If I was new to this blogging thing I think I would have closed up shop (grin). Stronger Church doesn't have as many readers as MSN's home page, but I know that a number of folks who are either in ministry or involved in their church read this monologue periodically. I'm very much interested in collecting a "recommended reading" list for the average person in the pew. So far I've had three responses.
I'm gonna hope that the holiday weekend had something to do with that and ask again for you to share some thoughts on what books you would suggest for pastors to share with their congregations. You can comment here or email me at pcbogert@gmail.com. Your contributions are appreciated.
Some blogs, including Tim Challies' site, are reporting the results of a Barna survey on what books have influenced pastors. The results are pretty discouraging if not downright scary. Keith Plummer rightly asks, "If only 9% of pastors have been influenced by a theological book in the past three years, how much less the average layperson?"
About Me
- Peter Bogert
- Married for 33 years, three children, four grandchildren, and one big yellow lab. Die-hard Phillies fan.
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13 comments:
I'm reading and will likely post your results at the Diet of Bookworms...
Wow...I've read Warren (listed on the challies site) and never EVER would have listed him as most influential.
Hmmmm Three books.....that's hard since I read so many....but (swallows hard) here goes...in no specific order of importance....
Charles G. Finney's Systematic Theology from 1851
A. W. Tozer - The pursuit of God
C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity
There are many, many others but these are very important members of my book collection.
On spirituality:
J.I. Packer, Knowing God
D.A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers
Eugene Peterson, The Contemplative Pastor
John Piper, Desiring God
On theology (for pastors):
Calvin's Institutes
Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will
Millard Erickson, Christian Theology
On theology (for pastors and laymen):
J.I. Packer, Concise Theology
Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan (this one is worth far more than its weight in gold!)
On worldview:
Francis Schaeffer, The God Who Is There
Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth
That's all for now.
I sent you an e-mail
Just off the top of my head:
C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity
D.A. Carson's Exegetical Fallacies
Steve McVey's Grace Walk
Thanks for the link, Peter. However, the question you attributed to me rightly belongs to Tim Challies.
As for books I'd recommend to people in the pew, I've said since I read it that if I could make Nancy Pearcey's Total Truth required reading in our church I would. Others I highly recommend are:
Heaven is a Place on Earth by Michael Wittmer
Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
Decision Making and the Will of God by Garry Friesen
When People are Big and God is Small and Addiction: A Banquet in the Grave by Ed Welch
Seeing with New Eyes by David Powlison
Desiring God and The Pleasures of God by John Piper
Among others I recommend all the books by Gordon Clark and Vincent Cheung, but just to list several...
By Gordon Clark:
- Introduction to Christian Philosophy
- Religion, Reason, and Revelation
- Three Types of Religious Philosophy
- God's Hammer
- The Lord God of Truth
By Vincent Cheung:
- Systematic Theology
- Ultimate Questions
- Presuppositional Confrontations
- The Sermon on the Mount
- Commentary on Ephesians
- Prayer and Revelation
- The Problem of Evil
Then, I also recommend:
- Greg Bahnsen, Always Ready
- Cornelius Van Til, The Defense of the Faith
- Robert Reymond, A New Systeamtic Theology of the Christian Faith
- Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology
- Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will
- Jonathan Edwards, The History of Redemption
...and...Matthew Henry's Commentary.
In my haste I failed to note the previous post listing the categories you were interested in. Here's my attempt to categorize the titles I left previously along with some additions.
Bible Reference
Dictionary of Biblical Imagery edited by Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, Tremper Longman III
Basic Theology Reference
Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem
New Dictionary of Biblical Theology edited by T. Desmond Alexander, Brian S. Rosner, D. A. Carson, Graeme Goldsworthy
God and Salvation
The Pleasures of God by John Piper
Putting Amazing Back into Grace by Michael Horton
Chosen for Life by C. Samuel Storms
Following Christ
Decision Making and the Will of God by Garry Friesen
Desiring God by John Piper
Trusting God Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges
Seeing with New Eyes: Counseling and the Human Condition Through the Lens of Scripture by David Powlison
When People are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch
Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from its Cultural Captivity by Nancy Pearcey
Home/Vocation
Heaven is a Place on Earth: Why Everything You do Matters to God by Michael Wittmer
I posted the following on Keith Plummer's blog, and was instructed to post it here LOL. Anyway, here's what I said:
I know that Keith would also recommend this book, but John Frame's book The Doctrine of God is very good. He touches on soterioogical issues as well (in an excellent and insightful way), so it should be in one's library. John Feinberg's book No One Like Him is another good theology proper text. As for books with a specific soteriological focus, I would recommend The Cross and Salvation by Bruce Demarest, as well as Anthony Hoekema's book Saved by Grace. As for systematic theology texts, one should at least have R. L. Dabney, Charles Hodge and W. G. T. Shedd (his Dogmatic Theology). Elwell's Dictionary of Evangelic Theology is a good reference book. Millard Erickson's The Word Became Flesh is good for Christology. If one has an interest in soteriogy as seen from a Calvinistic perspetive, then they should seek out material from Curt Daniel (his The History and Theology of Calvinism is at www.SermonAudio.com, and is free). If one wants to get solid evangelical training in many areas of theology, they should check out www.BiblicalTraining.com also. The materials available on the internet for free seem endless. One can virtually go through seminary level training if they persevere through the better resources on the internet, whether it is written material or audio material. Navigating through the junk may be a challenge, but great resources are available. Anyone with a computer is without excuse.
This makes me recall a quote from Matthew Henry. He said something like, "We shall not only be accountable for what we know and did not do, but also for what we could have known but did not learn." If that is a true principle, then those of us with computers and sufficient time to learn may end up being the last instead of the first in the Kingdom of God. Tolle Lege! Tolle Lege!
Wow - you folks make a sobbing seemingly unread blogger feel great (sniff). Seriously, keep it coming! I'll collect through the week and post results over the weekend.
Peter
On Spirituality:
Gordon D. Fee - God's Empowering Presence
On Theology;
J C Ryle - Doctines of the Bible
On Ministry;
Harold Lindsell - The Battle For The Bible
A. W. Tozer - The pursuit of God
Robert Banks - Paul's Idea Of Community
On Worldview;
Dempster, Klaus. Peterson - The Globalisation of Pentecostalism.
Boice - Foundations of the Christian Faith
St. Gregory the Great - Pastoral Care
St. Augustine - On Christian Teaching
Randy Alcorn - Heaven
Josh McDowell - The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict
Wayne Grudem - Bible Doctrine
James the Brother of Jesus - James!!! :-)
About following Christ-
Donald S. Whitney-Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
Jerry Bridges- The Pursuit of Holiness; The Practice of Godliness and The Joy of Fearing God.
Richard Ganz- The Secret of Self-Control and 20 Controversies that Almost Killed a Church
Elisabeth Elliot- Discipline the Glad Surrender
Hannah More-Practical Piety (available at www.gracegems.com)
About home and vocation
Martha Peace- The Excellent Wife
Stuart Scott- The Exemplary Husband
Susan Hunt & Barbara Thompson - The Legacy of Biblical Womanhood
Wayne A. Mack- Your Family God's Way and God's Solutions to Life's Problems.
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