there are over 300,000 books published in the united states each year! (obviously) there is no way to read all those books in a lifetime, let alone every year.
You are reading: Best books to introduce christianity
It can be hard to find trustworthy and engaging books in that sea of chaos, but reading them is one of the best ways to learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Each of these books helped me understand what it means to be called a disciple of Jesus, what salvation means, and how I can better live my faith. I recommend reading them in this order if you haven’t read any yet.
1. the bible
yes. I’m starting with the bible. I know this one is supposed to go without saying in these kinds of lists, but less than half of us Christians spend any real time reading it, and fewer of us have read it all. #jesusjuke
what it’s about: Borrowing from the bible project, “it’s a unified collection of stories that point to jesus.”
Why you should read it: It is the foundation of all our faith. is full of wisdom and tips for living a good life. but it’s also full of weird stories, foreign cultures, and hard-to-understand principles. that’s why we also need to read some of these other books. but don’t skip this one! this is the most important on this list!
2. mere christianity
c.s. Lewis adapted a number of his radio shows to create this book, and as a result, it has an informal, conversational format. casual ≠ easy, however. Lewis was a genius, and there will be parts that will be difficult to understand. but I promise you it’s #worth it.
What it’s about: The basics of the Christian faith are explored and explained.
why you should read it: mere Christianity serves as a great introduction to apologetics, while also providing us with some of that famous c.s. louis wisdom. Lewis uses our ideas of fairness and justice to provide a reason for God to exist, then lays out a solid foundation for what all Christians should believe and how we should behave.
3. rag gospel
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Written by expelled alcoholic Catholic priest Brennan Manning, this book reveals God’s love and grace in a very compelling way.
what it’s about: the overwhelming, unending, and reckless love of god. It’s full of stories that demonstrate God’s love for you, no matter how good or bad you think you are.
Why you should read this: Manning is a masterful storyteller and has an incredible story. words often found in book reviews: revolutionary, formative, transformative, comforting, hopeful, essential. After reading Lewis’ thoughts on Christianity, Manning’s experience of Christianity and Jesus will be a whole new perspective coming to the same place: God is full of love and grace for you. And he will blow your mind!
4. surprised by hope
anglican bishop n.t. Wright is one of the most brilliant Christian thinkers of the last few centuries. He often finds new ways to explain ancient truths that make them much more accessible to modern audiences, and this book is a great example of his skill.
what it is about: the point of our Christian faith. why did god create us? why did jesus save us What did he save us from? The answers to these questions are surprising and full of hope!
Why You Should Read This: This book corrected many of the misconceptions and misunderstandings about the sky that I learned as a youngster. it is not a place where we will go to sing worship songs for eternity, or even a strictly spiritual place. Understanding the purpose of heaven and our role in its formation is an essential step in fulfilling the mission Jesus gave us before he ascended. intrigued? you should be!
5. celebration of discipline
Need I tell you more? a book on discipline is something that we find irresistible, right? No? well, this one is worth reading.
what it is about: not punishment. describes the history, purpose, and means of various spiritual practices. teaches us to pray, fast, live simply, serve, and celebrate.
why you should read it: richard foster wrote this book for anyone who has ever wondered why their faith seems to oscillate between dry, inconsequential, and pervasive, emotional times. the spiritual disciplines are an essential part of the growth of every Christian. Without them we are subject to seemingly random times of intimacy with God. With them we learn to trust and find God in the midst of any circumstance.
6. the cost of discipleship
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dietrich bonhoeffer is a giant among theologians because his life was an amazing example of the things he taught. and what he most taught was how following christ meant you might have to give your life for that pursuit. And he did exactly that!
what it’s about: we all know someone who says they follow jesus, but their life rarely seems to follow him. bonhoeffer wrote an entire treatise on why that’s bad, and it’s one of the most challenging books you’ll ever read.
Why You Should Read This: I was hoping this book would highlight all the ways other people fail to live out the call of Jesus, but he hit me hard. This book will challenge you to examine his entire life and find the ways he has not yet submitted to Jesus. The beauty of the book is that it doesn’t define what a Christian should look like, but it does define the attitude of humility and generosity and grace and obedience that should mark the life of a believer. It’s not an easy read, but it’s important.
7. generous justice
tim keller is one of my favorite living pastors and authors. he is one of those rare theologians whose love for theology is only overshadowed by his evident love for the people in his writings. Reading any of his books is something I strongly recommend.
What It’s About:The word “justice” is one of those English words that can mean so many things that it’s hard to really know what it means in the Bible. Tim Keller defines the way biblical authors used “justice” and what it means for us today.
why you should read it: precisely because it gives us a much better understanding of god’s desire for justice than cory has up there. keller explores the words mishpat and tzedekah, and tells stories about how we should practice them in our current context. Sometimes it’s hard to know how Christians should interact with politics and politics, but generous justice reminds us that our purpose goes beyond politics and forces us to examine how we can practice justice in this moment.
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Looking back at this list, I realized that all of them (with the exception of the bible) were written by modern, white, European men. That doesn’t take away from how excellent or beneficial these books are, but it does reveal a gap in my understanding. there’s a whole context and experience in Christianity that I didn’t have growing up and I’d like to change that.
So my next step in understanding Christianity is this: I spent 2018 reading the experiences, thoughts, and ideas of non-white men. It has been an eye-opening experience that has strengthened my faith and admiration for Jesus in many ways. some of the best books I’ve read so far this year:
- let justice roll, john m. perkins
- i’m still here, austin channing brown
- assimilate or go home, d.l. mayfield
- the cross and the lynching tree, james h. cone
Which books would you say are essential to developing a mature Christian faith?
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