Ministry: Preaching and Teaching
Jesus Driven Ministry Author A. Fernando
Dr. Ian Coffey in his preface to this wonderful book wrote:
“When it comes to leadership, what you are counts more than what you say. This is even more relevant when considering Christian Leadership, where strength and uprightness of character are the stock in trade.
Here is a book on leadership lifestyle that is rich in Scripture, soaked in experience and sprinkled with down-to-earth intelligence. Written by a leaser for other leaders – and those who aspire to leadership – it spells out what it means to live a life that others will want to follow.
Ajith Fernando has worked through these issues in his ministry in Sri Lanka, where he is Director of Youth for Christ. He has served the wider body of Christ in many parts of the world, teaching and seeking to live out these principles. Anyone who knows him will have one word to describe Ajith – integrity. According to the dictionary this conveys wholeness of being and soundness of character. His life tells you he is a man worth listening to.
There are books that help develop leadership skills and management techniques – and many of these are useful tools. But few address the vital question, ‘What does it mean to be a Christian leader? As I read the manuscript, I wrote some notes along the way. Some of the words I had scribbled were: real, practical, biblical, achievable, challenging, thought-provoking. Based on the model of Jesus’ ministry.”
If you can afford to buy one book on Christian Leadership – this would be it.
This is a must READ for anyone in any form of leadership. Based on Mark Chapter 1, it is outstanding.
A MINISTER EVERYONE WOULD RESPECT Author Charles Swindoll
The second letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians is his most autobiographical. From these pages we not only learn a great deal about the qualities of his ministry, we discover the man himself. And what a man he was … a minister everyone respected.
In his final six chapters of this letter, Paul unveils many things about his life that are mentioned nowhere else in Scripture. Among these are his convictions regarding financial generosity, the criticism he lived with and hardships he endured, his struggle with a ‘thorn in the flesh’, and even his tender affection for fellow Christians. We want to examine each one carefully. But more importantly, let’s commit ourselves to cultivating a similar philosophy of life, because such models are rare today!
A practical, devotional commentary on 2 Corinthians 8-13 and an excellent read for anyone wanting to become a pastor who people respect.
THE MASTER’S MEN Author John MacArthur
When Jesus called the 12 as His disciples, He gave us a remarkable pattern for our understanding of discipleship. Based on Matthew 10:1-4, this book, discusses elements of the call, the commissioning, the training and the impact of the 12.
If you have ever wondered who the 12 were, where were they from, how were they trained, this book will be a great help to you.
Leadership Lifestyle: Study of 1 Timothy Author A. Fernando
The church today needs leaders who are more than just managers of people, money, and organizational charts.
In our pursuit of growth and prosperity, we may have lost sight of clear biblical principles of how we should find and train leaders for the church and the world. From the timeless Book, the Bible, come timely answers! The author, Ajith Fernando, examines principles of leadership taught in the letters to Timothy from the Apostle Paul, the leader of leaders. The philosophies and principles drawn from the Bible, appliable to every generation, might surprise some people today.
The book has been published in 15 foreign languages. It is destined to be a trendsetter, a clear call to a return to the biblical perspective of leadership, which is not corporate management, but leadership drawn from the models of parenthood and servanthood.
If I had the means, I would purchase a copy of this book for every pastor and church leader in South Africa. It is brilliant and grounded in a verse-by-verse exposition of 1 Timothy. Go and buy a copy for yourself and your pastor … NOW …
The Strength of an Exacting Passion Author C. Swindoll
This is how Charles Swibdoll introduces his Commentary on (Acts 18-28)
We’re on the homestretch of our study in the book of Acts. In this third volume, we will learn of Paul’s passion to go to Rome and to appear before Emperor Nero that he might boldly testify of the claims of Jesus Christ. As the title of the guide indicates, Paul’s is an exacting passion. Nothing-absolutely nothing-will deter the Apostle of grace from his stated purpose. He is going to Rome!
A wonderful part of this final leg of our trip through Acts is the opportunity to read of Paul’s defense of the Gospel. Time after time in different settings and before various authorities, the man speaks openly of his faith. What a model! God still honours such courage.
My hope, as always, is that we will not only learn to think our way through the scenes of this ancient record but, equally important, to apply the truths we uncover to our world today. To help make that happen, let’s continue to look for practical ways to model the life of determined faith. What is your passion? What are you convinced God would have you accomplish? What is your “Rome”? May this concluding study in Acts set your heart ablaze in your commitment to Christ as Lord.
I loved reading this Biblical, easy-to-read, verse-by-verse exposition on Acts 18-28. It was magnificent. I love reading this type of book; it did “set my heart ablaze in my commitment to Jesus Christ”.
JESUS AND MONEY Author Ben Witherington
In the wake of a sobering recession, many Christians realize they need to rethink their approach to money. Here respected New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III explores what the Bible does – and doesn’t – say about money. He clearly and concisely examines what Jesus and his earliest followers taught about wealth and poverty, money, and debt, and tithing and sacrificial giving to help readers understand the proper role of money in modern Christian life. Along the way, he critiques the faith promise and heal-and-wealth approaches to these issues, showing what good stewardship of God’s possessions truly looks like. Everyone concerned about making sense of money in a world of economic uncertainty will value this book.
This is a MUST read for Christians today, it is urgently needed, solidly Biblical, readable, clear, and very challenging.
MINISTERING LIKE THE MASTER Author S. Olyott
Christ was not a boring preacher! How wonderful it would be, says Stuart Olyott in the introduction to this book, ‘if Christian preachers throughout the world were ministering like their Master!’ Drawing on example of Christ’s preaching from the Gospels, Olyott challenges preachers today with three features of their Master’s ministry. Christ’s style and method were not boring, but gripping. Christ’s preaching was evangelistic. Christ’s ministry was more than just preaching; His whole life was ministry. In a fresh, compelling, and practical way, Olyott guides preachers away from some of the perils and pitfalls that could hinder their success. In so doing, he shows us just how essential Christ’s example is to those who seek to minister in his name today.
I only wish I had read this book years ago!!! It is a marvellous guide on how to preach like Jesus preached –
- Never boring
- Evangelistic
- His ministry was more than just preaching
An absolute must for a preacher.
CHALLENGING WESTERN CHRISTIANS AND THEIR NEIGHBOURS Author Steven Pass
“This concise study searches for what is needed to awaken or strengthen the faltering missionary consciousness of Western Christians with regard to their own environment. In Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit, the whole missionary enterprise of God, the missio Dei, started and continues; by Him and His Holy Spirit it will also be accomplished and finished. All Christians are meant by Jesus to be participants in His mission. The apostles had to start at home, in Jerusalem, Judea, and Galilee. Consequently, for today’s Christians participation in the mission of Jesus expresses itself in their relationship with people next door, those who are not religious, and those who are of other religions and cultures. The mission field is in our direct vicinity, where we daily meet the people we may know.”
In a day when so few Christians and Bible Colleges have any missionary vision, this book is an excellent wake up call.
CRIES FROM THE CROSS Author Erwin Lutzer
Inside the pages of Cries from the Cross, Erwin Lutzer challenges each one of us to embrace the cross not just as our means of salvation, but as a way of living. You’ll discover that the part of the cross we refuse to carry is the part that makes us ineffective for the kingdom of God. The lighter the cross, the weaker our witness.
Cries from the Cross is written with the conviction that the better we grasp what the cross meant to Christ, the better we will understand what the cross should mean to us.
Lutzer takes us through each of the 7 sayings of Jesus on the cross and explains them beautifully.
McArthur says “this is not just compelling reading; this is divinely profound truth”.
BEYOND GREED Author Brian Rosner
Wow … wish I could get every Christian to read this book – it has a very powerful message for our materialistic age where money is everything.
‘Greed’ is not the most fashionable concept these days. It ranks with ‘guilt’ and ‘sin’ as words that many modern people have virtually stopped using.
