Recommended Reading

It all started when Jesus called a few people to follow him and share God’s message with their neighbors. We are called to do the same. But evangelism can be difficult–even intimidating. With all the evangelism resources available, where should you turn to find sound advice on how to share the Good News with others?

The answers aren’t found in TV evangelism, easy-evangelism guidebooks, or the latest marketing techniques. Rather, Robert E. Coleman points to the Bible, to the ultimate example found in Jesus Christ.

For decades, The Master Plan of Evangelism has challenged and instructed more than 3.5 million readers. This abridged version for time-starved readers is as fresh, relevant, and effective as ever. Join the movement and discover how you can minister to the people God brings into your life.

The death of George Floyd at the hands of police in the summer of 2020 shocked the nation. As riots rocked American cities, Christians affirmed from the pulpit and in social media that “black lives matter” and that racial justice “is a gospel issue.”

But what if there is more to the social justice movement than those Christians understand? Even worse: What if they’ve been duped into preaching ideas that actually oppose the Kingdom of God?

In this powerful book, Voddie Baucham, a preacher, professor, and cultural apologist, explains the sinister worldview behind the social justice movement and Critical Race Theory—revealing how it already has infiltrated some seminaries, leading to internal denominational conflict, canceled careers, and lost livelihoods. Like a fault line, it threatens American culture in general—and the evangelical church in particular.

Whether you’re a layperson who has woken up in a strange new world and wonders how to engage sensitively and effectively in the conversation on race or a pastor who is grappling with a polarized congregation, this book offers the clarity and understanding to either hold your ground or reclaim it.

Modern culture is obsessed with identity. Since the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision in 2015, sexual identity has dominated both public discourse and cultural trends—yet no historical phenomenon is its own cause. From Augustine to Marx, various views and perspectives have contributed to the modern understanding of the self.

In this timely book, Carl Trueman analyzes the development of the sexual revolution as a symptom—rather than the cause—of the human search for identity. Trueman surveys the past, brings clarity to the present, and gives guidance for the future as Christians navigate the culture in humanity’s ever-changing quest for identity.

What is authentic faith?

The Gospel According to Jesus challenges Christians to re-evaluate their commitment to Christ by examining their fruits. MacArthur asks, “What does it really mean to be saved?” He urges readers to understand that their conversion was more than a mere point in time, that, by definition, it includes a lifetime of obedience.

John MacArthur tackles the error of “easy-believism” by addressing these questions:

• Is it possible to accept Jesus as Savior while refusing him as Lord?
• Can someone truly believe without actually repenting?
• How do obedience, commitment to Christ, and turning from sin fit together with the truth that we are saved by grace through faith alone?

The Gospel According to Jesus is just as powerful today as it was more than two decades ago. It is a Scripture-based clarion call for a rejection of the watered-down message that has gained popularity in the church and a return to the gospel Jesus preached. This 20th anniversary edition adds a powerful new chapter to the complete text of the original classic, reinforcing the book’s timeless message—that Jesus demands to be both Savior and Lord to all who believe. This book is compulsory reading for Christians from all walks of life and will help guide you into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Issuing a warning against preaching and teaching a candy-coated gospel that neither offends nor convicts anyone, MacArthur challenges readers to return to the roots of the Great Commission. (Revised and expanded edition).

Unlock the treasures of God’s Word in just fifteen minutes a day with this classic, simple-to-use guide to Scripture.

If you’ve ever confused the ark of the covenant with the ark of Noah, or Jericho with Jeroboam, Max Anders’ classic book, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, is for you. In just fifteen minutes a day, you’ll learn the Bible’s key people, events, and doctrines to get more out of God’s Word. This simple-to-use, straightforward guide has been recommended by Bible teachers and pastors for thirty years, and now it’s available in an expanded thirtieth anniversary edition—with the most requested topics from the original edition restored and updated for today’s readers.

The book diagnoses what the authors call a “new religion” rising in America — not classical secularism, but a worldview centered on two key ideas: individual autonomy (“I am my own god, answerable to no one”) and universal equality (“everyone must end up equal”).

It argues that this new religion is actively at odds with the Christian gospel and Christian cultural engagement — bringing with it lawlessness, cultural change, and challenges to church, state, and family.

The authors call Christians not to cower or hide, but instead to follow Jesus with truth-informed courage: to live by the Word of God, to engage culture and government faithfully, and to train the next generation accordingly.

