BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

The Bible is the foundation for all that we know about God and the promised life found in Jesus Christ.  Here are resources to help answer questions that you may have about the faith.  They include topics such as science and belief, the reliability of the Bible, objections to Christianity, suffering, the Holy Spirit and what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  These selections will help get you started in your relationship with the living God.  Enjoy!

There are eight sections titled:

“Reasons to believe”, “Bible Studies”, “The Holy Spirit”, “The Spiritual Battle”, “Justice”, “Living by Faith”, “Parenting” & “Theology”.

REASONS TO BELIEVE


 
 

The goal of God’s Not Dead: Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty is straightforward: to help readers develop “a faith that is real and credible—and strong enough to help others find faith in God.” To that end, Rice Broocks outlines a roadmap that guides seekers to acknowledge the most basic truths of Christianity:

  • There is overwhelming and exciting evidence for God’s existence

  • The God who exists is indeed the God of the Bible

  • God has revealed his nature through his Son, Jesus Christ

As shown during the movie, this is the original book on which the main character bases much of his debate points with the atheistic professor. Persuasive arguments crafted with tools borrowed from logic, science, and philosophy, as well as scripture, solidify the faith of the Christian reader and provide starting points for discussions with skeptics. With clear, easy-to-follow explanations of key concepts and controversies, God’s Not Dead is apologetics for the twenty-first century, presented in layman’s terms. Readers will be empowered not only to talk about their own faith with confidence but to lead others to a relationship with Jesus.


 
 

We live in an age of skepticism. Our society places such faith in empirical reason, historical progress, and heartfelt emotion that it’s easy to wonder: Why should anyone believe in Christianity? What role can faith and religion play in our modern lives?

In this thoughtful and inspiring new book, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever. As human beings, we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives.


 
 

Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics and non-believers bring to religion.

Using literature, philosophy, anthropology, pop culture, and intellectual reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one.

To true believers he offers a solid platform on which to stand against the backlash toward religion spawned by the Age of Skepticism.

And to skeptics, atheists, and agnostics he provides a challenging argument for pursuing the reason for God.

 

 
 

Mere Christianity is C.S. Lewis' forceful and accessible doctrine of Christian belief. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate books, The Case for ChristianityChristian Behavior, and Beyond PersonalityMere Christianity brings together what Lewis sees as the fundamental truths of the religion.

Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations, C.S. Lewis finds a common ground on which all those who have Christian faith can stand together, proving that "at the center of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks with the same voice".

 

 
More Than a Carpenter
By McDowell, Josh D., McDowell, Sean
Buy on Amazon
 

The inspirational classic, More than a Carpenter, is now updated for a new generation of seekers with a fresh look, revised material, and a new chapter that addresses questions commonly raised today. Former skeptic Josh McDowell is now joined by his son Sean as they examine the evidence about Jesus. Is he really the Lord he claimed to be? How can we know for sure? More than a Carpenter offers arguments for faith from a skeptic turned believer. Since its original publication in 1977, this modern classic has sold over 15 million copies, been translated into dozens of languages, and introduced countless people to the real Jesus. Now with new content that addresses questions raised by today’s popular atheist writers. Audio edition read by Sean McDowell.


 
 

 A SEASONED JOURNALIST CHASES DOWN THE BIGGEST STORY IN HISTORY

 Is there credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God?

 Retracing his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith, Lee Strobel, former legal editors of the Chicago Tribute, cross-examines a dozen experts with doctorates who are specialists in the areas of old manuscripts, textual criticism, and biblical studies.

Strobel challenges them with questions like: How reliable is the New Testament? Does evidence for Jesus exist outside the Bible? Is there any reason to believe the resurrection was an actual event?

Strobel's tough, point-blank questions make this bestselling book read like a captivating, fast-paced novel. But it's not fiction. It's a riveting quest for the truth about history's most compelling figure.

 

 
 

You meet skeptics every day. They ask questions like:

  • Are your science teachers wrong?

  • Did God create the universe?

  • Is the Big Bang theory true?

Here’s a book written in kid-friendly language that gives you all the answers.

Packed full of well-researched, reliable, and eye-opening investigations of some of the biggest questions, Case for a Creator for Kids uses up-to-date scientific research to strengthen your faith in God’s creation.

