Original Post Date - November 14, 1987

As I was speed-reading the latest book on how to be a more efficient executive, I realized that God is terribly inefficient. I say it reverently, of course. But really, the Lord could have been much more efficient in the way He administered His eternal plan. I’m not sure the Lord would do well in modern America.

We live in a culture obsessed with efficiency. We have instant everything: instant photography, instant coffee, instant copy machines, and instant information available on almost any conceivable subject. Computers can do in seconds what took a whole office full of people weeks to do a few years ago. We have the one-minute manager, one-minute Christian executive, and even the one-minute Christian father! If something is more efficient, we want it.

Take child development. We push our kids toward achievement. To stimulate creativity we are told to play recordings of great music to them while they’re still in the womb. One Christian leader says we ought to read the Bible to them during that time as well, to get a jump on spiritual development. We decorate the nursery for maximum intellectual and sensory development. We waste no time in signing up the little ones for classes to nurture their latent talents in music and sports.

We buy them educational toys and games, enroll them in progressive nursery schools, and get them a personal computer so they won’t be at a disadvantage later in life. Our goal seems to be to make childhood as efficient as possible.

Why did God design the maturing process to take so long, anyway? Most animals mature and reproduce before human beings are out of kindergarten. It seems to me that God could get a lot more use out of people if He had made them that way.

As I think over my own life, I can hardly remember anything from the first ten years. From the next ten years, I can remember a lot of things I’d rather forget. From the third ten there are a lot of things that I thought I knew that the last ten have proven wrong. What a waste! At least thirty years just to get me to a place where I could function not too poorly in serving the Lord. At 40 I feel like I’m just beginning to get up to speed.

When I think of the only perfect Man who has ever lived, I marvel at the inefficiency of God. If I had been His parent, I’d have had the boy out preaching before His tenth birthday. Certainly by the time He was 20 He could have launched His international TV ministry! Why waste 30 years in obscure Nazareth and then give Him only three years to work before His death? Obviously, God must not have read any books on developing a child’s full potential!
Or take sleep and rest. I feel like I could go full bore, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and still not accomplish all that needs to get done. Life is short enough as it is. But then my body requires almost one-third of my life just for sleep.

I’ve tried to get by on less sleep. I’ve even prayed about it. With less sleep I could pray more, read the Bible more, write more, read more books, and do all sorts of other productive things. But my body won’t cooperate. If I don’t sleep at least seven hours a night, I can’t function. What a waste!

Then there’s that weekly day of rest, which the Lord ordained and our modern evangelical world ignores. With church morning and evening and with all my projects, I’m too busy to rest on the Lord’s Day. The Lord must not have known about lawns and dirty cars when He ordained a weekly day of rest.

And consider people. God is so inefficient in the way He molds and uses them. Noah was 500 years old before God told him to build the ark. He was 600 when the flood came. He lived 350 years after the flood. What couldn’t I accomplish if I had 950 years! And yet all poor Noah is noted for is building an ark and planting a vineyard. Not much to show for all that time!

Abraham was 75 when he left Haran at the Lord’s command. That’s a lot better than 500, but still not too efficient. The Lord promised Abraham a son when he was 75, but he was 100 before the promise was a reality. That’s 25 years–a quarter of a century. People were growing old and dying. Wars were being fought. The world needed to hear about God’s promise to Abraham.

What did Abraham achieve in that span of time? Do you suppose he had well-defined goals? After all, becoming the father of a great nation is no small undertaking. It must have required careful planning. Did he keep his calendar full of key appointments to help move him toward the mark?

Maybe Joseph is our kind of man. He must have been an efficiency expert to administrate the famine relief program for Pharaoh. God must not have wasted any time with him. Sharp, honest, trustworthy, high moral standards–this young man had what it takes for leadership! After a brief apprenticeship with Potiphar, Joseph would be ready for a top management position in some ministry organization.

But God put this choice young man in an Egyptian prison for the better part of his twenties. At one point he had a good chance to get out. He interpreted the cupbearer’s dream. The cupbearer was reinstated. Joseph’s parting words before the man left the dungeon to resume his duties at Pharaoh’s palace were, “Remember me.” But the cupbearer forgot. Couldn’t the Lord remind him?

In Genesis 41, we read of Pharaoh’s dream, which led to Joseph’s release from prison and rise to power. Don’t miss those words in verse one which are so easy to skim over: “Now it happened at the end of two full years …” It was two full years from the time the cupbearer was released until Pharaoh had his dream. You can read that phrase in a fraction of a second, but it was two choice years of Joseph’s life. Two years in a stinking foreign prison! Two years of wondering if there was a God in heaven listening to his prayers! Why couldn’t God have given Pharaoh his dream two years sooner? Maybe God would be interested in a seminar on time management?

It’s not hard to multiply example after example. Moses, the great leader, blew it at 40 (why didn’t the Lord call him at 25 or 30?), then had 40 more years tending sheep in the desert before he led Israel out of Egypt. Wouldn’t three or four years of seminary have been adequate?

David, the young man after God’s own heart, was anointed king as a teenager, but then spent his prime twenties fleeing from cave to cave to escape the mad king Saul. The nation had to wait for the glories of David’s reign.

The apostle Paul spent several years in Arabia, then more in Tarsus before his ministry took off. If there was ever a key man in the history of the church, it was Paul. He launched the whole thing in the Gentile world. Surely his few short years of ministry had to have been packed full. His appointment book must not have had a slack hour.

Yet as Paul dreamed of going to Rome, Spain, and points beyond, God saw fit to put him in custody in Caesarea. Sure, it was ultimately God’s way of getting Paul to Rome, all expenses paid. But in Acts 24:27 we read some words which shouldn’t surprise us by now: “But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.”

Two inefficient years sitting in Caesarea! Wasn’t the church praying for his release? Here was God’s greatest apostle sitting around, day in and day out, for two full years while the world was going without the gospel! Two wasted years when he could have been out preaching, planting churches, evangelizing Spain! The Lord sure could have used a course in efficient employee management!

Could God possibly be running His kingdom program differently than I’m running my hectic schedule? Could He be developing His children from a different perspective than I’m training mine? Could God be less concerned than I am about squeezing every spare minute of every day for all its worth?

Could there be any significance that His Word often refers to the Christian experience as a walk, seldom as a run, and never as a mad dash? Could God be less concerned about the efficiency of minutes and more concerned about the efficiency of eternity?
You’ll have to think about these things, if you have time. I’ve gotta run–I’m late for my next appointment.

Original Post Date - December 1, 1985

Say, Mary, how about if we go over to First Church this Sunday morning? I see in the paper that they’re having that famous Christian speak.”

“Well, honey, I don’t know. I noticed that Second Church is having that recently converted rock star, and I think the kids would enjoy that. And we can catch the sacred concert and prophecy film over at Third Church in the evening.”

Let’s face it: we live in a spectator society. From football to the movie theater to the ubiquitous American altar known as television, we are programmed to sit passively while the performer croons, “Let me entertain you.”

Quite often the church unwittingly caters to this mentality. We assume that we are called to compete for spectators. So we attempt to put on a better show. We advertise in the papers, we put our current attraction on our marquees, and pray for a packed house.

After all, if our goal is to cram as many people into the building as possible, then we had better have the most entertaining show in town. (God help us on Super Bowl Sunday!) The church with the most people wins.

To plan, staff, and implement such successful programs requires a team of ingenious leaders. We rack our brains and comb through ministry magazines to garner the latest ideas. If we want to succeed (which, being translated, means have a large audience) we know we’ve got to keep those hits a comin’! The bottom line is growth. The staff had better perform. Annual reports are just around the corner!

I’d like to suggest a radical alternative to the approach which views the church as an entertaining program: The church is the household of God (1 Tim 3:15; 1 Peter 4:17). We are God’s family.

Everybody knows that. But I’ve been to enough churches and talked to enough of my pastor colleagues to know that very few churches operate primarily on that premise. But make no mistake about it: the two approaches have very different implications for church leaders.

Families gather for fundamentally different reasons than audiences do. Families don’t come together primarily to be entertained. They enjoy sharing life in an atmosphere where every person—young or old, successful or not-so-successful—belongs by virtue of birth or adoption or marriage into the family.

Family leaders don’t feel pressured by family members to come up with creative programs for every gathering. The members don’t threaten to join another family if the entertainment doesn’t meet their expectations. Indeed, the only expectation for families is to be together, to share life openly, and to love and be loved.

To be sure, family gatherings require some organization and leadership. Someone has to plan the menu, buy the food, prepare it, and clean up after the meal. But that is a far cry from producing a program. If all the members do their part, the planning and work can serve to deepen relationships in the context of life.

THE MAIN ATTRACTION

As the family of God, the church should gather primarily unto a Person, not a program. Christ is our main attraction. He has promised us his presence as we gather in his name. And we gather with persons, the other members of the family, to enjoy and edify one another.

Many Christians today assume that by attending the program at a local church they have fulfilled the command not to forsake assembling together (Heb. 10:25). But in the context, that command entails stimulating one another to love and good deeds and encouraging one another. An audience doesn’t have much chance of obeying that command; a family does.

So how, as pastoral leaders, do we turn the corner? First, the change must start with the leadership. If we encourage the entertainment approach to ministry, our people will fall in step. It’s the cultural mentality. So we must teach people that the church is primarily family, not attendance at a program. Since we’re talking about swimming against the cultural stream, it will be a constant struggle to re-educate.

As pastoral leaders we must provide structures where family-type gatherings of God’s people can occur. If our only official church gatherings consist of auditoriums filled with passive spectators watching the performers on stage, our talk about the church as family will fall on deaf ears. We need gatherings small enough for people to act like family. We need meetings structured for every-member-ministry and open sharing (as in 1 Cor. 14:26). How else can we stimulate and encourage one another?

Could we have lost something the early church enjoyed by our insistence that if we don’t gather at the church building, it isn’t officially “church”? The early church saw itself as God’s family, and they met primarily in homes. Most families do.

Gathering in homes isn’t binding on us today. But if the church is primarily family, not program, then it may be of more than antiquarian interest that the early church did gather in homes. In our church we provide such an opportunity on Sunday evenings. We have divided up the congregation into somewhat geographic groupings. We gather in homes to meet with the Lord and one another. There is freedom for singing, encouragement or exhortation from the scriptures, the sharing of personal experiences and concerns, and prayer. We climax the time around the Lord’s Table, followed by light refreshments.

Of course, not everyone will like meeting in homes. Many enjoy the comfortable anonymity and escape from responsibility afforded by attending the program in the auditorium. It can be threatening to open your life to other believers. It demands a lot of commitment to take the priesthood of believers seriously and make a personal contribution to a meeting. It’s much more fun to be entertained.

But we’ve never been commanded to put on the best show in town. We’re called “shepherds,” not “program directors.” We’ve never been told by God that success is a full auditorium.

