Books
Good Christian books have always been a vital way of introducing people to the Christian faith, or nurturing them into a stable and healthy Christian life. Here are some recommendations of books by a range of authors as well as books written by our minister and also by Dr Bob Letham, one of our members who teaches theology in Wales Evangelical School of Theology in Bridgend.
10 Christian Books Worth Reading
There are vast numbers of Christian books out there and a great number of them are well worth reading. These ten suggestions are a mixture of new and classic titles and represent everything from a beginner’s guide to the Christian Faith to what is arguably the definitive summary of what it is all about.
Knowing God, James I. Packer (Hodder & Stoughton)
A modern classic bringing us to the very heart of what it means to be a Christian: to know God as he really is. A book that has helped many Christians to dig deeper into the faith
Basic Christianity, John R.W. Stott (IVP; Nottingham)
John Stott has been recognised as one of the most influential Christians of the 20th Century and this was one of his early writings that is a valuable introduction to the Christian faith
What is the Gospel? Greg Gilbert (Crossway; Wheaton, Illinois)
A relatively recent book that is short and easy to read. It is endorsed by D.A. Carson and is a great introduction to what the gospel is and why it matters for everyone
Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan (Banner of Truth; Edinburgh)
Next to the Bible, this book is the most translated and most widely published Christian book of all time. Despite its quaint style and language, it never ceases to enthral young and old alike
From the Mouth of God, Sinclair B. Ferguson (Banner of Truth; Edinburgh)
The Bible is the book that lies at the heart of the Christian faith, but what are we to make of it and how should it be studied? This little volume is a very helpful answer to both these questions
Communion with God, John Owen [Puritan Paperbacks Series] (Banner of Truth; Edinburgh)
John Owen, a 17th Century pastor-theologian, is widely regarded as the greatest English theologian. His works are not easy to read, but this abridged version of one of his classic works is a great taster for the rich insights he provides to saving faith as it is set out in the Bible
Trusting God, Even when Life Hurts, Jerry Bridges (NavPress; Colorado Springs)
The world is full of suffering and Christians suffer too. Jerry Bridges explores the enigma of suffering and pain and opens up new horizons on how to understand and handle it
The Christian Life, Sinclair B. Ferguson (Banner of Truth; Edinburgh)
‘What is a Christian?’ is, at one and the same time, among the easiest and hardest of questions to answer. This book pitches the answer somewhere in the middle and is a ‘must read’ for everyone who takes it seriously
Desiring God, John Piper (Multnomah Books; Colorado Springs)
Too often the ideas ‘joy’ and ‘God’ are placed in very different compartments of our mind. In this book, borrowing heavily from great theologians from the past, John Piper shows how longing for God and finding the deepest joys of life go hand-in-hand
The Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin [J.T. McNeill edition] (Westminster John Knox Press; Louisville, London)
John Calvin is arguably the most influential theologian of all time and this two-volume work for which he is best known is among the most influential books of all time. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but will not fail to benefit anyone who takes the trouble to read it
Books by Rev Mark G. Johnston
Child of a King: The Biblical Doctrine of Adoption, (Christian Focus Publications; Fearn, Tain) 1997
You in Your Small Corner: The Elusive Dream of Evangelical Unity, (Christian Focus Publications; Fearn, Tain) 1999
Let’s Study John, (Banner of Truth; Edinburgh) 2003
Let’s Study 2Peter & Jude, (Banner of Truth; Edinburgh) 2005
Our Creed: for Every Culture and for Every Generation, ‘P&R Publications Company; Philipsburg NJ) 2012
Let’s Study Colossians & Philemon, (Banner of Truth; Edinburgh) 2013
Books by Dr Robert Letham
The Work of Christ (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press/Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press) 1993.
The Lord’s Supper: Eternal Word in Broken Bread (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian & Reformed) 2001
The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian & Reformed) 2004
Through Western Eyes: Eastern Orthodoxy - A Reformed Perspective (Fearn: Mentor) 2007
The Westminster Assembly: Reading its Theology in Historical Context (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian & Reformed/Philadelphia: Craig Center) 2009
Union with Christ: In Scripture, History and Theology (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian & Reformed) 2011
A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Baptism: The Waters that Unite (Fearn: Christian Focus) 2012
The Person of Christ: The Bible Speaks Today; Themes Series (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press/Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press) 2013
Gamechangers: Key Figures of the Christian Church (Fearn: Christian Focus) 2015
