The Books That Shaped Us… and Where to Get Them
Several great books were mentioned in the last Sovereign Grace Journal, The Books that Shaped Us. We wanted to provide a full list of those books and where to get them. We have also included the summary of each book. We hope this serves you as you look for your next read!
1. The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul
Central to God’s character is the quality of holiness. Yet most people struggle to define what God’s holiness precisely is. Many preachers today avoid the topic altogether because people don’t quite know what to do with words like “awe” or “fear.”
R. C. Sproul, in this classic theological work, puts the holiness of God in its proper and central place in the Christian life. Drawing from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, he paints an awe-inspiring vision of God that encourages Christians to become holy just as God is holy. With depth and eloquence, this timely book addresses:
What Sproul calls the “trauma of holiness”
How we reconcile God’s justice with his love
How to know if we are moving forward in our pursuit of righteousness
Once you encounter the holiness of God, your life will never be the same.
2. Knowing God by J. I. Packer
For half a century, J. I. Packer's classic has helped Christians around the world discover the wonder, the glory, and the joy of knowing God.
Stemming from Packer's profound theological knowledge, Knowing God brings together two key facets of the Christian faith―knowing about God and knowing God through a close relationship with Jesus Christ. Written in an engaging and practical tone, this thought-provoking work seeks to renew and enrich our understanding of God.
3. Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges
Isn’t it time to stop trying to measure up?
Too many of us embrace grace for our salvation but then leave it behind in our everyday lives. We base our relationship with God on our performance rather than on His love for us. But our performance can never earn us the love we so desperately crave. Renowned author Jerry Bridges’s Transforming Grace is a fountainhead of inspiration and renewal that will show you just how inexhaustible and generous God’s grace really is. Live confidently in God’s unfailing love, as you learn about:
The sufficiency of grace
Holiness as a gift of God’s grace
What it means to appropriate God’s grace
Our calling to be free
Now with an added study guide for personal use or group discussion so you can dive deeper into this staple of Jerry Bridges’s classic collection. Abandon the treadmill of performance and step into a daily life of guilt-free intimacy with our Creator.
4. The Cross and Christian Ministry: Leadership Lessons from 1 Corinthians by D.A. Carson
In this exposition of 1 Corinthians, D. A. Carson presents a comprehensive view of what the death of Christ means in preaching and ministering to God's people. He explains the key biblical principles for dynamic, cross-
centered ministry and how to put the cross at the center of Christian life.
5. How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil by D.A Carson
This clear and accessible treatment of key biblical themes related to human suffering and evil is written by one of the most respected evangelical biblical scholars alive today. Carson brings together a close, careful exposition of key biblical passages with helpful pastoral applications. The second edition has been updated throughout.
6. Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12–14 by D.A Carson
Eschewing extremes, Bible scholar D. A. Carson explores the controversial subject of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer and in the life of the church. Unpacking 1 Corinthians 12-14, as well as touching on relevant passages in Acts, Carson faithfully follows the evidence of the text and offers an honest look at the strengths and weaknesses of both charismatic and non-charismatic viewpoints.
7. A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers by D.A. Carson
Carson calls believers to revolt against superficiality and find again the deeper knowledge of God at Paul's school of prayer. Strong expositional study.
8. Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson by D.A Carson
D. A. Carson's father was a pioneering church-planter and pastor in Quebec. But still, an ordinary pastor-except that he ministered during the decades that brought French Canada from the brutal challenges of persecution and imprisonment for Baptist ministers to spectacular growth and revival in the 1970s.
It is a story, and an era, that few in the English-speaking world know anything about. But through Tom Carson's journals and written prayers, and the narrative and historical background supplied by his son, readers will be given a firsthand account of not only this trying time in North American church history, but of one pastor's life and times, dreams and disappointments. With words that will ring true for every person who has devoted themselves to the Lord's work, this unique book serves to remind readers that though the sacrifices of serving God are great, the sweetness of living a faithful, obedient life is greater still.
9. The Cross of Christ by John Stott
"I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?" With compelling honesty John Stott confronts readers with the centrality of the cross in God's redemption of our pain-filled world.
