I have often been asked: “What are your favorite books?”
I’m continually reading books from the softer side of Christian spirituality to the thick analytical works of NT scholarship. I’ll give you a list of my favorite “top ten” books from my entire library.
Furthermore, I’ll rate my favorites according to which books have impacted my thinking the most (i.e. turning points) on my journey. Many great works will be excluded. Perhaps in the future I will make another list.
I will not include the Bible in my list. Undoubtedly, growing up in the church, the Scripture has shaped me in ways I shall never know. So, if it concerns you that the Bible is not on my list, I like to remember that it shouldn’t be placed alongside other popular works of men anyway.
The following books are not in the order in which I read them; they are rated according to their greatest level of influence on my life.
- “The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ” by T. Austin-Sparks
- “Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church” by N.T. Wright
- “Resident Aliens” by Stanley Hauerwas
- “The Normal Christian Life” by Watchman Nee
- “Is God to Blame? Beyond Pat Answers to the Problem of Suffering” by Gregory Boyd
- “Pagan Christianity? Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices” by Frank Viola and George Barna
- “The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church” by Gregory Boyd
- “The Cost of Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- “The Secret of the Strength: What Would the Anabaptists Tell This Generation” by Peter Hoover
- “Created for Community: Connecting Christian Belief with Christian Living” by Stanley Grenz
What books have been most influential in your life?
The Centrality and Supremacy of Jesus Christ 
March 26th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
I read all of those books besides Grenz and Boyd. I think I’ll get them on Kindle. To add, “Irresistable Revolution” by Shane Claiborne and DEFINITELY “The Early Christians in their own Words” by Eberhardt Arnold
http://www.plough.com/ebooks/earlychristians.html
Of course, “The Harlot Church SYstem” by Charles Newbold and “Meetings in his Kingdom” by Mike Peters
And Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kewmpis
March 26th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Alright! Someone else that puts Nee and Bonhoeffer on the same list! Besides those two that you listed my favorites includes Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard, Mere Churchianity by Michael Spencer, What Would You Do? by John Howard Yoder, The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee and The Cry of the Soul by Dan Allender and Tremper Longman III
March 28th, 2011 at 1:02 am
#5 Woo!
Add “New Testament and the People of God” to that list ASAP! 🙂
March 28th, 2011 at 7:41 am
Hey Kurt, I agree. NTPG is essential reading for folks doing NT studies.
April 6th, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Not including the inerrant Left Behind Series and Your Best Life Now… 😉
1. Desiring God – John Piper
2. Celebration of Discipline – Richard Foster
3. Streams of Living Water – Foster
4. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God – J. I. Packer
5. On Guard – William Lane Craig
6. Reasonable Faith – Tim Keller
7. Family Driven Faith – Voddie Baucham
8. Reading the Bible for All Its Worth – Gordon Fee
9. Gospel and Spirit – Gordon Fee
10. Sacred Marriage – Gary Thomas
June 27th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Bonhoeffer-Discipleship
Willard-Divine Conspiracy
Ellul-Subversion of Christianity
Arnold-The early christians in their own words
Viola-Pagan Christianity
August 19th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
One thing by sam storms
The deeper christian life a. murray Praying the scriptures judson cornwall the tree of life witness lee experiencing the depths j. guyon the inward journey gene edwards The four loves by cs lewis
December 24th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
A late entry into this discussion:
Francis Schaeffer – The God Who is There, He Is There and He Is Not Silent.
Dallas Willard – Nearly all of his books.
Frank Viola
August 18th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
My list..
1. Bonehoeffer,Pastor,Martyr,Spy
2. The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
3. Heaven by Randy Alcorn
4. Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola
5. Biography of George Mueller
6. The Christian Manifesto by Francis Schaeffer
Not as long as yours,David! I imagine you have read quite a bite more than me.
August 18th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
Those look pretty good, Jan. Thanks for sharing!