About thirty years ago, a couple of young Christians, both students at university, asked me if I could give them a list of good Christian books to read. Over the years others have asked me the same question, and over the years, as I have discovered new books, I have made a few changes to my list. I am publishing my current list here for the benefit of any young (and old) Christians who may be looking for good books to help them grow in their faith, love and hope.
I have restricted my list to ten books and, with a couple of exceptions, I have chosen relatively short books. My first criterion for choosing a book is, of course, its spiritual usefulness. In making my choice, I have tried to select outstanding authors, in the hope that having read one book by that author, the reader may want to read other books by the same person. Also, I have chosen books that are easy to read and understand, that are easily accessible in good Christian bookstores, and that are available as Kindle books from Amazon. (I regret that the Banner of Truth edition of the Heidelberg Catechism, which is the one I favour, is not available as a Kindle book. However, you can download a pdf version here).
I have chosen only older books that have proven themselves by enduring through the generations and have become Christian classics. This means that no contemporary authors are included, as their books have not yet been exposed to the test of time. The list includes two books from the sixteenth century, two from the seventeenth, two from the nineteenth, and four from the twentieth. For the books from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, I have listed recent versions in today's English, which are much easier to read than the older versions. I encourage you to obtain the recommended modern versions, as the English in the original versions can be rather difficult for most twentieth century readers, especially for those for whom English is their second language.
The books can be read in any order; you don't have to begin with the first; you can begin with the last, if you wish. Also, for some of them (those by J.C. Ryle, C.H. Spurgeon, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and J.I. Packer) the chapters can be read in any order.
One more thing (this is very important): don't forget to read your Bible. Do read good books, but don't fall into the trap of being so taken up with reading books about the Bible that you neglect the Bible itself.
Here, then, is my list:
- John Calvin, A Little Book on the Christian Life (edited by Clay Denlinger and Burk Parsons, published by Reformation Trust).
- Zacharius Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus, The Heidelberg Catechism (published by the Banner of Truth Trust).
- John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress: A Readable Modern-Day Version (revised by Alan Vermilye, published by Brown Chair Books).
- John Owen, Overcoming Sin and Temptation (edited by Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor, published by Crossway).
- J.C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots (published by Ichthus Publications).
- C.H. Spurgeon, C. H. Spurgeon's Prayers, (introduced by Dinsdale Young, published by CreateSpace Publishing).
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure (published by Marshall Pickering).
- J.I. Packer, Knowing God (with Study Guide, published by Hodder & Stoughton).
- John Stott, The Cross of Christ (with Study Guide by David Stone, published by IVP Books).
- Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness (with Study Guide, published by NavPress).
By reading good books, especially older books, we are able to sit at the feet of some of the greatest teachers God has given his church. Let us not let this opportunity go to waste, and let us read carefully and prayerfully.
