Find your next read. One of the most helpful ways to grow in your knowledge of God and his word is to read or listen to quality Christian content. A lot of popular books are pretty average. You can waste a lot of time or even go down the wrong path, especially when you’re a younger Christian. So we’ve put together a list of books that are perfect. Nah, nothing’s perfect – you always need to read with discernment. But these books are very good, solid, Biblical food for your soul that we reckon are some of the most helpful ones – especially when you’re just getting started.
Or listen! Lots of these have audiobook versions you can find on Spotify, Audible, or Christianaudio.
Click here for 10 books to read before you ‘graduate’ ev night – We’ve chosen the ones that give you the most bang for your buck when you’re a young adult – not too hard to read, and massive payoff for your Christian life. We’ve even broken it into a reading plan for you! Two books a year, about a chapter per fortnight, will give you a fantastic foundation for the rest of your life.
Or keep scrolling to ‘browse the bookshelf’ – Here’s a bunch of great books on different topics (divided into ‘easier’ and harder’ books)
Level 1 – Entry Level
Read:
- God’s Big Picture by Vaughn Roberts – an incredibly helpful framework that helps you understand how the whole Bible fits together
- Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice – a short but incredibly helpful book on the why, the what and the how of evangelism
- Guidance and the Voice of God by Phillip Jensen & Tony Payne – thinks into: what is God’s plan for your life? How do I make decisions in line with his will? Worth getting just for the church/work/marriage case studies at the end!
- Forgiven Forever by Rory Shiner or Scandalous by DA Carson – both easy reads that take you deeper into understanding Jesus’ death on the cross
- The Secular Creed or Confronting Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin – great books dealing with some of the challenging questions often raised today about Christianity
- God’s Good Design by Claire Smith – works through the key passages of the Bible that talk about God’s good design for women, including learning and preaching in 1 Tim 2, headcoverings in 1 Cor 11
- When The Noise Won’t Stop by Paul Grimmond – an exploration of how the gospel speaks into anxiety. Paul speaks from personal experience and with great pastoral wisdom.
- The Big Ego Trip by Glynn Harrison – how the self-esteem ideology we grew up with has let us down and how the Christian worldview is capable of so much more – fulfilment, meaning, purpose and embracing our identity in God’s big story.
- Is this it? by Rachel Jones – a ‘quarter-life crisis’ book that covers things like doubt, loneliness, work, singleness, relationships, self doubt, decision making and more
- The Frog and the Fish by Chris Parker – a book that helps you think critically about the world around you and compare it to the goodness of the Christian life and worldview [one caution: while most of the book is brilliant, he misses some key Biblical reflections in the Work chapter]
Listen:
- A past EV sermon series – for example, the 2014 Galatians series and the 2012/2013 Romans series (2012 Romans 1-5 / 2013 Romans 6-8)
- The Confronting Christianity Podcast with Rebecca McLaughlin & Kyle Worley – lots of big topics and hard questions discussed with truth and empathy
Level 2 – More Challenging
- Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper – very readable but hugely challenging, The joy found in knowing God and living for Christ. How to live in the midst of pain, suffering, work, ministry and much more in a way that treasures God.
- How Long O Lord by D. A. Carson – how do we cope with the existence and experience of deep suffering as Christians
- Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer – how does God’s sovereignty fit with human agency and responsibility? And why does that fuel our evangelism rather than make us sit back and wait for God to save people?
- Knowing God by J. I. Packer – a classic for a reason, a rich and deep look into who our God is. Life changing.
- The Cross of Christ by John Stott – the gold standard unbeatable book on what the cross means, how it works and why it was necessary. Recommend reading with a friend to help get through it together!
- The Case Against the Sexual Revolution by Louise Perry & Feminism Against Progress by Mary Harrington – 2 secular books that critique the current direction and consequences of the feminist movement and whether it has actually delivered what it promised to women.
- ‘Fundamentalism’ and the Word of God by JI Packer – he’s not endorsing fundamentalism, by the way. Not the easiest read, but not too hard. One of the best books on the ‘theology of the Bible’.
- Holiness by JC Ryle – an older book, but a classic on holiness.
Listen:
- Knowing Faith Podcast with Jen Wilkin, JT English and Kyle Worley – there’s so many episodes now, but I particularly recommend Ep #52-74 on the apostle’s creed
- The Doctrines of Grace – these talks by John Piper are available in video, audio, or podcast form. They will expand your view of God, challenge your view of yourself and sin, and make you more thankful for God’s grace.
- Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God – the famous and challenging Jonathan Edwards sermon. Listen to this version preached by Mark Dever
Level 3 – Going even deeper
- Work through a good commentary. Commentaries range from short & easy to read, to really long and technical. A good starting place is to see what Tim Challies recommends. He lists some of the best commentaries on each book of the Bible.
- Pick something from the ‘New Studies in Biblical Theology‘ series. A great series by good evangelical Bible scholars going deep on 1 topic, through the whole Bible. E.g. Neither Poverty Nor Riches – Blomberg (theology of money), or Paul & the Law – Rosner (how to read the old testament law), or Original Sin – Blocher (what to think about the idea of original sin), or Hearing God’s Words – Peter Adam (spirituality and disciplines).
- Do PTC – Moore College (a good Bible college in Sydney) offers some units online, designed for people who haven’t been to Bible college. You can do them at your own pace. Probably more fun to do it with a friend.