This is a handbook for pastors, elders, and all Christians who want to see how Scripture presents the process of discipline that should operate in the Christian community. It was written in response to the various concerns that threaten to tear apart marriages, families, friendships, and congregations–concerns that call for a biblical approach to discipline that can heal fractures, restore right relationship, and ensure the health of the church. Developed around the five corrective steps found especially in Matthew 18:15-17, this book helps church leaders deal with the sorts of problems that require the church’s disciplinary response. Charting a course that combines discernment with appropriate action, this simple, readable handbook can have a profound effect on the community of believers.

“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.

Richard Baxter was vicar of Kidderminster from 1647 to 1661. This collection, first prepared for a Worcestershire association of ministers, offers a look into how the Puritan pastor transformed his congregation from “reveling people” into a godly worshiping community. Baxter’s principles, reapplied in terms of modern circumstances, challenge today’s believers and provide direction for ministry.

‘Christ, the Scripture, your own hearts, and Satan’s devices, are the four prime things that should be first and most studied and searched…’

The detailed analysis of Scripture together with the malfunctions, diseases, and spiritual cares of members of the body of Christ found in Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices is an outstanding example of Thomas Brooks’ deep knowledge and understanding. Many have benefited from his insights into gospel antidotes to the means Satan employs in unsettling God’s people.

Alexander Grosart, editor of the nineteenth-century edition of Brooks Works, records the words of a missionary who had become deeply perplexed by a situation in which she found herself:

‘I…turned to my closet for an hour, giving the time to prayer and to my dear little help-book ‘Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices’. In that time God taught me what to do, and strength was given for the day.’

Precious Remedies continues to be a ‘help-book’ to Christians today. Pastors will find its insights valuable in caring for Christ’s flock.

A good case could be made out for believing that ‘repentance’ is one of the least used words in the Christian church today. In a world that will not tolerate the mention of sin, and in churches where it has been defined only in sociological terms, the biblical teaching on repentance has inevitably been ignored.

Knowing what repentance is and actually repenting are essential to true Christianity. Jesus Christ himself said that if we do not repent, we will perish! It is vital, therefore, to read and study what Scripture has to say about this theme.

Few better guides have existed in this or any other area of spiritual experience than Thomas Watson. He was a master of both Scripture and the human heart and wrote with a simplicity and directness that keeps his work fresh and powerful for the twenty-first century.

Now in modern English and packed full of helpful features, this new edition will enable you to enjoy this classic of classics with greater understanding than ever before.

The Pilgrim’s Progress has been called “the greatest allegory ever written.” Its appeal sweeps across the scope of age, intellect, and education. Children read it for the excitement of the story, eager believers are challenged and trained by its invaluable teaching, and Bible students and scholars alike read it for its depth of doctrine.

Just as relevant today as it was when John Bunyan wrote it in his cell in the Bedford County Jail, The Pilgrim’s Progress is the story of every Christian from the first stirrings of the Holy Spirit beckoning us to follow Christ, to our final arrival in the Celestial City of God.

CHristian History Made Easy clearly lays out the most important events in the history of the church, from the time of Jesus to modern day. Christian History Made Easy explains early church history, the Church Councils, the Great Schism, the Crusades, Francis of Assisi, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformation, and more. This incredible handbook presents key church history events and great Christian leaders everyone should know, along with full-color church history timelines, photos, pictures, and maps. The study guide and worksheets in the back makes this book an excellent Bible Study, adults Sunday school topics, or homeschool curriculum. Author Timothy Paul Jones makes Christian history refreshingly fun while at the same time informing Christians about the history of the Christian faith.

Why should you join a church?

Becoming a member of a church is an important, and often neglected, part of the Christian life. Yet the trend these days is one of shunning the practice of organized religion and showing a distaste or fear of commitment, especially of institutions.

Jonathan Leeman addresses these issues with a straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it’s important. Giving the local church its proper due, Leeman has built a compelling case for committing to the local body.

How does understanding conversion shape ministry? The way a church operates says alot about how they believe people are saved. When a church truly embraces the Bible’s teaching on conversion, they will call people to repentance and faith- not just one-time decisions, therapeutic healings, or moral lifestyles.

This short book was written to help churches rightly understand the difference that a biblical doctrine of conversion should make for teaching, evangelism, discipling, membership and every other facet of the life of a local church.

What God Intended for the Body of Christ
Fellowship among believers is more than just talking over coffee after church service. Biblical fellowship in New Testament times–or koinonia–had rich and varied meanings, including covenant relationship, partnership in the gospel, communion with God and others, and the sharing of earthly possessions.

