Five Books That Made Me
I am a book nerd. I love to read, and I love to study. This passion of mine has slowed down since I took on fatherhood, but it is still fairly strong. Before my marriage, I would read about a book a week. Now, I read about a book a month.
I have decided to write this article on the five books, excluding the Bible, that have had the greatest impact on my life. Of course, the Bible is the most important book I have ever read. Needless to say, it has impacted every area of my life. I guess I should write an article on the Bible in the future. However in this blog, I want to mention five books that impacted me above all the other books that are not divinely inspired.
The first book I want to mention is, "Knowing God" by J. I. Packer. This book is considered a classic by many. I once heard a definition of a classic that has stuck with me for a while. The definition of a classic book is: "A book that is often quoted, but seldom read." I agree. Many people quote this book, but not as many have read it. "Knowing God" should be required reading for every Christian. J. I. Packer challenges his readers to think deeper about the things of God than they currently are. This book caused me to stop taking certain aspects of Christianity for granted, and it forced me to examine my faith more closely. Even when Packer states something you are not all that certain you agree with, he does it in a way that makes you think. Thus you are better off by thinking about and re-examining your point of view. "Knowing God" maybe one of the greatest devotional books ever written. It certainly made an impact on my life.
The second book I want to mention is, "Chosen By God" by R. C. Sproul. About 15 years ago, I began to study and seriously look at my understanding of Salvation. I began to discover concepts in the Scripture that made me rethink how I got saved. During my last year of Seminary, a good friend of mine handed me this book. Dr. Sproul's book helped me solidify what I was struggling with. He clearly explains God's sovereignty over our salvation. I think I would have figured it all out without this book, but I am sure glad that I had this book to help me make it simple. Even those who disagree with the premise of this book, know that the arguments in it are hard to refute. "Chosen By God" has shaped my understanding of Grace, and has allowed me to interpret Biblical texts that I used to ignore. I will always be grateful to Dr. Sproul for giving us this book.
The third book I want to mention is, "Christian Theology: An Introduction" by Alister McGrath. I am a history nut, and McGrath's systematic theology explains the history behind the doctrine like no other systematic theology that I have read. The fact that I would mention a systematic theology book as one that impacted my life probably sets me off as weird. Nevertheless, it is very true. Doctrine is very important to me, and knowing how it all came about makes me happy. Alister McGrath did a fantastic job writing a theology that is systematic, historical, and easy to read. Three incredibly important attributes to a theology book.
The fourth book I want to mention is, "For His Grace, And By His Glory" by Thomas Nettles. This book is a history of Baptist theology. As I was trying to figure out my understanding of Sovereignty, I needed to see if I fit with the Baptist perspective. This book allowed me to see that I was in the right place. I would say that this book would bore the average reader to sleep, but if a person is searching about their Baptist roots, they would not find a better read.
The fifth book I wish to mention is , "Providence & Prayer: How Does God Work In The World?" by Terrance Tiessen. I picked this book up five years ago because I was looking for something to read. I would have never guessed its impact on my mind. Dr. Tiessen goes through 13 distinct interpretations of Providence, and how they relate to prayer. This book should be read by anyone who wants to call themselves a theologian. I am absolutely amazed that no one speaks of this book at conferences. It helped me see where everyone was coming from, and it helped me see my own view point better.
So why these five books? I believe I can tell who a person really is by what that person reads. I believe that these books tell my story. They may be able to tell it better than I could tell it myself. At the very least, maybe this list will make you write a list of your own. Or even better, maybe this list will prompt you to read one of these books. I believe that reading is the key to knowledge. Maybe ten years from now, these five books may not make my top five. I guess you'll have to keep reading this blog to find out.
I have decided to write this article on the five books, excluding the Bible, that have had the greatest impact on my life. Of course, the Bible is the most important book I have ever read. Needless to say, it has impacted every area of my life. I guess I should write an article on the Bible in the future. However in this blog, I want to mention five books that impacted me above all the other books that are not divinely inspired.
The first book I want to mention is, "Knowing God" by J. I. Packer. This book is considered a classic by many. I once heard a definition of a classic that has stuck with me for a while. The definition of a classic book is: "A book that is often quoted, but seldom read." I agree. Many people quote this book, but not as many have read it. "Knowing God" should be required reading for every Christian. J. I. Packer challenges his readers to think deeper about the things of God than they currently are. This book caused me to stop taking certain aspects of Christianity for granted, and it forced me to examine my faith more closely. Even when Packer states something you are not all that certain you agree with, he does it in a way that makes you think. Thus you are better off by thinking about and re-examining your point of view. "Knowing God" maybe one of the greatest devotional books ever written. It certainly made an impact on my life.
The second book I want to mention is, "Chosen By God" by R. C. Sproul. About 15 years ago, I began to study and seriously look at my understanding of Salvation. I began to discover concepts in the Scripture that made me rethink how I got saved. During my last year of Seminary, a good friend of mine handed me this book. Dr. Sproul's book helped me solidify what I was struggling with. He clearly explains God's sovereignty over our salvation. I think I would have figured it all out without this book, but I am sure glad that I had this book to help me make it simple. Even those who disagree with the premise of this book, know that the arguments in it are hard to refute. "Chosen By God" has shaped my understanding of Grace, and has allowed me to interpret Biblical texts that I used to ignore. I will always be grateful to Dr. Sproul for giving us this book.
The third book I want to mention is, "Christian Theology: An Introduction" by Alister McGrath. I am a history nut, and McGrath's systematic theology explains the history behind the doctrine like no other systematic theology that I have read. The fact that I would mention a systematic theology book as one that impacted my life probably sets me off as weird. Nevertheless, it is very true. Doctrine is very important to me, and knowing how it all came about makes me happy. Alister McGrath did a fantastic job writing a theology that is systematic, historical, and easy to read. Three incredibly important attributes to a theology book.
The fourth book I want to mention is, "For His Grace, And By His Glory" by Thomas Nettles. This book is a history of Baptist theology. As I was trying to figure out my understanding of Sovereignty, I needed to see if I fit with the Baptist perspective. This book allowed me to see that I was in the right place. I would say that this book would bore the average reader to sleep, but if a person is searching about their Baptist roots, they would not find a better read.
The fifth book I wish to mention is , "Providence & Prayer: How Does God Work In The World?" by Terrance Tiessen. I picked this book up five years ago because I was looking for something to read. I would have never guessed its impact on my mind. Dr. Tiessen goes through 13 distinct interpretations of Providence, and how they relate to prayer. This book should be read by anyone who wants to call themselves a theologian. I am absolutely amazed that no one speaks of this book at conferences. It helped me see where everyone was coming from, and it helped me see my own view point better.
So why these five books? I believe I can tell who a person really is by what that person reads. I believe that these books tell my story. They may be able to tell it better than I could tell it myself. At the very least, maybe this list will make you write a list of your own. Or even better, maybe this list will prompt you to read one of these books. I believe that reading is the key to knowledge. Maybe ten years from now, these five books may not make my top five. I guess you'll have to keep reading this blog to find out.
posted by Foundes Community Church @ 1:00 PM
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