 

 
 

Was God telling the truth when he said, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart?" 

In his #1 bestseller, The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel examined the claims of Christ, reaching the hard-won verdict that Jesus is God's unique son.

In The Case for Faith, Strobel turns his skills to the most persistent emotional objections to the eight "heart barriers" to faith.

The Gold Medallion-winning book is for those who may be feeling attracted to Jesus who are faced with difficult questions standing squarely in their path.

For Christians, it will deepen their convictions and give them fresh confidence in discussing Christianity with even their most skeptical friends.

 

 

Was Jesus just a good man who lived a long time ago? Or was he something more? 

Just about everyone you ask has an opinion about Jesus. Some believe he was the Son of God, while others question his existence altogether. Some believe he lived but that he was merely a good man. Today, scientists and other people are stating things that can make it difficult to know what to believe. So how can you know who the real Jesus was (and is) - especially when so many people are working to provide him to be a fake or a fraud? That's what Lee Strobel wanted to know.

As a former journalist - and a former atheist - Lee went on an investigative journey to discover the real Jesus, one that took him across the continent and into the homes of today's most prominent experts on Christian history. He found all the evidence he needed to believe that Jesus is indeed the Risen Savior.

Join Lee's investigation and discover the truth about Jesus for yourself. After you've seen all the evidence, you'll know for certain who the real Jesus is, and you'll be able to help others know him as well.

 

 

“My road to atheism was paved by science…But, ironically, so was my later journey to God.” —Lee Strobel

During his academic years, Lee Strobel became convinced that God was outmoded, a belief that colored his ensuing career as an award-winning journalist at the Chicago Tribune.

Science had made the idea of a Creator irrelevant—or so Strobel thought. But today science is pointing in a different direction. In recent years, a diverse and impressive body of research has increasingly supported the conclusion that the universe was intelligently designed. At the same time, Darwinism has faltered in the face of concrete facts and hard reason. Has science discovered God? At the very least, it’s giving faith an immense boost as new findings emerge about the incredible complexity of our universe. Join Strobel as he reexamines the theories that once led him away from God.

Through his compelling account, you’ll encounter the mind-stretching discoveries from cosmology, cellular biology, DNA research, astronomy, physics, and human consciousness that present astonishing evidence in The Case for a Creator. Also available in hardcover and mass market editions.

 

 

 

Western civilization is becoming increasingly pluralistic, secularized, and biblically illiterate. Many people today have little sense of how their lives have benefited from Christianity’s influence, often viewing the church with hostility or resentment.

How Christianity Changed the World is a topically arranged Christian history for Christians and non- Christians.

Grounded in solid research and written in a popular style, this book is both a helpful apologetic tool in talking with unbelievers and a source of evidence for why Christianity deserves credit for many of the humane, social, scientific, and cultural advances in the Western world in the last two thousand years.

Photographs, timelines, and charts enhance each chapter. This edition features questions for reflection and discussion for each chapter.

 

 
 

For a lot of people, the biggest question about God is not, surprisingly enough, whether he exists. Instead, it is about whether God is truly good.

Dinesh D’Souza, in his debates with leading atheists, quickly realized that many of those debates revolved around the question of evil in this world — how God could create a world that allowed such suffering and evil.

In Godforsaken, Dinesh D’Souza takes these questions head on:

  • Does God act like a tyrant?

  • Is God really responsible for the evil in this world?

  • Why is there suffering in the world?

For the first time ever, Dinesh D’Souza approaches this topic with historical and scientific proof and presents to the reader why God is truly worthy of our worship and love.

 

 
 

Is it reasonable to have faith in God? Can intelligent, educated people really believe what the Bible says? Or do the atheists have it right―has Christianity been disproven by science and discredited as a guide to morality? Best-selling author Dinesh D'Souza (The Enemy at HomeWhat's So Great about America) responds head-on to the anti-God arguments of prominent atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens and defeats them on their own terms. What's So Great about Christianity provides believers with a straightforward tool kit for meeting the challenge of modern atheism and secularism; for nonbelievers, it offers a compelling apologetic that will challenge their assumptions and affirm that there really is something great about Christianity.


 

In a world with so many religions, why Jesus?

