1. “The Ragamuffin Gospel” – Brennan Manning
Many believers feel stunted in their Christian growth. We beat ourselves up over our failures and, in the process, pull away from God because we subconsciously believe He tallies our defects and hangs His head in disappointment. Brennan Manning reminds us that nothing could be further from the truth. The Father beckons us to Himself with a “furious love” that burns brightly and constantly. Only when we truly embrace God’s grace can we bask in the joy of a gospel that enfolds the most needy of His flock—the “ragamuffins.”
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2. “Unapologetic” – Francis Spufford
Unapologetic is a brief, witty, personal, sharp-tongued defence of Christianity, taking on Dawkins’ The God Delusion and Hitchens’ God is Not Great. Its argument is that Christianity is recognisable, drawing on the deep and deeply ordinary vocabulary of human feeling, satisfying those who believe by offering a ruthlessly realistic account of the bits of our lives advertising agencies prefer to ignore. Aimed at non-christians and those exploring Christian faith, this provocative book uses strong and sometimes course language to get across the shocking nature of the gospel.
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3. “The Princess and the Goblin” – George MacDonald
Princess Irene lives in a castle in a wild and lonely mountainous region. One day she discovers a steep and winding stairway leading to a bewildering labyrinth of unused passages with closed doors – and a further stairway. What lies at the top? Can the ring the princess is given protect her against the lurking menace of the boglins from under the mountain?
This Children’s book was written by the great Christian author, George MacDonald, who was one of the strongest influences on C.S. Lewis and many other Christian writers.
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4. “The Drama of Scripture” – Craig Bartholomew
Written by our very own, Craig Bartholomew, this updated and revised edition surveys the grand narrative of the Bible, demonstrating how the biblical story forms the foundation of a Christian worldview.
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5. “Perelandra” – C.S. Lewis
In Perelandra, the 2nd book in his Cosmic Trilogy, C.S. Lewis describes an otherworldly Eden-like planet still untarnished by the fall of man. But evil has arrived on the planet and threatens to strip this world of its innocence.
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6. “The Good and Beautiful God” -James Bryan Smith
Turning to the Gospels, James Bryan Smith invites you to put your ideas about God to the test to see if they match up with what Jesus himself reveals about his Father. Once you’ve discovered the truth in Scripture, Smith leads you through a process of spiritual formation that includes specific activities aimed at making these new narratives real in your body and soul as well as your mind.
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7. “Pilgrim’s Progress” – John Bunyan
An enormously influential 17th-century classic, universally known for its simplicity, vigor, and beauty of language, The Pilgrim’s Progress remains one of the most widely read books in the English language. This famous story of man’s progress through life in search of salvation remains one of the most entertaining allegories of faith ever written. If old English isn’t your thing, there is a version available written in everyday English.
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8. “The Reason For God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism” – Tim Keller
Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics and non-believers bring to religion. Using literature, philosophy, anthropology, pop culture, and intellectual reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one. To true believers he offers a solid platform on which to stand against the backlash toward religion spawned by the Age of Skepticism. And to skeptics, atheists, and agnostics he provides a challenging argument for pursuing the reason for God.
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9. “Gilead” – Marilynne Robinson
A hymn of praise and lamentation from a 1950s preacher man. A testament to the sacred bonds between fathers and sons. A psalm of celebration and acceptance of the best and the worst that the world has to offer. This is the story of generations, as told through a family history written by Reverend John Ames, a legacy for the young son he will never see grow up. As John records the tale of the rift between his own father and grandfather, he also struggles with the return to his small town of a friend’s prodigal son in search offorgiveness and redemption.
The winner of two major literary awards and a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2004, Gilead is an exquisitely written work of literary fiction, destined to become a classic, by one of today’s finest Christian writers.
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10. “Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist” – John Piper
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.
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