Many centuries ago, the writer of Ecclesiastes offered this inspired caution: “But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body” (12:12). While many, many, many books have been written by many, many, many wise men and women, there is only one book to which all others must bend the metaphorical knee—that which was breathed out by God himself (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Additionally, when considering uninspired writings, we need to admit that not all are created equal! Some are worth the investment of time while others are not.

It’s with those thoughts in mind that I offer the below book recommendations to those who are looking to grow in their understanding of God, his word, and his people. Each recommendation is not necessarily a wholesale endorsement of the the author, but they are works that I’ve personally found beneficial over the years. Those in bold are the one’s which I might recommend beginning.

Books on Bible Reading

• Prolegomena on Biblical Hermeneutics and Method by Christopher Cone
• How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart
• From Gospels to Glory: Exploring the New Testament by Kenneth Hanna
• Living by the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible by Howard Hendricks
• The Bible Among Myths: Unique Revelations of Just Ancient Literature? by John Oswalt
• How to Eat Your Bible by Nate Pickowicz
• Methodical Bible Study by Robert Traina
• Basic Bible Interpretation: A Practical Guide to Discovering Biblical Truth by Roy Zuck

Books on the Triune God

• On the Holy Spirit by St. Basil the Great
• The Doctrine of God by Gerald Bray
• No One Like Him: The Doctrine of God by John Feinberg
• God With Us: Exporing God’s Personal Interactions with His People Throughout the Bible by Glenn Kreider
• The Glory of God by J. Dwight Pentecost
• Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith by Michael Reeves
• The Messianic Hope: Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic? by Michael Rydelnik

Books on Salvation

• The Cross and Salvation: The Doctrine of Salvation by Bruce Demarest
• So Great Salvation: What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ by Charles Ryrie

Books on Evangelism and Missions

• True Evangelism: Winning Souls by Prayer by Lewis Sperry Chafer (a brief review here)
• For the Sake of His Name by David Doran
• Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global by Andy Johnson
• Show Me How to Share the Gospel by Larry Moyer
• Honest Evangelism: How to Talk About Jesus Even When It’s Tough by Rico Tice

Books on the Church

• Personal Disciplemaking: A Step-by-Step Guide for Leading a Christian from New Birth to Maturity by Christopher Adsit
• Gifted: Understanding the Holy Spirit and Unwrapping Spiritual Gifts by Christopher Cone
• From the Ground Up: New Testament Foundations for the 21st-Century Church by Scott Horrell
• Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God by Bob Kauflin
• Life on the Vine: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Christian Community by Philip Kenneson
• Life in the Father’s House: A Member’s Guide to the Local Church by Wayne Mack
• The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor by John Stott
• RetroChristianity: Reclaiming the Forgotten Faith by Michael Svigel

Books on Church History

• Invitation to Church History by John Hannah
• Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation by Erwin Lutzer
• Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley

Books on General Theology

• Exploring Christian Theology (three vols.) edited by Nathan Holsteen and Michael Svigel
• Handbook on Evangelical Theology: A Historical, Biblical, and Contemporary Survey and Review by Robert Lightner
• Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth by Charles Ryrie

Books on the Christian Home

• Friends and Lovers: Cultivating Companionship and Intimacy in Marriage by Joel Beeke
• God, Marriage, and the Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation by Andreas Köstenberger
• Preparing for Marriage God’s Way: A Step-By-Step Guide for Marriage Success Before and After the Wedding by Wayne Mack
• Strengthening Your Marriage: Wayne Mack
• Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp

Books on the Christian Life

• The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secrets of Joyful Giving by Randy Alcorn
• The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Bourroughs
• The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
• Pride and Humility at War: A Biblical Perspective by Lanier Burns (a brief review here)
• He That is Spiritual by Lewis Sperry Chafer
• Biblical Discipleship: The Path For Helping People Follow Jesus by Daniel Goepfrich (a brief review here)
• Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes
• Law and Grace: A Study of New Testament Concepts as They Relate to the Christian Life by Alva McClain (a brief review here)
• Knowing God by J. I. Packer
• Design for Living: Lessons on Holiness from the Sermon on the Mount by J. Dwight Pentecost
• Balancing the Christian Life by Charles Ryrie
• The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
• The Grace Awakening: Believing in Grace is One Thing, Living It is Another by Charles Swindoll
• The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer

Books on Prayer

• Developing a Healthy Prayer Life by James Beeke and Joel Beeke (a review here)
• How Can I Cultivate Private Prayer? by Joel Beeke
• The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions edited by Arthur Bennett

Books on Other Issues

• Heaven by Randy Alcorn
• Understanding End Times Prophecy: A Comprehensive Approach by Paul Benware
• Redacted Dominionism: A Biblical Approach to Grounding Environmental Responsibility by Christopher Cone
• Heavenly Rewards: Living with Eternity in Sight by Mark Hitchcock
• Safe in the Arms of Jesus: God’s Provision for the Death of Those Who Cannot Believe by Robert Lightner
• Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology by J. Dwight Pentecost
• Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity by Nabeel Qureshi
• The Grand Design: Male and Female He Made Them by Owen Strachan
• Reenchanting Humanity: A Theology of Mankind by Owen Strachan
• When the Stars Disappear: Help and Hope from Stories of Suffering in Scripture by Mark Talbot
• The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman
• He Will Reign Forever: A Biblical Theology of the Kingdom of God by Michael Vlach
• Has the Church Replaced Israel: A Theological Evaluation by Michael Vlach