We are living in a time when you can believe anything, as long as you do not claim it to be true. In the name of “tolerance,” our postmodern culture embraces everything from Eastern mysticism to New Age spirituality. But as Ravi Zacharias points out, such unquestioning acceptance of all things spiritual is absurd. All religions, plainly and simply, cannot be true.

Jesus Among Other Gods provides the answers to the most fundamental claims about Christianity, such as:

 

  • Aren’t all religions fundamentally the same?

  • Was Jesus who He claimed to be?

  • Can one study the life of Christ and demonstrate conclusively that He was and is the way, the truth, and the life?

 

In each chapter, Zacharias considers a unique claim that Jesus made and then contrasts the truth of Jesus with the founders of Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism with compelling insight and passionate conviction. In addition to an impressive breadth of reading and study, he shares his personal journey from despair and meaninglessness to his discovery that Jesus is who He said He is.

In Jesus Among Other Gods, Ravi Zacharias demonstrates that he is one of the most intellectually gifted as well as spiritually sensitive writers of today’s leading apologists for the Christian faith. Zacharias brings alive the unique power of the claims of Jesus about himself and the utter relevance of his message today for the human condition.”

 — David Aikman, author of Great Souls


BIBLE STUDIES


 
 

Have you done The Purple Book?

From students and scholars to parents, kids, rock stars, and professional athletes, people all over the world are doing The Purple Book.

Why? Because they’re looking for a foundation that no storm in life will prevail against and a heart that’s shaped and guided by the knowledge of God’s Word.

The Purple Book is a twelve-part Bible study keyed to the NIV and designed to help new believers and longtime followers of Jesus stand firm and grow strong in the Christian life.

Take the challenge to build the foundation of your life on the Word of God. 

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT


 

What caused a former Dallas Seminary professor to believe that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit are being given today?

What convinced someone skeptical about miracles that God still speaks and heals?

A dramatic change took place in Jack Deere’s life when he took a fresh look at the Scriptures. He discovered that his arguments against miraculous gifts were based more on prejudice and lack of personal experience than on the Bible. As soon as Deere became a seeker instead of a skeptic, the Holy Spirit revealed himself in new and surprising ways.

In Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, Deere provides a strong biblical defense for the Spirit’s speaking and healing ministries today. He also describes several reliable cases of people who were miraculously healed or who heard God speak in an unmistakable way. Finally, he gives sound advice for using spiritual gifts in the church. Written in a popular style, with the care of a scholar but the passion of personal experience, this book explores: the real reason Christians do not believe in miraculous gifts, responding to charismatic abuses, whether miracles were meant to be temporary, and why God still heals.

 

 


 
 

The Holy Spirit…
Greater than your theology, bigger than denominations, beyond all we can imagine, God’s gift to the church and to you

Debate about the Holy Spirit has been around for a long time. In Holy Fire, best-selling author and respected theologian R. T. Kendall sets the record straight about the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives and in the life of the church.

If you want to increase your knowledge of this most misunderstood member of the Trinity, or if you long to experience His presence in your life in a deeper way than ever before, this book is for you. 

Are you charismatic? He is bigger than your signs-and-wonders events. Are you Reformed? He will not be limited by your theology. As Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, He blows where He will.”

 

THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE


 
 

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a classic masterpiece of religious satire that entertains readers with its sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to “Our Father Below.”

At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters is the most engaging account of temptation—and triumph over it—ever written. 

 

 

In Stormie Omartian's The Power of a Praying Husband, you'll find the excitement and hope that can come from inviting the God who heads and answers prayer into your marriage. Packed with real-life examples and refreshing honesty regarding her own marriage, Stormie encourages you to lovingly intercede for your wife in every area of her life, including her

  • priorities

  • emotions

  • motherhood

  • fears

  • sexuality

Each chapter features comments from well-known Christian men, biblical wisdom, and prayer ideas. The warm and easy-to-read book includes a forward by Stormie's husband, multi-Grammy winning music producer, Michael Omartian. It's a resource that makes a great gift to husbands and wives and is also an excellent study to develop the discipline of prayer.

 

 
 

Stormie Omartian's bestselling The Power of a Praying (R) series (more than 28 million copies sold) is rereleased with fresh new covers and new material to reach a still-growing market of readers eager to discover the power of prayer in their lives.

