It’s funny, it feels like any list of 10 books that EVERY Christian should read is always going to be incomplete. Funny because you need to choose 10 and the list is complete when it has 10 books on it. But it feels incomplete because there are plenty of other books that every Christian should read. I have reached a point where I am settled on my list but that is not to say I am fully convinced that these are THE top 10, more that I had to stop somewhere and remember the post is not entitled the ONLY 10 books or the TOP 10. Just a list of 10 powerful books that Every Christian needs to read – and these ones are some of my favourites.
If you have not read these, then why not pick up a copy? The links in this post are affiliate links. This means it doesn’t cost you anything extra but I will earn a small commission from the supplier if you purchase the books through these links. So if you want to read a good book and support me, then you can do both of those things.
1. Knowing God
This is perhaps one of the most important Christian books ever written. Knowing God is at the heart of all Christian discipleship, faith and perseverance. This book is by Jim Packer and he argues that there is a difference between knowing things about God and actually knowing Him.
He walks us through the Bible’s teaching on the character of God and how we can know Him personally through Jesus. This deeper understanding of and knowledge of God will provide you with deep roots in God Himself. This is what will stabilise you and strengthen your faith in every struggle and trial and dilemma of the life of a Christian.
2. The Cross of Christ
At the heart of the gospel is the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. At the very heart of salvation history is the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. In this book, John Stott seeks to provide a thorough explanation of everything that the bible teaches about why this needed to happen, what was happening on the cross, what the death of Jesus on the cross has actually achieved and what the implications of that are for us today.
A fuller understanding of these things will deepen your love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and help guard you against error in this critical area of Christian belief.
3. Holiness
You have to go a very long way indeed to find someone who writes like JC Ryle. He follows a style similar to that of the Puritans in its thoroughness but he writes a few hundred years after them in the late 1800s. This is an excellent book on the need for holiness in the life of the Christian.
It is often commented on that this book can be a bit legalistic in places. I did not find this when I read it. I found a book full of grace and assurance for the Christian, and building on that and because of it, convinced me that the battle for holiness is one the single most important aspects of following Jesus.
4. The Screwtape Letters
This might seem like an odd choice but I have included it for a specific reason. CS Lewis has written an excellent little story depicting a series of letters between a senior demon and junior demon as they work to try and destroy the faith of a new convert to Christianity. Obviously it is a work of fiction but it is really helpful in considering some of the many ways in which the world, the flesh and the devil might tempt us and lie to us to convince us to believe little untruths.
5. Pilgrim’s Progress
This is John Bunyan’s classic allegory of the Christian Life depicting the travels of Christian on the road to the celestial city. Along the way he meets many characters that seek to encourage him, or misdirect him or lead him astray. The highlight of the story is when the heavy burden that Christian has been carrying since he was first warned of the coming destruction and the celestial city falls off of his back as he kneels at the foot of the cross.
This book relates the experiences of every Christian believer into a vivid story in a way that is both challenging and heartwarming.
6. Transforming Grace
Jerry Bridges is one of my favourite Christian authors. His theme in most of his books is that it is the grace of God in Christ that is the only thing that will truly transform our lives. This book, Transforming Grace, is therefore the clearest example and explanation of this. This book is perhaps the best starting point I have found to help us understand and marvel at the power of grace to transform.
I have become convinced that many of the issues we have encountered in evangelicalism in recent years, especially as have been publicly commented on in evangelical leadership, is because our practical understanding and application of grace is weak and therefore we do not allow grace to transform every aspect of our lives and ministries.
7. Five Minutes in Church History
Here is a confession of mine – I have not read this book. However, I have listened to every episode of the podcast of the same name from which the history in this book comes. Stephen Nichols is the person who has taught me just how important a basic understanding of church history is for every Christian believer. This book looks at some of the key events and moments in church history, taken from the podcast, and give that basic grounding that we all need.
8. According to Plan
Understanding an overview of the Bible is important for every Christian to understand how the life, death and resurrection fits into the whole plan of God for salvation as revealed throughout the Bible. There are many books that could take this spot in the list. I have selected Graham Goldsworthy’s book as it is more in depth than some but not too overwhelming.
There are some key elements missing perhaps, as there are in most ‘overview’ books, but as a starting point to grasping the whole Bible’s story, this one is pretty good.
9. A Call to Spiritual Reformation
This book from Don Carson is perhaps one of the most practical books on prayer I have come across. Carson’s focus is to teach us how to pray by looking at the prayers of the apostle Paul and helping us to see just how the apostle prays. Reading this book will challenge you in terms of the consistency of your prayer life, the depth of your prayer life and especially the priorities that you have when you come to pray.
Too often we focus on the every day events of life coming up and we do not consider the larger spiritual issues of faith and discipleship for ourselves, our families and our church. If you read this book, you will never again find yourself with nothing to say when your small group turn to pray.
10. The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
This is my last choice for the list. I wanted to include a book by a Puritan. They write differently.
Engaging with Puritan writings is one of the best ways to combat the tendency that we can sometimes have towards being overly reductionistic and shallow in our modern books.
Two years ago for my birthday I received the Puritan paperback collection. It is perhaps the best birthday present I have ever received, not least because a friend messaged me to announce the safe arrival of their new baby, complete with a photo and the weight, not too long after and I was able to respond announcing the safe arrival of the collection of books, also complete with a photo and the weight.
This book by Jeremiah Burroughs remains my favourite so far of all the Puritan books I have read. It is a theological book that is well-applied. Well-applied theology is incredibly practical for the long term and gives you deep roots in your faith, meaning the application is far more powerful. Rather than being a straight practical book that targets how we live in the hopes of impacting how we feel, this book will correct and strengthen your understanding of who God is and how your relationship with Him works and what the purpose of life is. This then impacts how you think and feel which in turn will impact your behaviour. We don’t learn strategies to combat discontentment, we have our view of God, the world and our lives changed so our temptation to be discontented is significantly weakened.
So 0- that is my list of 10 powerful books that every Christian needs to read.
