Visit our Church Library
located in the back of the Sancturary
for a selection of titles for children through adults;
including picture books, story books, biographies,
commentaries, study books,
as well as VHS and DVD's.

Looking for a good book to read to strengthen your faith,
increase your understanding or answer your questions?
Check out one of these recommendations.
Books are organized by author.   

Why Bother with Truth? Arriving at Knowledge in a Skeptical Society, by James Beilby and David K. Clark. (From the RZIM Critical Questions Booklet Series)
The authors attempt in this booklet to answer the "so called skeptical question: Since we disagree about so many things, do we really know what we think we know?"  They review both modern and postmodern skepticism, which is helpful to the reader in better understanding their respective philosophical beliefs.  Then, they answer each in turn, before going on to explain how we can arrive at truth and knowledge.  Once understanding truth and knowledge, (which are not the same thing), one is able to arrive at beliefs, virtues and religious knowledge.  Philosophically challenging but also stimulating. 

J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-Earth, by Bradley J. Birzer.
A good analysis of Tolkien's Middle-Earth works from a Christian, esp. Catholic standpoint including Creation and Evil as well as info. on critiques of Tolkien, summary of his works, contrast to modernity, review of his life, and thoughts on sub-creation and heroism.  

Roaring Lambs: A Gentle Plan to Radically Change Your World, by Bob Briner.
In this book, Briner encourages all of us to be humble lambs who follow Jesus, but in doing so, roar in our culture for the great truth of the gospel.  An encouragement to take much of what we often tell one another in Christianity and actually apply it in our everyday lives, especially as they interact with the major change agents of our media driven culture, including books, television, movies, music, and the arts.  At the same time, he also realizes not all of us are in these areas, but encourages us to encourage one another and even take baby steps, (writing a letter to the editor or praising a television network when it puts on a wholesome show) to change our culture and reach it with the love, grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.  There is also a study guide included and a separate student guide as well as a CD of songs put together by some of the best Christian musicians around including Sixpence None the Richer, Jars of Clay, Michael W. Smith and others.  

Can I Trust the Bible?  Defending the Bible's Reliability, by Darrell L. Bock.  (From the RZIM Critical Questions Booklet Series)
Bock does a great job in this booklet discussing where our Bible came from and how to defend it against many common skeptical claims that are raised against it.  He writes about the coming together of the canon of scripture, the Bible's reliability, archeology, and textual concerns.

For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Treasures of God's Word, Vol. 2, by D. A. Carson. 
This devotional guide follows along with a slightly tweaked M'Cheyne Bible reading calendar for the year.  Carson picks one of the 4 texts for the day and enlightens the reader on it by bringing out great historical relevance, theological insights and reflection, and pertinent questions for our day.  A great devotion for better understanding the scriptures, theology and how it all fits together in our current day.

Is Everything Really Relative?  Examining the Assumptions of Relativism and the Culture of Truth Decay, by Paul Copan. 
(Part of the RZIM Critical Questions Booklet Series)
Copan concisely tackles seven major principles of modern day relativism in
this short booklet, showing it to be both false and therefore unlivable. Able to read in an hour or two, while this booklet is extremely informative, you may want to take more time to thoroughly chew through each principle in order to apply it in life and dialogue with others in society.

Philosophy: Christian Perspectives for the New Millennium, edited by Paul Copan, Scott B. Luley and Stan W. Wallace
A collection of essays coming off the heels of a conference jointly held by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and Christian Leadership Ministries in June 2000.  Contributors include Ravi Zacharias, Alister McGrath, J.P. Moreland, Stan W. Wallace, J. Budziszewski, R. Douglas Geivett, and Paul Copan.  Solid works on engaging the current age of postmodernism and the various lines of thought present in our day from relativism to naturalism. 

God, Are You There?  Five Reasons God Exists and Three Reasons it Makes a Difference, by William Lane Craig.  (From the RZIM Critical Questions Booklet Series)
If God does not exist, then life is ultimately meaningless and hopeless.  However, if God does exist, then not only is there meaning and hope, but the possibility of knowing God.  Having stated these truths, philosopher William Lane Craig lays out five reasons to give evidence to the existence of God and the presumption of theism.