Can we see triumph in tragedy, victory in shame? Why should an object of Roman distaste and Jewish disgust be the emblem of our worship and the axiom of our faith? And what does it mean for us today?
From one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of his generation, The Cross of Christ is a classic, accessible, and compelling look at the work of Christ. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed. More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and contemporary issues. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission.
In honor of John Stott's one hundredth birthday, this centennial edition includes an updated foreword by Alister McGrath and a new timeline of Stott's life. A study guide equips individuals and groups to more deeply reflect on and apply the book's message.
10. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist by John Piper
Experience the Lifelong Pleasures of Knowing God!
Satisfaction…Happiness…Joy. According to John Piper, the pursuit of pleasure in God is not only permissible, it’s essential.
Desiring God is a paradigm-shattering work that dramatically alters common perspectives on relating to God. Piper reveals that there really is no need to choose between duty and delight in the Christian life. In fact, for the follower of Jesus, delight is the duty as Christ is most magnified in His people when they are most satisfied in Him.
Constantly drawing on Scripture to build his case, Piper shows why pursuing maximum joy is essential to glorifying God. He discusses the implications of this for conversion, worship, love, Scripture, prayer, money, marriage, missions, and suffering.
Piper beckons us to approach God with the hedonist’s abandon. Finally, we are freed to enjoy Jesus—not only as our Lord and Savior, but also as our all-surpassing, soul-satisfying Treasure.
Desiring God may turn your Christian world upside down. And that will be a good thing, for the glory of God, and for your deepest joy.
Includes a study guide for individual and small group use.
11. The Pleasures of God: Meditations on God's Delight in Being God by John Piper
Isn’t it true—we really don’t know someone until we understand what makes that person happy? And so it is with God!
What does bring delight to the happiest Being in the universe? John Piper writes, that it’s only when we know what makes God glad that we’ll know the greatness of His glory. Therefore, we must comprehend “the pleasures of God.”
Unlike so much of what is written today, this is not a book about us. It is about the One we were made for—God Himself. In this theological masterpiece—chosen by World Magazine as one of the 20th Century’s top 100 books, John Piper reveals the biblical evidence to help us see and savor what the pleasures of God show us about Him. Then we will be able to drink deeply—and satisfyingly—from the only well that offers living water.
What followers of Jesus need now, more than anything else, is to know and love—behold and embrace—the great, glorious, sovereign, happy God of the Bible.
12. Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen
John Owen’s writings, though challenging, are full of rich spiritual insights. In this unabridged volume, editors Justin Taylor and Kelly Kapic have edited three of Owen's classic works―Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers, Of Temptation: The Nature and Power of It, and The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of Indwelling Sin. They have updated the author’s language, translated the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and footnoted difficult or unknown phrases, all without sacrificing any of Owen’s original message. These three treatises on temptation, sin, and repentance are theologically robust and insightful while also being accessible to modern readers. Overcoming Sin and Temptation will help a new generation benefit from the writings of this remarkable Puritan.
13. The Mortification of Sin by John Owen
'This battle will last more or less all our days.' In this abridgement of a classic work, The Mortification of Sin, the famous Puritan John Owen shows the need for Christians to engage in a life-long battle against the sinful tendencies that remain in them, despite their having been brought to faith and new life in Christ. Owen is very insistent that believers cannot hope to succeed in this battle in their own strength. He sees clearly that the fight can be won only through faith in Christ, and in the power of the Spirit. Fighting sin with human strength will produce only self-righteousness, superstition and anxiety of conscience. But with faith in Christ, and with the power of the Spirit, victory is certain. The temptations in times like Owen's and ours are obvious on every side; the remedy to them is clearly pointed out in this practical and helpful book.
14. Holiness by J. C. Ryle
'Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots' is perhaps J. C. Ryle's best-known and, arguably, best-loved book. Although many things have changed since 1877, when this book was first published, one thing remains the same: 'real practical holiness does not receive the attention it deserves.' It was to remedy this attention deficit, and to counter false teaching on this most important subject, that Ryle took up his pen.
The twenty-one chapters in this enlarged edition highlight:
- the real nature of holiness
- the temptations and difficulties which all must expect who pursue it
- the life-transforming truth that union with Christ is the root of holiness
- the immense encouragement Jesus Christ holds out to all who strive to be holy.
