10 Books That Would Be Helpful to Any Believer

I was asked to compile a list of about 10 books that every Christian should read. I want to say that there is only one book that every Christian should read, which is the Bible. I always hate hearing someone say "this is a book every Christian needs to read", because it implies that somehow 2,000 years of Christians didn't understand crucial information that somehow we have because someone wrote a book.

That being said, Christian books have been a huge blessing to me in my lifetime, and God has used them to show me so much that I might otherwise not have realized. Anytime the gospel is being spoken into your life by an author desiring to illumine the Word to you, you can't go wrong.

The following is my meager attempt at the list that has been a representation of the books that have meant a lot to me over the years. These are in no particular order.

Radical - David Platt

This is the one book I have not read, but it is about seeing Christianity as we are called to live it, not as a safe American lifestyle has forced us to live it. This book is challenging, and life altering from what I understand. I look forward to reading it when my classes are over this summer.

Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan

This book was written in the 1600s, and has been the most central and constant book in my life besides the Bible. From watching the cartoon as a kid, to reading the book numerous times in adulthood. Bunyan makes the Christian life into a story, and it is incredibly relevant, even though it was written over 300 years ago. Get a modern version of this. Cheryl Ford's is my favorite, but Warren Wiersbe is also a good modern translation.

Boy Meets Girl - Joshua Harris

Dating books tend to be idealistic, and I haven't read a great many of them. But this one is my favorite, and a very well written insight into the light and dark side of dating, relationships, self-esteem, sin, and everything relevant to the subject. I encourage any single person to check out a good dating book, and this is one of the good ones.

Don't Waste Your Life - John Piper

I appreciate John Piper so much, and this book is challenging and inspiring at the same time. The title pretty much sums it up. Piper's books are all available for free download at desiringgod.org, which is more than enough reason to download the PDFs and check them out.

Jesus Freaks - DC Talk (really Foxe's Book of Martyrs for a new generation)

This boo

k is the one that I forgot to include on Sunday, but it deserves to be there. The first time I picked up this book I read 90 pages before I could put it down. It is simply a testimony of what people sacrificed through the centuries for the sake of Christ. Challenging.

Knowing God - J.I. Packer

If you are looking for a book on God, this is my absolute favorite. It is easy to read for the most part (as much as any book can be on the subject of God). Overall, he is able to say things more simply, yet more deeply, than we often think about. Those of

you who don't like thinking of big words and terms like systematic theology, and all the others, will find both depth and simplicity in this book.

To The Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson - Courtney Anderson

I want to encourage you to take some point in your life and read a biography of a famous missionary. It will change the way you walk through your life, and what you view as important. Judson's story has been my favorite, and if you aren't ready to tackle the book, you can still listen to part of his story on our church's missions page.

The Pursuit of God - A.W. Tozer

Tozer is an old-school guy with a great handle on the things that we tend to put in God's way, and our own way. His premise is that our problem is that we seek "God and..." This book is a breaking down of that thought process. This is the shortest book by far on this list (under 100 pages).

Chasing Daylight - Erwin McManus

This book is a very well written, entertaining, challenging, and overall 'kick in the pants' of practicing one's faith. The book deals with our tendency to let life, opportunities, and all other sorts of avenues, pass us by. To live for God is to live seizing the moments that He has given us. This is the easiest read on this list, and an

encouragingly challenging book to me.

The Jesus I Never Knew - Philip Yancey

Yancey re-introduces the reader to the Jesus that they assumed they knew after growing up in church, and does so in an incredibly moving and compelling way. This is near the top of the list as far as the impact it has made on my life. It's a book on Jesus that you will find to be a breath of fresh air, and a mind and heart opening experience.

Decision Making and the Will of God - Garry Friesen

This is the book that Jared recommended Sunday, about the nature of the will of God, and what that means for our life. Often times we spend our lives asking questions like "what is God's will for my life?" This book deals with the nature and the response to that question.