Our task is to shepherd God’s flock, giving oversight to his household, the church. We must lead God’s people to experience the church primarily as family, gathered unto the living Christ. So what’s playing at your church this week?

Original Post Date - November 4, 1984

“It would be political suicide to give that speech,” said an aide to his boss. “He’s right, Senator,” chimed in another aide. “It’s just one clear-cut statement after another.”
Perhaps I am committing pastoral suicide to dare to talk on an issue as emotionally explosive as “Christians and Politics: How Shall They Mix?” That may be especially true on the eve of a presidential election in which religious issues have played such an important role.

As you know, President Reagan was swept into office in 1980 by the winds of the “New Christian Right”, as it has been called. It is no secret that the same “New Christian Right” is pushing hard for his re-election. Consequently, there is not a person among us who has not been faced with the question, “How much should the church involve itself in politics?” And, “How much should I, as a Christian citizen, be involved in politics?”

I want to address those questions this morning. But first I want to make several disclaimers. The first is that I cannot possibly be comprehensive in one message. I must limit my comments on many points where, if time permitted, much more could be said.
Second, my approach is going to be theological. By that I mean that we will be looking at a number of passages and in some cases talking about doctrines which run throughout Scripture rather than studying a particular text. My goal is not to give you a pre-packaged answer on these issues, but rather to lay down some tracks for you to run on. I want to help you in the process of thinking biblically about the subject of civil government. And thirdly, I am in process in my thinking on these matters. I have done some reading and thinking on these issues in recent months, but I have a long way to go. This message reflects where I’m at now, not necessarily where I’ll be 5 or 10 years from now.

I want to make a foundational proposition; then I want to talk about the nature of civil government (in the Scriptures); the relationship of the church and the government; and finally, the relationship of individual Christian citizens and the government. Here is my foundational proposition:

Christ must be Lord of our political views.

That may sound perfectly obvious, but it is anything but obvious in practice. People whose lives are otherwise in submission to Christ have a tendency to forget about His Lordship when they climb into the political ring. Some Christians have maintained that politics is dirty and worldly and that, as citizens of heaven, Christians have no business with politics at all, even to the point of refusing to vote. Others get involved whole hog, but their involvement is more emotional than rational. Few seem to have thought things through biblically.
But if Christ is Lord of all of life, then we must allow Him to be Lord of our political views. In 2 Cor. 10:5 Paul says that his goal involved “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” That must include our political thinking.

1. The nature of government: God-ordained & accountable.

In a nutshell, the Scriptures teach that government is ordained of God and thus accountable to God.

A. Government is ordained of God.

(Read Romans 13:1-7.) When Paul wrote this, the godless Nero was the emperor. Since he obviously fell far short of the ideal ruler, we must conclude that it would be invalid to make exceptions to the principle laid down here: namely, that God has ordained government authority as a part of His plan for this earth. God’s purposes for government can be boiled down to two broad areas:

1. To promote justice for all.1 Peter 2:14 says that kings and governors are “for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.” Romans 13 talks about the government “bearing the sword” as an avenger who brings God’s wrath upon the one who practices evil. That points to the power of the state to use capital punishment (and the threat thereof) to bring about justice for all.
   Furthermore, Psalm 72 (plus a number of other Old Testament passages) talks about the king vindicating the afflicted, crushing oppressors, and demonstrating compassion on the poor and needy. The Scriptures distinguish between those who are poor on account of laziness and those who are poor due to disease, famine, catastrophes, or the exploitation of the wicked. God’s condemnation rests on the first group, whereas His compassion falls upon the second. Government should protect and help those who are truly poor, needy, and innocently oppressed or wronged.
   The government does this (in part) by legislating morality. Laws against murder are moral and biblical in that the sixth commandment states, “You shall not murder.” Laws against theft encompass the eighth commandment, “You shall not steal.” Laws against racial discrimination reflect the biblical teaching that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; Deut. 10:17). So don’t let anybody sell you the ridiculous notion that we can’t legislate morality. That is precisely what the government does, and rightly so. Laws should protect citizens from sin (e.g. prostitution laws, drug laws, etc.). The fact that something is illegal will restrain many who otherwise may be tempted to engage in the particular activity. The real debate is, which morality should we legislate?
   Thus the government is ordained of God to promote justice.
2. To promote peace and order in society.1 Timothy 2:1-2 states that we should pray for kings and those in authority “in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” This means that the government must maintain adequate national defense so that we are not overrun by some totalitarian power that would rob us of peace and liberty. And internally the government should promote religious liberty to all within the bounds of human safety and rights.
   Since the government has been ordained of God to promote justice and peace, it follows that

B. Government is accountable to God.

Note Daniel 4:32; 5:21. God told the mighty Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel repeated it later to Belshazzar that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. Pilate said to Jesus, “Do you not know that I have authority to release you and I have authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over me, unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:10-11).
The significant thing in each of these instances is that none of the rulers in question were a part of the covenant nation or believers in God. And yet Daniel and the Lord Jesus reminded these pagan rulers that their authority was not autonomous. It was given to them by God, and the implication is, they would have to give an account to Him someday. Part of our role as believers, as we have opportunity, is to remind even the most pagan government authorities that they rule under God and are accountable to Him. That leads to the thorny issue of …

2. The relationship between the church and the government: Not total separation nor total identification, but confrontation.

A. Not total separation: There is no such thing as total separation of church and state.
As you probably know, the phrase “a wall of separation between church and state” is not in the U.S. Constitution. (It is in the Soviet Constitution.) It occurs in a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association dated January 1, 1802 and it reflects Jefferson’s interpretation of the First Amendment to the Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Originally the first amendment was included to insure that the federal government have nothing to do with state religious affairs and that the federal government be prohibited from establishing a national church (such as the Church of England). Several of the colonies had state churches. That was not in question.

The same Congress which drafted the Constitution reaffirmed the Northwest Ordinance of 1789 which states, “Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of learning shall forever be encouraged.” Thus religion and morality (based on religion) were a part of the foundation of our nation’s educational system. The founding fathers would be aghast at the current interpretation of the First Amendment which excludes any mention of God or the Bible from public schools and other government functions.

Since part of the government’s God-ordained function is to promote justice, and since, by necessity, that involves the legislation of morality, it is absurd to talk about a total separation of church and state. The church concerns itself with morality, and so there is much overlap. Thus I disagree with Senator Barry Goldwater who said, I’m frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in “A,” “B,” “C,” and “D.” Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?

And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate.

And the religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy.

They must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives.

The great decisions of government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions….

We have succeeded for 205 years in keeping the affairs of state separate from the uncompromising idealism of religious groups and we mustn’t stop now. (New York Times, September 16, 1981, p.B9).

Of course, the Senator has his right to his opinion. But constitutionally, we have a right to vote him out of office, as well as to exert as much muscle as possible on moral issues. There is no such thing as total separation of church and state because both institutions concern themselves with morality.

B. Not total identification: The church must be careful to be known for the gospel and righteousness, not for a partisan political stance.

We need to remember several things in this regard.

(1) Evangelism, not political power, is God’s primary means of dealing with the world’s problems.
If we forget this, we fall into the trap of the liberal theologians who promoted the social gospel. Since the major problems in this world stem from sin in individual hearts, the only real solution is to see people brought into a right relationship with God. Jesus didn’t command us to go and win political races; He did command us to go and disciple all nations.

(2) The doctrine of depravity must always be in view when the church touches politics.
I believe that Christians err and open the cause of Christ to possible scandal when they become overly enamored with a particular political party or candidate. Neither party is thoroughly biblical. There is a mixture of good and evil in both parties. And all candidates (and all Christians) are fallen sinners who are susceptible to the lust for power and prestige. Thus we also are liable to the danger of using our political muscle for private gain rather than for the public good. And we dare not trust the government to do more than God designed it to do.

When (as in the current election) one party (and it’s presidential candidate) takes a clear stand against such clear-cut moral issues as abortion, homosexual rights, the ERA (which would undermine the traditional family), and the other party (and it’s candidate) takes a clear stand on the opposite side, I think that a Christian has virtually no choice on who to vote for, whatever your normal political leanings. But at the same time we must make it clear that we are voting on matters of biblical righteousness, not on a partisan political basis. The church’s primary concern is for the gospel and righteousness, not for partisan politics.

Thus the relationship between church and state is not one of total separation nor one of total identification. It is …

C. Confrontation: The church must confront the state on matters of immorality and injustice.
In the Old Testament the prophets called the kings to account on these matters. In the New Testament, John the Baptist and Jesus confronted the religious and political leaders. The Apostle Paul confronted the governor, Felix and his wife Drusilla, concerning righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come (Acts 24:25). He preached to Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice.

This brings up a difficult question: How far can we push Christian morality (legislatively) in a secular society?

During the colonial days, some states punished people who traveled on Sunday. Obviously, we don’t want to go that far (most of us would be guilty!). I have corresponded with Franky Schaeffer on this matter, and he argues that we need to go for all we can or else we won’t have a free country in 15 years. I do not agree. If we press for all we can without being clear about the limits, we will create a severe backlash against Christianity by the secularists who will fear that we will be burning witches. I also talked personally with Dr. Carl Henry about this recently. His answer was that the Ten Commandments (especially the Second Tablet) form an adequate base for legislating morality. But as I have thought about that, I find it terribly inadequate. It would mean passing laws against adultery and coveting.
I’m still thinking this through, but at this point I agree with theologian John Warwick Montgomery (in Christianity Today [1/23/81], pp. 60, 63; I’ve modified his approach slightly, but rely on it here).

(1) We must distinguish between biblical moral absolutes and gray areas.
Abortion is clear-cut. I do not see how any Christian who believes in the Bible can argue in favor of abortion-on-demand. On other issues (Prohibition would be an example), committed, godly believers differ. On such gray areas you may choose to fight for your position as an individual Christian citizen, but make sure that you make it plain that these are personal opinions, not God’s revelation.

(2) We must not seek to legislate even genuinely biblical moral teachings where the value of that teaching will be recognized only by those who have already accepted Christ as Lord and the Bible as God’s Word.

We don’t want to prosecute blasphemers or adulterers, even though such things violate God’s law. To force unbelievers to abide by such laws would be counter-productive in the long run in that eventually people would rebel against Christianity and cast off all influence of the church.

(3) We should strive to legislate all socially valuable moral teachings of scripture whose value can be meaningfully argued for in a pluralistic society.

Laws against abortion, laws protecting the handicapped and the elderly, laws against pornography and child abuse–all of these can be argued for on the grounds of broad social appeal, even for the non-Christian. Our reason for arguing for such laws is because God’s Word is clear on these matters. But these and many other values can be agreed upon by a broad coalition of people, many of whom would not accept Christ as Lord or the Bible as God’s Word. If we argue these issues on the basis of scientific, social, and ethical grounds (such as the Golden Rule) which even the non-believer can accept, then if the matter becomes the law of the land, the unbeliever who disagrees with it is less likely to feel that a particular religion has been forced upon him.

