As Christians alive at this point in history, we are blessed to have an abundance of Christian books accessible to us that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago. Unfortunately these are not all good books- they range in quality from good to bad, strictly orthodox to heretical, life changing to profoundly unhelpful. The list bellow is a selection of the books I have read and believe are helpful for Christians to be reading. The books are grouped roughly into categories, although some books could certainly fit in more than one category. Where I have written a more extensive review of the book, I have linked to that review. I will continue to add to this list and will link to it in the sidebar for future reference.
Theology
John Stott- Cross of Christ
One of the most respected contemporary books on the Cross. It is quite a dense book but is well worth taking the time to go through slowly.
Bruce Milne- Know the truth
A solid but not overwhelming introduction to all the major Christian doctrines.
C.S lewis- mere Christianity
A 20th century classic exploring the essentials of Christianity.
Evangelism and missions
J.I Packer- Evangelism and the sovereignty of God.
More than just about the tension between sovereignty and free will in evangelism, it is a good overview of what evangelism must include and common errors in this area.
John Stott- Christian mission in the modern world
Social justice verses evangelism and how to approach dialog with people of other religions seem to be regular issues under debate in Christian communities. This book provides some helpful clarification.
Bible study tools
Nigel Beynon and Andrew Sach- Dig deeper
An engaging introduction on how to read and interpret the bible accurately and effectively. Suitable for both new and mature believers
Culture, politics and world view
John Piper and Justin Taylor (editors)- The supremacy of Christ in a postmodern world
A helpful examination of how biblical theology applies to contemporary culture and philosophy.
John Piper and Justin Taylor (editors)- Sex and the supremacy of Christ
Rather than just being another book on how not to mess up, the book examines the spiritual significance of sexuality and what a Christian world view about sex and sexuality entails.
Tim Challies- The discipline of spiritual discernment
Excellent help in learning to think biblically.
Jonathan Acuff- Stuff Christians Like
An entertaining look inside the Christian subculture.
Carl Trueman- Republocrat
Helpful and thoughtful reflections on Christian political engagement.
World issues
David Batstone- Not for sale
An informative and shocking look at slavery and human trafficking around the world today
Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett- When Helping Hurts
Valuable guidance on how to help the poor without causing unintended harm
Steve Monsma- Healing for a broken world
Some thoughtful Christian responses to major contemporary political and social issues.