How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth, by Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart.
Good book for the scholar or lay person on how to study the Bible better to understand it in its own day, (exegesis) and apply it better to our day, (hermeneutics). 

Fathering Like the Father: Becoming the Dad God Wants You to Be, by Kenneth O. Gangel and Jeffrey S. Gangel.
Father/son team writing on 15 different characteristics fathers should pursue using Biblical stories/scripture as well as some of their own stories and illustrations.   

Fit Bodies Fat Minds: Why Evangelicals Don't Think and What To Do About It, by Os Guinness.
Guinness goes through past historical movements in America that have led to the decline of the evangelical mind in part one.  Part two continues to show the decline of the American evangelical mind but more up to date with current cultural influences.  He then ends the book, part three, with 8 ways to encourage us to take back loving God with our whole mind as Christians.

Long Journey Home: A Guide to Your Search for the Meaning of Life, by Os Guinness.
A good book for the seeker.  Talks about the journey of life and searching for meaning.  Goes through various questions/answers and the main lines of faith in the world to finally end up with Christianity being the way of truth and ending with the call upon oneself which leads to another book, The Call.  Doesn't do all this too preachy but with lots of biographical references of famous people and in such a non-Bible thumping way different from other books, perhaps similar to Nicoli's approach above with Freud/Lewis. 

Unriddling Our Times:  Reflections on the Gathering Cultural Crisis, edited by Os Guinness.
Guinness introduces and uses three selections to comment on the state of the modern day culture crisis in the west including a chapter from Reinhold Schneider who was a leading writer in the German literary resistance during the reign of Nazism; a short portrait of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and his dedication to truth; and the shocking short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson written in 1948.  Important reading when considering our witness in America in a time when truth has been sacrificed; political power is a power of might and not always right; and blind conformity to actions unthinkable. 

How to Win the Culture War: A Christian Battle Plan for a Society in Crisis, by Peter Kreeft.
Kreeft, a professor of philosophy at nearby Boston College, aptly lays out for the reader the culture war that is taking place in our days by telling us what is going on, what the war is about, who the enemy is, and the weapon to win the war.  No, this is not a red state vs. blue state war, the church of Jesus Christ versus Satan.  His remedy?  We need to be Godly saints in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Kreeft can be blunt at times, and sometimes surprising, but often on target.  His background means he does write from more of a Catholic than Protestant understanding, but this book is extremely helpful to the church of Jesus Christ at large---those who serve Jesus and believe in Him as their Saviour and Lord, whether Catholic or Protestant.  

The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis.
Audiotape version with Lewis speaking on all 4 words from the Biblical Greek for love including familial affection, friendship, eros, and agape. 

Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, by C.S. Lewis
This book starts with Lewis' life as a little boy and continues on until his conversion to Christianity at which his search for Joy comes to its conclusion. 

Intellectuals Don't Need God & Other Modern Myths: Building Bridges to Faith Through Apologetics, by Alister E. McGrath
McGrath, of Oxford University, uses three main sections within the book to help us grasp an understanding of how to use apologetics appropriately in life. The first section deals with finding openings in another's life as we seek in our own relationships to witness to the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The second section deals with overcoming barriers to faith in Christ including other worldviews and intellectual concerns, i.e., God as wish fulfillment, the problem of suffering, pluralism, etc. The third section then deals more specifically with apologetics being applied in your life as you talk with others, as you minister, and how one can use culture to aid in reaching out with truth. Finally there are two short appendices concerning the apologetics of John Calvin and Cornelius Van Til. McGrath is a very scholarly, and while a tough read at times, his heart to really help us understand apologetics and use it to bring the gospel to others shines through.

The Question of God: C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life, by Dr. Armand M. Nicoli, Jr.
Professor from Harvard uses writings/correspondence, etc. to allow Lewis and Freud to debate these important questions and shows the hope of Christianity and the failure of the secular worldview. 

A Godward Life: Savoring the Supremacy of God in All of Life, Vols. 1-2, by John Piper. 
Each devotional book contains 120 daily devotions that vary from an exploration to better understanding of a particular biblical text to addressing the many existential struggles we wrestle with in our current day of postmodern America.  Great for personal/family use, or even for leading a group through considering the topics of our day. 