(4) In the political arena, if the choice is between a reasonable compromise that has a good chance of passing versus the uncompromised position which has a poor chance of passing, go for the compromise.

I am not saying that we compromise our moral standards. I am saying that in a fallen world, where we are dealing with unbelievers, we may have to settle for less than God’s best. In the area of abortion, for example, although I believe that it is immoral to kill a developing baby simply because it is the result of rape or incest or because it is deformed, I would be quick to settle for an amendment banning abortions except in those cases rather than in holding out for an amendment which bans all abortions. By accepting the compromise we would end 95 percent of all current abortions. Then we can go to work on the other 5 percent. So I’m not saying that we compromise our standards. I am saying that we need to be politically wise.

We have talked about:

1. The nature of government: God ordained and accountable; and, 2. The relationship between the church and the government: not total separation nor total identification, but confrontation.

3. The relationship between individual Christians and the government.

Here I’m not focusing on the church as a bloc, but on the individual Christian citizen. First I’ll show what is required of all Christians; then what is optional.

A. Required of every Christian:

1. To be subject to the government unless it asks us to disobey God.
   Rom. 13:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14; Acts 5:29; Daniel 1, 3, 6.
2. To grant proper honor to those in authority (1 Pet. 2:17).
   This involves our attitude.
3. To do right and cooperate with government authorities whenever possible (Titus 3:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:15).
4. To pay taxes (Rom. 13:6,7; Matt. 22:17-21).
5. To pray for government authorities (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
6. To evangelize and disciple government leaders when possible (1 Tim. 2:3-4; Matt.28:19; Paul’s example with Felix, Festus, Agrippa, and others).
7. To be informed and vote for candidates and issues which will, to the best degree possible, uphold God’s purposes for government (Matt. 5:13-16; Titus 3:1).

The bible does not address this issue directly because democracy was not then practiced. Some Christians argue that we are citizens of heaven and thus should not get involved at all in politics. But we are also citizens of this earth and since we are given a say in who rules over us, to be silent is to allow the ungodly to win the day. Christians who do not vote are abdicating their responsibility and must answer to God.

B. Optional for some Christians:

1. To work as volunteers or supporting staff for politicians who uphold justice and morality.This is not required of every believer, but it may be the calling of some. Those who are not so called should not censure those who are; and those who are so called should not expect those who are not to be involved to the same degree as they are.
2. To run for political office.

Again, this must be a matter of personal calling before God. It may be on a local level (school board, city council, etc.) or on a state or national level. The church ought to be supplying the government with men and women of integrity who fear God. Government is a difficult place to maintain a strong testimony for Christ. But there are two notable examples in the Bible of men who served well in pagan governments: Joseph in Egypt, and Daniel in Babylon.

Conclusion

Let me return to my foundational proposition:

Christ must be Lord of our political views.

I trust that you now have some tracks to run on as you think through the implications of that statement for your own life.

Reading Christian History and Biographies
A Selected Bibliography, by Steven J. Cole
Revised, December 2020

The following selected books on church history and biographies of great Christians have been helpful to me. I have tried to list the individual biographies in rough chronological order under each section.

Reference Works:

1. Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity [Eerdmans], ed. by Tim Dowley. An excellent all-round reference work, with many short articles on key people and movements.
2. The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church [Zondervan], ed. by J. D. Douglas. Short biographical articles on thousands of people and movements in church history.
3. Dictionary of Christianity in America [IVP], ed. by Daniel Reid, Robert Linder, Bruce Shelley, & Harry Stout. Short articles on key people and movements in American church history.
4. Great Leaders of the Christian Church [Moody Press], ed. by John Woodbridge. Short biographies of the leaders of Christianity from Peter to Francis Schaeffer.

 
Church History:

1. Christian History Magazine, published by Christianity Today. Each issue treats a different person or era in church history. Well done, informative, & readable.
2. Christianity Through the Centuries [Zondervan], by Earle Cairns. Concise (500 pages) readable church history.
3. Church History in Plain Language [Nelson], Bruce Shelley.
4. Pages from Church History [P & R Publishing], Stephen Nichols. Good: 13 people from various periods of church history.
5. Our Legacy [NavPress], John Hannah. Traces the history of Christian doctrines.
6. Historical Theology [Zondervan], Gregg Allison. A much more comprehensive history of Christian doctrines, corresponding with Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology.
7. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs [Moody Press], John Foxe. Sobering to read what these faithful saints endured!
8. Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes [Yale Nota Bene], Eamon Duffy. Shows how the popes have all been power brokers and politicians, not godly men.
9. The Bad Popes [Barnes and Noble Books], E. R. Chamberlin. History of the worst of the worst popes. These guys were worse than normal pagans!
10. 121 Christians Everyone Should Know [Holman Reference], writers of Christian History Short bios. They have a very broad definition of “Christian.”
11. The Reformation [Crossway], Stephen Nichols. Short, helpful introduction to this important time.
12. Reformation Heroes [Reformation Heritage Books], Diane Kleyn, with Joel Beeke. Written at middle school level, but helpful vignettes of many heroes of the faith.
13. The Unquenchable Flame [Broadman & Holman], Michael Reeves. Basic treatment of the Reformation in an easy-to-read style.
14. Worldly Saints [Zondervan], by Leland Ryken. The Puritans as they really were. First rate! Don’t miss it!
15. The Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life [Crossway], J. I. Packer. Excellent! I’ve read it four times.
16. Meet the Puritans [Reformation Heritage Books], Joel Beeke & Randall Pederson. Short introductions to the Puritans.
17. The Devoted Life [IVP], ed. by Kelly Kapic & Randall Gleason. Various essays on the Puritans and their writings.
18. Light From Old Times [Evangelical Press], by J. C. Ryle. A history of some of the 17th century martyrs under Bloody Mary. It will impress you with their commitment to the gospel.
19. Christian Leaders of the 18th Century [Banner of Truth], by J. C. Ryle. Brief biographies of George Whitefield, the Wesley’s, and other lesser known but greatly used servants of God.
20. By His Grace and For His Glory [Baker], by Thomas Nettles. A historical, theological, and practical study of the doctrines of grace in Baptist history. Shows how the early Baptists were solidly Calvinistic.
21. Revival & Revivalism [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Subtitled, “The Making & Marring of American Evangelicalism, 1750-1858.” I’ve read it twice. Gives great insights into the evangelical mess we’re in today and how it came about.
22. Evangelicalism Divided [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Subtitled, “A Record of Crucial Change, 1950-2000.” He traces the theological compromise of men like Billy Graham in American evangelicalism.

 
Great Preachers & Christian Leaders:

