I am amazed at the skills of my friends who are plumbers, carpenters, and tile men, to name a few. Their ability to utilize a few simple tools to complete very difficult and sometimes very beautiful projects gives me reason to rejoice in their gifts, thankful that God has given us all different abilities for the common good of the body. While I have virtually no experience in the trades, I have a few tools to do minor tasks around the house when necessary, and when I think it possible without creating a bigger problem! When asked about my numerous books and peculiar reading habits, I typically refer back to my friends - the ones with skills. I firmly believe that for the pastor, a book can be compared to the plumber's pipe shears, a carpenter's hammer, or a tile man's trowel. And yet, while this is certainly true for a pastor, I believe there are certain tools (books) that every Christian should own and become acquainted with - to have available when the necessity arises. Obviously, this can be somewhat subjective, but I've tried to offer what I believe to be the most universally helpful list of books for the average Christian, in order, beginning with the most important/valuable.

 

1. English Standard Version Study Bible

Without hesitation, I believe that the newly published ESV Study Bible is the greatest resource to have ever been printed in the English language. Obviously, the primary advantage rests in that it's a Bible - but the extensive notes, sound essays, colorful embedded maps, and long list of notable scholars who worked on it make it the number 1 tool that every Christian should have in their toolbox. For an English Bible text, the ESV is superior to other versions in combining readability, literalness, and form. When translating from one language to another, there will always be some level of paraphrasing that is necessary, but the ESV has been masterfully translated to limit that necessity, yet make the biblical text most understandable for the average English reading person.

 

2. An Exhaustive or Comprehensive Concordance

Most Bibles have a small concordance in the back, and some are better than others. While these may be helpful to find common verses and words, one will quickly see the need for something more extensive. A comprehensive concordance lists the use of every word in a Bible version except for "common-use" words such as a, about, after, also, and, the, etc. An exhaustive concordance lists these common words. Both (typically) include word study references in the back for the Hebrew and Greek, pointing out various nuances of words that may have multiple meanings in the original languages.

 

3. Systematic Theology

Christians are commanded to "make disciples of all nations... teaching them to observe" all that Christ has commanded his Church (Matthew 28:19-20, emphasis mine). In order to fulfill this mandate, Christians must learn and understand the theological teachings of Scripture. A systematic theology is essentially the collection and summarizing of the truths of Scripture, divided into various topics for explanation. There have been many different systematic theology books written throughout Christian history, many of which are incredibly insightful. Two of my favorites have come in our generation, both written by reformed Baptists. One is the first edition of Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology, and the other is the second edition of Millard Erickson's Christian Theology. I frequently use my systematic theology books and believe that every Christian should have at least one.

 

4. The Pilgrim's Progress

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan is one of the most significant works in the English Language. Bunyan wrote this Christian allegory from prison in 1678. Since its initial publication, it has been translated into over 200 languages, has never been out of print, and has repeatedly been one of the world's most popular books, 2^nd only to the Holy Bible. Many cultural references come from this great American work. The journey of the main character Christian, from his hometown The City of Destruction to the Celestial City on mount Zion, typifies the Christian journey as it is described in Scripture, and as it plays out in everyday life. Every believer in Christ should read The Pilgrim's Progress.

 

5. Desiring God

One of the keys to discovering how to fulfill the chief end of man is to understand that "delight is our duty." John Piper wrote this primer on what he calls Christian Hedonism in 1986, and it is now in its third edition (2003). Outside of the Bible itself, this book has transformed my Christian life more than any other. Piper writes: "it is unbiblical and arrogant to try to worship God for any other reason than the pleasure to be had in Him (don't miss those last two words: in Him. Not His gifts, but Him. Not ourselves, but Him)... seeking one's own happiness is not a sin; it is a simple given in human nature. It is a law of the human heart, as gravity is a law of nature" (18, 19). Joy is the essence of Christian faith, and all things biblical can lead back to this one great command of God: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4).

 

6. Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare

Aside from Bible reading/intake, prayer is the most important, yet most neglected Christian discipline. This collection of Spurgeon's sermons on the subjects of prayer and spiritual warfare are some of the most helpful, soul-stirring words to date. In six "books", the prince of preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon expounds on the following:

 

1.      The Power in Prayer

2.      Praying Successfully

3.      The Golden Key of Prayer

4.      Finding Peace in Life's Storms

5.      The Practice of Praise

6.      Satan, a Defeated Foe

 

7. Commentary and Reference Survey
John Glynn's comprehensive guide to biblical and theological resources is invaluable for any student of Scripture who wants to build a reference library. Currently, this book is in its 10^th edition and is a reliable resource that rates various Christian commentaries and reference sources on several different levels. Glynn has rated some 900 different commentary series' and over 1600 other biblical resources to include new chapters on Bible software for the computer.

8. Mere Christianity
C.S. Lewis, most famous for his Chronicles of Narnia, wrote several compelling and challenging books on the Christian faith. While I don't agree with everything Lewis believed, especially later in his life when some of his views began to change, I have derived a great deal of biblical insight from many of his earlier works. Mere Christianity is, in my opinion, his greatest non-allegorical work. It was first presented on an informal radio broadcast and eventually became three separate books - The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality. In many ways, this is Lewis' systematic theology on the essential doctrines of the Christian faith - those doctrines which unite all true believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

9. The Mortification of Sin
John Owen was the greatest of the puritan theologians. In The Mortification of Sin, Owen shows the great need for Christians to engage in the daily war against sin, striving for personal piety and holiness. Of greatest importance, Owen emphasizes the need to depend on the strength of God through the Holy Spirit to achieve the great end for which God created man, namely to glorify Him by enjoying Him forever. Owen warns against self-righteousness, superstition, and "anxiety of conscience." Owen is insightful and practical, but be forewarned that he takes time and concentration to read - but it's well worth every effort.

10. The Cross of Christ
In 1986, John R.W. Stott published one of the most important works in modern Christendom. The Cross of Christ has become one of the most widely circulated works on the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement - the doctrine of the cross. This is the essence of our faith in Christ. One of the most compelling elements of Stott's work amongst many others addressing the same subject matter is its readability. Stott wrote with the layman in mind, knowing the importance of every Christian having a good grasp on this vital topic. This work has become even more important in the last several years as many have taken aim at the biblical teaching of substitutionary atonement, some even calling it "cosmic child abuse". For a readable, highly respected book on the way in which God conquers sin and evil through the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, Stott provides a must read for every Christian.