Books of the Quarter
On the Road with Saint Augustine: A Real-World Spirituality for Restless Hearts
James K. A. Smith
Brazos Press, 2019
240 pages
What’s going on when I feel restless? What do I want when I desire to feel free, or be noticed? What’s in my heart when I long to change the world, or hunger for intimacy? These are some of the questions James K. A. Smith attempts to answer through the timeless wisdom of Saint Augustine. Smith brings this African bishop to life for the modern reader, offering a fresh articulation of Christianity while addressing some of our deepest hungers, fears, and hopes.
- Stephen Chen
Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches
Russell Moore
Crossway, 2015
256 pages
Why would I take a stranger into my family and make him my own son? Why would God? Intertwining scripturally rich exposition of the doctrine of adoption with poignant anecdotes from his own family’s adoption, Russell D. Moore invites us to examine these questions in the light of the gospel. Readers will see the glorious opportunity to bear our Father’s image and become parents to the fatherless, and learn to cry with deepened joy, “Abba! Father!” Few books have stirred my heart and mind like <em>Adopted for Life</em>, and I commend it to all who have been adopted into God’s family through Christ.
- Jemmin Chang
Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers
Dane Ortlund
Crossway, 2020
224 pages
What a rich and delightful book! Dane Ortlund does a fantastic job of helping us meditate on the compassionate and caring heart of Jesus. Filled with beautiful Puritan quotes and wonderful descriptions of Christ, Gentle and Lowly is not only for the weary, but anyone who wants to be drawn to Jesus.
- Daniel Chan
Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans
Robert Elmer, editor
Lexham Press, 2019
240 pages
We’re all aware that we can grow in prayer. But sometimes practical help seems hard to find. Enter Piercing Heaven, a beautifully bound book of Puritan prayers that have been organized and modernized for our encouragement. Similar to The Valley of Vision, it’s a collection of profound prayers that can be used for devotional study or as a springboard for your personal prayer life. This is one of the books I’ve been reaching for frequently during these days of disruption and uncertainty, and one I anticipate using for many years to come. I trust it will be a helpful, lifelong companion for you as well!
- Daniel Chan
Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion
Rebecca McLaughlin
Crossway, 2019
240 pages
Rebecca McLaughlin’s new book is nothing new. It includes common questions debated before. But this book needed to be written, and it needs to be read. It has been over a decade since Keller’s Reason for God, and there has been a growing need for a fresh voice and conversation in this age of unbelief. Confronting Christianity fills that void. You will reach for this book time and time again as you share with friends looking for an introductory treatment to questions concerning Christianity.
- Stephen Chen
7 Myths About Singleness
Sam Allberry
Crossway, 2019
175 pages
Wow! I learned so much from Sam Allberry’s latest book. In it, he brings our unspoken assumptions about singleness to the surface and dismantles them with the truth of God’s word. In the process, he drives away the stigma of singleness by showing us how living in Christ is enough. I can’t think of a better resource on this topic. Funny, relatable, biblical, and practical, this a book that I hope all our church—whether single, dating, or married—will read. It will help us understand and love one another better.
- Daniel Chan
Found: God’s Will
John MacArthur
David C. Cook, 2012
80 pages
Ever struggle to figure out God’s will for your life? Ever wonder if the decision you made is the one that God wanted you to make? If so, Found: God’s Will is for you! In this short, yet immensely helpful book, John MacArthur debunks the notion that the will of God is mysterious or difficult to discover. This is one of my favorite books by my former pastor. The biblical principles in it have given me freedom and confidence in my decision-making time and time again. I’ve recommended this book to many and do so again to you. Read it and be blessed!
- Daniel Chan
Amy Carmichael: Beauty for Ashes
Iain H. Murray
Banner of Truth, 2015
167 pages
Anything written by Iain Murray ought to be read. As evangelicalism’s premier biographer, he has a long legacy of authoring books that look to the past to help us better understand the present. In Amy Carmichael: Beauty for Ashes, Murray adds to his literary works a short, but wonderfully accessible and convicting biography of a determined and dedicated missionary for the Lord. It will, as Patricia MacArthur states in the foreword, “tear at the fabric of our complacency and selfishness.”
- Stephen Chen
The Doctrine of Repentance
Thomas Watson
Banner of Truth, 1668, Reprinted 2009
122 pages
What comes first, faith or repentance? Have I deceived myself into a counterfeit repentance that does not equal biblical repentance? Do I need to repent of my repentance? Thomas Watson tackles such issues in The Doctrine of Repentance with typical aplomb and illustrative style. Don’t be fooled by its title (or cover!). Easy to follow, but to be slowly read, this book deserves your attention as it will sharpen your self-discernment in an age where the words “sin” and “repent” are out of vogue.
- Stephen Chen
The Gospel Comes with a House Key
Rosaria Butterfield
Crossway, 2017
240 pages
The Gospel Comes with a House Key is a practical, heart building book on how Christians can be a powerful gospel witness through the practice of hospitality. Rosaria Butterfield takes the reader into her home as she shares her thought process, stories, and lessons on being a light to her neighbors; warmly encouraging the reader by showing rather than telling. I am so glad Butterfield decided to write this book, as there are not too many books in the area of hospitality. Highly recommended, this book encourages the reader to witness to their neighbors by opening up their doors.