According to Brian Rosner, greed is also a massive blind spot for Christians, which is surprising given how much the Bible has to say about it. He writes:
The most disturbing thing about the fact that greed is idolatry is that hardly anybody owns up to being a worshipper. Imagine the response of disbelief in the local church if it were revealed that the vast majority of its members were secretly worshipping other gods. Yet if our analysis of the religion of money is right, the unthinkable may not be so far from the truth.
Beyond Greed helps open our eyes to the problems, and then proposes a liberating lifestyle that trades in greed and materialism for something of far greater worth and satisfaction.
Read what the Bible says about money – contentment – and giving. This book, if you listen will change your lifestyle. Cheerfully give away what you have so that God may use you as an instrument of His generosity. Such a lifestyle is radical.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE APOSTLES Author Dr. John MacArthur
Put your faith to work. Ever since the days of the apostles Paul and James, who seemed to be in contradiction, Christians have struggled to define the proper tension between faith and works. Salvation, Paul stresses, is “not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). But James argues, “show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18).
In clear and compelling terms, best-selling author John MacArthur reconciles these two seemingly divergent threads of biblical truth, addressing the difficult questions head on:
- What is cheap grace?
- Have some Christians adopted a “no-lordship” theology?
- What must a person do to be considered righteous by God?
- Do your works have any effect on your salvation?
- “The Gospel According to the Apostles is the same gospel Jesus preached,” Pastor MacArthur says, “but it differs dramatically from the diluted message popular today … you’ll find this book an encouragement as you seek to put your own faith to work.”
This is a must read for anyone concerned about modern day evangelism with its cheap grace and easy believism. A follow up on “the Gospel according to Jesus”, it is MacArthur at his best.
PROVIDENCE Author John Piper
One of the very best presents I have ever been given.
From Genesis to Revelation, the providence of God directs the entire course of redemptive history.
Providence is “God’s purposeful sovereignty.” Its extent reaches down to the flight of electrons, up to the movements of galaxies, and into the heart of man. Its nature is wise and just and good. And its goal is the Christ-exalting glorification of God through the gladness of a redeemed people in a new world.
Drawing on a lifetime of theological reflection, biblical study, and practical ministry, pastor and author John Piper leads us on a stunning tour of the sightings of God’s providence – from Genesis to Revelation – to discover the all-encompassing reality of God’s purposeful sovereignty over all of creation and all of history. Piper invites us to experience the profound effects of knowing the God of all-pervasive providence: the intensifying of true worship, the solidifying of wavering conviction, the strengthening of embattled faith, the toughening of joyful courage, and the advance of God’s mission in this world.
800 pages of pure joy to read. Get yourself a copy and set aside lots of hours to read it – it will change your life – magnificent.
TOTAL FORGIVENESS Author R.T. Kendall
“Releasing the past to God was the initial step for me to find peace and the true motivation to forgive others.”
“My wife of nearly sixteen years got involved in an affair and asked me to move out. I took the book with me. I couldn’t ignore the message, and I forgive them over and over again.”
These are the words of just some of the people whose lives have been changed by reading and applying R.T Kendall’s Total Forgiveness.
In this revised and updated version of the best-selling book, Kendall teaches how you too can experience this incredibly freedom as he lovingly challenges you to root out the hidden and hardened places where resentments remain. As you read, you will be encouraged by the new testimonies of people whose lives were changed as they learned to forgive.
One of the core messages of the gospel is that of total forgiveness. Jesus forgives TOTALLY, AND He expects no less from us. Make the choice today and step into a new dimension of freedom and inner peace.
One of the most needed messages for today – a very challenging read, teaching us how to FORGIVE.
IF GOD IS GOOD Author Randy Alcorn
“Every one of us will experience suffering. Many of us are experiencing it now. As we have seen in recent years, evil is real in our world, present and close to each of us.
In such difficult times, suffering and evil beg questions about God – why would an all-good and all-powerful God create a world full of evil and suffering? And then, how can there be a God if suffering and evil exist?
These are ancient questions, but also modern ones as well. Atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and even former believers like Bart Ehrman answer the question simply. The existence of suffering and evil proves there is no God.
In this captivating new book, best-selling author Randy Alcorn challenges the logic of disbelief and brings a fresh, realistic, and thoroughly biblical perspective to the issued these important questions raise.
Alcorn offers insights from his conversions with men and women whose lives have been torn apart by suffering. And yet whose faith in God burns brighter than ever. He reveals the big picture of who God is and what God is doing in the world – now and forever. And he equips you to share your faith more clearly and genuinely in this world of pain and fear.
Randy Alcorn delves deep into a profound subject, and through compelling stories, provocative questions and answers, and keen biblical understanding, he brings assurance and hope to all.”
One of the very best books I have ever read on this subject, you will find it extremely helpful.
FUTURE GRACE Author John Piper
“Explore this stunning quality of God’s grace. It never ends!
In this revision of a foundational work, John Piper reveals how grace is not only God’s undeserved gift to us in the past, but also God’s power for us today, tomorrow, and forever.
True life for the follower of Jesus really is a moment-by-moment trust that God is dependable and fulfils His promises. This is living by faith in Future Grace, which provides God’s mercy, provision, and wisdom – everything we need – to accomplish His good plans for us.
In Future Grace, chapter by chapter-one for each day of the month-Piper reveals how cherishing the promises of God helps break the power of persistent sin issued like anxiety, despondency, greed, lust, bitterness, impatience, pride, misplaced shame, and more.
Ultimate joy, peace, and hope in life and death are found in a confident, continual awareness of the reality of future grace.”
Listen to what J.I Packer wrote on this magnificent book:
“Pastor Piper’s purpose in writing is to revitalize a decadent American Christianity that knows only cheap grace and cheap faith. Bible-soaked, God-intoxicated, deeply evangelical, and passionately humane, Piper fills the forgotten dimensions of faith-hope and contentment, stability and sanctity, prizing and praising God-with a master hand. This is a rich and wise book, one to treasure and reread.”
PRAYER Author Tim Keller
Prayer is central to Christian faith; indeed, as Timothy Keller notes in his introduction, it is the main way we experience deep change. Yet so many people struggle with prayer – a struggle that the author himself has shared. This wise and inspiring book is the fruit of those struggles, offering a real and glorious vision of what it can mean to seek God in prayer.
Kelly begins by giving a theological underpinning of what prayer actually is – both conversation and encounter with a personal God – before deciding how we can learn to pray, and then deepen that prayer. Finally, he gives detailed, practical suggestions on how to make prayer a part of the reality of daily life.
Without any doubt the best book I have ever read on prayer – you ought to do anything to get hold of it – absolutely brilliant.
HIDDEN CHRISTMAS Author Timothy Keller
Mangers, shepherds and angels – everyone thinks they’re familiar with the story of Christmas. But despite the abundance of these Christian references in popular culture, how many of us have examined the hard edges of this biblical story?
In Hidden Christmas Timothy Keller takes us on an illuminating journey into the surprising background of the Nativity. By understanding the message of hope and salvation within the Bible’s account of Jesus’ birth, we experience the redeeming power of God’s grace in a newly meaningful way.
A READER IN AFRICAN CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY Author John Parratt
Africa is one of the fastest growing centres of Christianity in the contemporary world. So, what are the key issues for Christians living in Africa today? The new edition of
A Reader in African Christian Theology offers an ideal, introductory resource for anyone wanting an authentic, up-to-date guide to African Christianity. The book has been fully revised and also substantially expanded to include three completely new chapters. There are three sections, looking first at different methods of doing theology, then specific issues of doctrine, and thirdly at wider, practical issues – such as healing, worship and social responsibilities. There are suggestions for further reading throughout the book.
An excellent, thought provoking book for anyone working in Africa.
GOD’S GOOD LIFE Author David Field
Ever feel tempted to covet your neighbour’s ox? Or make your maidservant took on the Sabbath?
Come off it! The Ten Commandments were meant for ancient Israelites, not for sophisticated westerners with a foot in the door of the twenty-first century!
Or were they?
When you finished reading this book you may well change your mind. Those ancient stone tablets have a great deal to say to us today after all! They are God’s way in to the truly good life.
This is an excellent, easy to read, explanation of the 10 commandments, and incredibly relevant teaching for our secular, materialistic world today where all absolutes have been thrown out.