Stormie joyfully inspires you to develop a deeper relationship with your husband by utilizing the amazing power of prayer. This uplifting resource is packed with practical advice on praying for specific areas of your husband's life, including his

  • decision-making

  • fears

  • spiritual strength

  • role as father and leader

  • faith and future

If you desire a closer relationship with your spouse, you will appreciate the life illustrations, encouraging Bible verses, and the assurances of God's promises and power for your marriage.

 

Justice


 
 

The prophets of old were not easy to listen to because they did not flatter.  They did not cajole. They spoke hard words that often chafed and unsettled their listeners. Like the Old Testament prophets, and more recent prophetic voices like Frederick Douglass, Dr. Eric Mason calls the evangelical church to a much-needed reckoning. In a time when many feel confused, complacent, or even angry, he challenges the church to:

Be Aware – to understand that the issue of justice is not a black issue, it’s a kingdom issue. To learn how the history of racism in America and in the church has tainted our witness to a watching world.

Be Redemptive – to grieve and lament what we have lost and to regain our prophetic voice, calling the church to remember our gospel imperative to promote justice and mercy.

Be Active – to move beyond polite, safe conversations about reconciliation and begin to set things aright for our soon-coming King, who will be looking for a WOKE CHURCH.


LIVING BY FAITH


 
 

When a man follows the principles of biblical manhood, those around him benefit from his leadership and care. Kingdom Man challenges and equips men to fully understand their position under God as well as their position over what God has given them. The biblical definition of a man is one who has learned to operate under the authority of Jesus Christ while carrying out responsible and legitimate leadership within the sphere of influence that God has placed him. Kingdom Man provides concepts men can follow that will help them to actively pursue ways to maximize and develop the character qualities of biblical manhood in their lives.


 
 

Based on the acclaimed sermon series by New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller, this book shows everyone - Christians, skeptics, singles, longtime married couples, and those about to be engaged -- the vision of what marriage should be according to the Bible.

Modern culture would have you believe that everyone has a soul mate; that romance is the most important part of a successful marriage; that your spouse is there to help you realize your potential; that marriage does not mean forever, but merely for now; and the starting over after a divorce is the best solution to seemingly intractable marriage issues. But these modern-day assumptions are wrong.

Timothy Keller, with insights from Kathy, his wife of thirty-seven years, show marriage to be a glorious relationship that is also misunderstood and mysterious. The Meaning of Marriage offers instruction on how to have a successful marriage, and is essential reading for anyone who wants to know God and love more deeply in this life.

 

 

This book will transform your life for the better, bringing you guaranteed financial results. But it will do more than that. It will change every area of your life: marriage, family, health and relationships.

For when God changes your heart from selfishness to generosity, every part of your life-journey is affected.

If all believers followed the practical guidance of' The Blessed Life', every church could be built, every nation would have an abundance of missionaries and all would reap the benefits of having a generous heart.

With humor, passion and clarity, Robert Morris presents the secrets of living a blessed life both financially and spiritually.

 

 

What is Jesus worth to you?

It’s easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily…

But who do you know who lives like that? Do you?

In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple - then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus. Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment - a one year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.

 

 
 

From New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated talk radio host Dave Ramsey comes the secret to how he grew a multimillion dollar company from a card table in his living room.

Your company is only as strong as your leaders. These are the men and women doing battle daily beneath the banner that is your brand. Are they courageous or indecisive? Are they serving a motivated team or managing employees? Are they valued?

Your team will never grow beyond you, so here’s another question to consider. Are you growing? Whether you’re sitting at the CEO’s desk, the middle manager’s cubicle, or a card table in your living-room-based startup, EntreLeadership provides the practical, step-by-step guidance to grow your business where you want it to go. Dave opens up his championship playbook for business to show you how to:

• Inspire your team to take ownership and love what they do
• Unify your team and get rid of all gossip
• Handle money to set your business up for success
• Reach every goal you set
• And much, much more!

 

 
 

The success stories speak for themselves in this book from money maestro Dave Ramsey. Instead of promising the normal dose of quick fixes, Ramsey offers a bold, no-nonsense approach to money matters, providing not only the how-to but also a grounded and uplifting hope for getting out of debt and achieving total financial health.

Ramsey debunks the many myths of money (exposing the dangers of cash advance, rent-to-own, debt consolidation) and attacks the illusions and downright deceptions of the American dream, which

 

 
 

We know instinctively that we're heading for an eternity of something after death. But an eternity of what?