1. Walking With the Giants [Baker], by Warren Wiersbe. Outstanding! Numerous short biographies of great preachers you should know. Part 2 deals with “Classic books on the ministry.” Every pastor and church leader should read this and the next one.
2. Listening to the Giants [Baker], by Warren Wiersbe. Similar to the book above, plus a sample sermon from each preacher. The chapter, “A Basic Library,” is worth the price of the book.
3. The Company of the Preachers [Kregel], by David Larsen. A lengthy history of preaching, consisting of short biographies of preachers from the Old Testament to the modern era. Flawed by the author’s aversion to Reformed truth and at times sounding like a doctoral thesis, but a useful survey with many interesting details of some of the characters God has used to preach His Word.
4. The Man Who Shook the World [Victor Books], (new title, The Apostle), by John Pollock. A readable biography of Paul.
5. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free [Eerdmans], by F. F. Bruce. A more scholarly treatment of Paul.
6. The Legacy of Sovereign Joy [Crossway Books], by John Piper. Subtitled “God’s Triumphant Grace in the Lives of Augustine, Luther, & Calvin.” Excellent reading!
7. Contending for Our All [Crossway], John Piper. How Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen contended for biblical truth.
8. The Life of William Farel [Bible Truth Publishers], by Frances Bevan. Farel was Calvin’s predecessor and mentor at Geneva, a bold preacher of the gospel.
9. Elijah of the Alps [Solid Ground Christian Books], William Blackburn. Story of Farel’s bold, courageous life.
10. Here I Stand, a Life of Martin Luther [Abingdon Press], by Roland Bainton. Hard to follow the details at points, but a classic biography of the great reformer.
11. Martin Luther: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought [P & R Publishing], by Stephen Nichols. A recent, helpful introduction to Luther.
12. Martin: God’s Court Jester [Fortress Press], by Eric Gritsch. Many interesting facts as he tells Luther’s story and theology.
13. Ulrich Zwingli [Solid Ground Christian Books], William Blackburn. Interesting life of the great Reformer, but Blackburn’s difficult 19th century writing style makes it hard to follow in places.
14. This Was John Calvin [Baker], by Thea Van Halsema. A basic introductory biography of the great reformer.
15. John Calvin [Lion Publishing], by T. H. L. Parker. The best treatment of Calvin by a leading 20th century Calvin scholar. His Calvin’s Preaching [Westminster/John Knox Press] is an excellent study of Calvin’s emphasis on the Word. Highly recommended!
16. The Life of John Calvin [Evangelical Press], by Theodore Beza. Beza was Calvin’s successor at Geneva, so this is a firsthand look at Calvin.
17. John Calvin [G. P. Putnam’s Sons], by Williston Walker. Helpful, although the author’s theological liberalism slips through at points and comes into full view in his final analysis of Calvin’s theology.
18. John Calvin [Crossway], Robert Godfrey. Short intro to Calvin’s life and thought.
19. John Calvin [IVP], Herman Selderhuis. A warm, human treatment of Calvin. Many stories from his life.
20. John Calvin: His Life and Influence [Christian Focus], by Robert Reymond. He has a few helpful facts that I didn’t know from my other reading on Calvin’s life.
21. The Humanness of John Calvin [Solid Ground Christian Books], Richard Stauffer. Shows that Calvin was a caring, compassionate husband, father, pastor, and friend, contrary to prevailing caricatures of him.
22. The Legacy of John Calvin [P & R Publishers], David Hall. Short but helpful, showing Calvin’s influence.
23. The Soul of Life, the Piety of John Calvin [Reformation Heritage Books], by Joel Beeke. Short bio on Calvin, then short selections from his writings on various aspects of piety. Good.
24. John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, & Doxology [P & R Publishers], Burk Parsons. Good intro to Calvin and his thought.
25. Theodore Beza: The Man and the Myth [Christian Focus], Shawn Wright. Not really a bio as much as it is a treatment of Beza’s theology. He corrects many common misconceptions.
26. God’s Outlaw, William Tyndale [Evangelical Press], by Brian Edwards. The story of William Tyndale, who was persecuted for putting the Bible into English.
27. Lady Jane Grey: Nine Day Queen of England [EP Books], Faith Cook. Lady Jane was a bold, doctrinally solid witness for Christ who was executed by Bloody Mary at age 16.
28. The Life of John Knox [Free Presbyterian Publishers], by Thomas M’Crie. The life of the bold Scottish reformer.
29. The Thunder [P & R Publishers], Douglas Bond. A novel on John Knox. Interesting, but with historical novels, you never know which part is true and which is fiction.
30. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (in volume 1 of The Works of John Bunyan) [Baker], by John Bunyan. The autobiography of the author of Pilgrim’s Progress.
31. John Bunyan [Banner of Truth], by Frank Mott. A short biography.
32. The Hidden Smile of God [Crossway], by John Piper. Subtitled, “The Fruit of Affliction in the Lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd. Really good!
33. Richard Baxter [Christian Focus], by Richard Baxter. Autobiography of the influential Puritan pastor.
34. John Owen, Prince of the Puritans [Christian Focus], by Andrew Thompson. Biography of the most scholarly Puritan theologian.
35. John Owen: The Man and His Thought [Evangelical Press/P & R Publishing], by Sinclair Ferguson & others. Essays on various aspects of Owen’s life and theology.
36. William Romaine, an Iron Pillar [Evangelical Press], Tim Shenton. Sketchy on Romaine’s family life. Like many great men, he had his shortcomings, some rather glaring (anti-Semitism, short temper).
37. Out of the Depths [Moody Press], by John Newton. The fascinating autobiography of the slave trader turned pastor, author of the beloved hymn, “Amazing Grace.”
38. Through Many Dangers [Evangelical Press], Brian Edwards. The story of John Newton. Good!
39. The Roots of Endurance [Crossway], by John Piper. Subtitled, “Invincible Perseverance in the Lives of John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce.” Really good!
40. The Journal of John Wesley [Moody Press], ed. by Percy Parker. Wesley was an interesting bundle of contradictions. John Pollock also has a biography of Wesley that I’ve read, but it may be out of print.
41. Wesley and Men Who Followed Him [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Murray is more lenient on Wesley than I would be. His life shows that God can use some imperfect vessels!
42. George Whitefield [Crossway Books], by Arnold Dallimore (2 vol.). (A one-volume edition by Dallimore is published by Good News Publishing, although I haven’t read it.) Whitefield was a mighty Calvinistic evangelist, friend of the Wesleys and Edwards.
43. George Whitefield [Lion Publishing], by John Pollock. Whitefield was an interesting man, zealous for souls, and greatly used by God.
44. Heroes [Banner of Truth], Iain Murray. Short bios on Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Newton, Thomas Charles, Robert Kalleym, William Hewitson, Charles and Mary Colcock Jones, and Spurgeon as an evangelist.
45. The Life and Times of Howell Harris [Need of the Times Publishers], by Edward Morgan. An 1852 biography of a remarkable Welsh revivalist preacher who lived 1714-1773. Harris knew Whitefield and the Wesley’
46. Howell Harris and the Dawn of Revival [Evangelical Press of Wales], by Richard Bennett. A detailed account, based on Harris’ diaries, of the first three years of his spiritual pilgrimage.
47. Jonathan Edwards, a New Biography [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. An excellent treatment of the great revivalist preacher and theologian, called the greatest mind ever in America.
48. Jonathan Edwards, a Guided Tour of his Life and Thought [P & R Publishing], by Stephen Nichols. A recent, helpful introduction to Edwards and his theology.
49. Jonathan Edwards: A Life [Yale University Press], by George Marsden. Excellent! Marsden helps you see Edwards in his cultural context.
50. A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards [Eerdmans], George Marsden. Good shorter bio on Edwards.
51. Marriage to a Difficult Man: The Uncommon Union of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards [Audubon Press], by Elisabeth Dodds. Their story from his wife’s perspective. He was difficult because he was a genius, not because he was hard to get along with. They had a wonderful marriage. Recently back in print!
52. Jonathan Edwards and Sarah [Soli Deo Gloria], Edna Gertsner. Their unique life and marriage.
53. A Sweet Flame: Piety in the Letters of Jonathan Edwards [Reformation Heritage Books], ed. by Michael Haykin.
54. The Legacy of Jonathan Edwards [Baker], ed. by D. G. Hart, Sean Michael Lucas, & Stephen Nichols. Essays on Edwards’ vision, theology, and legacy.
55. A God Entranced Vision of All Things [Crossway], ed. by John Piper & Justin Taylor. Essays on Edwards’ life and legacy, lessons from his life and thought, and expositions of his major theological works.
56. Cotton Mather [Barnes & Noble], by Barrett Wendell. An American Colonial Puritan preacher. You will be amazed at his education and intellectual output.
57. Robert Murray McCheyne [Zondervan], by A. A. Bonar. Devotional Scottish preacher who died at 29 but has had lasting impact on many.
58. Awakening: The Life and Ministry of Robert Murray McCheyne [Christian Focus], David Robertson. God used McCheyne in a remarkable way in his short life.
59. The Roots of Endurance [Crossway], John Piper. How John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce persevered through many difficulties.
60. Charles Simeon of Cambridge [Eerdmans], by Hugh Hopkins. Heavily British in style, but a helpful bio of this great evangelical preacher.
61. Cambridge and the Evangelical Succession [Christian Focus], Marcus Loane. Short biographies on William Grimshaw, John Berridge, Henry Venn, and Charles Simeon.
62. Oxford and the Evangelical Succession [Christian Focus], Marcus Loane. Short biographies on George Whitefield, John Newton, Thomas Scott, Richard Cecil, and Daniel Wilson.
63. Asahel Nettleton: Life and Labors [Banner of Truth], by A. A. Bonar. Nettleton was a Calvinistic evangelist, opposed to Finney, who saw upwards of 30,000 conversions under his preaching.
64. A Scribe Well-Trained: Archibald Alexander and the Life of Piety [Reformation Heritage Books], ed. by James Garretson. Brief bio of the Princeton theologian and excerpts from his devotional writings.
65.  H. Spurgeon [Moody Press], by Arnold Dallimore. The best shorter biography of this godly pulpit giant.
66.  H. Spurgeon Autobiography [Banner of Truth], 2 vol. Long, but well worth reading. A remarkable man!
67. Spurgeon, Heir of the Puritans [Eerdmans], by Ernest Bacon. Short, but good treatment.
68. Charles H. Spurgeon: His faith and Works [American Baptist Publication Society], H. L. Wayland. A tribute to the great preacher written in the year of his death (1892).
69. Living by Revealed Truth [Mentor], Tom Nettles. Lengthy but helpful bio of Spurgeon showing his commitment to Scripture.
70. A Marvelous Ministry [Soli Deo Gloria], by Tim Curnow & others. Subtitled, “How the All-round Ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon Speaks to us Today.” I learned several new and interesting facts.
71. The Forgotten Spurgeon [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Deals with the three major controversies of Spurgeon’s life. Read after you’ve read Dallimore.
72. Spurgeon & Hyper-Calvinism [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. How Spurgeon battled those who took Calvinism too far. In some of his views, I think that Spurgeon was inconsistent with all of Scripture.
73. Spurgeon & Son [Kregel], by Craig Skinner. A biography of Spurgeon’s son, Thomas, a preacher who later succeeded his famous father at the Metropolitan Tabernacle.
74. A Camaraderie of Confidence [Crossway], John Piper. Short bios on three giants of faith: Charles Spurgeon, George Muller, and Hudson Taylor.
75. A Passion for Souls: The Life of D. L. Moody [Moody Press], by Lyle Dorsett. The author (as well as Moody) is critical of the doctrines of grace, but it is still an interesting read on a man God used to reach thousands.
76. Moody [Evangelical Press], by John Pollock. May be out of print (I saw 2 on Amazon.com). I like Pollock as a biographer.
77.  C. Ryle, Prepared to Stand Alone [Banner of Truth], Iain Murray. Excellent bio of the godly 19th century Anglican bishop.
78. John Charles Ryle: Evangelical Bishop [Reiner Publications], by Peter Toon. Ryle is known for his Expository Thoughts on the Gospels and other devotional writings.
79. Faithfulness and Holiness: the witness of J. C. Ryle [Crossway], J. I. Packer. A short tribute to Ryle and the text of his classic, Holiness (read it if you haven’t, along with anything else Ryle wrote!).
80. Charles Hodge [P & R Publishing], Andrew Hoffecker. Good, although too heavy on a lot of Presbyterian battles that I couldn’t keep straight. But Hodge was a godly man.
81. George Muller of Bristol [Revell], by A. T. Pierson. Written in early 20th century, biography of the godly man of prayer who founded orphanages in England. This book changed my life when I first read it in 1970.
82. George Muller: Delighted in God [Harold Shaw], by Roger Steer. Best recent biography of Muller. Great!
83. George Muller Autobiography [Whitaker House]. Now back in print.
84. Answers to Prayer [Moody Press], by George Muller. Excerpts from his diary, showing dramatic answers to prayer.
85. Robert Chapman: Apostle of Love [Loizeaux Brothers], Robert Peterson. Bio of a godly 19th century Plymouth Brethren man, a friend of George Muller and Hudson Taylor.
86. Gipsy Smith [Revell], autobiography of God’s amazing blessing on a simple, self-educated Methodist evangelist. It only goes up to 1901, but he lived until 1947.
87. A Man of the Word [Baker], by Jill Morgan. The life of her father, G. Campbell Morgan, well known preacher and author.
88. Ordained of the Lord [Loizeaux Brothers], by E. Schuyler English. The life of H. A. Ironside, another great Bible expositor.
89. Gresham Machen [Eerdmans], by Ned Stonehouse. Machen stood firm against liberalism in the Presbyterian Church. He founded Westminster Seminary when Princeton went liberal.
90. Contending for Our All [Crossway], John Piper. Short bios on Athanasius, John Owen, & J. Gresham Machen.
91. Bonhoeffer [Thomas Nelson], Eric Metaxas. Bonhoeffer (in my opinion) was a mixed-up theological hodgepodge, yet seemingly clear on the gospel. Martyred by the Nazis because of his involvement in a plot to kill Hitler.
92. The Triumph of Pastor Son [IVP], Yong Choon Ahn. A faithful Korean pastor martyred by North Korea.
93. The Life of A. W. Pink [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray. Pink was an interesting character, used of God through his writing in spite of his anti-social behavior.
94. Martyn Lloyd-Jones [Banner of Truth], by Iain Murray (2 vol.). The first volume covers the first 40 years of the man who has been called the greatest preacher in the English language in the 20th century. Vol. 2 is 800 pages, but I was sad when it ended. You ought to know this great man of God!
95. The Sacred Anointing [Crossway], by Tony Sargent. A good treatment of Lloyd-Jones’ preaching.
96. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a Family Portrait [Baker], by Christopher Catherwood (Lloyd-Jones’ grandson). A shorter treatment of his life if you don’t have the gumption to tackle the 2-volume work.
97. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Chosen by God [Crossway], ed. by Christopher Catherwood. Essays on Lloyd-Jones’ life and ministry by men such as J. I. Packer, Carl Henry, John Stott, and others that knew him.
98. Daws [NavPress], by Betty Lee Skinner. The story of Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators.
99. That Man Barnhouse [Tyndale], by Margaret Barnhouse. The life of Donald Grey Barnhouse, an influential Presbyterian pastor, radio speaker, and author. He was quite a character!