HOW TO WALK INTO CHURCH Author Tony Paine
If you have been a churchgoer for more than just a few Sundays, walking into church probably seems like it doesn’t deserve its own “how to” manual. Right? In fact, it most likely seems like a pretty straightforward and trivial weekly activity.
But things are rarely as simple as they seem, and how you walk into church reveals a great deal about what you think church is, what it’s for, and what you think you are doing there.
In How to walk into Church, Tony Payne helps us think biblically about the church. Along with giving plenty of practical advice, he suggests a way to walk into church that beautifully expresses what church is and why you are there – a way that every Christian can master, If you go to church, this Brief Book is for you.
What a relevant book for today. Read it and pass it on to your friends. It helps us to think Biblically about church.
FRESH AIR IN THE PULPIT Author Stuart Briscoe
Even if a pastor’s love has not grown cold, enthusiasm may be ground thin by problems, people, pressure and the challenge of coming up with messages that capture attention in a media-saturated culture.
With sparkling humour, master preacher D. Stuart Briscoe introduces the triplet pressures of agitators, intimidators and adulators. He shares how to reinvigorate power, care, and faithfulness in ministry and how to survive the unexpected when it comes into a preacher’s life and worship services. The author’s primary purpose is to cultivate “a heart for the people of God, a desire for the glory of God, a hunger for the Word of God, a dependence on the Spirit of God, a love for the Son of God, and a burden for those without the knowledge of God.”
For over twenty years, D. Stuart Briscoe has pastured Elmbrook Church in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield. A native of England, he left a successful career in banking to enter ministry with Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers before coming to North America. He has written numerous books, including the Stuart Briscoe Expository Outlines series.
I found this book extremely helpful, full of wonderful quotations…how to stay fresh in the pulpit after 44 years of preaching my heart out … was a brilliant read.
ERASING HELL Author F. Chan and P. Sprinkle
How could a loving God send people to hell?
Will people have a chance after they die to believe in Jesus and go to heaven?
With a humble respect for God’s Word, Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle address the deepest questions you have about eternal destiny. They have asked the same questions. Like you, sometimes they just don’t want to believe in hell. But, as thy write; “We cannot afford to be wrong on this issue.”
This is not a book about who is saying what, it’s a book about what God says. It is not a book about impersonal theological issues. It is not a book about the people God loves. It is not a book about arguments, doctrine, or being right. It’s a book about the character of God.
Erasing Hell will immerse you in the truth of Scripture as, together with the authors, you find not only the truth but the courage to live it out.
In our day where you never hear sermons on HELL this is a critical book for today.
LEADING WITH LOVE Author Alexander Strauch
This book provides church leaders and teachers a clear understanding of what the Bible teaches above love. This understanding is essential to you as an individual leader and to the church as a whole. It will
Significantly improve your relational skills
Enhance your effectiveness in ministry
Diminish senseless conflict and division
Build a healthier church
Promote evangelism
If you lead or teach people – whether as a Sunday School teacher, youth worker, women’s or men’s ministry leader, Bible study leader, administrator, music director, elder, deacon, pastor, missionary, or evangelist – this book will help you become a more loving leader or teacher.
Read it and buy one for your pastor … how we desperately need loving leaders today.
WHY CHURCHES DIE Author Hollis Green
Dr. Green says,
“While churches sicken and die, 3 billion have not yet heard effectively the name of Jesus Christ, whole denominations spend almost all their resources on secondary issues (life buildings, staff, worrying about numbers), rather than discipling men and women.
Wasting no time on superficial considerations he identifies the 35 reasons why churches die and proposes remedial action for each.
Listen to how he concludes:
A growing church has a missionary congregation and accepts the concept of total mobilization and active ministering for the whole group. It has a witnessing congregation. The entire group becomes a missionary society. Together all members form a special kind of community of holy and priestly people who belong to God and exist primarily for broadcasting the excellencies of His Name and His mighty works among men.
When this happens, the pastor becomes teacher, leader and fellow labourer in the vineyard. Everyone in the congregation becomes a minister. The gifts of preaching and teaching are used to create a new image of a ministering congregation.
One of the most challenging books I have read in years.
THE WAY OF THE DRAGON OR THE WAY OF THE LAMB Author J. Goggin and K. Strobel
Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel believe that Christians today have fallen prey to the seductions of worldly power. Rather than following the path of kingdom power embodied by Jesus, too many believers chase relevance and influence. Join Goggin and Strobel as they travel the world to gather wisdom from great sages of the faith – J.I. Packer, Dallas Willard, Marva Dawn, John Perkins, Jean Vanier, James Houston, and Eugene Peterson – and discover how to walk in the way of Jesus in a world that rejects it.
First the way of the dragon …
The pastor uses the church as a platform for personal fame, fortune, and influence – money, popularity, and building numbers are the priority.
The pastor views ministry as an arena of performance, where some win and some lose.The pastor uses the people of the church as tools to accomplish their big dreams.
The pastor relegates prayer and care, the heart of pastoral work, to “lower-level” staff because they don’t have time to waste.
The pastor views other pastors primarily as competition.
Second, the way of the Lamb …
The pastor gives their life for the sake of the church, regardless of what they gain.
The pastor views ministry as an arena of love and service, not to winning and losing.
The pastor embraces their congregation as people to know and love, not tools to use for other ends.
The pastor views prayer and care as the centerpiece of their work, rather than an interruption.
The pastor views other pastors not as competition, but as fellow shepherds on the journey, whom they need for encouragement and wisdom, and who they are called to encourage and love.
Wow … what a challenging book … especially for today … read it and buy one for your pastor.
THE BIBLE JESUS READ – Author Philip Yancey
Probing some carefully selected Old Testament books – Job, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Prophets – Yancey reveals how the Old Testament deals in astonishing depth and detail with the issues that trouble us most. The Old Testament in fact tackles what the New Testament often only skirts. But that shouldn’t surprise us. It is, after all, the Bible Jesus read.
The Bible Jesus Read will give you abundant new insights into the heart of God the Father. And as you read with a fresh eye the prayers, poems, songs, and bedtime stories that Jesus so revered, you will gain a profound new understanding of Christ. “The more we comprehend the Old Testament,” Yancey writes, “the more we comprehend Jesus.”
What a great book for today – a must read which will give us a deeper love for the Old Testament.
THE INSANITY OF OBEDIENCE Author Nik Ripken
All Christian disciples have one thing in common: as they carry the gospel across the ocean and across the street, persecutions will become the norm for those who choose to follow Jesus. How believers respond in the face of persecution reveals everything about their level of faith and obedience.
The Insanity of Obedience is a bold challenge to global discipleship. Nik Ripen exposes the danger of safe Christianity and calls readers to something greater. The Insanity of Obedience challenges Christians in the same, provocative way that Jesus did. This book dares you – and prepares you – to cross the street and the oceans with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Some of Jesus’ instructions sound uncomfortable and are potentially dangerous. We may be initially encouraged by His declaration, “I am sending you out.” But how are we to respond when He then tells us that He is sending us out “like sheep among wolves.”
In light of the word of Jesus, how can modern-day believers rest comfortably in the status quo? How can we embrace casual faith in light of the radical commands of Jesus which are anything but casual? Ripen brings decades of ministry experience in some of the most persecuted areas of the world to bear on our understanding of faith in Jesus. The Insanity of Obedience is a call to roll up your sleeves … and to follow and partner with Jesus in the toughest place on this planet.
One of the most challenging books I have read in a long time – read it and follow Jesus as He dares us to cross the street and the oceans with the Gospel.
THE PRODIGAL PROPHET Author Tim Keller
Pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller reveals the hidden depths within the book of Jonah. He uncovers the urgent, moving and provocative message within the book of Jonah and at the heart of the Christian faith.
We all think we know the story of Jonah: a rebellious prophet defies God and is swallowed by a whale. Less familiar is the second-half of what many consider to be a children’s tale: what happens after Jonah is released from the belly of the fish. Yet it is in the second half of this Old Testament story that is one of the most powerful and important lessons of the Bible is hidden.