Holiness, as with all of Ryle's works, is clear and concise, penetrating and practical.
15. Spiritual Depression by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
This enduring collection of twenty-one sermons by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, each originally delivered at Westminster Chapel in London, carefully and compassionately analyzes an undeniable feature of modern society from which Christians have not escaped -- spiritual depression.
"Christian people," writes Lloyd-Jones, "too often seem to be perpetually in the doldrums and too often give this appearance of unhappiness and of lack of freedom and absence of joy. There is no question at all but that this is the main reason why large numbers of people have ceased to be interested in Christianity."
Believing the Christian joy was one of the most potent factors in the spread of Christianity in the early centuries, Lloyd-Jones not only lays bare the causes that have robbed many Christians of spiritual vitality but also points the way to the cure that is found through the mind and spirit of Christ.
Amazon Westminster: https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/spiritual-depression-martyn-lloyd-jones-9780802813879
16. John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken
Most Christians know John Newton as the slave ship captain who famously converted to Christ on the high seas and then penned one of the greatest hymns of the faith: “Amazing Grace.” Less well-known is Newton’s significance in his own day as an evangelical icon, great preacher and theologian, and important influence on abolitionist William Wilberforce. In this fascinating biography, Jonathan Aitken explores many facets of Newton's eventful life story, helping readers better understand his remarkable conversion and passionate fight to end the slave trade. The first modern account to draw on Newton's unpublished diaries and correspondence, this colorful and historically significant portrait provides fresh insights into the life and legacy of one of the most important Christians of the 18th century.
17. John Newton by Catherine Swift
The amazing story of the "Old Converted Sea Captain" whose hymns are still loved today.
John Newton (1725-1807) was a British sailor whose life of sin took him to the western coast of Africa, where he became a virtual slave before getting involved in the African slave trade. His dramatic conversion during a violent storm in the North Atlantic, however, did not end his involvement with slave trading. It would be six years before he gave up his career as a sea captain and went on to become an Anglican clergyman.
Dissatisfied with the hymns of the day, Newton began writing his own, many autobiographical in nature, and is remembered for "Amazing Grace," "How Sweet the Name the Name of Jesus Sounds," and "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken." In his latter years, he played a leading role in Wilberforce's political campaign against slave trading.
From a "wretched" prodigal son to a crusader against slavery.
18. Letters of John Newton
This book is a 2020 re-print of “Letters by the Rev. John Newton, originally printed 1869. It contains several letters never published before 1869, with Biographical Sketches and Illustrative Notes by the Rev. Josiah Bull, M.A. Religious Tract Society.
Mr. Newton was a great and useful, if not a very accomplished letter-writer. His homely good sense, and his practical piety, made his correspondence very valuable, especially in his letter-writing days. He himself published several series of his letters—' Omricon,' 'Cardiphonia,' and 'Letters to a Wife,’" in addition to which several volumes of posthumous letters were published. Mr. Bull tells us that there are yet more. He has made a selection from these various collections, has added some unpublished ones, classified them under the names of Newton's different correspondents, and prefixed to each series a short biographical notice. Thus, he has put together a very interesting volume, which will be prized by many to whom the volumes referred to are inaccessible. In good sense and instructiveness, if not in intellectual power, Newton's letters deserve to be placed by the side of Samuel Rutherford's.
19. Seeing with New Eyes by David Powlison
Have you ever had the experience of getting angry, upset, or worried about something—only later to discover some crucial fact you hadn’t known? Or have you ever been delighted with something or someone, and later found out you’d been had? Something you had not taken into account explained everything in a different way. You had no reason at all to be upset—or happy. When you began to see more fully, everything changed. Seeing with New Eyes is a book about taking into account something that changes everything.
This work is the first of three planned books written by David Powlison on the topic of counseling. But it’s counseling with an unusual twist. Intentionally helpful conversations—that’s all counseling is—look different when you look at them from the perspective of seeing God. You see people and their troubles in a different light. Seeing with New Eyes discusses life's struggles, about conversations that seek to be helpful, about how to think through the things people struggle with, about skillful pursuit of personal and interpersonal objectives.