In this soul-stirring follow-up to his runaway bestsellers The Prayer of Jabez and Secrets of the Vine, Bruce Wilkinson leads you to some astonishing and entirely biblical answers about the hereafter.

He gives a fresh view of the eternal existence you're investing in right now -- showing why it's worth it to serve God with all your heart for all your life

 
 
 

We live in a reactionary culture where divisive issues arise, people on either side throw stones, and everyone ends up more entrenched in their opinions than in reaching common ground - or even exhibiting common courtesy! If there ever was a time for Christians to understand and communicate God's truth about controversial and polarizing issues, it is now. Believers must develop convictions based on research, reason, and biblical truth - and be able (and willing) to communicate these convictions with a love and respect that reflects God's own heart.

In Culture Shock, bestselling author, pastor, and radio personality Chip Ingram shows listeners how they can bring light rather than heat to the most controversial and divisive issues of our day. Covering topics such as right and wrong, sex, homosexuality, abortion, politics, and the environment, Culture Shock is every engaged believer's must-have guidebook to replacing reactionary hate with revolutionary love.


Parenting


 

Why Leave Your Child's Life to Chance
When You Can Give It to God?

Stormie Omartian and her husband, Michael, spent 20 years raising their children...and more than 40 years praying for them. Now, in 32 short, easy-to-read chapters, Stormie shares how you can pray through each stage of your child's life, from early childhood to adulthood. Learn how to put your child's life in God's loving hands in such areas as his or her

  • safety

  • walk with God

  • success in school

  • friends

  • family relationships

  • gifts and talents

It's never too late to discover the joy that comes from being a part of God's work in your child's life. You don't have to be a perfect parent. But you do need to be a praying parent. And you can do that.


 

What does it mean to be a man? Moreover, how do you as a father instill that reality in your son? By Raising a Modern-Day Knight.

The medieval custom of knighthood offers a unique approach to shaping a boy into a strong, godly man. Centuries ago, select boys went through a rigorous, years-long process of clearly defined objectives, goals, and ceremonies—with the hope of achieving knighthood. Along the way, they acquired a boldly masculine vision, an uncompromising code of conduct, and a noble cause in which to invest their lives. They were the heroes of their age.

In much the same way, Raising a Modern-Day Knight will show how you, too, can confidently guide your son to the kind of authentic, biblical manhood that can change out world. Complete with ceremony ideas to celebrate accomplishments and ingrain them in the mind of a knight-in-training, this resource is as insightful as it is practical in raising a boy to be a chivalrous, godly man.

 
 

From the bestselling author of Kingdom Man and Kingdom Woman, Raising Kingdom Kids equips parents to raise their children with a Kingdom perspective and also offers practical how-to advice on providing spiritual training as instructed in Scripture.

Dr. Tony Evans begins with an overarching look at the need for Kingdom parenting, our roles and responsibilities in raising God-following children, and how to prepare children to take on the assignments God has for their lives. He then takes a practical turn, with examples and illustrations to help parents understand and provide specific training for kids in the power of prayer, wisdom, loving God’s Word, getting through trials, controlling their tongues, developing patience, the surrender of service, and much more.

This book is for every dad or mom who wants to fulfill the parenting role God has given them―not just in raising healthy kids intellectually, physically, and socially, but in contributing to their child’s relationship with God and alignment under His plan.


Theology


 

Has the God who prepared the gospel for all people groups also prepared all people groups for the gospel?
Don Richardson, author of the bestselling book Peace Child, has studied cultures throughout the world and found startling evidence of belief in the one true God within hundreds of them. In Eternity in Their Hearts, Richardson gives fascinating, real-life examples of ways people groups have exhibited terms and concepts in their histories that have prepared them for the gospel. Read how Pachacuti, the Inca king who founded Machu Picchu, the majestic fortress in Peru, accomplished something far more significant than merely building fortresses, temples, or monuments. He sought, reached out, and found a God far greater than any popular "god" of his own culture. And there have been others throughout the world, like him, who lived to receive the blessing of the gospel.

Get ready to be amazed at these intriguing examples of how God uses redemptive analogies to bring all men to Himself, bearing out the truth from Ecclesiastes that God "has also set eternity in the hearts of men" (3:11).