Jonah’s story shows how, if we understand the mercy of God, it will always take us in directions we would rather not go, towards people we would rather not care about, and ultimately into the deepest counsels of God. In a time of growing divisions, The Prodigal Prophet shows us God’s love for people, and how Christians must listen to God’s call – even when it takes them to uncomfortable places.
DEFENCE OF BIBLICAL INFALLIBILITY Author C H Pinnock
What a brilliant and extremely relevant book for us today. At the start he gives as the main points we should hold to.
“The Bible in its entirety God’s written Word to man, free of error in its original autography, wholly reliable in history and doctrine. Its divine inspiration has rendered the Bible:
- Infallible (incapable of teaching deception)
- Inerrant (not liable to prove false or mistaken)
- Inspired (is plenary extending to all parts alike is verbal (including the actual language form).
- Confluent (product of 2 agents, human and divine)
Inspiration involves infallibility as an eppential property and infallibility implies inerrancy. This three-fold designation of Scripture is implicit in the basic thesis of Biblical authority.
He shows as brilliantly how the words which are written in the Bible are the words of God Himself. In today’s world where many doubt the Bible and question its authority, this booklet is a MUST.
READING THE BIBLE Author Geoffrey Thomas
Here is a very brief book, easy to read, on the most important subject for a Christian. Jesus exhorts us in John 5:39 “search the Scriptures”. He wants us to ransack the Word of God, to pore over it, to subject it to every kind of analysis, to grasp its every shade of meaning. We are to be obsessed with a desire to understand it. But how …. this book will show you how to read the Bible and it ends with a copy of Robert Murray McCheyne’s calendar whereby we can read through the Bible in one year.
PREACHING TO THE HEART Author Jay Adams
In this helpful booklet, Jay Adams focuses on what it means to preach to the heart and how urgently we need such preaching today. Beginning with a spiritual meaning “heart”, Jay Adams shows that preaching must flow from a heart of godly devotion in order to pierce the hearts of its listeners, spirit empowered, Biblical preaching strikes squarely at the heart and it elicits a response. No hearer can remain apathetic, he must respond. To speak of preaching to the past, is to speak a preaching that brings a definite response, it is preaching that evokes words and action from the listener.
Sadly today, in many biblical churches, preaching is merely moral platitudes. In many evangelical churches preaching is merely “cutting it straight” and now we desperately need, Spirit empowered, Biblically-based preaching to the heart.
Read this booklet, and buy one for your pastor.
HOPE IN THE DARK Author Craig Groeschel
Have you ever found yourself in a difficult time and felt like you had no one to turn to, no answers, and no help? You may even start to wonder if the God you have always trusted is even there. And if he is, does he care about you, about what you are enduring?
With real-life compassion, Pastor Craig Groeschel offers you Hope in the Dark, a book that reveals experiences of everyday people, who have felt alone, as well as the little-known biblical story of Habakkuk and how he struggled with trust and doubt. Through these stories and insights, you will discover how God can meet you even in life’s most difficult moments. You will find how you really can know and discover a good and loving God, but the key is in wrestling with the pain, struggling through doubts, and even living with unanswered questions. Hope in the Dark shows you how.
IN HIS OWN PARISH Author K. Child
(On Pastoral Care and House Visitation)
It was once said by William Temple
“A house-going minister makes a church-going people”
Kenneth Child, a pastor of many years experience, writes this short but very helpful book encouraging pastors not just to preach but to follow up by visiting his people. Visit, he says, as prophets, as servants, as listeners and show the love of Jesus to your congregation.
A book which will challenge every pastor in a day when very little visitation is carried out.
THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Author H. Lockyer
Over the Easter period during lockdown, I read through this book each day. It goes through the seven days of Jesus’ passion from the Sunday up to His resurrection the following Sunday. Herbert Lockyer, the well-known preacher and author said this:
“hat same awe as through these meditations you will walk with Jesus from Bethany over the dusty road into Jerusalem, on to the garden of prayer in Gethsemane, into Pilates judgement hell, up to Calvary and finally into the glorious triumph of that resurrection morning.
As Isaac Watts wrote:
“Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all”
A beautiful book with also some wonderful sermon outlines. It really set my heart on fire over the Easter period.
PREACH Author Mark Dever and Greg Gilbert
Pastor and ministry leader Mark Dever is known for his efforts to build biblically faithful churches. One practical distinctive of that work is to emphasize the centrality of expositional preaching-sermons purposefully rooted in a specific Bible text.
In Preach, Dever and his former student Greg Gilbert explain how God exercises divine power through the Word, making it the basis of any relationship we have with Him. The authors give practical advice on how pastors can decide what texts to preach on, how to prepare and outline their sermons, and how to deliver and review those presentations.
Also included are transcripts of past sermons from Dever and Gilbert, augmented by insightful discussions about how each sermon was planned and whether or not is implementation was effective.
A book every pastor should immerse himself in.
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JESUS THE MESSIAH Author Robert Stein
In a time when we have one critic after another hailing a newly discovered revolutionary Jesus, pacifist Jesus, unknowable Jesus or various other Jesuses made after our own modern likeness. It is refreshing to read a book that presents and explains the biblical Jesus. In this book, not only does Stein give us the Jesus of Scripture and explain his ministry, he also interacts with a variety of critics concerning the details of His life. Jesus the Messiah will become a standard for evangelicals for years to come.
So if you are looking for a brilliant book on the life of Christ, this is it – buy it and get one for your Pastor.
2 CORINTHIANS Author Kent Hughes
This brilliant exposition of 2 Corinthians is part of the PREACHING THE WORD series.
R.C. Lucas said of this series:
“Here sound out the voice not of the scholar in the study, but of the scholar in the pulpit.”
Timothy George said:
“The single best resources for faithful Biblical exposition available today.”
I love books like this – 30 expository sermons on 2 Corinthians. It was fantastic and both a real blessing to me personally and a challenge to my ministry. Buy a copy, read it and get one for your pastor.
AUTHENTIC SPIRITUALITY Author Barry Callen
“Barry L. Cullen has placed us in his debit by this fresh treatment that clarifies the subject and illumines the path to the experience to which we are summoned in the New Testament. Here is a timely and helpful manual on the truly Christian experience of God in Christ through the Spirit.”
Dr. Wesley Tracey said this of the book:
“Insightfully, Dr. Callen has drawn from the best of Christian thinkers and saints from every Christian century in presenting the framework of Christian spirituality. His organizing principle, founded on the Bible, the Apostle’s Creed, and the Christian tradition, presents a safe home for believers lost in the post-modern swirl of anything-goes pluralistic spirituality.”
GENESIS TO JESUS Author Dave Burke
Sadly, to many the Old Testament is boring. Great long pagefulls of hard to understand laws or poetry or worse – lists of names. But when someone begins to show you around, it is as if the pages of a tour guide suddenly come alive. Things begin to happen, static figures start speaking to today, and events take on a whole new meaning.
With interesting chars and useful maps, this book makes the Old Testament come alive. You will find it a huge help and get your pastor a copy.
EXPOSITORY EXULTATION Author John Piper
This is one of the finest books on PREACHING I have ever read. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson said this after reading the book.
“Expository exultation is a stunning utterance, a leave-you-still wanting more kind of book – it is simply a MUST read for every preacher of the Gospel.”
If you are a preacher go out now and buy this book and one for your pastor – it will set you and your church on fire.
HARD TO BELIEVE Author John MacArthur
Wow … here is MacArthur as his best.
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
Deny yourself? Take up a cross? Who wants to do that?
Yet that’s what Jesus requires of you, me, and everyone else who would follow Him. The message of some “Christian” rock concerts, rallies, youth events, and seeker-sensitive services – Jesus loves you! Jesus is great! – advances the thought that being a Christian is lots of fun. The message promotes an easy believism that only scratches the surface in explaining the all-encompassing power and authority of Christ, the sacrifice required to follow Him, and the reward of eternal life that results.