Powlison's book explores how with God in the picture, it changes the way people think about “problems,” “diagnosis,” “strategies,” “solutions,” “cures,” “changes,” “insights,” and “counseling.” When the lights go on, the reader sees God and know that God sees them. Not one of these “counseling” words can stay the same. The world is still populated with the same problems begging for help (in fact, seeing God, you see more problems!), but it’s as different as José or OK, reality or fantasy.
The goal of Seeing with New Eyes is to help the reader see God in the counseling context. How can we see what he sees, hear what he says, and do what he does? As we grasp this, we will become more thoughtful in understanding people, and more skillful in curing souls.
20. Speaking Truth in Love by David Powlison
Have you ever wondered how to be a more effective counselor? Have you ever looked for a better way to talk to difficult people? Have you ever wanted to express faith and love more naturally in your relationships as a Christian?
Speaking Truth in Love is a blueprint for communication that strengthens community in Jesus Christ. The principles outlined in this pivotal work are specific to counseling, yet extend to marriage, family, friendship, business and the Christian church.
Practical in its approach yet comprehensive in its scope, Speaking Truth in Love follows the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF) model and is sure to become required reading for anyone interested in pursuing a career as a counselor, particularly biblical Counseling, or anyone else who longs for ways to redeem relationships.
21. How Does Sanctification Work by David Powlison
Many popular views try to reduce the process of Christian growth to a single template: Remember past grace. Rehearse your identity in Christ. Avail yourself of the means of grace. Discipline yourself. But Scripture portrays the dynamics of sanctification in a rich variety of ways. No single factor, truth, or protocol can capture why and how a person is changed into the image of Christ.
Weaving together personal stories, biblical exposition, and theological reflection, David Powlison shows the personal and particular ways that God meets you where you are to produce change. He highlights the variety of factors that work together, helping us to avoid sweeping generalizations and pat answers in the search for a key to sanctification. This book is a go-to resource for understanding the multifaceted, lifelong, personal journey of sanctification.
22. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp
Paul David Tripp’s masterpiece on ministry will transform how you view yourself and engage with others. God radically changes people, and he offers us the opportunity―and the ability, by his power―to be involved in that change. We can live not just as grateful objects of his love but as effective instruments of his love in the lives of the people around us. Have you been satisfied by too little? Content with small changes in your life and the lives of others? Unsure of how to help others and uncomfortable when you encounter their needs? You don’t need to start with a strategy or technique, Tripp argues―you need a renewed imagination! Only then can you grasp what is real but unseen and live accordingly. The kingdom of God is near, and it takes us far beyond our personal situations and relationships, making ordinary people a part of God’s extraordinary plan for the world. This guidebook shows us how.
23. Depression: Looking Up from a Stubborn Darkness by Edward T. Welch
Where Is God in the Struggle? Looking away from despair towards hope can feel risky. What if God doesn't come through for you? What if you don't feel instantly better? Instead of offering simple platitudes or unrealistic cure-all formulas, Edward T. Welch addresses the complex nature of depression with compassion and insight, applying the rich treasures of the Christian gospel, and giving fresh hope to those who struggle. Depression can be a crippling mental health issue, but with the faith in God new hope can be discovered and a path to becoming a healthy happy Christian again can be found.
24. CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet by Michael R. Emlet
Your friend just left his wife. You catch your child posting something inappropriate on the Internet. Someone in your small group is depressed. A relative was just diagnosed with an incurable disease. When those you know and love experience trouble, you don't want to hand out pat answers or religious platitudes. Instead, you want to offer real hope and help from God's Word.
You know the gospel is true, but how does an ancient book, written thousands of years ago, connect with our twenty-first century problems as Christians? In CrossTalk: Where Life and Christian Scripture Meet, Michael R. Emlet gives you the tools to connect the Bible to your life and to the lives of your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. You will learn to understand people and God's Word in ways that promote gospel-centered, rich conversations that help you and those you know grow in love for God and others.
This book will make the whole Bible come alive to you. Instead of platitudes, you can offer a cup of living water to those who are struggling in this broken world.
25. Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by Wayne Grudem and John Piper
A Guide to Navigate Evangelical Feminism
In a society where gender roles are a hot-button topic, the church is not immune to the controversy. In fact, the church has wrestled with varying degrees of evangelical feminism for decades. As evangelical feminism has crept into the church, time-trusted resources like Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood help remind Christians of what the Bible has to say.
In this edition of the award-winning best seller, more than 20 influential men and women such as John Piper, Wayne Grudem, D. A. Carson, and Elisabeth Elliot offer thought-provoking essays responding to the challenge egalitarianism poses to life in the church and in the home. Covering topics like role distinctions in the church, how biblical manhood and womanhood should work out in practice, and women in the history of the church, this helpful resource will help readers learn to orient their beliefs with God’s unchanging word in an ever-changing culture.
26. Spurgeon: A New Biography by Arnold Dallimore
This book will meet the need of those completely ignorant of Spurgeon and his vast achievements, but will stir also the interest of all who value his unique ministry.
27. Christ-Centered Worship by Bryan Chapell
The church's worship has always been shaped by its understanding of the gospel. Here the bestselling author of Christ-Centered Preaching brings biblical and historical perspective to discussions about worship, demonstrating that the gospel has shaped key worship traditions and should shape today's worship as well.
This accessible and engaging book provides the church with a Christ-centered understanding of worship to help it transcend the traditional/contemporary worship debate and unite in ministry and mission priorities. Contemporary believers will learn how to shape their worship based on Christ's ministry to and through them. The book's insights and practical resources for worship planning will be useful to pastors, worship leaders, worship planning committees, missionaries, and worship and ministry students.
28. Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell
In this complete guide to expository preaching, Bryan Chapell teaches the basics of preparation, organization, and delivery--the trademarks of great preaching. This new edition of a bestselling resource, now updated and revised throughout, shows how Chapell's case for expository preaching reaches twenty-first-century readers.
29. Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be) by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck
You can be young, passionate about Jesus Christ, surrounded by diversity, engaged in a postmodern world, reared in evangelicalism, and not be an emergent Christian. In fact, I want to argue that it would be better if you weren't.
The Emergent Church is a strong voice in today's Christian community. And they're talking about good things, like caring for the poor, peace for all men, and loving Jesus. They're doing church a new way, not content to fit the mold. Again, all good. But there's more to the movement than that. Much more.
Kevin and Ted are two guys who, demographically, should be all over this movement. But they're not. And here’s why—they do life founded upon orthodox beliefs about God, propositional truths about Jesus, and the authority of Scripture.
In Why We're Not Emergent, Kevin and Ted diagnose the emerging church from both a theological and an on-the-street perspective. They pull apart interviews, articles, books, and blogs, helping you see for yourself what it's all about.
Provocative yet playful, this book seeks to show you why being emergent isn’t the only, or even the best, way to be passionate about Jesus Christ.
30. Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck
This book presents the case for loving the local church. It paints a picture of the local church in all its biblical and real life guts, gaffes, and glory in an effort to edify local congregations and entice the disaffected back to the fold. It also provides a solid biblical mandate to love and be part of the body of Christ and counteract the "leave church" books that trumpet rebellion and individual felt needs.
Why We Love the Church is written for four kinds of people—the Committed, the Disgruntled, the Waffling, and the Disconnected.
31. What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert
Christians today define mission more broadly and variably than ever before. Are we, as the body of Christ, headed in the same direction or are we on divergent missions?
Some argue that the mission of the Church is to confront injustice and alleviate suffering, doing more to express God’s love for the world. Others are concerned that the church is in danger of losing its God-centeredness and thereby emphasize the proclamation of the gospel. It appears as though misunderstanding of mission persists.
Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert believe there is a lot that evangelicals can agree on if only we employ the right categories and build our theology of mission from the same biblical building blocks. Explaining key concepts like kingdom, gospel, and social justice, DeYoung and Gilbert help us to get on the same page―united by a common cause―and launch us forward into the true mission of the church.
32. The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness by Kevin DeYoung
What does it mean to be holy? Why should we care? And how can we change?
The hole in our holiness is that we don’t care much about holiness. Or, at the very least, we don’t understand it.
