A LIST OF BOOKS TO START YOUR CHURCH’S RESOURCE CENTER.

/ Kevin Fiske

We’re looking to expand our Resource Center at Harvest Naperville, and I was asked to put together a list of books that would help provide a foundation upon which, Lord willing, we will one day expand.  Below is my list of 13 books, in no particular order, that I included.  If you had to make a list of 10-15 foundational books to encourage/edify those in your church, what would it look like?

  1. The ESV Study Bible (Crossway)
  2. Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know, by Wayne Grudem*
  3. The Knowledge of the Holy, by A.W. Tozer
  4. The Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry Bridges
  5. The Reason for God, by Tim Keller
  6. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney
  7. The Holiness of God, by R.C. Sproul
  8. God Wrote a Book, by James MacDonald
  9. Living the Cross-Centered Life, by C.J. Mahaney
  10. The Masculine Mandate, by Richard Phillips
  11. Practical Theology for Women, by Wendy Alsup
  12. This Momentary Marriage, by John Piper
  13. Grace Based Parenting, by Tim Kimmel

*Christian Beliefs is the most elementary version of Grudem’s Systematic Theology.  There is also an intermediate level edition entitled Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith.  Any of these books could readily be selected to provide a systematic theology resource to those in the church you attend.

4 thoughts on “A LIST OF BOOKS TO START YOUR CHURCH’S RESOURCE CENTER.”

  1. Solid list. You hit most areas that would be good to cover. I’d have to substitute a few. Maybe J.I. Packer’s Knowing God and Kostenbergers God, Marriage and Family. I might include Let the Nations Be Glad, something missions or evangelism based.

    Thanks for compiling this list. I like the idea of a resource area.

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  2. Great suggestions, Corey! I had originally suggested Kostenberger’s book, as I believe it’s the best/most exhaustive on the topics addressed (esp. the newest edition!), but they thought the size and scope may be a little too intimidating to begin.

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  3. Love the list Kevin. I might add “All of Grace” by Spurgeon and “When I don’t desire God” by J Piper which is a great book that confronts an issue most Christians experience from time to time but have a hard time talking about.

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