- Ryan Chang
This Is Our Time
Trevin Wax
B&H Publishing Group, 2017
226 pages
Christian books critiquing the culture is nothing new. They have been standard fare since the pilgrims landed on Plymouth. But This is Our Time does something many cultural critiques fail to do: it explains why the gospel is better. The book considers eight cultural myths that speak to us (from smartphones to shopping to sex) and instead of simply condemning, shows how authentic Christianity offers a better answer. A gifted communicator, Wax is a trusted interpreter of our times. But for this book to have its greatest impact, it needs to be read in our day. So, take up and read!
- Stephen Chen
Holding on to Hope: A Pathway Through Suffering to the Heart of God
Nancy Guthrie
Tyndale Momentum, 2015
208 pages
Holding on to Hop systematically studies Job’s response to suffering through its various phases such as sorrow, worship, despair, and submission. With the loss of our third child, Derrick and I grappled with how to work through grief in a godly way, with hope. I found this book most instructive in the blur of those first weeks. Holding on to Hope is practical and relatable, succinct and easy to read, yet rigorous in its application. The book also comes with a companion 8-week Bible study on the book of Job.
- Janette Chan
Everyone a Child Should Know
Clare Heath-Whyte & Jenny Brake
10Publishing, 2017
116 pages
Simply written and delightfully illustrated, Everyone a Child Should Know tells 52 fascinating stories of Christian men and women from all walks of life. Heath-Whtye has done an exceptional job of encouraging young children to be friends of Jesus, while also showing how friendship with him can often be very hard. This is a wonderful discipleship resource for any home with young ones. It’s a book that could be read before bed, during family worship, or just for fun. Adults might find themselves more inspired to be a faithful friend of Jesus as well!
– Daniel Chan
God and the Transgender Debate
Andrew T. Walker
The Good Book Company
144 pages
Andrew Walker's God and the Transgender Debate unpacks an unavoidable topic when sharing Jesus with friends and neighbors. Never has it been more crucial for the Church to exalt Christ in its approach to conversations on gender and sexuality, yet often it's hard to know where to begin! This book equips the reader with clear definitions and truth without sacrificing nuance and compassion. One will be informed, not only on how the Bible addresses gender identity, but challenged with what that means for ourselves, and how our church can better love the LGBT community.
- Ben Bell
Church History in Plain Language
Bruce L. Shelley
Thomas Nelson, 2013 (4th Edition)
560 pages
For some, the thought of reading a history book for fun might seem like Inquisition-level torture. If that sounds familiar, Church History in Plain Language is for you. The late Professor Bruce Shelley does a great job of highlighting a major theme each chapter, explaining key movements like the Reformation and the Great Awakening, and offering brief biographies of spiritual giants who still influence us today. It's not bogged down with tons of arcane details and dates, but aims to help you see how the Church has both floundered and flourished in times of persecution and prosperity. This is an excellent read for you to gain a fresh perspective on issues facing the Church today and to grow in your gratitude for the saints who God has used to carry the Gospel forward for two thousand years.
- Ben Bell
Trusting God
Jerry Bridges
NavPress, Reprinted 2017
368 pages
Is God's sovereignty good news? This question lies at the heart of Trusting God, a book born out of an especially difficult time in Jerry Bridges' life. A helpful resource to prepare for the inevitable periods of hardship in life, it also equips readers to care for others navigating adversity on any scale. With a thorough discussion guide at the back, this book could also be a great study with a friend or small group to reflect on God's dominion over everything from politics to people to pain... and how that frees us to trust Him completely.
- Ben Bell
None Like Him
Jen Wilkin
Crossway, 2016
176 pages
Beginning with our birth, one fact is clearly made evident to us: We are not God. However, in so many areas of our lives, we think we are. Or at least, we try to act like Him. In her book, None Like Him, Jen Wilkin explores 10 ways God is infinitely greater than us. In the midst of life’s burdens and worries, Wilkin illustrates how knowing these aspects of God will drive us to a deeper awe and understanding of Him.
- Michael Chan
The Soul Winner: Advice on Effective Evangelism
Charles H. Spurgeon
Christian Focus, 2008
256 pages
C. H. Spurgeon, oft recognized as the “prince of preachers,” was fiercely evangelistic. Under his ministry, Victorian London saw revival on a scale never seen since. His book, The Soul Winner, isn’t a “step-by-step” process on evangelism, but a collection of lectures meant to encourage the apathetic or timid Christian. Lambasting gimmicks and fads, Spurgeon challenges his readers to be about the business of winning souls with characteristic wisdom and wit.
- Stephen Chen
Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus
Mark Dever
Crossway, 2016
112 pages
Disciples of Jesus disciple others—this is the premise of Mark Dever’s challenging and immensely practical book, Discipling. Every church should have a culture of being intentional in encouraging and training disciples of Jesus in deliberate, loving relationships. I have waited a long time for a primer like this to put into the hands of every church member. If you are a follower of Christ, read this book and prayerfully apply it!
- Stephen Chen
Delighting in the Trinity
Michael Reeves
InterVarsity Press, 2012
135 pages
Many are reluctant to ponder the Trinity because it seems like an inaccessible doctrine that is difficult to comprehend. But Delighting in the Trinity is a highly readable, yet theologically substantial book that will cause you to appreciate and worship our Triune God. Weaving together Scripture, historical insights, and apologetic arguments, Michael Reeves shows how the Trinity is absolutely foundational to our Christian faith and how it gives us great reason to rejoice. Highly recommended.
- Daniel Chan