In this book, pastor, teacher, and best-selling author John MacArthur will make you face gospel reality – what it really means to be committed to Jesus Christ, and not a cheap imitation of the Christian life. And in addition to his incisive observations and exhaustive biblical proofs, Dr. MacArthur shares personal reflections and life lessons from more than forty years in Christian ministry that offer a rate glimpse into his own spiritual challenges and triumphs.
If only I could give this book out to the many Churches, I visit across Africa. It touches on the very important issue of what it will cost you to follow Jesus. A MUST read.
COMING HOME Edited by D.A. Carson
Do Christians overemphasise the hope of the future to the neglect of needs in the present?
Are discussions about the end times important so long as we all “get to heaven” in the end?
In Coming Home, a team of eight leading Bible teachers offers us a vision of the new heaven and new earth that does not just impact our view of the future – it also has the potential to change how we live today. These eight essays will stir up within us a longing for our future home as we eagerly await Jesus’ glorious return.
NEVER BEYOND HOPE Author J.I. Packer
From the life and death of Samson to Peter’s denial of Jesus, the Bible is filled with people who wanted to serve God but frequently failed. And yet God still worked through them for His purposes and glory. Through God’s power, their points of weakness even became their greatest strengths and how God works despite our mistakes.
Let this book help you discover that God’s vision for your life may be far bigger than what you can see right now. Though we may be far from perfect, remember that in God’s eyes we are never beyond hope.
A very encouraging book ….
WHY JESUS? Author Ravi Zecharias
We are facing one of the greatest crises in the history of religion. Truth is being cast aside in the name of tolerance and cultural relativism, all under the guise of a New Spirituality. Having become accustomed to abundance and the bliss of multiple choices, we now have a spiritual supermarket before us from which we may select whatever form of spirituality we desire. But tragically, we often choose without knowing how to make a distinction between truth and falsehood.
In this brilliant and compelling critique of the dangers of the New Spirituality, Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias applied some vigorous therapy to counter this assault on rational though and shows why the uniqueness of Jesus matters.
Contemporary Christians and the spiritually interested in particular need to know why the New Spirituality ideas, presented by such popular celebrities as Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra, attract, and how Jesus alone provides a guide through this perplexing welter of beliefs, lifestyles and aspirations.
One of the most urgent books for today ….. we need to recapture the uniqueness of Jesus.
IS GOD REALLY IN CONTROL? Author Jerry Bridges
Whether it is a devastating natural disaster half a world away or a tragic accident involving a beloved family member, we all face troubles, trials, and tragedies every day. How will we respond? When terrorists strike or storms hit or relationships break down, we all search for the same answers. Why? Where is God in all of this? Is God really in control?
Best-selling author Jerry Bridges, one of the most trusted Christian writers of our time, helps you wrestle with these questions in the clear light of the Scriptures. As a result, you can learn to understand and trust God’s wisdom, love and sovereignty in the midst of the little disappointments and the big tragedies. And you can experience comfort and hope by exploring the greater purposes of an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving God.
Philip Ryken said this:
“Is God really in control will comfort those who mourn and help hurting people understand the ways of God.”
This really is a must read!!!
MINISTRIES OF MERCY Author Timothy Keller
“Ministries of Mercy” is brilliant, the best I have ever read on this subject. It is soundly Biblical, down to earth; spelling out in specific details, every phase of what Keller calls the ministry of mercy.
Like the wounded man on the Jericho Road, there are needy people in our path – the widow next door, the family drowning in debt, the homeless … God calls us to be ministers of mercy to people in need of food, shelter, assistance, medical care, or just friendship. Keller demonstrates that caring for needy people is the job of every believer. But he does not stop there – he shows us how we can carry out this vital ministry as individuals, families and as churches.
This book was a huge challenge to me – it rocked me to the core!
A FEW GOOD MEN Author R. Coekin
Rugged sportsmen, smooth film stars and wild rock musicians all compete for our admiration. But are these men the role models that we should aspire to follow? In the Bible, men faced the same struggles that we wrestle with today. Through dramatic retelling of their stories, and careful thinking about the meaning of their lives in Scripture, this book will help all men to enter their world to discover how we can better live in ours, and a deeper understanding of these men from the Bible, their triumphs and failure will inspire us to follow the greatest man – the ultimate man, Jesus Christ.
THE PRODIGAL GOD Author Timothy Keller
In this wonderful book, Keller uses the story of the prodigal son to shine light on the central, beautiful message of Jesus, the Gospel of grace, hope and salvation. He argues that the parable of the prodigal son, while Jesus best-known parable, is also his least understood. He introduces the reader to all the characters in this timeless story, showing that it concerns not just a wayward son, but also a judgemental older brother and most importantly, a loving Father.
BROADCAST TALKS Author C.S. Lewis
These are some of the RADIO talks, which C.S. Lewis gave to England over the B.B.C. during the Second World War, and they had an enormous response:
“These two series of Broadcast talks endeavour to state in the simplest terms the unexpurgated case for Christianity. The first series deals with Right and Wrong, because the author thinks that a religion which demands repentance and promises forgiveness can have no meaning except for people who have seen that there is a real Right and that we have not done it. The second series attempts to state the essentials of belief which have been shared by all churches at all periods. These talks have been already criticized for their bluntness; but either Christianity is a fable or it is a matter of life and death, and in that case “appeasement” will not help us.”
The church used to be a lightning bolt, now it’s a cruise ship. We are not marching to Zion – we are sailing there with ease. In the apostolic church it says they were all amazed – and now in our churches everybody wants to be amused. The church began in the upper room with a bunch of men agonizing, and it’s ending in the supper room with a bunch of people organizing. We mistake rattle for revival, and commotion for creation, and action for unction. Leonard Ravenhill
Could a mariner sit idle if he heard the drowning cry? Could a doctor sit in comfort and just let his patients die? Could a fireman sit idle, let men burn and give no hand? Can you sit at ease in Zion with the world around you damned?
RADICAL: TAKING BACK YOUR FAITH FROM THE AMERICAN DREAM Author David Platt
This book will leave anyone who sincerely engages with his challenge: dissatisfied and faced with a decision: What will authentic faith look like in my life? This book has the potential to revitalize churches today to practice a radical, biblical lifestyle that can transform society and reach a lost world.
HEAVEN – A PLACE, A CITY AND A HOME Author E.M. Bounds
Today when so many hardly think about Heaven, this book is a welcome voice of certainty re-echoing the historic Christian conviction that Heaven is a real place, the eternal home of the saints. A pulsating, contagious spirituality throbs on every place. This study surveys virtually all the Scriptures that speak of Heaven and clarifies their teaching.
What a great book – I am so looking forward to going home.
TRANSGENDER Author Vaughan Roberts
How should Christians think about sex and transgender in a world that celebrates our so-called freedom to choose? With care and compassion, Vaughan Roberts surveys the Christian worldview and seeks to apply the fundamentals of Christian thought to the complex transgender questions of our day. A very relevant book for today.
THINKING, LOVING, DOING Author John Piper
Another great book by my favourite author. Here is a call to holistic Christianity. A challenge to be thinkers, engaged and serious about knowing God. And to be feelers, pulsing with passion for Jesus and His Gospel. And to be doers, endeavouring great acts of love for others. Jesus Himself shows us that holistic Christianity is comprised of mind, heart and hands. And He shows us that the Christian life is multi-dimensional – irreducibly thinking, loving and doing.
BEATING MEDIOCRITY (6 HABITS OF THE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN) Author J.M. Guest
John Guest offers six practical steps to add vitality to your Christian walk and stimulate spiritual growth. The chapters deal with the following:
- Study the Bible
- Cultivate prayer
- Worship God
- Share your faith
- Enjoy fellowship
- Practice giving
This book is for Christians who want to EXCEL for Jesus Christ.
JESUS – THE KING Author Timothy Keller
Jesus, the most influential man to ever walk on earth has had His story told in 100’s of different ways. Can any more be said?
Now Timothy Keller, the man Newsweek called “the C.S. Lewis of the 21st century” unloads new insights into the life of Jesus Christ as he explores how Jesus came as a king. JESUS THE KING is Keller’s revelatory look at the life of Christ as told in the Gospel of Mark.
