Friday, April 15, 2005

Best Books

Matt’s List of “The Best Book On:”

Addictions
Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave, Edward Welch

Biblical Counseling
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, Paul David Tripp

Conflict/Church & Interpersonal
The Peacemaker, Ken Sande

Fasting
A Hunger for God, John Piper

Fear of Man
When People Are Big and God Is Small, Ed Welch

Gender Issues
Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, John Piper & Wayne Grudem

Giving
The Treasure Principle, Randy Alcorn

God/The Nature of God
Knowing God, J.I. Packer

God/The Nature of God/God’s Delight In God
The Pleasures of God, John Piper

New Testament Introduction
An Introduction to the New Testament, D.A. Carson, D.J. Moo, Leon Morris

Pastoral Ministry
Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, John Piper
Shepherding the Church, Joseph M. Stowell

Parenting/Discipline
Shepherding A Child’s Heart, Tedd Tripp

Postmodernism/Pluralism
The Gagging of God, D.A. Carson

Preaching
Christ Centered Preaching, Bryan Chappell
The Supremacy of God in Preaching, John Piper (Honorable Mention)

Prohibition/Alcohol
The Law of Love, Tim Stafford

Race
Dominion, Randy Alcorn

Revival
When God Comes to Church, Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr.

Sanctification
Future Grace, John Piper
Instruments in the Redeemers Hands, Paul David Tripp

Satan/Demons
Lord Foulgrin’s Letters, Randy Alcorn
The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis (Honorable Mention)

Spiritual Disciplines
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald S. Whitney
Disciplines of a Godly Man, Kent Hughes (Honorable Mention)

Suffering
When God Weeps, Steven Estes & Joni Eareckson Tada
How Long, O Lord? D.A. Carson (Honorable Mention)
Making Sense of Suffering, Peter Kreeft (Honorable Mention)

Theology/Systematic
Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem

If I could Only Have One Commentary on Each Book of the Bible:

Genesis
Genesis, Bruce Waltke
Genesis, John H. Walton (NIV Life Application, Honorable Mention)

Jonah
Word Biblical Commentary: Hosea-Jonah, Douglas Stuart

Gospel of John
The Gospel of John, D.A. Carson (Pillar)

1 Corinthians
The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Gordon Fee (NICNT)

Ephesians
The Epistle to the Ephesians, Peter T. O’Brien (Pillar)
The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians, F.F. Bruce (Honorable Mention)

Colossians
Colossians, Philemon, Peter T. O’Brien (Word)
The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians, F.F. Bruce (Honorable Mention)

The Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus)
The Pastoral Epistles, William D. Mounce (WBC)
Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, George W. Knight III (NIGNTC) (Honarable Mention/Close Second)

The Revelation
Revelation, Robert Mounce (NICOT)

6 comments:

This is an excellent list. Now, if we could just get more Christians to read books such as these...

Hey, Jason!

Thanks for stopping by. You're right, this list could use some Puritans. This year I have been reading books about and by Jonathan Edwards. Maybe sometime, when I do an update, I'll put some books by him here.

And then again, maybe not. Most of the books here (with the exception of some of the commentaries) are highly readable. Edwards is not. Pure gold but hard digging.

Hi Pastor Matt!
Just finished Stepping Heavenward! The author mentioned two books that have me curious...
Holy Living and Dying by Jeremy Taylor and Saints' Everlasting Rest by Richard Baxter. Have you read or any thoughts on either?
Thanks.

Hi, Anonymous,

Do we know each other?

I'm sorry, I haven't read either Taylor or Baxter, so I can't give you a helpful opinion.

I've heard that they are good, but can't say for myself. Sorry!

Blessings,

-Matt

Yes we do! I only clicked anonymous 'cause I didn't feel like doing the log-in thing...
Just for fun, though, here's a hint: I have a son named "Oliver" and stumble around on Christmas Eve! :-D

Aha!

Yes, I do think I know who you are now. You and Oliver did a great job on Christmas Eve!

I think you might find Taylor and Baxter to be difficult to dig the gold out of--very old and ponderous English.

You can get a sense of them by reading at them at the Google Books site: Holy Living & Saints Everlasting Rest.

Hope that's helpful.

-Matt