. Clocking in at only 120 pages, this little book walks through why we must think rightly (and loftily) about God and then seeks to help Christians begin to behold God as he is. When I meet A.W. Tozer in the New Jerusalem, I’m going to give him a big hug because of this book.
Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
“Christianity is not primarily about lifestyle change; it is about knowing God. To know and grow to enjoy him is what we are saved for…”
“As the sun gives of itself–its own light and warmth–in shining on us, so God gives us himself and the blessedness he has always enjoyed.” – Michael Reeves
I laughed, I cried, and I marveled while reading this one! Written with clarity, joy, gravity, and humor, this little book dives into why Christians worship a Trinitarian God. I cannot overstate how accessible and wonderful this little book is! While being surprisingly practical and encouraging, it also draws out the implications of the Trinity and what separates Christianity from other faiths. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
“… courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means, at the point of highest reality. A chastity or honesty or mercy which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions.” – Screwtape/C.S. Lewis
This is one. Wow. It is composed of letters written from one demon to another about how to influence, steer, and tempt a Christian, and it is full of insight and wisdom. It does take a few chapters to adjust to the reverseness of it (e.g.”the Enemy” in this book is God, “our Father below” refers to Satan, etc.), but it has been soooooo helpful to me. I’m probably due for a reread.
Fighting for Holiness by J.C. Ryle
“If we would be holy, we must fight.”
“Where there is grace, there will be conflict. The believer is a soldier. There is no holiness without a warfare.” – J.C. Ryle
This is one of the tiniest books on this list, but it is no less powerful because it is tiny. It startled me awake spiritually about the Christian’s fight against our “never-dying foes”: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Punchy and readable in an hour or so.
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller
“A superiority complex and an inferiority complex are basically the same.” – Tim Keller
I’m only giving one quote, and I’m leaving out the context so that you have to go read the book to find out what Keller means. Yet another tiny, tiny book. I try to read this one about once a year because it is so helpful and practical. Warning: it may hurt your feelings. It certainly hurt my feelings the first time I read it.
Visible Grace by Caleb Batchelor
“When Jesus looks for grace in your life, it’s less like finding a needle in a haystack and more like spotting the sunrise in the dark sky. The smallest rays of grace escort sin into the background, each sunbeam from the Spirit stirring the heart of the Son.” – Caleb Batchelor
The last truly tiny book on this list! As with the others, the tininess of it does not take away from its power and helpfulness. Readable in under an hour, and it won’t hurt your feelings as much as the last three recommendations may, lol. What a gift this book is! It’s about seeing God’s grace at work in the church, and it was brought to me at just the right time.
The Art of Disagreeing by Gavin Ortlund
“… two virtues lay a foundation for healthy disagreement. Both are needed: kindness without courage is too flimsy; courage without kindness is too brash.”
“Make it your goal to assume the best, within reason. Err on the side of naivete rather than cynicism. Not only is this much more productive, but it’s actually a lot more fun. Your own heart will feel lighter and happier along the way.” – Gavin Ortlund
In five simple chapters, Ortlund guides readers through the pillars of disagreeing: kindness, courage, listening, persuasion, and love. With helpful caveats that foster biblical wisdom and keep the book from becoming lopsided, this such a necessary one for the polarized age that we live in. Helpful, insightful, practical, succinct. It really put my feet to the fire about actually treating others as I would like to be treated when we disagree.
The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel
“O what a history might we compile of our own experience?, whilst with a melting heart we trace the footsteps of Providence all along the way it has led us to this day! Here it prevented, and there it delivered. Here it directed, and there it corrected. In this it grieved, and in that it relieved. Here was the poison, and there the antidote. This providence raised a dismal cloud, and that dispelled it again. This straitened, and that enlarged. Here a want, and there a supply. This relation withered, and that springing up in its room” – John Flavel
I will say this one takes a while to get through. It’s an old Puritan book, and thus it is one of the densest books on this list. I recommend it because it is all about how God works all things for good in the life of a Christian, and it was incredibly humbling and helpful to read. It has deeply altered the way I look at my life–the past, present, and future–and deepened my trust our Father in heaven.
Indwelling Sin in Believers by John Owen
“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.” – Romans 7:21
“Every act of sin is a fruit of being weary of God.”
“He shall find the stream [the law of sin within us] to be strong who swims against it, though he who rolls along with it will be insensible of it.”
“Men little consider what a dangerous companion is always at home with them. When they are in company, when alone, by night or by day, all is one, sin is with them. There is a living coal continually in their houses; which, if not be looked unto, will fire them, and it may be consume them.” – John Owen
Confession: I have not finished this book, and I do not know when I will finish this book. It is another Puritan piece, and I have been very, very, very slowly reading it for over a year. *sweats* It is incredibly insightful and surprisingly encouraging, but it takes me half an hour to read two pages. Guys, I’m not even halfway through. But one day (probably many years from now at this rate), I will finish it. And I think every Christian should read it at some point in their life. Owen takes Romans 7:21 and wrings it out for all it’s worth for like 200 pages. And they are the densest pages I have ever read, but also some of the dearest because they have brought home to me the normalcy of my fight against sin. This is the road every Christian walks, the fight every Christian fights, and the enemy within is tireless and relentless. I did not expect to be so equally challenged and consoled, but challenged and consoled I have been. Read this book! You’ll probably finish it before I do.
A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller
“We don’t need self-discipline to pray continuously; we just need to be poor in spirit.”
“You don’t create intimacy; you make room for it…. Efficiency, multitasking, and busyness all kill intimacy.”
“Oddly enough, many people struggle to learn how to pray because they are focusing on praying, not on God.” – Paul E. Miller
Reading this book on prayer is when I learned that it is always good for me to be reading a book on prayer. What. a. gift. I remember being so dubious when it was first recommended to me years ago, kind of like, “Riiiiggghhhtttt, a book on prayer. It’ll be good for me, but I’m sure it’s very stuffy and dry and necessary but necessary in the way that is not enjoyable.” I was wrong on all fronts! Miller writes with humility, earnestness, and wisdom. Honestly, this book was a surprising and strange comfort to read. Unpretentious, easy, clear, practical, and encouraging.
Honorable Mentions:
Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard – allegorical
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom – no notes, just read the book (this is another one I’m due for a reread)
The Greatest Fight in the World by Charles Spurgeon – invigorating
12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke – a sobering, convicting read; the first thing I ever read that explained why a Christian’s attention span must guarded against erosion.
May you read and be even more encouraged, challenged, built up, and deepened by these books than I have been.
Further up and further in,
Rosalie
p.s. – I am always in need of good book recommendations, so please give me some to add to my nigh infinite TBR!
p.p.s. – this list exists in large part because of Lit! by Tony Reinke, a book gifted to me many, many, many, many moons ago by my sister-in-law. Lit! fed and framed and widened my reading like no other book. If you’re a Christian but you’re not a reader, I’d say read Lit! and then give yourself 10-15 years and see what God does.