In True Community, bestselling author Jerry Bridges guides you through koinonia and its implications for today’s church. With discussion questions at the end of each chapter, this book will help you dig deeper into what Christian community in the twenty-first century should look like. You will come away with a new appreciation for fellowship, the church, and what God intended the body of Christ to be.

With a discussion guide for personal or group use.

God commands His people, “Be holy, for I am holy.” But holiness is something that is often missed in the Christian’s daily life. That’s because we’re not exactly sure what our part in holiness is. In this spiritual growth classic, Jerry Bridges helps us see clearly just what we should rely on God to do–and where we need to accept responsibility. Whether you’re just beginning your pursuit of holiness or continuing your journey, these timeless principles and guidelines will challenge you to joyfully obey God’s command of holiness. Now includes a study guide for personal or group use.

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.

This workbook accompanies the second edition of Wayne Grudem’s highly regarded Systematic Theology. Following the textbook’s structure, it features review material and exercises for every chapter, and all major areas of Christian doctrine are covered, including:

• The Word of God
• God
• Humanity
• Christ and the Holy Spirit
• The Application of Redemption
• The Church
• The Future

The workbook further maintains the clear writing, friendly tone, and frequent applications to life found in the textbook. Students will benefit from this hands-on engagement with the important teachings in Systematic Theology.

America has entered troubling times. The rule of law is crumbling. The massive expansion of Federal government power with its destructive laws and policies is of grave concern to many. But what can be done to quell the abuse of power by civil authority? Are unjust or immoral actions by the government simply to be accepted and their lawless commands obeyed? How do we know when the government has acted tyrannically? Which actions constitute proper and legitimate resistance?This book places in your hands a hopeful blueprint for freedom. Appealing to history and the Word of God, Pastor Matthew Trewhella answers these questions and shows how Americans can successfully resist the Federal government’s attempts to trample our Constitution, assault our liberty, and impugn the law of God.The doctrine of the lesser magistrates declares that when the superior or higher civil authority makes an unjust/immoral law or decree, the lesser or lower ranking civil authority has both the right and duty to refuse obedience to that superior authority. If necessary, the lower authority may even actively resist the superior authority.Historically, this doctrine was practiced before the time of Christ and Christianity. It was Christian men, however, who formalized and embedded it into their political institutions throughout Western Civilization.The doctrine of the lesser magistrates is a historic tool that provides proven guidelines for proper and legitimate resistance to tyranny, often without causing any major upheaval in society. The doctrine teaches us how to rein in lawless acts by government and restore justice in our nation.”Use this sword against my enemies, if I give righteous commands; but if I give unrighteous commands, use it against me.”-Roman Emperor Trajan, speaking to one of his subordinates This is the first book published solely addressing the doctrine of the lesser magistrates in over 400 years.Matthew Trewhella is the pastor of Mercy Seat Christian Church. He is a graduate of Valley Forge Christian College. He and his wife, Clara, have eleven children and nine grandchildren, and reside in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. His research and teaching on the lesser magistrate doctrine is reshaping the thinking of Americans. He was instrumental in publishing the Magdeburg Confession in 2012 – the first English translation of the document since it was written in 1550.

Some Pastors and Teachers is a volume for every minister’s study and indeed for the bookshelves and bedside tables of everyone who has a concern for the ministry of the gospel and the well-being of the church in the twenty-first century. In many ways, it reflects the biblical vision of what every minister is called to be: pastor, teacher, counselor, and example—but also a man who is growing spiritually, both in understanding and in character, before the eyes of his congregation.

In five sections and thirty-nine chapters, Sinclair B. Ferguson writes on pastor-teachers whose life and work have left an indelible mark on his own life, and then leads us in a series of chapters on the teaching of John Calvin, John Owen and the seventeenth century Puritans. This is followed by studies of Scripture, the ministry of the Spirit, the nature of Biblical Theology, the work of Christ, adoption, the nature of the Christian life and other important doctrines. The final section discusses various aspects of preaching, including preaching Christ from the Old Testament, the importance of theology, reaching the heart, and concludes with a Decalogue for preachers. All this, as the epilogue makes clear, is set within the context and goal of doxology.

Here is a book to return to again and again, for instruction, for challenge, and also for enjoyment. While written particularly with ministers in view its style makes it accessible to all. Dr. Ferguson describes Some Pastors and Teachers as a series of small gifts for fellow-ministers and others, written as an expression of the love of Christ. It is calculated to help both ministers of the gospel and entire congregations to realize Paul’s vision of churches growing up into Christ as they are nourished and taught by their pastors and teachers.