15 Books I Believe Will Change Your Life As A Christian - 100 Dod - Day 94 by Apostle Emmanuel Iren: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Why Reading Books Matters

Reading books will change the quality of your life in ways that are difficult to fully articulate. If you were not born to privilege, if you have various limitations — books can expand your perspective on life. They can change your circle. They can locate you by the quality of your thinking and your communication. Some books improve your IQ. Some books improve your critical thinking and your ability to communicate thoughts clearly. This is not a small thing.

The books below are not presented as the definitive top fifteen of all time, nor in order of importance. They are offered as a starting road — books useful especially for newer or growing believers. Also: endorsing these books does not mean endorsing every position of every author on every theological matter. Some of these authors are disagreed with on significant points. What is commended is the specific value each book carries.

Apologetics and Philosophy of Faith

• Mere Christianity — C.S. Lewis

  Before talking about the Bible, before discussing theology, a prior question must be settled: how do I know there is a God? This book addresses that. Lewis argues from the existence of a universal moral law — the invisible standard to which all people, regardless of religion or culture, appeal in everyday life ("one good turn deserves another," "that's not fair") — that if there is a moral law, there is a moral law giver. The argument is made with such philosophical precision that it is very difficult to escape in a rigorous conversation. This book sharpens critical thinking and the ability to defend faith in a way that is accessible to both the skeptic and the believer. Chapter one alone on the law of human nature is worth the read.

• The Reason for God — Timothy Keller

  Similar in approach to Mere Christianity but aimed squarely at the intellectual culture of modern skepticism. Keller's goal — helping thinkers believe and helping believers think — is achieved well here. A good companion to Lewis for anyone navigating questions of faith in an age of doubt.

Systematic and Biblical Theology

• What Does God Want? — Michael Heiser

  A short but deep book. Heiser systematically explains, from a biblical standpoint, what God was thinking when he created humanity — he wanted a family. When that family rebelled, he still sent his Son. The book lays out these ideas in a clear chronological order and handles some deeper theological subjects (including things like the nephilim) in a way that gives them proper theological context rather than sensationalism. Very basic but very deep — a good combination.

• Concise Theology — J.I. Packer

  A growing believer needs to understand some basic theological concepts at a minimum: angels, the fall, original sin, covenant, the law, God's transcendence, omniscience. This book covers them in brief, clear chapters. Think of it as a theological orientation. A good first step into the world of systematic thinking about the faith.

• Knowing God — J.I. Packer

  Also by Packer, this one is focused specifically on God himself — his grace, his love, his role as judge, his wrath, his goodness. It introduces the culture of studying God topically and systematically. Whether or not every finer point is agreed upon, this book creates a framework for thinking about the different attributes of God that is genuinely useful.

• The Knowledge of the Holy — A.W. Tozer

  Tozer was self-taught as a theologian, which makes his depth even more remarkable. This book is systematic theology written with devotional fire. Chapters on the immutability of God, divine omniscience, the wisdom of God, the omnipotence of God — all handled with a reverence and clarity that both informs the mind and moves the heart. A classic by every standard.

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Apostle Emmanuel Iren
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• How to Read the Bible Book by Book — Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart

  If you're a new believer, learning to interpret the Bible well is foundational. This book handles hermeneutics — the principles of biblical interpretation — and then applies them book by book. The first volume on interpretive principles is arguably the more important one. This kind of grounding prevents a lot of confusion later.

Devotional Life and Consecration

• Counterfeit Gods — Timothy Keller

  The subtitle says it well: the empty promises of money, sex, power, and the only hope that matters. This book deals with idolatry — not in the obvious sense, but in the subtler sense of things that compete for the place of God in the heart. When you deal with this, something is freed up. You are no longer chasing shadows. You are no longer trying to prove your worth through what you drive or where you live. You live lighter. You serve God in a more enjoyable way. Dealing with counterfeit gods also improves overall success in life — because the relentless pursuit of substitutes is exhausting and unproductive.

• Sit, Walk, Stand — Watchman Nee

  A short classic on what it means to live from a position of rest in Christ. Particularly valuable because it keeps correcting a tendency that even sincere believers fall into: praying more without remembering that results come first by grace. This book is used as a reset — to return to what Christ has accomplished — before the discipline of prayer and devotion becomes something that relies on human effort rather than grace.

• Discover the Keys to Staying Full of God — Andrew Wommack

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  A practical and rich resource on maintaining a vibrant relationship with God over time, not just in initial enthusiasm. Gold mine material for anyone serious about the long walk.

• Desiring God — John Piper

  A book on making sure your entire journey in this world is oriented around God — getting your priorities right and finding that God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him. A good book on consecration. Very valuable for anyone who wants their faith to be something they actually enjoy rather than something they endure.

• Radical Together — David Platt

  Written as a follow-up to a sermon Platt preached to challenge a comfortable, wealthy American congregation toward missions and reaching more people. The challenge: you are either missionary or you are an impostor. This book helped crystallize an evangelical, outward-facing focus that any church serious about its calling needs. Read early if possible.

• The Cross of Christ — John Stott

  One of the best books ever written on the meaning of the cross. Unusually deep from page one. There are books that make you put them down, look up at the ceiling, and thank God for the men he has raised. This is one of them. Rich material that has directly shaped some of the most important things taught on the cross and atonement.

Marriage

• Bringing Out the Best in Your Husband / Bringing Out the Best in Your Wife — H. Norman Wright

  These two books are best treated as a set. Read them together with your spouse — ideally while preparing for marriage. What makes them useful is that they use real scenarios and then give direct feedback: this is how I would like to be spoken to, this is how I would like to be treated, when you did this I did not feel that way. Practical, grounded, honest.

• The Meaning of Marriage — Timothy Keller

  Rich, rich material. This is a book where you find yourself taking notes on nearly every page. Keller brings a theological and psychological depth to the subject of marriage that is unusual. There are some books that once read, change how you see a subject permanently. This is one of them on marriage.

Additional Recommendations

Beyond these fifteen, two categories worth adding:

• A catechism — a book of basic Christian confessions. If you do not know what a catechism is, look it up. It will give you a structured vocabulary of faith that grounds your theology in the historic confessions of the church.
• Church history — one or two good materials on church history. Understanding how the church got to where it is today prevents you from being unnecessarily surprised by what you encounter and helps you take seriously what previous generations died for.

These books together represent a serious entry road into discipleship. They build on each other — from knowing there is a God, to knowing who that God is, to understanding what he has done in Christ, to learning how to live in the light of it all.