Best & Worst Christian Books You've Read

[Bob Alkire]

Worst
I know this isn't a book but a sermon
Shall the Fundamentalists Win? by Harry Emerson Fosdick (Had to read in seminary, I guess I found it to the opposite end of John D. Rockfeller, he loved it.)

 

[preacher4truth]

Worst
I know this isn't a book but a sermon
Shall the Fundamentalists Win? by Harry Emerson Fosdick (Had to read in seminary, I guess I found it to the opposite end of John D. Rockfeller, he loved it.)

Reading that is like reading some of the theology on here -- the thing is we don't have to read the nonsense now! :applause: :thumbsup:

 

[Yeshua1]

Reading that is like reading some of the theology on here -- the thing is we don't have to read the nonsense now! :applause: :thumbsup:

We seem to have some who read ONLY 100+ years books, thre Puritans and reformers, while others read current fluff stuff!

I like a mix of Calvin/berhof/Grudem/Erickson, old and the new!

 

[preacher4truth]

We seem to have some who read ONLY 100+ years books, thre Puritans and reformers, while others read current fluff stuff!

I like a mix of Calvin/berhof/Grudem/Erickson, old and the new!

Much of the new stuff is bunk.

I get little out of non-Calvinist writings and find their writing to be theologically shallow.

 

[Yeshua1]

Much of the new stuff is bunk.

I get little out of non-Calvinist writings and find their writing to be theologically shallow.

I did enjoy works by Josh McDowell, isn't he armininan?

J vernon Megee same thing?

Also read early how booksby paul Little, think he was one too!

Think non cals have some good stuff for non scholarly reading/study, but for deeper works, stay with either reformed or calvinist!

 

[Rippon]

Calvin was rather non-prolix himself. He rarely used long sentences. I'm aware that he originally wrote in French and Latin. But,at least when it came to his native tongue he is refreshingly clear and biblical. His work holds up today.

Quoting on the above theme, Bernard Cottret says in his Calvin: A Biography:" Calvin's monadic prose always strikes us by the modernity of its tone; all allowances being made, even when they express the apparently most complicated ideas, his sentences preserve an immediacy and a feeling of concreteness that make them curiously accessible. Of all our sixteenth-century authors, from Rabelais to Montaigne, Calvin is, starangely, one of the easiest to read even today.' (p.330)

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Quoting on the above theme, Bernard Cottret says in his Calvin: A Biography:" Calvin's monadic prose always strikes us by the modernity of its tone; all allowances being made, even when they express the apparently most complicated ideas, his sentences preserve an immediacy and a feeling of concreteness that make them curiously accessible. Of all our sixteenth-century authors, from Rabelais to Montaigne, Calvin is, starangely, one of the easiest to read even today.' (p.330)

Did you ever read some of his 'Golden Books'. I read several I found in a church library & I was astounded by both his clarity & ability to boil down theology to its basics. Would recommend them to everyone.

 

[Yeshua1]

Did you ever read some of his 'Golden Books'. I read several I found in a church library & I was astounded by both his clarity & ability to boil down theology to its basics. Would recommend them to everyone.

Ah, you like to read the "heretic" also, eh?

 

[righteousdude2]

Judgement.....

Is that what this thread was for? Perhaps you should toot your own horn on someone else's thread. Like maybe your own?

You must be a loyal regular on local jury's. You've got a kncak at judging others...BTW - how old are you P4T? I haven't heard the term "toot your own horn" since my grandaprents died in the 60's???? Oh, I am a trumpet player, thank you. What key would you like me to toot that tune in????

 

[righteousdude2]

It was....

That is in my Amazon wishlist. I've been wanting to read it since I got his Theology of the NT. Good huh?

....required reading in my New Testament Theology class. And yes it was very good. Of course one person feels it is "light-weight" but that is only an opinion. And his opinions are not important to me.

Get the book when you can, and you will like what you find!

 

[righteousdude2]

More.....

Those books are easy light reads. They seem to border within a sensationalistic realm. I'm sure your book diet includes some weightier and more profound reads.

Which systematic theologies do you read and employ, and which 'weightier' more difficult reads have you used/do you use? Do you read more difficult challenging writings such as from puritan authors and do you read things that are more theologically in depth?

What about some other older works? Any that influence you in sound doctrine?

- Blessings

....of the same: JUDGEMENT from someone who doesn't know anything about me [as a believer or human being]. What a shame that this forum is used by some, to put down, insult and deman others while pumping up their own low self-esteem!

 

[preacher4truth]

....of the same: JUDGEMENT from someone who doesn't know anything about me [as a believer or human being]. What a shame that this forum is used by some, to put down, insult and deman others while pumping up their own low self-esteem!

My post was of an encouragement to other works my friend. None of these other things you've stated were a part of it whatsoever.

- Blessings

 

[preacher4truth]

1]The Baptist Catechism with commentary by W.R.Downing

2] Redemption accomplished and Applied by John Murray

3]The Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded..John Owen

4]Manual of Theology...J.L.Dagg

5]The Great Work of God in the History of Redemption...Johnathan Edwards

6] Know your Christian Life...Sinclair Ferguson

7]Sovereignty of God...A.W.Pink

8]Holiness....JC Ryle

9] A Christian Directory....Richard Baxter

10] Days of Vengenance.....Chilton

Worst....

late great planet earth...hal lindsey

book of mormon j smith

rightly dividing the word...cr stam

anything by hagin,copeland, schuller,etc.