The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, Book One: The Swans Are Not Silent: God's Triumphant Grace in the Lives of Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, by John Piper.
Piper takes us into the lives of three of the greatest men in Christianity.  He shows us Augustine's love of God, Luther's passion for studying the Word of God, and Calvin's zeal for presenting the Word in preaching.  A great book to encourage church leaders, esp. pastors and give renewed vigor to enjoy God as the premier joy in life, to study hard his Word and give it unashamedly to our congregations.

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, by Neil Postman.
Postman does a great job in this work of showing how Aldous Huxley was right in thinking that what we love would be our own undoing.  Our media and entertainment driven culture has had great consequences upon us and how we think.  Postman points these out to us, thus delivering a much needed warning of the road we are currently following.

Parables of a Country Parson: Heartwarming Stories of Christian Faith and Life, by William E. Barton; Edited by Garth Rosell & Stan Flewelling. 
These parable stories are great for driving key points in life.  Barton writes with enjoyable characters and insight.  Garth Rosell of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Stan Flewelling, the son of one of our parishioners have done us a great service by re-introducing these stories during our time.

Natural Church Development, by Christian Schwarz.
Used in our GCTS Pastor's Symposium for ‘03-04, as we focus on what common characteristics amongst the worlds churches allows them to grow.  Survey done on 6 continents, 32 countries, and 1000 churches. 

Tolkien's Ordinary Virtues, by Mark Eddy Smith
Good work for character building based on character development!!!
This book follows along with the storyline of the Lord of the Rings and is helpful in pointing out both + and - virtues within characters and/or their development of those characteristics. It might be esp. helpful to those who want to teach the books in a scholastic setting, including home schooling, so that children can see virtue in action. I would recommend it also for the person who simply wants to enjoy the epic more and see some of the thematic elements he/she might be missing.  (Review submitted to B&N, Amazon, CBD.)   

The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare
Historical Fiction/Youth.  Young, rebellious man must deal with his anger as he is confronted with the true leader of God's people. 

Basic Christian Leadership: Biblical Models of Church, Gospel and Ministry, by John Stott. 
Stott opens up the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians for leaders to understand their calling to Jesus Christ.  As he says in his concluding paragraph to the book, the common denominator for the Christian leader is "humility: humility before Christ, whose subordinates we are; humility before Scripture, of which we are stewards; humility before the world, whose opposition we are bound to encounter; and humility before the congregation, whose members we are to love and serve."  (p.114).  A study guide for small groups or individual use is also included.

Christian Basics: An Invitation to Discipleship, by John Stott.
This book is a great resource for the unbeliever, new believer, or long time Christian.  It deals with three basic areas, Christian Beginnings, Christian Belief, and Christian Behavior.  The first is how one becomes a Christian and starts to live that out; the second deals with the main beliefs we have in our Triune God; and the third deals with taking what we have learned and living it out in our daily lives.  Can also be used in small groups or new membership classes. 

The Preacher's Portrait, by John R. W. Stott.
In five chapters here, Stott paints of portrait of what the preacher should be as steward of the gospel, herald of the gospel, witness of the gospel, a father with the gospel, and a servant with the gospel.  Very good and challenging, originally recommended by a fellow pastor.

Shepherding the Church: Effective Spiritual Leadership in a Changing Culture, by Joseph M. Stowell.
Very good book on the role of the pastor and how to do a good job at it. A lot to think about, and it took quite a while to get through, but very helpful.  Sections deal with personhood/character; perspective; proclamation of the gospel; finishing well. 

The Hound of Heaven, by Francis Thompson.
Thompson's great poem about God chasing him to conversion. 

