I often get asked about what books I recommend. Most of the time it’s young ministers looking to begin reading. I’ve shared the same list for several years, adding and subtracting over time. I want to share that reading list with you, dear readers.
I have said it before, but it bears repeating: A book recommendation isn’t necessarily an endorsement of an author’s theology or viewpoint upon any given topic. I live by the saying, “take the meat, leave the bones.” In order for you to know how to discern the meat from the bone is to have deep theological roots, and a personal revelation of what you believe. If you haven’t studied the Bible thoroughly, and haven’t prayed enough for the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind and heart, then I recommend that you read none of these books until you have done so.
Allow me to quote Charles Spurgeon concerning reading:
“The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every preacher, ‘Give thyself unto reading.’ The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own.”
So let us read! Let this be a starting point if you are just beginning. And to quote Charles Spurgeon one more time, “Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” Amen!
Theology
The Oneness of God – David Bernard
The New Birth – David Bernard
God’s Infallible Word – David Bernard
The Lord Our God is One – M.L. Walls
These Unchangeable Apostolic Truths – M.L. Walls
Knowing God – J.I. Packer
A Body of Divinity – Thomas Watson
God in Christ and Why it Matters – John Carroll
Spiritual Disciplines
Disciplines of a Godly Man – R. Kent Hughes
Celebration of Discipline – Richard Foster
The Disciplined Life – Calvin Miller
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life – Donald Whitney
The Lost Art of Spiritual Disciplines – N.S. Whitley
You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit – James K. A. Smith
Ministry
King Solomon: The Temptations of Money, Sex and Power – Leland Ryken
How the Mighty Have Fallen – Gregg Johnson
Brothers, We Are Not Professionals – John Piper
Letters to a Young Pastor – Calvin Miller
Dangerous Calling – Paul Tripp
Pastoral Ministry – John MacArthur
The Pastor’s Justification – Jared Wilson
Preaching
Preaching and Preachers- Martyn Lloyd Jones
Lectures to My Students – Charles Spurgeon
Preaching: How to Preach Biblically – John MacArthur
Expository Exultation – John Piper
Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism – Timothy Keller
The Supremacy of God in Preaching – John Piper
The Kind of Preaching God Blesses – Steven Lawson
Famine in the Land – Steven Lawson
Prayer
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God – Timothy Keller
The Complete Works of EM Bounds – E.M. Bounds
Why Revival Tarries – Leonard Ravenhill
Revival Praying – Leonard Ravenhill
Praying the Bible – Donald Whitney
A Praying Life – Paul Miller
Christian Living
The Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan
Are You a Christian: Redefining Apostolic – John Carroll
The Hole in Our Holiness – Kevin DeYoung
Don’t Waste Your Life – John Piper
Fasting: Opening the Door to a Deeper, More Intimate, More Powerful Relationship with God – Jentezen Franklin
The Pursuit of Holiness- Jerry Bridges
Counterfeit Gods – Timothy Keller
The Pursuit of God – A.W. Tozer
Desiring God – John Piper
Holiness – J.C. Ryle
The Holiness of God – R.C. Sproul
Rediscovering Holiness – J.I. Packer
Studying the Bible
A Peculiar Glory – John Piper
Reading the Bible Supernaturally – John Piper
God-Breathed: The Undeniable Power and Reliability of Scripture – Josh McDowell
Taking God at His Word – Kevin DeYoung
Living by the Book – Howard Hendricks
How to Study the Bible – Kay Arthur
Grasping God’s Word – Duvall and Hayes
The Bible from 30,000 Feet – Skip Heitzig
Devotionals
Future Grace – John Piper
Taste and See – John Piper
Morning and Evening – Charles Spurgeon
New Morning Mercies – Paul David Tripp
Biographies
Paul: A Biography – N.T. Wright
In Light of Eternity: The Life of Leonard Ravenhill – Mack Tomlinson
The Life of AW Tozer: In Pursuit of God – James Snyder
A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of A.W. Tozer – Lyle Dorsett
Spurgeon: A Biography – Arnold Dallimore
The Forgotten Spurgeon – Iain Murray
The Life of Martyn Lloyd Jones – Iain Murray (This is the abridged version. The unabridged two volume biography is outstanding too).
John MacArthur: Servant of the Word and Flock – Iain Murray
The Expository Genius of John Calvin – Steven Lawson
The Life of Arthur Pink – Iain Murray
Inspiration and Motivation
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World – Cal Newport
Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones – James Clear
Discipline Equals Freedom – Jocko Willink
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work – Mason Currey
Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done – Jon Acuff
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos – Jordan Peterson
The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg
Writing
You Are a Writer – Jeff Goins
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
Wordsmithy – Douglas Wilson
Bird by Bird – Anne Lamont
Write Better: A Lifelong Editor on Craft, Art, and Spirituality – Andrew LePeau
Leadership
Next Generation Leader – Andy Stanley
Catalyst Leader- Brad Lomenick
The Conviction to Lead – Al Mohler
The Empowered Leader – Calvin Miller
Leadership Pain – Samuel Chand
Follow to Lead: The Journey of a Disciple Maker – Stan Gleason
Apologetics
The Reason for God – Timothy Keller
Making Sense of God – Timothy Keller
On Guard – William Lane Craig
The Story of Reality – Greg Koukl
Tactics – Greg Koukl
Study Bibles
ESV Study Bible – Crossway
The Zondervan NIV Study Bible edited by DA Carson
The MacArthur Study Bible – Thomas Nelson
Commentaries
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary – John MacArthur
The NIV Application Commentary – Zondervan
The ESV Commentary – Crossway
The Expositor’s Commentary – Zondervan
The New American Commentary – Broadman and Holman
Bishop (Muncia) M.L. Walls Commentaries – Self Published