Book Suggestions for Spiritual Growth
If you’re reading this, I know two things about you. You’re literate (congratulations!) and you are at least somewhat interested in books or spiritual growth. This booklist collects the thoughts of other Christians who have enriched my understanding of God in His word and helped me grow in my enjoyment of my relationship to him as a beloved child and as faithful follower of Jesus.
No purely human book is a replacement for the Bible. I’ve learned it’s wise to read Christian authors as a Berean, testing what they’ve written against scripture. However, I’ve also learned the occasional discomfort that comes from reading a different theological perspective may be just what the Holy Spirit uses to draw me into a more faithful obedience and a more complete understanding of God’s love for me and purposes in my life. For each title, I will give a brief synopsis as well as an indication of how I benefitted by reading the book. I’ll also give any caveats that might be helpful in navigating a diverse collection of thinkers.
As a final piece of advice, I recommend reading and discussing with other believers. I have come to the conviction (with the help of some of the books in the list) that discipleship is primarily a community activity, not a solitary sport. Sometimes we miss what an author is saying or misinterpret what is being communicated. A friend or two can be a great help in understanding and applying what an author may be helpfully communicating . I will add to the list as the occasion (and new book) warrants so check back in from time to time. If you have suggestions for me to read, send me an email and tell me how the book has enriched your Christian life.
And now, in no particular order…
Knowing the Heart of the Father, David Eckman (244 pages)
The underlying reality of the Christian life is adoption by a New Father through the life of His Beloved Son through the internal presence of His Holy Spirit. These are not facts to hold in your mind, but transforming truths to experience in relationship to God. If there is one book I wish more people would read, this is it.Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith, Michael Reeves (130 pages.)
I read this book 8 times in one year, mostly out loud…with other adults. Reeves delivers on his title. The Trinity turns out to be the delightful center of the Christian life, not a strange mathematical equation, or an egg, or a shamrock. Reeves’s Rejoicing in Christ is similarly delightful.The Other Half of Church, Christian Community: Brain Science & Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation, Jim Wilder & Michel Hendricks (229 pages + notes)
Initially, I approached this book somewhat guardedly. After all the disciples seemed to do okay with an understanding of neurology. However, the authors show how recent discoveries in human brain function reveals God’s design for relationship and his wisdom in how he created the church to function. Pick the size of your grain of salt, but I found my first read insightful and am looking forward to a second read soon…with some brothers in Christ. This book has a strong “practice” component so if you’re looking for a more active read, this might be up your alley.Supernatural: What the bible teaches about the unseen world—and why it matters: Michael S. Heiser (167 pages)
This is a shorter, popularized version of Heiser’s more academic (i.e. more footnotes, references and bibliography) The Unseen Realm. One of my criterion for evaluating books is to ask, “Does this make Jesus clearer and the gospel more amazing?”. Heiser is a Bible scholar specializing in the supernatural worldview of the Bible and how it relates to Jesus. If you’re wondering where the “ rulers.. authorities…cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” come from and how they fit into the Old Testament, Heiser’s book pulls shines a flashlight on many passages you may have skimmed over.When the Church was a Family: Recapturing Jesus’ Vision for Authentic Christian Community, Joseph H. Hellerman (229 Pages)
This book starts with a cross-cultural analysis of what “family” meant in Jesus’ time, then moves to look at Jesus’s teaching about the New Family centered on himself before concluding with practical examples of how to reclaim this design in our individualistic context.Honor & Shame: Unlocking the Door, Roland Muller (111 pages)
A short little book on understanding the underlying forces which, starting in Genesis 3 have shaped human culture: honor/shame, guilt/innocent, fear/power. Muller shows how understanding these forces can help us to navigate loving our neighbors and friends who come from different cultural backgrounds.Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible, E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O'Brien (226 Pages)
Richards and O’Brien demonstrate how we as modern Westerners habitually import our cultural and chronological ideas onto the stories and teaching of the Bible leading to misunderstanding or wrong application of what the author was intending. Very readable with lots of concrete examples. This is a good companion for Muller’s, Hellerman’s, and Heiser’s books. Richards has another book —Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes: Patronage, Honor, and Shame in the Biblical World—that is similarly interesting and helpful for those who want to grow in how the read and share the Bible in cross cultural relationships.To End All Wars, Ernest Gordon (231 Pages)
Gordon’s first person account of his imprisonment in a Japanese POW camp in World War 2. Not just a memoir, it is the account of how the life of Christ can grow and thrive in the most hellish of places. Beautiful, challenging, and sobering.The Lost Letters of Pergamum: A Story from the New Testament World, Bruce W. Longenecker ( 183 pages + notes). Dr. Longenecker uses his biblical and historical knowledge to reconstruct the fictional story of an upper-class citizen of Rome who encounters the Christian community in Pergamum and is drawn towards an encounter with Jesus. The story is presented as an exchange of letters through which the reader gets a first-person view of the early church.
Decision Making and the Will of God: Garry Friesen & J. Robin Maxson (423 + Appendices)
Whether for your own personal instruction or to help equip others, Friesen’s book is the definitive resource for …well, the title says it all. Some parts can be skimmed and Friesen provides frequent summaries which give the highlights of the chapters. An especially great read for preparing young people to live free and joyful lives in the wide vistas of God’s moral landscape.The Cross of Christ, John Stott
This is a deeply wise, careful and full-orbed examination of the events, meaning, purpose and effects of Jesus’s death on the cross. Worth many re-readings and reflection.Church History in Plain Language, Bruce L. Shelley (495 + notes)
Yes, that is a lot of pages, but Shelley’s book is readable, engaging and helpful for getting a big picture understanding of how the gospel message and the Church have unfolded in history. Each chapter ends in such a way that the details of the chapter are put into context.The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God, Timothy & Kathy Keller (240 pages + notes)
Whether married or unmarried, the Keller’s have written a beautiful and helpful book. It presents a clear and beautiful picture of God’s design for marriage and discipleship through marriage.