I love books like this and urge you to go out and buy it – it is brilliant.
THE HITCH-HIKERS GUIDE TO HEAVEN Author John Blanchard
I only wish I had read this book earlier … it is brilliant. John Blanchard provides us with something far better than speculations or personal experiences – a crystal clear, vibrant, biblical, Christ-centred, and at times quite beautiful, explanation of what HEAVEN is and how to get there. This book will make you long for heaven when the invisible becomes visible, the unknowable knowable and the unimaginable a reality.
This book is saturated with Scripture, studded with brilliant quotations, and written with simplicity and clarity. Let Blanchard lead you by the hand and give you a view of what John Bunyan calls the Celestial City.
If you have not read this book – go and buy it.
THE MEN, THE MEANING, THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOKS – Author William Barclay
In twenty two short chapters, William Barclay takes a quick but comprehensive look at each of the New Testament books. His aim is to encourage us to read again the New Testament, to understand the background and content of each book better.
I found it to be so helpful and would encourage you to get a copy and improve your knowledge of the New Testament.
RIGHT THINKING IN A WORLD GONE WRONG Author John Macarthur
One of the greatest challenges facing Christians today is the powerful influence of secular thinking. From all directions, we are fed a constant barrage of persuasive, yet unbiblical worldviews. The leadership team at Grace Community Church under John Macarthur provides us with much needed discernment and clarity on many issues facing us today:
- The cult of celebrity
- Homosexual marriage
- Euthanasia
- Environmentalism
- Abortion
- The problems of evil
Macarthur says the Bible alone offers us sanity, clarity and hope.
Another fantastic, Biblical book from Macarthur.
MONEY, POSSESSIONS AND ETERNITY Author Randy Alcorn
This book is a MUST read for every Christian today. It is time to rethink our perspectives on money and possessions. Alcorn gives us a Biblical and comprehensive view of money and possessions, including the following.
- Why is money so important to God
- How can we be liberated from materialism
- What should we do about debt
- How much does God want us to give
- What about investing, insurance, savings, retirement planning
- How can we leave on our children a true heritage
- Church buildings
He says, “What you do with your resources in this life is your autobiography.”
Get a copy, buy one for your partner … it is brilliant but it will change your life!!!
OUR LORD PRAYS FOR HIS OWN Author Marcus Rainsford
Marcus Rainford has done the most amazing work in explaining Jesus’ prayer in John 17. In this prayer, we have the most precious document ever transmitted to the children of God. The veil of heaven’s sanctuary is raised disclosing the matchless Son of God pleading with His Father in behalf of His own.
We come away after reading this book feeling as Moses must have felt that day when beside the burning bush he heard God speak of that place as “holy ground”.
You will find this book will cause your heart to overflow anew in love, in adoration and in gratitude to your Saviour who on His way to the Cross, thought of you rather than Himself and presented your case so completely and satisfyingly to His Farther in heaven.
A real classic
A CALL TO SPIRITUAL REFORMATION Author D.A. Carson
God does not demand hectic church programmes and frenetic schedules, He only wants His people to know Him more intimately, says D.A. Carson. The apostle Paul found that spiritual closeness in his own fellowship with the Father.
This fantastic book looks at all Paul’s prayers in the Epistles and draws out many lessons for us today. This book provides a pointed argument that the greatest need for churches today is not education, evangelism, or programmes, but a deeper knowledge of God leading to prayer.
An absolute must read for anyone wanting a deeper walk with God.
GOD – THAT’S NOT FAIR Author Dick Dowsett
This brilliant book addresses the subject of HELL sympathetically yet honestly. Through a series of letters to a young Christian it addresses all the common issues surrounding death and hell including the justice of God, whether sincerity is enough, and the validity of other faiths.
The author then urges Christians to take seriously their responsibility to share the Gospel with those who have not heard. He says:
“if you believe in the fire, then you cannot regard mission as a casual option or an occasional hobby – it is the No. 1 PRIORITY”
FOOL’S GOLD Author John MacArthur
In an age of open-mindedness, many Christians accept too much with too little discernment, resulting in great confusion and compromise. But the Bible makes it clear that not everything that glitters is gold. False teaching is all around us and the temptation to embrace it is great.
MacArthur in this uncompromising book defines the principles of biblical discernment and then uses them to address several contemporary issues.
This book will equip you with a foundation for biblical discernment that will enable you to make careful distinctions in your thinking about truth.
ALIVE TO GOD Edited by J.I. Packer and Loren Wilkinson
If in an earlier generation people sometimes were said to be so heavenly-minded that they were no earthly good, in our day the very opposite is more apt to be the case, said Carl Henry. At the same time, the hunger for SPIRITUAL VITALITY is growing.
What therefore, is the nature of spiritual experience? This is the task of over 20 scholars from Regent College in Canada. After dealing with Biblical and exegetical issues, they take up theological and historical concerns, closing with integrative approaches … all studies in SPIRITUALITY. Some of the writers are John Stott, J.I. Packer, Gordon Fee, Carl Henry, and Carl Armstrong.
Here is a book for those who seek to expand their view of the landscape of SPIRITUALITY.
WHY BELIEVE THE BIBLE Author John MacArthur
Friend this book is a MUST read. In our culture in which all truth is relative and there are no absolutes, what does it mean to trust in God’s Word? In this great book, MacArthur examines the issues of the authority, inspiration, infallibility, and trustworthiness of the Bible.
This book also includes a Bible reading plan together with helpful tools and resources for studying the Bible.
A must read for all believers, this book will give you confidence in the power of God’s Word to transform your life … and show you that the Bible does make a difference.
DISCOVERING THE MISSIONARY HIDDEN IN YOUR CHURCH Edited by Dr. Bonner
This very practical book will answer the questions many Christians have about supporting missions.
- Where do missionaries come from
- What special gifts do I need to be a missionary
- How can our Church support a missionary
- How can we become more missionary minded
Plus lots of information on
- Recruiting and training missionaries
- Health, finances, crisis information
An essential book for any Church serious about supporting the work of missionaries.
ISLAM Author Bassam Chedid
The sub title is “What every Christian should know”. Today the Church is facing many challenges including religious pluralism and relativism, but one of the greatest challenges comes from Islam, and yet as Christians we know very little about what it teaches.
For this reason, this book is a MUST read for every Christian. The author writes from an evangelical perspective and he combines his first-hand knowledge of Islam culture and practice with a thorough Biblical and theological response.
ULTIMATE ISSUES Author R.C. Sproul
What a brilliant book for today!!! In this short book, Sproul deals with four issues we face today:
- Different world views
- The God who is there
- His Word is truth
- Christ is the only way
There are four questions we are being continually asked today – so get this book and buy one for a friend who is not sure of these four issues.
THE SHADOW OF AN AGONY Author Oswald Chambers
Walter Armstrong said of this book:
“I soon found I had made a real discovery. This little book was a truly great book; its author a truly great man. Since then I have read and pondered every publication by the Rev. Oswald Chambers and am grateful for the intellectual stimulus and spiritual awakening that he come to me from his writings.”
This book is the work of a great brain and a great heart. It does not shirk the problems of life, but looks them straight in the face. Over against the tragedy of sin and suffering it brings us to the tragedy of the Cross of Christ.
THEY CALL ME PASTOR Author H.B. London
“There is no higher privilege than being a pastor,” writes H.B. London. These words celebrate the uniquely deep bond between a pastor and his congregation – and the unsurpassed rewards of a lifelong commitment to serving out Lord.
Howard Hendriks wrote:
“the authors of “They Call Me Pastor” encourage pastors to rejoice in their calling and to remember always the high privilege of loving the people God has placed in their care.”
A wonderful book for a pastor!!! Buy one and give it to your pastor.
BLOODLINES Author John Piper
Piper has given us a brilliant book on the matter of RACE, addressing the issue with personal sensitivity and practical advice. Sharing from his own experiences growing up in the segregated South, he thoughtfully explores the unremitting problem of RACISM. Instead of turning finally to organizations, education, famous personalities to address racial tension, Piper reveals the definitive source of hope – teaching how the Good News about Jesus Christ actively undermines the sins that feed racial strife, and leads to a many coloured and many cultured Kingdom of God.
