Part of the HARBOR HAWAIʻI ʻOhana

HARBOR HAWAIʻI ʻOhana

Harbor's Recommended Reading List

by May 21, 2012

Our new minister of training and discipleship, Chris Bruno (also executive director of Antioch School Hawaii) has put together a list of recommended books on some of the topics that Christians in our day and age need to understand. Here’s what he says:

The following is not an exhaustive list of everything written on each of these topics, neither will someone who reads these books automatically reach a higher plane of Christian experience. Rather, this list is intended to be a starting point for someone who is looking for good counsel and biblical reflection on these topics. Because of this, we have tried to limit the recommendations to about 5 books per topic.

You will also notice that the list is heavily weighted toward books that have been written in the last 10 or so years. This is not because nothing good was written before 2002—far from it! Rather, since this is intended to be an introductory list, many of these resources will point to and interact with earlier (and perhaps better) books on their subjects.

If you are not a “reader,” consider getting Tony Reinke’s book, Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books (Crossway, 2011). It could provide you with some strategy and motivation for beginning a reading plan.

Finally, as you read these books, remember that there is one book that is your final authority for faith and practice. Begin and end with the Holy Scriptures, and let these tools sharpen your knowledge and application of the Bible.

Here’s the list:

Bible Introduction

  • Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, and Thomas R. Schreiner, Understanding Scripture: An Overview of the Bible’s Origin, Reliability, and Meaning (Crossway, 2012).

Old Testament

  • Stephen G. Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty: A Biblical Theology of the Hebrew Bible (IVP Academic, 2003).
  • Mark Dever, The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made (Crossway, 2006).
  • William J. Dumbrell, Covenant and Creation: A Theology of the Old Testaments Covenants (2nd ed.; Paternoster, 2002).
  • Andrew Hill and John Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament (3rd ed.; Zondervan, 2009).
  • Christopher J. H. Wright, Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament (IVP Academic, 1995).

New Testament

  • Gary Burge, Lynn Cohick, and Gene Green, The New Testament in Antiquity: A Survey of the New Testament Within Its Cultural Context (Zondervan, 2009).
  • D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament (2nd ed.; Zondervan, 2005).
  • Mark Dever, The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept (Crossway, 2005).
  • George E. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament (Revised ed.; Eerdmans, 1993).
  • Thomas R. Schriener, Magnifying God in Christ: A Summary of New Testament Theology (Baker Academic, 2008).

Biblical Theology

  • Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum, Kingdom Through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants (Crossway, 2012).
  • Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible (IVP Academic, 2002).
  • James Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment: A Biblical Theology (Crossway, 2010).
  • Michael Lawrence, Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry (Crossway, 2010).
  • Vaughn Roberts, God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible (IVP, 2003).

Additional Tool:

  • Brian S. Rosner, T. Desmond Alexander, Graeme Goldsworthy, and D. A. Carson, eds. New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (IVP Academic, 2000)

Systematic Theology

  • John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion (various editions).
  • John M. Frame, Salvation Belongs to the Lord: An Introduction to Systematic Theology (P & R, 2006).
  • Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994).
  • Michael Horton, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way (Zondervan, 2011).

Key Books on “Theology Proper,” the Study of God:

  • J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Revised ed.; InterVarsity, 1993).
  • John Piper, Pleasures of God: Meditations on God’s Delight in Being God (Multnomah, 2000).
  • R. C. Sproul, The Holiness of God (2nd ed.; Tyndale House, 2000).

Church History

  • F. F. Bruce, Spreading Flame: The Rise and Progress of Christianity from Its First Beginnings to the Conversion of the English (Wipf & Stock, 2004).
  • Mark Noll, Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity (Baker Academic, 2001).
  • Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language (3rd ed.; Thomas Nelson, 2008).

Pastoral Ministry

  • Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor (various editions).
  • Colin Marshall and Tony Payne, The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything (Matthias Media, 2009).
  • John Piper, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea for Pastors to Radical Ministry (B & H, 2002).
  • Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemers Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change (P & R, 2002).
  • Charles H. Spurgeon, Lectures to my Students (various editions).
  • Timothy Z. Witmer, The Shepherd Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church (P&R, 2010).

Preaching

  • Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon (2nd ed.; Baker Academic, 2005).
  • Graeme Goldsworthy, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching (Eerdmans, 2000).
  • D. Martyn Lloyd Jones, Preaching and Preachers (40th Anniversary ed.; Zondervan, 2012).
  • John Piper, The Supremacy of God in Preaching (Revised ed.; Baker, 2004).
  • Haddon W. Robinson, Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages (2nd ed.; Baker Academic, 2001).

Christian Living

  • Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts (NavPress, 2008).
  • Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters (Dutton, 2009).
  • John Piper, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Revised ed.; Multnomah, 2011).

“Gospel-Centered” Life

  • Matt Chandler with Jared Wilson, The Explicit Gospel (Crossway, 2012).
  • C. J. Mahaney, Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing (Multnomah, 2006).
  • Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love (Focus Publishing, 2008).
  • Jared Wilson, Gospel Wakefulness (Crossway, 2011).

Spiritual Disciplines and Growth

  • Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace: God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness (Revised ed.; NavPress, 2006).
  • John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress (various editions).
  • Sinclair Ferguson, John Owen on the Christian Life (Banner of Truth, 1987).
  • Tim Chester, You Can Change: God’s Transforming Power for Our Sinful Behavior and Negative Emotions (Crossway, 2010).
  • John Piper, The Purifying Power of Living by Faith in Future Grace (Multnomah, 2005).
  • Donald A. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (NavPress, 2001).

Marriage

  • Dave Harvey, When Sinners Say “I Do”: Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage (Shepherd Press, 2007).
  • Tim and Kathy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God (Dutton, 2011).
  • Paul David Tripp, What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage (Crossway, 2010).

Parenting

  • William P. Farley, Gospel-Powered Parenting: How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting (P&R, 2009).
  • Paul David Tripp, Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens (2nd ed.; P&R, 2001).
  • Tedd Tripp, Shepherding a Child’s Heart (Shepherd Press, 1995).

Community and Discipleship

  • Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (HarperOne, 1978).
  • Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church: A Radical Reshaping Around Gospel and Community (Crossway, 2008).
  • Jonathan Dodson, Gospel-Centered Discipleship (Crossway, 2012).

Marketplace and Culture

  • D. A. Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited (Eermans, 2008).
  • James Davison Hunter, To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World (Oxford, 2010).
  • Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission (Crossway, 2011).

Evangelism and Missions

  • Jason Mandryk, Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation (7th ed.; Biblica Publishing, 2010).
  • Randy Newman, Questioning Evangelism (Kregel, 2004).
  • John Piper, Let the Nations be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions (3rd ed.; Baker, 2010).
  • J. I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (IVP Academic, 1991).
  • Mack Stiles, Marks of the Messenger: Knowing, Living, and Speaking the Gospel (IVP, 2010).
  • Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission (Zondervan, 2010).