• The Tapestry [Word], by Edith Schaeffer. The interesting life of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, founders of L’Abri in Switzerland. He was a Christian philosopher and writer. She wrote this before his death from cancer in 1984.

101. Francis Shaeffer: An Authentic Life [Crossway], Colin Duriez. Sympathetic, shorter bio of Schaeffer.

• The Letters of Francis Schaeffer [Crossway], ed. by Lane Dennis. Reading these letters gives you insight into the pastoral heart of this Christian thinker.
• What is a Family? [Revell], by Edith Schaeffer. Not strictly a biography, but she weaves their family into this helpful book on the Christian family. Read after you’ve read The Tapestry.
• A Severe Mercy [Harper & Row], by Sheldon Vanauken. Moving love story of a couple who met Christ through C. S. Lewis. You will need Kleenex nearby!
• Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor [Crossway], D. A. Carson. A bio of Carson’s dad, a pastor/missionary in Quebec, who struggled with inadequacy, discouragement, and depression.
• Billy Graham [McGraw Hill], by John Pollock. This is a 1966 biography of Graham. A more recent one is now available. Graham is an influential and interesting man, who has done much good and some bad.
• I. Packer [Baker], by Alister McGrath. The life of the popular theologian, author of Knowing God.
•  I. Packer: An Evangelical Life [Crossway], Leland Ryken. A more recent bio of Packer. He was a godly man, yet in my judgment erred greatly by signing the Evangelicals and Catholics Together document.
• The Pastor [Harper One], Eugene Peterson. An autobiography, with a chapter explaining how and why he translated The Message. Peterson was theologically undiscerning, but he has some helpful insights that are cross-grain to modern evangelicalism.
• Joni [Zondervan], by Joni Eareckson Tada. A powerful story of God’s grace triumphing over tragedy.
• John MacArthur, Iain Murray. Shows how God is blessing His Word through MacArthur’s worldwide ministry. If you compare yourself to MacArthur and his ministry (as I have done at times), you could easily get discouraged, though!
• Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Butterfield. Story of a radical lesbian English professor who came to Christ and now is a pastor’s wife.

 
Missions Biographies/Histories:

1. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya [Zondervan], by Ruth Tucker. A history of missions, giving short biographies of many missionary heroes. This is a powerful, life-changing book. Read it!
2. Guardians of the Great Commission [Zondervan], by Ruth Tucker. A biographical history of women in missions. It is similar to the above, except that the author is grinding an axe for feminism, which I disagree with. But the stories are still inspiring and informative.
3. A Heart for Mission: Five Pioneer Thinkers [Christian Focus], by Ron Davies. He covers the mission thinking of Jonathan Edwards, Cotton Mather, Richard Baxter, Jan Amos Comenius, & Count Zinzendorf.
4. William Carey [Zondervan], by Mary Drewery. The “Father of Modern Missions.” Quite a story. His reluctant missionary wife went insane. He translated the Bible into over 35 languages!
5. William Carey [Wakeman Trust]. by Pearce Carey. The best bio of Carey. Carey was an incredible man! You will be challenged!
6. The Legacy of William Carey, by Vishal and Ruth Mangalwadi. Modern writers show how Carey helped change India’s culture.
7. To the Golden Shore [Little, Brown], by Courtney Anderson. The moving story of Adoniram Judson, pioneer missionary to Burma, who endured incredible trials and setbacks. I’ve read it You won’t complain about your minor troubles again!
8. My Heart in His Hands, Ann Judson [Evangelical Press], by Sharon James. Shows the suffering and perseverance of the Judson’s.
9. The Life and Letters of Henry Martyn [Banner of Truth], by John Sargent. Martyn went to Iran in the early 1800’s, and died of tuberculosis in his early 30’s.
10. For the Love of India [Evangelical Press], Jim Cromartie. Good treatment of Henry Martyn, whose short life was kind of sad.
11. David Livingstone: The Truth Behind the Legend [Christian Focus], by Rob Mackenzie. Livingstone had amazing perseverance in spite of overwhelming difficulties.
12. David Livingstone: His Life and Letters [Harper], by George Seaver. A thorough treatment, but the author is theologically liberal. He did not understand the need for conversion.
13. Hudson Taylor [OMF], by Roger Steer. The most recent and readable treatment of the great pioneer missionary to China. Read it and you won’t be the same!
14. Hudson Taylor & Maria [Zondervan], by John Pollock. Honest treatment of Taylor’s life up to Maria’s death. Moving!
15.  Hudson Taylor: God’s Man in China [OMF], by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor. An out of print earlier version is in two volumes: Hudson Taylor in Early Years: The Growth of a Soul; and, Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission: The Growth of a Work of God [The China Inland Mission]. This is a sympathetic “eulogy” type biography written by his son and daughter-in-law. Taylor’s faith and vision were amazing.
16. It is Not Death to Die [Christian Focus], Jim Cromarty. Longer, helpful biography of Hudson Taylor.
17. The Cambridge Seven [Christian Focus], John Pollock. He uses British language and cultural assumptions, which makes it a bit difficult for American readers. Interesting story of how God raised up 7 19th century British men for missions in China.
18. John Paton Autobiography [Banner of Truth]. An amazing story of commitment and courage. He left Scotland to go to the New Hebrides Islands, where cannibals had killed and eaten missionaries. There is also a recent biography on Paton by Jim Cromarty, but I haven’t read it yet.
19. John Paton [Banner of Truth], Paul Schlehlein. A shorter bio of Paton.
20. Anthony Norris Groves [Kingsley Press] by G. H. Lang. Out of print, hard to find. Groves was George Muller’s brother-in-law. He went overland to Baghdad in the 19th
21. Borden of Yale [Moody Press], by Mrs. Howard Taylor. Borden gave up his fortune to go to Cairo, where he got sick and died at 25.
22. A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael [Revell], by Elisabeth Elliot. Carmichael was a strong missionary and devotional writer who suffered from illness greatly, but took in needy children and built a caring community in India.
23. Mary Slessor of Calabar [George H. Duran Company] , W. P. Livingstone. The story of an amazing, courageous Scottish woman who lived alone in the midst of violent tribes in Nigeria.
24. The Small Woman [Dutton], by Alan Burgess. The story of Gladys Aylward, featured in the film “Inn of the Sixth Happiness,” starring Ingrid Bergman. She went to China, lived by faith, and led a group of orphans on a long survival journey during the Japanese invasion. Quite a story!
25. Jonathan Goforth [Bethany House], Rosalind Goforth. A zealous evangelist in China who saw thousands converted. His main quirk was buying into Finney’s unbiblical revival methods.
26. Praying Hyde [Bethany House], Francis McGaw. Hyde devoted himself to much prayer, especially for India, where he served.
27. Fire on the Mountains [SIM], by R. J. Davis. Story of an amazing revival in Ethiopia during WWII.
28. Against the Tide, the Story of Watchman Nee [Christian Literature Crusade], by Angus Kinnear. Nee was a powerful preacher and church planter, imprisoned by the Communists.
29. Three of China’s Mighty Men [OMF], by Leslie Lyall. The story of David Yang, Watchman Nee, and Wang Ming-dao, three men of great faith in the face of persecution.
30. John and Betty Stam [Christian Focus], Vance Christie. Story of a courageous couple martyred in China in 1935.
31. Bakht Singh of India [International Students], by Daniel Smith. My copy is missing! Available on Amazon (for $58!), but other bios on him are listed there, too. Story of a powerful evangelist and man of God. I heard him speak once at Biola.
32. The Flying Scotsman [The History Press], by Sally Magnuson. The story of Eric Liddell, of “Chariots of Fire” fame.
33. A Boy’s War [OMF], by David Michaelson. Story of a missionary boy separated from his parents, interned in a Japanese POW camp in China, where Eric Liddell was also a prisoner.
34. Evidence Not Seen [Harper San Francisco], Darlene Deibler Rose. Amazing story of endurance and witness through suffering in a Japanese P.O.W. camp in World War 2.
35. Gold Fears No Fire [OMF], by Ralph Toliver. Not strictly a biography, but a novel based on a composite of true stories in China. Shows what the saints there are going through. Gripping!
36. Foreign Devil in China [WorldWide Publications], by John Pollock. The story of Dr. Nelson Bell, father-in-law of Billy Graham, missionary doctor to China.
37. The Power to Save: A History of the Gospel in China [Evangelical Press], Bob Davey. Excellent. The early missionaries persevered against overwhelming odds. Chinese believers have suffered much.
38. Mission to the Headhunters [Christian Focus], by Frank & Marie Drown. Missionaries to the tribes in Ecuador.
39. Through Gates of Splendor [Spire], by Elisabeth Elliot. The story of the five missionaries to the Aucas who were martyred, including Jim Elliot, the author’s husband.
40. Shadow of the Almighty [Zondervan], by Elisabeth Elliot. The story of her husband Jim, martyred at 28. This story will challenge you spiritually.
41. The Savage My Kinsman [Harper], by Elisabeth Elliot. The story of how she and her young daughter lived among the tribe that murdered her husband.
42. Singing in His Ways [Renewal Enterprises], Sanna Rossi. The story of Gospel Recordings founder Joy Ridderhof and two other women’s adventures in some remote and dangerous situations.
43. Uncle Cam [Wycliffe], by James & Marti Hefley. The story of Cameron Townsend, founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
44. At the Foot of the Snows [no publisher listed, on Amazon], David Watters. A couple who took the gospel to the unreached Kham people of Western Nepal and the suffering that the new believers endured for the sake of the gospel.
45. Days of Glory, Seasons of Night [Zondervan], by Marilee Dunker. The story of Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, told by his daughter. An agonizing story of a man who badly wounded his family, but accomplished much for the cause of missions.
46. Bruchko [Creation House], by Bruce Olson. Story of a 19-year-old boy who went to South America and reached a murderous tribe. He is still living there, in his early 60’s now. Gripping!
47. Peace Child [Revell], by Don Richardson. Story of how he and his young family reached a headhunting, cannibalistic tribe in Irian Jaya. (Also in video.) Amazing story!
48. Lords of the Earth [Revell], by Don Richardson. Another amazing story of missionary courage in reaching a savage tribe in Irian Jaya. This should be a movie! The turn of events at the end is one of the most amazing stories in missions history!
49. And the Word Came With Power [Multnomah], by Joanne Shetler with Patricia Purvis. How God used one woman to transform the Balangao people of the Philippines.
50. The Good Seed [Promise Publishing Company], Marianna Slocum. Story of the gospel taking root among the Tzetal Indians in Chiapas, Mexico.
51. Weak Thing in Moni Land [Christian Publications], William Cutts. How God used a man who had great physical limitations to spread the gospel in Irian Jaya.
52. Give Me This Mountain [Christian Focus], Helen Roseveare. She was an English missionary medical doctor who suffered in the Congo under the rebels.
53. Digging Ditches [Christian Focus], further stories and insights from Helen Roseveare, especially about how God works in the valleys of life, not just on the mountaintops.
54. A Company of Heroes [Crossway], Tim Keesee. Excellent cameos of mostly modern missionaries serving in hard places.