This is a book for those of us who are ready to take holiness seriously, ready to be more like Jesus, ready to live in light of the grace that produces godliness. This is a book about God’s power to help us grow in personal holiness and to enjoy the process of transformation.
33. Men and Women in the Church: A Short, Biblical, Practical Introduction by Kevin DeYoung
A Biblical Primer on Men and Women in the Church
There is much at stake in God making humanity male and female. Created for one another yet distinct from each other, a man and a woman are not interchangeable―they are designed to function according to a divine fittedness. But when this design is misunderstood, ignored, or abused, there are dire consequences.
Men and women―in marriage especially, but in the rest of life as well―complement one another. And this biblical truth has enduring, cosmic significance. From start to finish, the biblical storyline―and the design of creation itself―depends upon the distinction between male and female. Men and Women in the Church is about the divinely designed complementarity of men and women as it applies to life in general and especially ministry in the church.
34. Impossible Christianity: Why Following Jesus Does Not Mean You Have to Change the World, Be an Expert in Everything, Accept Spiritual Failure, and Feel Miserable Pretty Much All the Time by Kevin DeYoung
The apostle Paul described the Christian life as a race, but to many believers it feels more like a punishing obstacle course. Fearing they’ll never be able to do enough or give enough or be enough, they see themselves as spiritual failures. But Scripture offers good news: even in ordinary life, Christians can be faithful, fruitful, and pleasing to God.
Impossible Christianity reassures readers that they don’t need to feel a collective sense of guilt for sins in the past and solve every societal problem in the present. Through biblical wisdom and engaging personal stories, Kevin DeYoung challenges the misconception that we need 40 hours in the day just to be good Christians. By reflecting on what Jesus actually taught about Christian discipleship, readers will be newly encouraged to pursue single-minded devotion to God and find lasting joy in a life of sincere and simple obedience.
35. Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book About a (Really) Big Problem by Kevin DeYoung
“I’M TOO BUSY!” We’ve all heard it. We’ve all said it. All too often, busyness gets the best of us.
Just one look at our jam-packed schedules tells us how hard it can be to strike a well-reasoned balance between doing nothing and doing it all.
That’s why award-winning author and pastor Kevin DeYoung addresses the busyness problem head on in his newest book, Crazy Busy — and not with the typical arsenal of time management tips, but rather with the biblical tools we need to get to the source of the issue and pull the problem out by the roots.
Highly practical and super short, Crazy Busy will help you put an end to “busyness as usual.”
36. The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism by Kevin DeYoung
If there is "nothing new under the sun," perhaps the main task now facing the Western church is not to reinvent or be relevant, but to remember.
The truth of the gospel is still contained within vintage faith statements. Within creeds and catechisms we can have our faith strengthened, our knowledge broadened, and our love for Jesus deepened.
In The Good News We Almost Forgot, Kevin DeYoung explores the Heidelberg Catechism and writes 52 brief chapters on what it has shown him. The Heidelberg is largely a commentary on the Apostle's Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer, and deals with man's guilt, God's grace, and believers' gratitude. This book is a clear-headed, warm-hearted exploration of the faith, simple enough for young believers and deep enough for mature believers.
DeYoung writes, "The gospel summarized in the Heidelberg Catechism is glorious, its Christ gracious, its comfort rich, its Spirit strong, its God Sovereign, and its truth timeless." Come and see how your soul can be warmed by the elegantly and logically stated doctrine that matters most: We are great sinners and Christ is a greater Savior!
37. Grace Defined and Defended: What a 400-Year-Old Confession Teaches Us about Sin, Salvation, and the Sovereignty of God by Kevin DeYoung
Grace Is Too Precious a Doctrine to Settle for Vague Generalities
Grace―a doctrine central to the gospel―ought to be clearly defined so it can be celebrated, relished, and consistently defended.
In this book, Kevin DeYoung leads us back to the Canons of Dort, a seventeenth-century document originally written to precisely and faithfully define this precious doctrine.
The Canons of Dort stand as a faithful witness to the precise nature of God’s supernatural, sovereign, redeeming, resurrecting grace―when so many people settle for vague generalities that water down the truth.
