Recommended Reading

Christians are born so that they can grow. There is no better spiritual nourishment than a regular diet of the Word of God, the sacraments, and prayer. But this diet can be helpfully supplemented with good Christian fellowship and through good Christian books.

One way in which Grace Church encourages reading is by having books on hand at the church all the time. The other way in which we encourage reading is by drawing attention to Christian classics.

The following books range from thought-provoking to life-transforming. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Grace Church leadership, but they were selected for a reason. The Christian classics and helpful texts are written by people committed to the authority of Scripture and the power of the gospel. The texts on church history are exemplary for their good prose and careful research, not for their theological acumen.

Christian Classics

Augustine, Confessions.
Martin Luther, On Christian Liberty.
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
The Heidelberg Catechism
The Westminster Confession of Faith.
Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.
John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress.
Thomas Boston, Human Nature in its Fourfold State.
J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels.
J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism.
John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied.
Sinclair Ferguson, The Christian Life.
J.I. Packer, Knowing God.

The Christian life: helpful texts

Ed Welch, When People are Big and God is Small.
Dave Harvey, When Sinners Say “I Do.”
Ken Sande, The Peacemaker. (2004 and later editions only)
Paul David Tripp, Age of Opportunity.
Ed Moll and Tim Chester, Gospel-Centered Family.
Tedd Tripp, Shepherding a Child’s Heart.
Ginger Plowman, Don’t Make Me Count to Three.
Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change.
Tedd and Margy Tripp, Instructing a Child’s Heart.
Robbie Castleman, Parenting in the Pew: Guiding your Children into the Joy of Worship.
Bruce Ray, Celebrating the Sabbath: Finding Rest in a Restless World.
Gardiner Spring with Tedd Tripp, Hints for Parents.
Jim Newheiser, You Never Stop Being a Parent.
Edward Welch, Addictions: a Banquet in the Grave.
Edward Welch, Blame it on the Brain.
Ken Sande with Tom Raabe, Peacemaking for Families.
William P. Farley, Gospel-Powered Parenting.

Church history

Mark Noll, Turning Points.
Peter Brown, Augustine of Hippo.
Henry Chadwick, The Early Church.
Diarmaid MacCulloch, Thomas Cranmer.
George Marsden, Jonathan Edwards.
Mark Noll, A history of Christianity in the United States and Canada.
D. G. Hart, Defending the Faith.
Eamon Duffy, Saints and Sinners: a History of the Popes.