 

(Updated & Revised, June, 2020)

Bringing good Christian books into your home is like inviting godly, wise Christian leaders to share their insights with you and your family. It’s a worthwhile investment. I recommend that you budget money to purchase good Christian books. If you spend money for cable TV, videos, & movies, why not budget some money for books to help you and your family to grow in Christ? I usually purchase books rather than borrow because I can mark them and write comments in the margin as I interact with the authors. I also set goals on how many books I want to read each year to help me keep at it. I try to vary my reading between devotional (often sermons from the godly men of the past), biographical (see my separate book list entirely on this), and theological.

I usually buy books either used or at a discount. One source: for some harder-to-find, but solid books: Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service, P.O. Box 613, Carlisle, PA 17013. Phone: (800) 656-0231. Web: www.cvbbs.com Even with shipping costs, you can usually beat retail prices. Also, try www.monergism.com & www.Amazon.com. Go to www.campusI.com to compare prices on books. There is now a lot of helpful free stuff available on the web (see my favorite links on fcfonline.org).

This list is selective. There are many other worthwhile books. I’ve listed some that have helped me. Being on this list does not imply total endorsement. Read critically and prayerfully, comparing everything with Scripture!

REFERENCE WORKS, BIBLE STUDY AIDS

Note: You can now purchase many of the following works in various combinations in electronic format. Generally, you can get far more books for your buck this way, if you don’t mind having them in this form. And, you can find many Bible study helps such as concordances, commentaries, and sermons online at monergism.com, Bible.org, Sermonaudio.com, and other sites. You will have to search around and determine what best fits your needs.

1. New American Standard Bible. It is the most literal translation, although sometimes not smooth. Get the updated version.
2. English Standard Version Study Bible. This is a literal translation also, attempting to be a bit smoother than the NASB. There are extensive helpful notes and articles.
3. New International Version Bible. For alternate reading & study; less literal than the NASB, but easier to read. The New King James Version is a modern update of the popular old version. Generally the Greek text behind the KJV & NKJV is not as authentic as the text behind the NASB & ESV (although this is hotly debated!).
4. Exhaustive Concordance to the NASB. A concordance lists every word in the Bible and where it occurs, so you can locate a text if you can remember one word from the verse; or do a theme or word study by tracing every occurrence of a word in the Bible.
5. The New Bible Dictionary.
6. The New Unger’s Bible Handbook.
7. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 12 vol. Best evangelical, multi-volume commentary set. This set has been abridged into the two-volume NIV Bible Commentary, Kenneth Barker & John Kohlenberger III, eds. If you purchase this shorter set, you could also purchase vol. 1 of the Expositor’s set, which contains some very helpful articles.
8. The Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament & New Testament (2 vols.). Brief commentary on the whole Bible (dispensational perspective, written by Dallas Seminary faculty).
9. Calvin’s Commentaries. Expensive and does not cover whole Bible. But he is devotionally as well as exegetically good. You can read these on the web (monergism.com).
10. The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (5 vols.).
11. Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, W. E. Vine. Word studies for students who don’t know Hebrew or Greek.
12. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, ed. (4 vols.). More scholarly word studies than Vine, but you can use it even if you don’t know Greek. There is also a one volume edition of Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.
13. Any good Bible atlas.
14. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Walter Elwell, ed.
15. The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church, J. D. Douglas, ed.
16. Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity, ed. by Tim Dowley.
17. Unlocking the Scriptures, Hans Finzel (principles of inductive Bible study; or, there are several other good books that help you learn to study the Bible on your own).

THEOLOGY/DOCTRINE

Don’t be scared off by this section! Christian families used to teach their children through catechisms, which are great summaries of biblical truth. John Piper offers a Baptist catechism on DesiringGod.org. American Christians need sound doctrine! In addition to the specific works listed below, I highly recommend that you read any of the Puritans. Also, men like Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon, J. C. Ryle, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones have many sermons in print that combine solid theology, devotion to God, and practical application.

1. The London Baptist Confession of 1689 (this is now available from Cumberland in a modern version called A Faith to Confess: The 1689 Confession in Modern English).
2. The Westminster Confession of Faith (along with the Longer and Shorter Catechisms; I don’t agree with their position on baptism and the Sabbath, but it is an excellent summary of solid doctrine).
3. Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin (buy the edition by J. T. McNeill, translated by Ford Lewis Battles, which is more up-to-date than the Beveridge edition). While some sections are hard to read, others are outstanding (the section on prayer is great)! Next to the Bible, Calvin’s Institutes is far and away the most profound book I’ve ever read (twice at this date)!
4. The Institutes, Tony Lane. A greatly condensed edition of the original. Maybe start here.
5. Calvin: An Introduction to His Thought, T. H. L. Parker (synopsis of the Institutes).
6. Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem. Contemporary, Reformed on salvation. I do not agree with his charismatic views. A condensed version of this book is called, Bible Doctrine.
7. Systematic Theology, Charles Hodge (get the one-volume abridged edition; Hodge was a solid Reformed professor at Princeton in the 19th century).
8. The Works of Jonathan Edwards (2 vol.). Edwards is difficult to read, but immensely rewarding. He knew and loved God as few men have.
9. The Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther (a classic; a modern English edition is available from Cumberland called “Born Slaves”).
10. Faith Works, John MacArthur, Jr. On “lordship salvation.”
11. The Holiness of God, R. C. Sproul.
12. The Most Encouraging Book on Hell Ever, Thor Ramsey. Brief, helpful, at times humorous, defense of hell.
13. Knowing God, J. I. Packer.
14. The Existence and Attributes of God, Stephen Charnock (2 vol.). Very good, although wordy and repetitive.
15. The Doctrines of Grace, James Boice & Philip Ryken (on Calvinism).
16. Chosen by God, R. C. Sproul. Clear, convincing, and practical.
17. Chosen for Life, Sam Storms. Helpful treatment of divine election.
18. The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, John Owen. The best defense of “particular redemption.”
19. Redemption: Accomplished and Applied, John Murray. The Reformed doctrines of salvation.
20. Still Sovereign, ed. by Thomas Schreiner & Bruce Ware. A collection of essays on the vital subject of God’s sovereignty. Some are very helpful.
21. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God, D. A. Carson. Short, but provocative.
22. The Love of God, John MacArthur.
23. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Bruce Ware. Short, helpful treatment of the trinity.
24. Our Triune God, Philip Ryken and Michael LeFebvre. Basic, non-technical treatment of the trinity.
25. Living for God’s Glory, Joel Beeke & others. Helpful, devotional, practical.
26. The Blessed Hope, George Ladd. Argues irenically, yet convincingly, for the post-tribulation rapture.
27. The Presence of God, Ryan Lister. Really helpful. He ties all of Scripture together around the theme of God dwelling with His people.
28. The King in His Beauty, Thomas Schreiner. Overview of the Bible, tying everything into the theme of God’s kingdom and Jesus as the beautiful king.
29. Five Views on Law and Gospel, ed. by Wayne Strickland. Point/counterpoint on a difficult subject!
30. God’s Kingdom through God’s Covenants, Peter Gentry & Stephen Wellum. Condensed version (300+ pages) of their Kingdom through Covenants (800+ pages). Both are good! Traces the story line of the Bible through God’s covenants.
31. The Temple and the Church’s Mission, Greg Beale. Provocative and insightful.
32. How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament, Jason DeRouchie. Overall, very helpful. You can skip his more scholarly sections on using Hebrew.

