Have you ever asked or been asked these questions?
- What is my purpose?
- What is the meaning of life?
- Where do I fit in?
- How can I make a difference?
- How do I study the Bible?
- What is prayer?
- Why should I attend church services?
- How do I find a good church?
- Why should we make disciples?
- How should I manage my finances?
- How do I get out of debt?
- How does tithing and offering work?
- What does the Bible say about dieting?
- How can I better manage my time?
- How can I know God’s will for my life?
- Why does God allow good people to get sick or die?
- Why is there so much suffering in the world?
- How do I understand life’s tough challenges?
- What if I’m experiencing doubt?
These are important questions! We want to help you find biblical solutions and articulate biblical answers to these real-life struggles.
Below is a brief list of recommended books we believe will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible, church history, doctrine, and theology. Many of these books are available at the library at First Baptist Church.
*A recommendation does not mean we agree with everything in the book or with the author’s total theology. We believe we can learn from other brothers and sisters even though we may disagree on secondary or tertiary matters. We encourage everyone to follow the example of the Bereans (Acts 17:11) and test everything by Scripture and hold fast to what is true (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
To see more recommended reading, check out our book lists for Christian Beliefs and Christian Relationships.
RECOMMENDED READING ON CHRISTIAN LIVING
- The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
- A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life by J. I. Packer
- Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist by John Piper
- Happiness by J. C. Ryle
- The Walk: Steps for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus by Stephen Smallman
- The Discipline of Grace: God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
- The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
- The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness by Kevin DeYoung
- Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
- Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes
- Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus Through the Spiritual Disciplines by David Mathis
- When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper
- Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney
- ESV Study Bible
- NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible
- Listen Up! A Practical Guide to Listening to Sermons by Christopher Ash
- An Approach to Extended Memorization of Scripture by Andrew M. Davis
- Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me by Kevin DeYoung
- One to One Bible Reading: A Simple Guide for Every Christian by David Helm
- Reading the Bible Supernaturally by John Piper
- 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible by Robert L. Plummer
- Knowing Scripture by R. C. Sproul
- The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions by Arthur Bennett
- Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D. A. Carson
- A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller
- Do You Pray? A Question for Everybody by J. C. Ryle
- The Prayer of the Lord by R. C. Sproul
- Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney
- Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice by Bryan Chapell
- Let the Children Worship by Jason Helopoulos
- Corporate Worship: How the Church Gathers as God’s People by Matt Merker
- Family Worship: In the Bible, In History, and In Your Home by Donald S. Whitney
- Hymns of Grace by The Master’s Seminary Press
- The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World by Rosaria Butterfield
- Loving the Way Jesus Loves by Phil Ryken
- Spiritual Disciplines Within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ by Donald Whitney
- Evangelism As Exiles: Life on Mission as Strangers in Our Own Land by Elliot Clark
- The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever
- Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel Wholly by Grace Communicated Truthfully and Lovingly by Will Metzger
- Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer
- Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus by J. Mack Stiles
- Engaging with Muslims by John Klaassen
- Engaging with Jewish People by Randy Newman
- Engaging with Atheists by David Robertson
- Money Counts: How to Handle Money in Your Heart and with Your Hands by Graham Beynon
- Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity by Tim Challies
- Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book About a (Really) Big Problem by Kevin DeYoung
- Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture by David Murray
- Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will by Kevin DeYoung
- Guidance and the Voice of God by Phillip D. Jensen and Tony Payne
- Found! God’s Will by John MacArthur
- Step By Step: Divine Guidance for Ordinary Christians by James C. Petty
- The Gospel at Work: How the Gospel Gives New Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert
- Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
- Suffering and the Sovereignty of God ed. by John Piper and David Mathis
- Run to Win the Prize: Perseverance in the New Testament by Thomas R. Schreiner