If you are giving books as a gift to your friends and family this year, we have compiled a list of some of the best classic and contemporary books for beginner, intermediate and advanced readers. If you work through the books on this list you will be devotionally enriched and will be giving yourself a solid theological education that you would not get at the vast majority of seminaries. This is certainly not an exhaustive list but a good foundation.
Introductory Reading
Christianity is not about knowing a lot of things. It is about deeply knowing the one true God in order that your whole person may be conformed into His image.
- The Gospel for Real Life | Jerry Bridges
- Bible Overview | Steve Levy
- Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction | Sinclair Ferguson
- God's Big Picture | Vaughan Roberts
- Truth for All Time | John Calvin
- 18 Words: The Most Important Words You Will Ever Know | J. I. Packer
- Bitesize Theology: An ABC of the Christian Faith | Peter Jeffery
- A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God's Love | Milton Vincent
Intermediate Reading
Grow deeper in the knowledge of God by studying how the Gospel trains us in every area of life.
- Attributes of God | Arthur Pink
- Church History in Plain Language | Bruce Shelly
- Desiring God | John Piper
- Finally Alive | John Piper
- Holiness of God | R. C. Sproul
- How People Change | Timothy Lane & Paul Tripp
- In Christ Alone | Sinclair Ferguson
- Discovering God's Will | Sinclair Ferguson
- Just Do Something | Kevin DeYoung
- Knowing God | J. I. Packer
- Taking God At His Word | Kevin DeYoung
- Delighting in the Trinity | Michael Reeves
- Knowing Scripture | R. C. Sproul
- Living the Cross Centered Life | C. J. Mahaney
- Encountering Christ in the Covenants | Daniel McManigal
- Prayer and the Knowledge of God | Graeme Goldsworthy
- Putting Amazing Back Into Grace | Michael Horton
- Redemption Accomplished & Applied | John Murray
- Seeing with New Eyes | David Powlison
- Today's Gospel | Walter Chantry
- Whatever Happened to the Gospel.of Grace? | James. M. Boice
- When Grace Comes Home | Terry L. Johnson
- Chosen for Life | Sam Storms
Advanced Reading
Some things God has revealed about himself are difficult to understand. Careful study of these works will be greatly rewarding.
- Christless Christianity | Michael Horton
- Courage to be Protestant | David Wells
- Doctrine of the Knowledge of God | John Frame
- Reformed Dogmatics | Herman Bavinck
- Systematic Theology | Wayne Grudem
- Westminster Confession & Heidelberg Catechism
- The Works of John Owen (16 Vol. Set)
- Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man | Herman Witsius
- Institutes of Elenctic Theology (3 Volume Set)
- God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology | Michael Horton
- Covenant and Salvation: Union with Christ | Michael Horton
- The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship | Robert Letham
- The Forgotten Trinity: Recovering the Heart of Christian Belief | James White
- History of the Work of Redemption | Jonathan Edwards
- The Goldsworthy Trilogy | Graeme Goldsworthy
- Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments | Geerhardus Vos
- Biblical Theology: The History of Theology From Adam to Christ | John Owen
Classics
Following Christ's example, believers have always labored to bless the generations which would come after them. These are some of the finest fruits of that labor.
- Body of Divinity | Thomas Watson
- Bondage of the Will | Martin Luther
- Bruised Reed | Richard Sibbes
- The Existence and Attributes of God | Stephen Charnock
- Christian in Complete Armor | William Gurnall
- Confessions | St. Augustine
- Crook in the Lot | Thomas Boston
- Freedom of the Will | Jonathan Edwards
- Institutes of the Christian Religion | John Calvin
- Marrow of Modern Divinity | Edward Fisher
- Mortification of Sin | John Owen
- Religious Affections | Jonathan Edwards
- The Sovereignty of God | A. W. Pink
Children's Books
Strengthen the young minds under your care early with gospel-centered resources.
- Big Truths for Little Kids | Susan & Richie Hunt
- Jesus Storybook Bible | Sally Lloyd-Jones
- Training Hearts, Teaching Minds | Starr Meade
- God's Providence | Sally Michaels
- Who Is God? (And Can I Really Know Him?) | John Hay and David Webb
- Big Book of Questions & Answers: A Family Devotional Guide to the Christian Faith | Sinclair Ferguson
- God's Alphabet for Life Devotions for Young Children | Joel Beeke and Heidi Boorsma.
- The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden | Kevin DeYoung
For High School Graduates
- What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done | Matt Perman
- Salvation Belongs to the Lord: An Introduction to Systematic Theology | John Frame
- Thriving at College | Alex Chediak
- Taking God At His Word | Kevin DeYoung
- The Reason for God | Tim Keller.
- Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work | Tim Keller..
- 18 Words: The most important words you will ever know | J. I. Packer.
- Discovering God's Will | Sinclair Ferguson.
Apologetics & Evangelism
Not a secondary matter, sharing the good news is a necessary part of believing the good news.
- Always Ready | Greg Bahnsen
- Evangelism & The Sovereignty of God | J. I. Packer
- Gospel and Personal Evangelism | Mark Dever
- Let the Nations Be Glad | John Piper
- Covenantal Apologetics: Principles and Practice in Defense of Our Faith | K. Scott Oliphint
- Reason for God | Tim Keller
- Tell the Truth | Will Metzger
- Who Made God? | Edgar Andrews
- Art of Manfishing: A Puritans View of Evangelism | Thomas Boston
- The Soul Winner: Advice on Effective Evangelism | Charles Spurgeon
- The Heavenly Footman | John Bunyan
Top Books on Reformed Piety
Growing in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ
- The Christian in Complete Armour | William Gurnall
- Crook in the Lot | Thomas Boston
- The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification | Walter Marshall
- The Bruised Reed | Richard Sibbes
- The Mortification of Sin | John Owen
- The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment | Jeremiah Buroughs
- Holiness | J.C. Ryle
Biographies
Men
- George Whitefield by Arnold Dalimore
- Here I Stand: A Life Of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton.
- C.H. Spurgeon Autobiography (2 Volume Set)
- Life of Martyn Lloyd Jones by Iain H. Murray.
- Robert Murray McCheyne by Andrew Bonar.
- David Livingstone: The Truth Behind The Legend by Rob Mackenzie.
- Jonathan Edwards: A Life by George Marsden.
- Defending The Faith: J. Gresham Machen by Daryl Hart.
Women
- The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert Rosaria Champagne Butterfield
- Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman by Gladys Aylward.
- The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.
- By Searching: My Journey Through Doubt Into Faith by Isobel Kuhn.
- Mary Slessor of Calabar Pioneer Missionary by W. P. Livingstone.
- A Chance To Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot.
- Give Me This Mountain by Helen Roseveare.
- My Heart In His Hands: Ann Judson of Burma by Sharon James.
- The Nine Day Queen of England: Lady Jane Grey by Faith Cook.