In three concise sections―covering history, theology, and practical application― DeYoung explores what led to the Canons and why they were needed, the five important doctrines that they explain, and Dort’s place in the Christian faith today.
38. The Ten Commandments: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them by Kevin DeYoung
Are the 10 Commandments still relevant today?
Do they still apply? Which ones? What do they mean in light of God’s mercy revealed in Jesus?
Highlighting the timelessness and goodness of God’s commands, pastor Kevin DeYoung delivers critical truth about the 10 Commandments as he makes clear what they are, why we should know them, and how to apply them. This book will help you understand, obey, and delight in God’s law―commandments that expose our sinfulness and reveal the glories of God’s grace to us in Christ.
39. The Lord’s Prayer: Learning from Jesus on What, Why, and How to Pray by Kevin DeYoung
Bestselling Author Kevin DeYoung Explores Jesus’s Foundational Prayer
Christians know the importance of prayer, but the act of praying can be a real challenge. Some have the desire, but not always the will; others worry they don’t do it well. Books about prayer usually emphasize spiritual discipline, but that can foster more guilt than reassurance. So how can Christians improve their prayer life, embracing the privilege of communicating with God?
In The Lord’s Prayer, Kevin DeYoung closely examines Christ’s model for prayer, giving readers a deeper understanding of its content and meaning, and how it works in the lives of God’s people. Walking through the Lord’s Prayer word by word, DeYoung helps believers gain the conviction to develop a stronger prayer life and a sense of freedom to do so.
Concise, Inspiring Guide to Prayer: Examines Luke 11:1–2 and Matthew 6:5–9, gives biblical and historical context to each part of the Lord’s Prayer, and ends with a doxology
Accessible Resource for Many Readers: A great guide for laypeople and students as well as for pastors, church leaders, and ministry leaders
Versatile Resource: A useful reference for seminary review or personal devotional reading
40. Taking God At His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me by Kevin DeYoung
Can we trust the Bible completely? Is it sufficient for our complicated lives? Can we really know what it teaches?
With his characteristic wit and clarity, award-winning author Kevin DeYoung has written an accessible introduction to the Bible that answers important questions raised by both Christians and non-Christians. This book will help you understand what the Bible says about itself and encourage you to read and believe what it says―confident that it truly is God's Word.
41. The Biggest Story Bible Storybook by Kevin DeYoung
104 Engaging Bible Stories for Ages 6–12 from Author Kevin DeYoung, Illustrated by Don Clark
The Bible is a BIG book about the BIGGEST story. Each page tells about the God who created the world, acted in history, and continues to act in the present. In The Biggest Story Bible Storybook, pastor Kevin DeYoung shares this grand story with children ages 6–12 through 104 short chapters.
Beginning in Genesis and ending with Revelation, DeYoung provides engaging retellings of various Bible stories, explaining how they fit into the overarching storyline. Each reading is coupled with beautiful illustrations by award-winning artist Don Clark and concludes with a reflective prayer. Perfect for bedtime stories or to read together as a family, both children and parents alike will experience afresh the captivating story of the Bible in an easy-to-understand, compelling way.
42. Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology by Kevin DeYoung
Learn Important Systematic Theology Topics Each Day with This Accessible One-Year Devotional
All thoughtful Christians want to better understand the Bible, its author, and its influence on their beliefs. In short―whether they recognize it or not―they want to understand theology. But many find the subject matter too academic, dense, or difficult to understand, and they lack proper study resources to help expand their knowledge of God and his written word.
Designed to make systematic theology clear and accessible for the everyday Christian, this devotional walks through the most important theological topics over the course of a year. Each month is categorized into broad themes, starting with the study of God and concluding with the end times. Written by bestselling author and associate professor of systematic theology Kevin DeYoung, each concise daily reading contains verses for meditation and application, building upon each other and easing readers into the study of systematic theology.
Written for Thoughtful Christians: Offers pastors, ministry leaders, and everyday Christians access to a theologically rich yet accessible study
One-Year Plan: Daily readings build off one another to help ease readers into systematic theology
Covers Important Theological Topics: Each month covers a different broad theological topic, including mankind, salvation, the church, end times, and more
Written by Kevin DeYoung: Pastor, bestselling author, and associate professor of systematic theology