How Does God Guide:  Help to Discern God's Will for Your Life, by Derek Tidball.
Tidball, the Principal of London Bible College, has written a very instructive book on what is often a very confusing subject for followers of Jesus Christ.  He speaks directly to the various means Christians often turn to when they struggle with knowing the will of God and whether or not we are doing ourselves a disservice by relying on signs and miracles instead of using the common sense and wisdom God has given us along with prayer and scripture.  Chapters 7-9 deal specifically with guidance in the work place, finding a marriage partner, and God's calling to ministry, while chapter 10 deals with the role of God's guidance in the Church as a whole.  Very useful and thought provoking especially if you are seeking God's will or wondering  how one goes about knowing God's will. 

Where Love Is, There God Is Also, by Leo Tolstoy.
A collection of 3 short stories by Tolstoy that are definitely God focused.  "Where Love Is, There God Is Also," is about a cobbler waiting to see Christ; "The Three Hermits" about a bishop who thinks he needs to teach some hermits how to pray rightly; and "What Men Live By" about an angel who disobeys God and is disciplined by being sent to earth to live among men and learn 3 particular truths.  Short and easy, yet enjoyable reads. 

The Purpose Driven Church, by Rick Warren.
Perhaps not as well publicized as The Purpose Driven Life, this book is very helpful to the church body in helping it get straight what are the five prime reasons a church exists to glorify God.  Very helpful and useful for the church as it considers what is Christ's vision for His bride. 

The Gospel According to Tolkien: Visions of the Kingdom in Middle-Earth, by Ralph C. Wood.
Very good work in relating Tokien's book to themes on evil, countering evil, hope, consummation of the kingdom/incarnation.  Interesting note that in one work, Tolkien's characters express a long held hope by men of a God incarnate figure coming down to fix creation!

Can Man Live Without God, by Ravi Zacharias.
Through 3 major sections, Zacharias points out that antitheism is still alive and strong; asks the question about the meaning of life; shows the reader Jesus.  Two appendices follow, the first includes a question/answer session from the Harvard lectures he gave and the second details in brief various mentors towards the movement of skeptical thought.  A good, challenging, stimulating and enjoyable read in apologetics and philosophy.

Deliver Us From Evil: Restoring the Soul in a Disintegrating Culture, by Ravi Zacharias. 
A book to show how and why our culture has fallen into such evil times and what the hope of the gospel is to confront them.  Both appendices should also be read as they are very informative as well.

The Lamb and the Fuhrer: Jesus Talks with Hitler, by Ravi Zacharias.
This is another in the Great Conversations series.  In this fictional dialogue, Jesus talks with Adolf Hitler about his life immediately after he dies.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who Hitler had killed for an attempted assassination of his life, also joins the conversation.  An interesting read concerning one of the most ruthless dictators of recent history and what Jesus Christ might have said to him about the life he lived and the way he led his people in WWII versus the way Jesus leads His people.

The Lotus and the Cross: Jesus Talks with Buddha, by Ravi Zacharias.
This is one of the "Great Conversations" books that Ravi has come out with in recent years, (cf. Sense and Sensuality: Jesus Talks with Oscar Wilde on the Pursuit of Pleasure).  This one is a conversation discussing the major beliefs of Buddhism and Christianity, in light of a young woman about to die of AIDS.  Readable in an afternoon, yet with deep questions and truths throughout this short book.

Recapture the Wonder, by Ravi Zacharias.  (This review refers to the abridged audio edition)
Disillusioned with life?  Pondering how all your dreams have been vanquished to the dustbin?  Questioning how to prevent these things from happening to others, including your children?  Zacharias takes us into the world of wonder.  What is it?  How do we come by it?  How do we keep from losing it in the West where everything is plentiful and accessible 24 hours a day?  Take a listen as the author himself reads this abridged version of the book and looks at how we can once again gain a sense of wonder and mystery with the life God has so graciously given to us.

Sense and Sensuality: Jesus Talks with Oscar Wilde on the Pursuit of Pleasure, by Ravi Zacharias.
Fictional (fanciful, i.e.,-The Great Divorce) and stimulating, convicting dialogue of Wilde, Pascal, and Jesus on pleasure in life. 

A Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Atheism, by Ravi Zacharias.
In this two part book, Dr. Zacharias moves through showing how the belief of atheism leads to a disastrous life while belief in God leads to purpose and meaning in one's life.  Two appendices deal with how to use logic and reason to prove that there is a God and the components for building a worldview.