This is a must read for all Christians today.
GOD’S REMARKABLE PLAN Author D.L. Miller
God’s redemptive plan is the central theme of the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. While this plan begins with individuals it is more comprehensive – more wonderful – than this. God’s redemptive interest extends to the healing and transformation of entire nations and cultures, under cutting injustice, poverty and corruption and encompassing every sphere of society.
This book consists of 6 Bible Study outlines helping us to regain a comprehensive understanding of God’s remarkable plan for the nations, a plan that touches each of our lives.
SLAVE Author John MacArthur
As followers of Jesus, we call ourselves Christians. But the fact is this world appears only 3 times in the N.T. So, the Bible uses a host of other terms to identify the followers of Jesus – children of God, citizens of heaven, lights of the world, members of His body, sheep in His flock …. But there is ONE word used more frequently than any of these …. SLAVE ….
Truth be known, the Gospel is not simply an invitation to become Christ’s friend, associate in the battle, companion on the journey. The Bible includes an unmistakable mandate to become His slave; this is what it means to be a Christian.
This book is a MUST read … sell your bed if necessary but get a copy and read it twice.
A TALE OF TWO SONS Author John MacArthur
Nearly 2000 years ago, Jesus told a simple parable about a family … a father, and his 2 sons. It was a story of rebellion, repentance and unfathomable grace. The parable of the prodigal son still stands out as a crucial lesson about our struggle with sin and dependence on divine salvation. But there is a part of this of this well-known story that often goes untold. It is a message you need to hear.
This powerful book provides fascinating new insights into one of the Bibles’ most important stories.
ONE PERFECT LIFE Author John MacArthur
In this book, Dr. MacArthur presents a one-of-a-kind composite harmony of the N.T. Gospels, blending the Biblical material about the Lord Jesus into a simple continuous narrative that will help you better understand the Scriptures and grow stronger in the faith. Prophetic passages from the O.T. and pertinent texts from the N.T. Epistles are also incorporated into the story, revealing an unforgettable and glorious portrait of Christ from Genesis to Revelation.
We therefore write in thankfulness that John MacArthur, in the very words of the Bible, has given us a harmonized life of Christ. Here is MacArthur at his best – clear, concise, penetrating, profound and most of all thoroughly Christ centred.
THE LIFE GOD BLESSES Author Gordon MacDonald
In this book, Gordon MacDonald asks if you are prepared to weather the storms of life, or if you are more concerned with outward appearances than with what lies beneath the surface in your soul. This book steers you toward the disciples, convictions, silence, beauty and spirit that feed and prepare the soul to recognize and receive God’s blessings. MacDonald reaches into the Bible and into the experiences of godly men and women of history to discover what can be done to lead a blessed life, then he leads you, through the steps that are necessary to develop a mature soul.
An excellent book to go with his other best sellers:
- Ordering your Private World
- Renewing your Spiritual Passion
- Now the Life God blesses
WHEN MEN THINK PRIVATE THOUGHTS Author Gordon MacDonald
Am I competent and successful? Am I a desirable husband and a good father? Am I in charge of my life or is my life in charge of me?
Men ask these questions of themselves in times of contemplation, as they consider what they are not, what they think they ought to be and what they ultimately want to be. MacDonald explores avenues that include sexuality, intimacy, romance, friendship, achievement and how each road intersects with a man’s soul.
As you read this book you will be able to put aside stereotyped definitions of maleness and will see instead a Christ-centred model.
BE DILIGENT Author Warren Wiersbe
I love reading books like this. It is a simple, easy to read commentary on MARK. Mark is the perfect Gospel for space-age people on the go. In this study, Warren Wiersbe focuses on Jesus Christ the Servant, always on the move; always doing the Father’s will and serving others. Mark is the ideal Gospel for busy people who want to discover how to make their lives count for God.
BATTLING UNBELIEF Author John Piper
In this book John Piper shows us how to sever the clinging roots of sin that ensnare us, including, pride, shame, anxiety, impatience, covetousness, bitterness and despondency. Delight in the bounty of God’s glorious promises will free us for a less sin-encumbered life, to the glory of God.
TRANSFORMING GRACE Author Jerry Bridges
Funny how the exceeding riches of God’s grace seem to run out the moment we are saved. From then on, we tend to base our relationship with Him on our performance rather than on His grace.
The product of over 10 years of Bible study, TRANSFORMING GRACE is a fountainhead of inspiration and renewal that will show you just how inexhaustible and generous God’s grace really is – you will never be able to ask for too much, need too much, hope for too much or even sin too much. Like never ending stream of ocean waves crashing on the shore, His grace super abounds towards you.
“No truth is so needed and so misunderstood. Jerry Bridges opens our minds to the truth of grace. It is practical, Biblical and powerful – a refreshing release from guilt and legalism.
A QUEST FOR GODLINESS Author J.I. Packer
James Packer has had a long-standing passion for the Puritans. Their understanding of God and His ways with man has largely formed his own spirituality and theological outlook. In this book A QUEST FOR GODLINESS, Packer shares with his readers the rich world of Puritanism that has been so influential in his own life. With marvelous clarity, he reveals the depth and breadth of Puritan spiritual life, contrasting it with the superficiality and deadness of modern western Christianity.
Packer takes the reader on a survey of the lives and teachings of great Puritan leaders such as John Owen, Richard Baxter and Jonathan Edwards. He offers a close look at such subjects as the Puritan view of the Bible, spiritual gifts, Sabbath worship, social action and the family. He concludes that a main difference between the Puritans and ourselves is spiritual maturity – the Puritans had it, we don’t.
“In a time of failing vision and decaying values, this powerful portrait of Puritans is a beacon of hope calling to us to radical commitment and action when both are desperately needed.”
THE WORK OF THE PASTOR Author William Still
Here is a little book which has earned a place as a modern classic on preaching and pastoral ministry. It brings a tried and proven theology of pastoral care based on the belief that the whole Word of God proclaimed and applied is sufficient to meet dynamically the pastoral needs of God’s people. In an age when methods and entertainment often take preference over theology, this book is a MUST READ for every pastor.
Sinclair Ferguson said:
“a great little book by a remarkable missionary to whom I owe an immense personal debit. It pulsates with energy. Every minister should read it once a year … at least.”
GOD IS THE GOSPEL Author John Piper
This book is a plea that God Himself, as revealed most clearly and fully in Jesus’ death and resurrection, be seen and enjoyed as the final and greatest gift of the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus and His many precious blessings are not ultimately what makes the good news good, but means of seeing and savouring the Saviour Himself. Forgiveness is good because it opens the way to enjoying God Himself. Justification is good because it wins access to the presence and pleasure of God Himself! Eternal life is good because it becomes the everlasting enjoyment of Jesus. All God’s good gifts are loving to the degree that they lead us to God Himself.
What an important book this is especially in our self centred materialistic world.
FAMINE IN THE LAND Author S.J. Lawson
We need only to read a few chapters into the book of Acts to realize the early Church experienced vibrant spiritual vitality and explosive growth, not because of gimmicky techniques, but because it focused on the priority of biblical preaching. Now more than ever, the church diligently needs pastors who fulfill their highest calling – who respond to the divine summons to feed the flock by preaching the whole Word of God.
Lawson says “we need men of God expounding the Word of God so that the voice of God may be heard, the glory of God seen and the will of God obeyed. This is expository preaching.”
This gifted preacher has written a book that will challenge any preacher, encourage a return to genuine exposition, and motivate Christians to settle for nothing less than true biblical preaching.
HEBREWS Author W.H. Griffith Thomas
I love books like this – it is a spiritual, devotional and homiletic commentary on Hebrews that will not only enrich the life of its reader, but will prove a source mine of preaching and teaching material – few books on this remarkable epistle can compare with this one.
THE WAY OF JESUS Author Dr. Bruce Farnham
Dr. Farnham is a scientist by training. He has written this book for others, who like himself, are living and working in a world which is both increasingly secular and torn by religious ideologies. It is therefore vital that people from many backgrounds, especially those from other religions, understand the facts and fallacies about the life of Jesus.
