C.S. Lewis writes, "For my part, I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion would find that their hearts sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand." I read this Lewis quote in When I Don't Desire God by John Piper. Piper's response is "Amen! (Well, with the exception of the pipe!)" I could not agree more, we need to fill our minds with the things of God. The stuff of light devotion only lightly brings God before me. But I have found that God uses "God-saturated, Bible-saturated" authors to help me in my pursuit of Christ.
With the above in mind, I recommend the following books as a few of the books that have been most helpful to me in my pursuit of Christ.
Theology and Christian Living
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Knowing God by J.I. Packer
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When I Don't Desire God by John Piper
- The Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges
- The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
- Today's Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic by Walter J. Chantry
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Christian Theology by Millard Erickson
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Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
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Desiring God by John Piper
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Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt
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The Peacemaker by Ken Sandie
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The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
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Erasing God by Francis Chan
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Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen edited by Kelly M. Kapic and Justin Taylor
Bible Study
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Living by the Book by Howard and William Hendricks
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New Dictionary of Biblical Theology edited by Desmond, Rosner, Carson, and Goldsworthy
Evangelism
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Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person by Whole People by Will Metzger
Parenting
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Shepherding the Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
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Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens by Paul David Tripp
Prayer
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A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson
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Valley of the Vision edited by Arthur Bennett
