Bible Creed

I thought it would be interesting both for myself (for the purpose of motivation) and for you (the reader) if I were to lay forth my reading plans for the next few months. I will first list the books that I am currently reading.

1. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart: I am about half way through this book. I have not found a better book to recommend to the average Christian when it comes to biblical interpretation. The book is simple to read and highly helpful. Fee and Stuart stay away from technical jargon and yet provide the needed tools to help the reader read the Scriptures with accuracy and relevance. On top of this, Fee and Stuart provide expositional examples that refresh the soul and heart. I consider this a MUST READ for all Christians. If you have not read this book, no matter where you are at in your walk with God, buy it and read it! I put this book in the top 5 most important books (outside of the Bible) for all Christians to read.

2. Future Grace by John Piper: I am reading this with two of my friends at church. We are currently about 100 pages into it. I read Future Grace back in 2002, and am finding the second go around much more profitable. I highly recommend this book to any and everyone wanting to know how to fight the temptation of sin. Piper’s answer is that we fight the temptation to sin with the promises of God, beleiving that God’s promises offer greater pleasure than the pleasure of sin.

h

3. First two Years in Youth Ministry by Doug Fields: I am reading this book with the youth leader at the church. We have found the book to be helpful both practically and spiritually. We are about half way through it. I recommend this to all youth leaders. The book is slam packed with practical advice about how to deal with people.

-

4. Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham: I am reading this book with a good friend from my church. We are only 4 chapters into the book but have already found it to be paradigm shifting in regard to our goals and biblical responsibilities as fathers. I highly recommend this book for any and every parent (or future parent). Baucham’s primary objective in this book is to shift the focus of parents from doing everything to help their kids fulfill the American dream to doing everything to help their kids grow into the image of Christ
.

5. Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: I am only 75 pages into it. I already read this book back in 2004. The second go around has been much more helpful. I love MLJ’s simplicity, logic, biblical fidelity, and honesty. His constant statement in the book is that the worst thing in the world is an unhappy Christian. We serve the greatest master, preach the greatest message, have the greatest hope, and yet we are often times no more happy than the world. MLJ helps the reader assess his own happiness in Christ, and seeks to uncover those things which could be causing discontent in the life of the believer. I highly recommend this book to all Christians no matter where you are in your walk with God.

6. Apostolic Preaching of the Cross by Leon Morris: This is my second time through this one as well. I am about 75 pages into it. Once again, the second time through has proved to be much more helpful than the first. This work by Morris is quite thick and takes a lot of time to trudge through. However, for the serious student, this book is a must read. His purpose is to dig deeper into the different terminology that the Scriptures use to communicate the salvation God has accomplished through Christ.
.

7. Abraham’s Four Seeds by John Reisinger: I am about half way through this book as well. This book is quite possibly the most important book a person can read in regard to getting a handle on the big picture of God’s redemptive plan revealed in God’s word. The entire Bible revolves around God’s promise(s) to Abraham in Genesis 12-21. I cannot imagine a more helpful book in regard to getting the big picture of God’s story of redemption.

.

8. Knowing God by JI Packer: I just started this book last week and am about half way through. I am only reading this because it is a reformed classic. So far the book has been an excellent intermediate introduction to reformed theology. I have found it to be insightful and applicable. Thus far I highly recommend this book to all, Christian and non-Christian alike. It is deep enough to feed the soul of any believer, and yet simple enough for an unbeliever. Without a doubt, Pakcer’s work here will always be justly heralded as a classic.

In a few days I will put up a list of books that are in my library bank waiting to be read. Before I begin reading other books, I need to finish the ones I have already started.