SPIRITUAL LIFE/ DEVOTIONAL

1. Any of Spurgeon’s sermons (many are available in paperback and online: spurgeon.org). They’re a bit wordy, but devotionally meaty. Worth the effort!
2. Any of John Bunyan’s sermons or devotional writings. The Acceptable Sacrifice and Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ are now available from Banner of Truth. Both are wonderful!
3. Newton on the Christian Life, Tony Reinke. One of the best books on the spiritual life I’ve ever read!
4. Edwards on the Christian Life, Dane Ortlund. Good treatment of Edwards’ spiritual life.
5. Schaeffer on the Christian Life, William Edgar. Helpful overview of Schaeffer’s life and thought by a man (now a seminary professor) whom Schaeffer led to Christ.
6. Spurgeon on the Christian Life, Michael Reeves. Convicting on prayer!
7. Owen on the Christian Life, Matthew Barrett & Michael Haykin. Not easy to read because of long quotes by Owen, but helpful.
8. Lloyd-Jones on the Christian Life, Jason Meyer. Good overview of Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
9. Augustine on the Christian Life, Gerald Bray. Difficult at points, but overall helpful.
10. The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, Richard Baxter (a Puritan, old English, but a wonderful exposition of the fact that our hope is in heaven, not in this life).
11. A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life, J. I. Packer. (Packer isn’t easy to read, but this is a great book. I’ve read it four times so far.)
12. Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life, Donald Whitney. A study guide is also available.
13. Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper. I wish this had been available when I was in my 20’s.
14. Desiring God, John Piper. Provocative and life-changing.
15. When I Don’t Desire God, John Piper. How to fight for joy and against depression.
16. The Pleasures of God, John Piper. What God delights in.
17. God’s Passion for His Glory, John Piper. The first half is Piper’s introduction to Jonathan Edwards. The second half is Edwards’ difficult, but rewarding essay, “The End for Which God Created the World.”
18. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, ed. by John Piper and Justin Taylor.
19. One Thing, Sam Storms. On God’s greatness and glory.
20. Temptation and Sin, John Owen (a condensed, modern English version is, What Every Christian Needs to Know) This is the best treatment of how to deal with temptation. I’ve read it at least 4 times. Owen, a 17th century Puritan, is meaty, but very hard to read in his original works. You might try Overcoming Sin & Temptation, by Owen, ed. by Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor.
21. The Enemy Within, Kris Lundgaard. A modern version of Owen’s Temptation and Sin.
22. The Obedience Option, David Hegg. Basic, helpful study of obedience and overcoming temptation.
23. Practical Religion, J. C. Ryle (a 19th century Anglican, but contemporary and solid; read anything of his you can find. This work is now in a modern, condensed version titled “Walking With God,” available from Cumberland).
24. Holiness, J. C. Ryle. A classic. The last chapter, “Christ is All,” is wonderful.
25. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 4 vol., J. C. Ryle. Great devotional insights on every paragraph in the gospels. This makes for great daily devotional reading as you read through the gospels. It is available for free online.
26. Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan. Get a modern English version. Read and reread it yourself & to your kids. Spurgeon read it through yearly!
27. Revival, Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
28. The Sermon on the Mount, Martyn Lloyd-Jones (incisive analysis of Matthew 5-7). All of Lloyd-Jones’ books of sermons are devotionally rich. He has 8 volumes on Ephesians and 14 on Romans.
29. Our Sufficiency in Christ, John MacArthur, Jr. Attacks the modern intrusion of psychology & pragmatism into evangelical circles.
30. The Ultimate Priority, John MacArthur, Jr. (on worship). Excellent!
31. A Praying Life, Paul Miller. One of the best I’ve read on prayer.
32. A Journey to Victorious Praying, Bill Thrasher. Another helpful book on prayer.
33. Taking Hold of God, Joel Beeke and Brian Najapour. On the Puritans and prayer.
34. A Method for Prayer, Matthew Henry. Helpful, but convicting.
35. The Hidden Life of Prayer, David McIntyre. Short, helpful, on prayer.
36. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, William Law (18th century, get a modern English abridgement if you can). A bit out-dated, but it shows you the solid spirituality of these godly men of the past in comparison with the flimsy spirituality of today.
37. From Pride to Humility, Stuart Scott. A short booklet, excerpted from The Exemplary Husband. Every Christian should read this booklet repeatedly! It is really good and practical.
38. Humility, C. J. Mahaney. Short, helpful look at this important virtue.
39. How Does Sanctification Work? David Powlison. Shows the multi-faceted way that God sanctifies His people.
40. No Quick Fix, Andrew Naselli. He refutes the Keswick view of the “higher life.” However, I thought that his favorable citations of Martyn Lloyd-Jones overlooks Lloyd-Jones’ view of the Holy Spirit, which is similar to the erroneous Keswick view.
41. An Infinite Journey, Andrew Davis. Very helpful treatment of sanctification and discipleship.
42. A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Loving the Old Testament, Alec Motyer. Helpful, short treatment from a scholar in his nineties who obviously loves God and His Word.
43. The Gospel of the Kingdom, George Ladd. Helpful, devotional study of the kingdom of God.

CHURCH HISTORY/BIOGRAPHY/MISSIONS

(I have benefited much from reading in this area. See, also, my more extensive biographical bibliography, “A List of Christian Biographies,” on fcfonline.org. Some of these are of more interest to preachers, but would benefit any believer. I’ve listed them separately below.)

1. George Muller, Roger Steer (Muller was a giant in faith and prayer).
2. George Muller of Bristol, A. T. Pierson. An older treatment. This book profoundly influenced me.
3. Hudson Taylor, Roger Steer (recent treatment of this great pioneer missionary to China).
4. Hudson Taylor and Maria, John Pollock.
5. It is Not Death to Die, Jim Cromarty. Longer, helpful biography of Hudson Taylor.
6. Jonathan Edwards: A Life, George Marsden. Longer bio on Edwards. Very good.
7. A Short Life of Jonathan Edwards, George Marsden. Good shorter bio on Edwards.
8. Jonathan Edwards: A Guided Tour of His Life, Stephen Nichols. Good introduction to Edwards.
9. The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, John Piper. God’s triumphant grace in Augustine, Luther, & Calvin.
10. Contending for Our All, John Piper. Short bios on Athanasius, John Owen, & J. Gresham Machen.
11. The Hidden Smile of God, John Piper. How God used affliction in the lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, & David Brainerd.
12. The Roots of Endurance, John Piper. How John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce persevered through many difficulties.
13. A Camaraderie of Confidence, John Piper. Short bios on three giants of faith: Charles Spurgeon, George Muller, and Hudson Taylor.
14. The Reformation, Stephen Nichols. Short, helpful introduction to this important movement in history.
15. Martin Luther, Stephen Nichols. Short introduction to Luther.
16. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Ruth Tucker (great, moving historical biography of missions).
17. John Paton Autobiography. Amazing story of a 19th century missionary to cannibals in the South Pacific.
18. Bruchko, Bruce Olson. Exciting story, great for reading to family.
19. The Tapestry, Edith Schaeffer. Life of Francis & Edith Schaeffer, a real-life drame of how God leads as wek walk with Him.
20. Worldly Saints, Leland Ryken. A great book on the Puritans; it will surprise you!
21. To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson, Courtney Anderson. Life of the pioneer missionary to Burma. Judson is a phenomenal example of endurance in spite of overwhelming obstacles. Top notch!
22. Adoniram Judson, Vance Christie. A more recent treatment of Judson’s remarkable life and ministry.
23. Shadow of the Almighty, Elisabeth Elliot. Life of Jim Elliot, martyred husband of the author. Life-changing!
24. Through Gates of Splendor, Elisabeth Elliot. Story of five missionaries martyred in Ecuador.
25. William Carey, Pearce Carey. An amazing man who persevered through many trials and setbacks to impact India.
26. The Legacy of William Carey¸ Vishal and Ruth Mangalwadi. Shows how Carey helped change India’s culture.
27. For the Love of India: The Story of Henry Martyn, Jim Cromarty. Early missionary to India and Persia.
28. Peace Child, Don Richardson. Couple goes to stone age, cannibal tribe with the gospel. Fascinating.
29. Lords of the Earth, Don Richardson. If this were a movie, you’d swear it couldn’t be true. But it is true!
30. The Power to Save: A History of the Gospel in China, Bob Davey. Excellent. The early missionaries persevered against overwhelming odds. Chinese believers have suffered much.

Biographies especially for pastors, those interested in preaching:

1. Walking With the Giants and Listening to the Giants, Warren Wiersbe (short biographies of great preachers).
2. John Calvin, H. L. Parker (best biography, by leading Calvin scholar).
3. Calvin’s Preaching, by Parker (Great book! Calvin’s emphasis on expository preaching).
4. Spurgeon, Arnold Dallimore (best shorter biography of this giant).
5. Autobiography of C. H. Spurgeon (2 vol., [Banner of Truth]). Well worth reading!
6. Living by Revealed Truth, Tom Nettles. Lengthy but helpful bio of Spurgeon showing his commitment to Scripture.
7. The Forgotten Spurgeon, Iain Murray. Shows the theological issues Spurgeon faced and stood for.
8.  M. Lloyd‑Jones, 2 vol., Iain Murray. Lloyd‑Jones is called the best preacher in 20th century. (Vol. 2 is 800 pages, but worth it! I was sad when it ended. I’ve read it twice now.)
9. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Christopher Catherwood. A shorter bio of MLJ by his eldest grandson.
10. Jonathan Edwards, Iain Murray. Colonial New England revival preacher and theologian.
11. Jonathan Edwards: A Life, George Marsden. Excellent bio on Edwards.
12. Revival & Revivalism, Insightful history of American evangelicalism from 1750-1850, showing how modern American evangelicalism got this way. I’ve read it twice.
13. The Puritans, Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
14. Knowing the Times, Lloyd-Jones.

EVANGELISM / MISSIONS / APOLOGETICS

1. The Soul Winner, C. H. Spurgeon. Meaty, but nourishing. I come back to it often.
2. A Pastor’s Sketches, (2 vol.), Ichabod Spencer. Remarkable accounts of a 19th century Brooklyn pastor’s evangelistic conversations.
3. Share Jesus Without Fear, Bill Fay. Helpful ways to bring up spiritual matters and share Christ.
4. Concentric Circles of Concern, W. Oscar Thompson, Jr. Argues for witnessing to those closest to you.
5. 8 to 15, Tom Mercer. Simple, non-guilt approach to evangelism, similar to Thompson.
6. The Master Plan of Evangelism, Robert Coleman.
7. How to Give Away Your Faith, Paul Little. The basics on how to witness.
8. Evangelism Explosion, James Kennedy.
9. Evangelism for the Rest of Us, Mike Bechtle. Helpful for all introverts who are threatened by witnessing. You have to filter out some psychobabble, though.
10. The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel. I don’t like his chapter on psychology, but the rest of the book is a solid presentation of the evidence for the faith. Use it in your witness.
11. Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell. Wealth of information on the resurrection.
12. Darwin on Trial & Defeating Darwinism, both by Phillip Johnson (a bit technical at times, but excellent attacks on evolution).
13. Kingdom of the Cults, Walter Martin. A good reference work on the major cults.
14. Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse, by David Reed. Helpful if you’re witnessing to a JW.
15. The Fatal Flaw & Answers to Roman Catholic Claims, both by James White. His web site is aomin.org
16. Operation World, Patrick Johnstone & Jason Mandryk. A wealth of statistics and prayer needs for every country in the world. Get the most recent edition.
17. Eternity in Their Hearts, Don Richardson. Fascinating stories of how God prepares people groups for the gospel.
18. Let the Nations be Glad, John Piper. Not easy to read, but worth the effort!

(For further reading on Missions, see the numerous missionary biographies in my Christian Biography book list.)

THE CHURCH/MINISTRY
(See the above section of biographies especially for pastors.)

1. Lectures to My Students, C. H. Spurgeon.
2. An All-Round Ministry, C. H. Spurgeon.
3. The Supremacy of God in Preaching, John Piper. Excellent!
4. Preaching and Preachers, Martyn Lloyd-Jones. His lectures on the task of preaching. He was a master!
5. The Preacher and His Models, James Stalker (probably out-of-print, but excellent).
6. Ashamed of the Gospel, John MacArthur, Jr. Critique of the “market the gospel” approach and call for biblical methods. There is an updated 3rd edition now (2010).
7. Reckless Faith, John MacArthur. He hits the rampant subjectivism in evangelical circles today.
8. Radical Together, David Platt. Helpful look at what the church should be.
9. Strange Fire, John MacArthur. Strong exposé of the charismatic movement. Even if you don’t agree with MacArthur’s cessationist views, you should read this.
10. Pastoral Graces, Lee Eclov. A great book for all church leaders. He balances grace and truth in shepherding the flock.
11. The Compelling Community, Mark Dever & Jamie Dunlop. Provocative, overall helpful.
12. What is the Church’s Mission? Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert. They argue for the Great Commission.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS

Most of the current Christian books in this and the next two headings are badly tainted by worldly psychology, rather than based on Scripture alone, which is sufficient (2 Tim. 3:16) and our only source for God’s wisdom in these crucial areas. I have tried to select books that are not psychologically tainted (although note the comments below).

1. Self-Confrontation, John Broger, chapters 9-15 (a study workbook, not a book to sit and read; see below under “Counseling”). Practical, loaded with Scripture references.
2. What is a Family?, Edith Schaeffer. Now out of print, but a creative, warm approach to biblical family life.
3. When Sinners Say “I Do,” Dave Harvey. Shows how we need to face our own sin, not blame our mate.
4. Love that Lasts, Gary and Betsy Ricucci.
5. Reforming Marriage, Douglas Wilson.
6. The Exemplary Husband, Stuart Scott. The best book for husbands that I’ve read.
7. The Excellent Wife, Martha Peace. Same comment as #5.
8. The Fruit of Her Hands, Nancy Wilson (I have not read it, but my wife thinks it is excellent for wives).
9. Christian Living in the Home, Jay Adams.
10. This Momentary Marriage, John Piper. Helpful on marriage and also the single life. I disagree with his view that remarriage after divorce is not permitted for any reason.
11. Love Life for Every Married Couple, Ed Wheat. Although tainted a bit by worldly “self-esteem” teaching, his overall treatment of biblical love and responsibility in marriage is excellent.
12. Intended for Pleasure, Ed Wheat. A Christian medical doctor deals with the sexual relationship in marriage.
13. Resolving Everyday Conflict, Ken Sande & Kevin Johnson. Basics on an important topic.

CHILD REARING
(See comments and some titles under Marriage/Family.)

1. Self-Confrontation, John Broger, chapters 16-17 (see below under “Counseling”).
2. How to Really Love Your Child, by Ross Campbell. A lot of psychology needs to be filtered out, but Campbell has some helpful, practical insights into how to make your children feel your love.
3. The Duties of Parents, C. Ryle.
4. You and Your Child, Charles Swindoll.
5. Leading a Child to Independence, Paul & Jeannie McKean. Although tainted by worldly “self-esteem” teaching, they have some helpful insights on setting practical goals in child rearing.
6. Parents in Pain, John White. Although you have to filter out numerous psychological “insights” that aren’t based on Scripture, White has some helpful wisdom for parents of wayward children.

FAMILY DEVOTIONS

I encourage families to get a modern catechism (see #1 under THEOLOGY/DOCTRINE) and work through it with your children. John Piper also has a catechism. See www.desiringgod.org (Search = catechism)

1. The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes, Kenneth Taylor. Brief Bible stories for reading to pre-schoolers.
2. The Muffin Family series, Gilbert Beers. Bible stories coupled with a short story which applies it. Good for 4-8 year-olds.

(I’m sure that there are probably many more resources now available, but since my children are grown, I do not keep up with them. World magazine has reviews of children’s books in every issue.)

FAMILY FINANCES

1. Master Your Money, Ron Blue.
2. Your Finances in Changing Times, Larry Burkett.
3. Your Money Matters, Malcolm MacGregor. It may be out of print; I like his humor.
4. When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. Wisdom about giving.
5. Giving Wisely, Jonathan Martin. Excellent guidelines for giving wisely.
6. Total Money Makeover, Dave Ramsey. Humorous, practical. Main message: Get out of debt!

COUNSELING/EMOTIONS/SUFFERING
(Grouped somewhat topically):

1. Self‑Confrontation, John C. Broger (available from Biblical Counseling Foundation, P.O. Box 925, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270). A helpful, biblically based approach to personal discipleship and to helping others with their problems. Study workbook format.
2. The Christian Counselor’s Manual, Jay Adams.
3. How to Counsel From Scripture, Martin & Deidre Bobgan. They have since renounced their own book and the entire Christian counseling movement, but I think it has some helpful guidelines. Their web site is: psychoheresy-aware.org
4. Christian Psychology’s War on God’s Word, Jim Owen (EastGate Publishers, Santa Barbara, CA 93110). Shows the harmful influence of “Christian” psychology.
5. PsychoHeresy, Martin & Deidre Bobgan (EastGate Publishers). Hard-hitting, biblically sound critique of “Christian” psychology.
6. 12 Steps to Destruction, Martin & Deidre Bobgan. Exposes the false teaching of the “Christian” recovery and “codependency” movements.
7. Why Christians Can’t Trust Psychology, Ed Bulkley. I think that he is balanced in his approach.
8. Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, Martyn Lloyd-Jones. A spiritual classic.
9. The Last Thing We Talk About, Joseph Bayly (on death & grief).
10. Affliction, Edith Schaeffer.
11. When God Weeps, Joni Eareckson Tada & Steve Estes.
12. From Forgiven to Forgiving, Jay Adams.
13. Resolving Everyday Conflict, Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson. Short, helpful.
14. The Peacemaker, Ken Sande, a more thorough treatment of the subject than the previous book.

PERSONAL MANAGEMENT/DIRECTION

1. Ordering Your Private World, Gordon MacDonald.
2. Strategy For Living, Edward Dayton & Ted Engstrom. On setting goals.
3. First Things First, Stephen Covey, Roger & Rebecca Merrill. This is the only non-Christian book on this list, so read it with discernment. But I think they have a lot of wisdom on ordering your life according to your goals. Just make sure that your goals are biblical goals!
4. Crazy Busy, Kevin DeYoung.
5. Do More Better, Tim Challies.
6. What’s Best Next? Matt Perman. Kind of overwhelming to put in practice, but helpful.

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES/WORLD VIEW

1. No Place for Truth, David Wells. Not easy to read, but a great analysis of our culture and how the church has become worldly to the core.
2. God in the Wasteland, David Wells. Sequel to the above. Calls for a return to God-centeredness.
3. Losing Our Virtue, David Wells. Hits the worldly, market-driven American church.
4. The Truth War, John MacArthur.
5. Recovering the Christian Mind, Harry Blamires. Insightful!
6. Worldly Amusements, Wayne Wilson. Hits Christians for their indiscriminate involvement with corrupt movies. Calls us to honor Christ in our entertainment choices. Every Christian should read this book!
7. Lifeviews, R. C. Sproul. Easy-to-follow treatment of differing worldviews and philosophies.
8. What You Should Know About Inerrancy, Charles Ryrie. Simple, brief treatment of an important theological issue.
9. Men and Women in Biblical Perspective, James Hurley. Good on male and female roles.
10. Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, ed. by John Piper and Justin Taylor. Helpful.
11. What Ever Happened to the Human Race? Francis Schaeffer & C. Everett Koop. A bit outdated and maybe out of print, but God used it years ago to wake me up to the horrors of abortion.
12. Politics According to the Bible, Wayne Grudem. Excellent, helpful thinking on many modern issues.
13. Christianity and Liberalism, J. Gresham Machen. Written almost 100 years ago, but still relevant. He shows that liberal “Christianity” is not Christian at all.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “I sometimes think that the whole art of the Christian life is the art of asking questions.” (Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure [Eerdmans], p. 224.)

Here are a few ques­tions to ask yourself and others you are working with in the Lord:
 

• What spiritual goals are you currently working on? If you haven’t thought about it, begin by picturing what God would want to accomplish through you by the time you’re 75. Then, write out a one or two sentence purpose or mission statement for your life. In light of that, what are one or two goals (specific, measurable) that God would have you work on in the coming six months that would move you in that direction? Put them on your calendar. In what single way would you like most to grow spiritually in the coming year? (Use another sheet of paper for this.
• In an average week, how many days do you spend at least 20 minutes in Bible reading and prayer?
• What do you do to keep your love for God fresh and vital?
• What are some of the books you have read in the past year and how have they helped you grow in the Lord? If you’re not reading, what one book should you begin soon?
• What is your biggest hindrance to spiritual growth? How do you fight it?
• How are you using your spiritual gift(s) to serve the Lord? How would you like to see Him use you in the coming year?
• Are there any hidden or open sins that you need to confess?
• How are your relationships with others, especially those you live with? Is your heart free from bitterness toward those who have mistreated or wronged you? Is there anyone you have offended and need to ask his or her forgiveness?
• Which spiritual discipline do you most need to cultivate in your life? What do you need to do next to begin working on it?
• Do you honor God with your stewardship of the time and money He entrusts to you? What two or three changes in each area (time/money) do you most need to make?

This list is not exhaustive, but here are some key character qualities and basic life skills to aim at in your own life and with your children:
 

• Genuine conversion to Christ (not just a “decision,” but a heart changed by God)
• God-focused life (glorify and please God, not be a people-pleaser)
• Trust in God (Prayer in everything)
• Knowledge of God’s Word (a biblical thinker, discerning)
  • A consistent quiet time, including Scripture memory
  • A knowledge of basic biblical doctrines
• A heart for the lost (locally & globally)
  • Ability to share the gospel
  • Knowledge of, prayer for, and giving to missions
• The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23):
  • Love (for God & others)
  • Joy (cheerful spirit, ability to handle trials)
  • Peace (not a worrier)
  • Patience (control of anger, frustration)
  • Kindness (compassionate, sensitive to others, especially the hurting)
  • Goodness (thinking of others’ needs, not mean toward the disadvantaged)
  • Faithfulness (keeps word, follows through on assignments)
  • Gentleness (not rude, overbearing)
  • Self-control (disciplined, goal-oriented)
• Humility
• Self-denial (thinking of God & others ahead of self)
• A good listener
• Obedience to God and to proper authority
• Moral purity (God’s view of sex, moral standards; avoids porn and evil media)
• Alert to spiritual danger (guarding thought life, entertainment, etc.)
• Truthful, honest
• Thankfulness, gratitude
• Forgiving (not bitter, not holding grudges)
• Responsible (loyal, keeps word)
• Courage (to stand alone for convictions)
• Perseverance, endurance (doesn’t quit easily)
• Orderliness
• Initiative, industrious (knows how to work)
• Decisiveness
• Flexibility (able to adjust cheerfully to different people & situations)
• Relationally warm (chooses friends wisely)
• Hospitable, friendly
  • Makes others feel welcome & comfortable
  • Polite, has good manners
  • Knows how to make introductions
  • Smiles and maintains eye contact with others
  • Anticipates and meets others’ needs
  • Expresses gratitude
  • A good sense of humor
• Faithful steward of God’s resources:
  • Generous (not greedy)
  • Faithful in giving
  • Good financial management
  • Respect for property
  • Knows how to balance checkbook, budget, save, invest, and spend wisely
• Faithful steward of time
  • Punctual
  • Can set and achieve goals
  • Balances work and leisure time
• Faithful steward of body
  • Dresses appropriately (for situation) and modestly
  • Maintains proper grooming, care of clothes, etc.
  • Knows and follows proper nutrition
  • Maintains appropriate weight, exercise, sleep
  • Knows how to cook basic meals
• Other life skills:
  • Housecleaning, laundry
  • Wise shopper (sales, bargains, etc.)
  • Ability to drive carefully, maintain car
  • Ability to read well
  • Ability to use computer, smart phone, other technology