Therefore, this book is written for many who simply want to find out about the life and teaching of Jesus. In addition, the author has lived for many years in the Middle East and this gives him an extra insight into the life and times of Jesus
RECLAIMING CHRISTIANITY Author A.W. Tozer
Until the day he died, A.W. Tozer never deviated from exhorting the Church to walk like those who truly belong to the Kingdom of God. If ever you have wondered why the Church has little influence in the world today and equally how your life could more closely reflect the powerful witness that characterized the early Christians, then Tozer’s uncompromising words will remind you of what is missing and challenge you to shun what is superficial so that you can walk toward authentic faith.
“The world usually takes the Church in before the Church takes the world in”
THE POWER OF SUFFERING Author John MacArthur
For everyone who has ever face profound trials – physical or spiritual and found themselves asking ‘where is God in the midst of the pain’, John MacArthur has uncovered an astonishing answer. In this book, he examines the reality of pain and trials in the Christian life and from a pastor’s heart, offers a plausible, thoroughly Biblical explanation for the deep valleys some of us cross.
This book will not only help you better understand the unique and important role suffering plays in your life, but it will also equip you to cherish your trials and prepare you to comfort and encourage others.
PREACHING AND REVIVAL
This book consists of the 5 talks given at “The Westminster Conference” and is brilliant.
- Gordon Murray speaks on preaching from the English Reformers.
- R.T. Kendall speaks on preaching in early Puritanism.
- John Murray speaks on the preaching of Thomas Boston.
- S.T. Logan speaks on the preaching of Jonathan Edwards.
- Cook speaks on the Forgotten Revival.
Top scholarship and warm devotion combine in this fine selection of talks on Revival.
A GRIEF SANCTIFIED Author J.I Packer
Dr. Packer writes:
“Bereavement becomes a supreme test of the quality of our faith.”
Margaret, the wife of Richard Baxter died in June 1681 at the age of 45. Baxter, a prominent pastor and preacher was heartbroken. Only weeks’ later he wrote a memoir of Margaret’s life. C.S. Lewis suffered similar loss and wrote “A Grief Observed” shortly after the death of his wife.
Packer treats us to an illuminating comparison between these two bereavements and adds a wealth of his own wise reflection. He shows us how-to pass-through grief to peace and joy.
RESPECTABLE SINS Author J. Bridges
Have Christians become so preoccupied with the major sins of our society that we have lost sight of our need to deal with our own more subtle sins? Jerry Bridges returns to his trademark theme of holiness and addresses a number of “acceptable” sins that we tend to tolerate in ourselves such as jealousy, anger, pride, unthankfulness, impatience, irritability and selfishness.
Dr. James Packer said of this book:
“if we are not humbled into repentance by Bridge’s diagnosis of things that are wrong with us, then something is indeed wrong with us and badly so. Read this book … we need to … and be ready for a gentle surgeon’s sharp knife.”
A READER’S GUIDE TO CALVIN’S INSTITUTES Author A.N. Lane
I have needed this book for years but at last I found it!! Having Lane’s book with you as you read CALVIN’S INSTITUTES is like having an enthusiastic teacher sitting alongside you, helping you with the background and context, pointing you to key ideas, offering succinct summaries, sometime challenging you to consider whether you agree with Calvin, but above all assisting you in understanding Calvin.
TOUGH-MINDED CHRISTIANITY Author W. Dembski
Here is a diamond; I found this book such a blessing. It is an excellent resource for the modern apologetics enthusiast. Tough-minded Christianity is a collected of 44 essays about the great work of JOHN WARWICK MONTGOMERY, a living legend in the field of Christian apologetics.
Norman Geister wrote on Dr. Montgomery:
“I was for many years a colleague of Dr. Montgomery and have shared with him in the defense of the faith. He is a man of encyclopedic knowledge and unswerving commitment to orthodox Christianity … one of the pioneers of historical apologetics and one of the foremost apologetics of our time. His extensive knowledge, voluminous writings, and vigorous defense of evangelical Christianity are virtually unparalleled in this field.
Part 1 – Deals with the Christian worldview
Part 2 – The nature of nature
Part 3 – Doctrinal integrity
Part 4 – Defending the faith
Part 5 – Law, ethics, and society
Part 6 – Tribute
Read these essays on 44 different subjects and you will be challenged, stretched, rebuked, and hugely encouraged.
THE THORN IN THE FLESH Authur R.T. Kendall
Do you want the prickly, uncomfortable thorn in your flesh to go away? R. T. Kendall wants you to know that God gives you thorns for your benefit. Most people think of this discomfort as a physical pain, but Kendall explains how God gets your attention through loneliness, a handicap or disability, an enemy, personality problems, an unhappy marriage, unhappy employment, even a chronic illness.
In this book Kendall helps you to understand how God’s grace is sufficient and how you can believe that your thorn in the flesh is for your good and that it is the best thing that will ever happen to you, next to your conversion.
This book will give you great comfort and help you to see you are not alone.
EVANGELICAL TRUTH Authur John Stott
Wow … here is John Stott at his very best. This heartfelt statement from one of the greatest Christians ever brings into sharp focus what it means to be an evangelical. His masterly distillation of 60 years reflection on Christian discipleship ranges over the history of the Church and its formative teachings, as well as the world-wide Church today. He expounds the Trinitarian character of the evangelical faith – the gracious initiative of God the Father in revealing Himself to us, of Jesus Christ in redeeming us through Christ, and of the indwelling Holy Spirit in transforming us. This is why the three-fold emphasis of evangelical faith is upon:
- The Word of God
- The Cross\the work of the Holy Spirit
However, to be an evangelical Christian is not just to subscribe to an orthodox Trinitarian formula. The evangelical reaches beyond belief to behaviour; it brings with it a multifaceted challenge to live accordingly.
If you have never read this one – go and buy one quickly and five other copies for friends.
THE GAGGING OF GOD Authur D.A. Carson
In this Gold Medallion Award winning book, Professor Carson helps evangelicals respond to the question “is Jesus the only way to God?” This book affirms the deep need for the Gospel’s exclusive message in today’s pluralistic global community. It shows how the many ramifications of pluralism are all parts of the whole, and then offers a systematic Christian response. The book divides into four parts:
Part 1 – Looks at the history of pluralism
Part 2 – Addresses religious pluralism focusing on the works of Hick and Tracey
Part 3 – Analyses the Christian stance in a pluralistic culture across such diverse fields as education, law and morals
Part 4 – How to evangelize in a post-modern generation
Not an easy book to read, but wow … it is meaty and deals with one of the biggest questions of the day. Brilliant read.
CONTEXTUALIZATION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT Author D. Flemming
From Cairo to Calcutta, from Cochabamba to Columbus, Christians are engaged in a conversation about how to speak and live the Gospel in today’s traditional, modern and emergent cultures. Rich in Biblical teaching and informed by front-line missiological thinking, this amazing book promises to revitalize this contemporary conversation by re-exploring its first century precedents. As both a cross-cultural missionary and a New Testament scholar, Dean Fleming is well equipped to examine how the early church contextualized the gospel and to draw out lessons for today.
Scott Moreau said of this book, “He bring to the table the right instinct for missiological issues together with the depth of N.T. study that missiologists are often lacking. This is a MUST read.”
Clinton Arnold said, “this book is a must read for anyone who teaches the Bible.”
WITH CALVIN IN THE THEATER OF GOD Author John Calvin
The West is awash with pragmatism and self-improvement. It is in the midst of the trendy, shallow advice for change that we need to hear from John Calvin as he pages through Scripture. With Calvin, we do not get how-to’s and gimmicks, but the biblical beauty of the central truth about God that affect everything. If you want the truly practical, do not reach for tricks, lists, and self-helps, but come with Calvin in God’s theatre and get to know the most important realities in the universe. God, creation, sin, heaven, hell and the Cross. John Calvin was truly a faith-possessed pilgrim with a singular passion to know God and to make Him known.
What a book – sell you bed for it – one of the best presents I have ever been given!