I'm looking into some of the books you've listed Icon. I've never read a catechism, I may Lord willing look into the one you've suggested. Also the one by Ferguson is intriguing. Thanks.

- Blessings

 

[preacher4truth]

I know I am going to leave some out,and then exclaim;"How did I miss those?!" However,since my list will only be considering the best,and that list is more extended than most here,I will not list any of the worst ones.

The Sov.of God by A.W.Pink
The Life of A.W.Pink by Iain Murray
Romans by Robert Haldane
Romans series by Dr.M-L-J
Ephesians series by James Boice
The God Who Justifies by James White
The Potter's Freedom by James White
The Challenge of Bible Translation by Scorgie,Strauss,Carson,Barker,Moo,Waltke,Kostenberger,Silva...to name a few!
A New Systematic Theology by Robert Reymond
Systematic Theology by Robert Duncan Culver
The Gagging of God by D.A. Carson
The Tolerance of Intolerance by D.A.Carson
Sermons in Micah by John Calvin
Commentary on Galatians by John Calvin
The Death of Death In The death Of The Lord Jesus Christ by John Owen
Knowing God by J.I.Packer
___________________________________________________

I could go on and on!

You can listen toe the Romans Series by MLJ on this site.

 

[preacher4truth]

Best

Radical - David Platt (very convicting read for me)
Unashamed - Robby Gallaty (Basically a Commentary/Bible Study on 2 Timothy)
A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life - William Law (VERY heavy read for me... Still haven't finished actually but terrific thus far!)
A Theology of the New Testament- George Ladd (great study and something that really helped me out of dispensationalism)
One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven - Mark Cahill (Great book about evangelism)
Conquer Your Fear, Share your Faith - Ray Comfort (as above)
More Than a Carpenter - Josh McDowell (Great Apologetics book)
The Knowledge of the Holy - A.W. Tozer (Fantastic book about the attributes of God)

Worst
Revelation Unveiled - Tim Lahaye (More like "Revelation, as confusing as we can possibly make it...")
Left Behind - Tim Lahaye, Jerry Jenkins (I'm ashamed to say I used to like these...)

RLBosley,

I started to read the book by William Law -- but something didn't sit right in the things he was saying so I put it down. I recall reading part of it to my wife and she knew immediately it was wrong but I cannot recall what it was at this time.

Looking into him afterwards I found he was a Christian mystic. Anyhow I was 'alerted' that something was amiss.

- Blessings

 

[RLBosley]

RLBosley,

I started to read the book by William Law -- but something didn't sit right in the things he was saying so I put it down. I recall reading part of it to my wife and she knew immediately it was wrong but I cannot recall what it was at this time.

Looking into him afterwards I found he was a Christian mystic. Anyhow I was 'alerted' that something was amiss.

- Blessings

Really? I was unaware of that. I know he stressed a lot of prayer and intentionally holy living - which would create cries of "legalism!" In some circles.

I just looked up Law again and from what I see, mysticism didn't start to influence him (Supposedly) until about 10 years after he wrote "A Serious Call." Then again who knows? I haven't read anything in it in a while, so maybe I'll have to go through again and see if something seems out of place.

 

[preacher4truth]

Really? I was unaware of that. I know he stressed a lot of prayer and intentionally holy living - which would create cries of "legalism!" In some circles.

I just looked up Law again and from what I see, mysticism didn't start to influence him (Supposedly) until about 10 years after he wrote "A Serious Call." Then again who knows? I haven't read anything in it in a while, so maybe I'll have to go through again and see if something seems out of place.

The leaning towards legalism accusations from others doesn't bother me too much. I read a lot of puritan works, so I get it that it is not about legalism but about a sincere walk.

I thought it was odd that after all the rave reviews I found the book to be somewhat sketchy.

- Blessings

 

[Rippon]

A surprise. Packer is quite biblical, hence Calvinistic, in that book.

Some select Calvinistc quotes from Packer's book follow:

"We may know as much about God as Calvin knew --ineed,if we study his works diligently,sooner or later we shall --and yet all the time(unlike Calvin,may I say) we may hardly know God at all." (p.22)

"Then,third,knowing God,is a matter of grace. It is a relationship in which the initiative throughout is with God --as it must be,since God is so completely above us and we have so completely forfeited all claim on His favour by our sins. We do not make friends with God, God makes friends with us, bringing us to knowHim by making His love known to us.Paul expresses this thought of the priority of grace in our knowledge of God when he writes to the Galatians:"Now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God (Gal.4:9). What comes to the surface in this qualifying clause is the apostle's sense that grace came first,and remains fundamental,in his reader's salvation. Their knowing God was the consequence of God's taking knowledge of them. They know Him by faith because He first singled them out by grace.
'Know,' when used of God in this way,is a sovereign-grace word, pointing to God's initiative in loving,choosing,redeeming,calling, and persevering. That God is fully aware of us,'knowing us through and through'as we say,is certainly part of what is meant,as appears fromthe contrast between our imperfect knowledge of God and His perfect knowledge of us in 1 Corinthians 13:12." (p.36)

 

[AresMan]

As far as the worst list is concerned, I am surprised no one listed these gems:

Marriage: The Divine Intimacy by Jack Schaap
Marriage: God's Original Intent by Jack Schaap
Dating with a Purpose: Common Sense Dating Principles for Couples, Parents, and Youth Workers by Jack Schaap

 

[righteousdude2]

Ummmmmm

My post was of an encouragement to other works my friend. None of these other things you've stated were a part of it whatsoever.

- Blessings

"Huh????" :BangHead: