Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover

More than dustjackets and bookmarks

In my last post of 2024, I encouraged everyone to pick a Bible reading plan for the year and commit to it for all of 2025 (there is still time to pick one here). There are veery few practices and disciplines more important than spending regular and intentional time in the Word of God. That must be a priority for you.

I am also often asked to give my thoughts on various books, or suggestions for different books on different topics, or even questions regarding what I am currently reading. For a good part of my adult life, I have valued reading books other than the Bible for various reasons. Books on Christian life and discipleship have helped me grow in holiness and sanctification, as a man, husband, and father. Books on Christian theology and apologetics have sharpened my thinking and deepened my knowledge of the Scriptures. Fiction and poetry have developed my creative thinking and increased my vocabulary.

The discipline of reading books, especially ones that strengthen your mind, raise your eyes to Christ, and develop you as a follower of Jesus, is often neglected by many Christians, even though our ancestors in the faith were much more intentional about it.

I’ve thought about publicly releasing my “Top 50 Must Read” book list for Christians for a while now, and with the start of a new year, and me beginning the second half of my life with turning 41 very soon, this is as good as time as ever, I suppose.

But rather than a simple list, I want to change things up a little bit. I will begin with my Top 10 books that I believe every follower of Jesus should read if they have not already. I’ll give a brief blurb about each one of them. For the remaining 40, I will put them into groups or categories of books divided by theme. This way you can have a smaller list from which you might consider choosing books covering different topics.

My Top 10

These are in no particular order:

1. “The Holiness of God” by R.C. Sproul
We often overlook what it means to say that God is holy. This book will bring you face-to-face with the Lord and the splendor of His holiness. It will expose your sin for what it truly is, and deepen your love for a God that would save and care for sinful creatures such as we are.

2. “The Pursuit of Holiness” by Jerry Bridges
Since God is holy, and since He commands that we be holy as He is holy, it follows that we ought to pursue holiness. This book will challenge you to take personal holiness seriously, as well as drive you to submit to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

3. “Morning and Evening” by Charles Spurgeon
There really is no one like Charles Spurgeon. He was arguably the greatest preacher in history. His use of poetic language and illustrations in his sermons is really second-to-none. This daily devotional will bless your soul in countless ways, as it has blessed mine for over a decade now.

4. “The Knowledge of the Holy” by A.W. Tozer
There have been innumerable books written about the attributes of God. Tozer’s contribution stands out as being both theologically rich as well as deeply personal; it encourages the reader to know and love the God to whom this book points.

5. “Knowing God” by J.I. Packer
While Packer’s book also has one chapter on the attributes of God, the goal of the book is to take any head knowledge about God and have it travel the most difficult 18 inches in the universe – the distance between your brain and your heart.

6. “The Confessions” by Augustine of Hippo
Who doesn’t love a very well-done autobiography? How about one from one of the most influential theologians in Church history? How about one from an elder with experience in vocational ministry? How about one from the 5^th century? This book is THAT one.

7. “The Religious Affections” by Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards is most well-known for his fiery sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” He is often (inaccurately) pegged as a unfeeling hellfire and brimstone preacher. In this book, Edwards places the emotions and affections in their rightful place in the Christian life.

8. “The Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan
With the exception of works of Greek antiquity and Shakespeare, most written stories are forgotten withing a few generations. There is a reason that “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” written almost 400 years ago, is still around. It’s also written by a man who suffered well for Christ.

9. “Disciplines of a Godly Man” by Kent Hughes
Years ago, some men in my discipleship group decided to do a book study. I went on Amazon and typed in “men’s Bible study book.” I chose the first one that came up, and in God’s providence, it was this one. It is essential reading for pursuing godly masculinity.

10. “The Great Evangelical Disaster” by Francis Schaeffer
Until Christ returns, and so long as the Church will be made up of sinful people who have a proclivity to drift into comfort, complacency, and compromise, this book will always be a shot of adrenaline, waking up slumbering Christians and calling them to focused obedience.

Now for the rest, in no particular order.

Church Ministry, Christian/Vocation
11. “Jesus Driven Ministry” by Ajith Fernando
12. “Biblical Eldership” by Alexander Strauch
13. “Spiritual Leadership” by Oswald Sanders
14. “The Supremacy of God in Preaching” by John Piper
15. “Biblical Preaching” by Haddon Robinson
16. “The Trellis and the Vine” by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne

Theological Studies
17. “The Bible and Homosexual Practice” by Robert Gagnon
18. “What is Reformed Theology” by R.C. Sproul
19. “The Last Days According to Jesus” by R.C. Sproul
20. “The 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith”
21. “The Institutes of the Christian Religion” by John Calvin
22. “Evangelism and Sovereignty” by J.I. Packer

Apologetics/Philosophy
23. “Unshakable Foundations” by Norman Geisler and Peter Bocchino
24. “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist” by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek
25. “The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict” by Josh McDowell
26. “More Than a Carpenter” by Josh McDowell

Fiction
27. “Out of the Silent Planet” by C.S. Lewis
28. “Perelandra” by C.S. Lewis
29. “That Hideous Strength” by C.S. Lewis

Christian Life/Discipleship
30. “Grace Abounding” by John Bunyan
31. “Ordering Your Private World” by Gordon MacDonald
32. “Rebuilding Your Broken World” by Gordon MacDonald
33. “The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer
34. “Basic Christianity” by John Stott

Parenting/Family
35. “The Effective Father” by Gordon MacDonald
36. “Shepherding a Child’s Heart” by Tedd Tripp
37. “Instructing a Child’s Heart” by Tedd Tripp
38. “Rediscovering Family Worship” by Jerry Marcellino
39. “Family Driven Faith” by Voddie Baucham

History/Biography
40. “The Antiquities of the Jews” by Flavius Josephus
41. “The Wars of the Jews” by Flavius Josephus
42. “When a Nation Forgets God” by Erwin Lutzer
43. “Christianity Throughout the Centuries” by Earle Cairns

Culture/Politics
44. “Christian Mission in the Modern World” by John Stott
45. “The Abolition of Man” by C.S. Lewis
46. “Live Not by Lies” by Rod Dreher
47. “Ruler of Kings” by Joe Boot

Biblical Studies
48. “How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth” by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart
49. “The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible” by B.B. Warfield
50. “Scripture Alone” by R.C. Sproul

If there are books on this list that you have not yet read, I strongly recommend reading them. Where do you begin? Start with my Top 10 and go from there. Enjoy!