Basic Books for the Laity

October 9, 2008 at 11:01 am (Books (reviews and recommendations))

Following up on my post about commentaries, this post will give an assortment of good books for the laity to read. No doubt, there will be many books not listed here which are also excellent for the laity. I waive the point. This is just my list. By all means, though, leave comments as to what books you think are excellent for the beginning Christian. I will also try to limit the list to books that are good for mature laity as well as beginning Christians. I will split it up into the various areas of study for ease of reference. Furthermore, they will be listed in incremental difficulty from easiest to most difficult, although even the most difficult would still be accessible to a beginning Christian.

Doctrine: The Westminster Standards and the Three Forms of Unity; The Christian Life, by Sinclair Ferguson; The Institutes of the Christian Religion, by John Calvin; The Christian’s Reasonable Service, by Wilhelmus a’Brakel

Church History: Church History In Plain Language, by Bruce Shelley; The Church in History, by B.K. Kuiper; History of the Christian Church, by Phillip Schaff

Apologetics: Every Thought Captive, by Richard Pratt; The Battle Belongs to the Lord, by Scott Oliphint; The Reason for God, by Tim Keller; Christian Apologetics, by Cornelius Van Til; The Defense of the Faith, by Cornelius Van Til

Practical Theology: The Christian Life, by Sinclair Ferguson (no accident that it is listed twice); Knowing God, by J.I. Packer; In Christ Alone, by Sinclair Ferguson; The Peacemaker, by Ken Sande; Holiness, by J.C. Ryle; Memoirs and Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne, The Christian Directory, by Richard Baxter