A Book A Month In 2012

The new year is a good time to make a commitment to personal growth and one of the best way to accomplish this I have found is to welcome good mentors into your life.   A good mentor is someone you respect who you can meet with on a regular basis both in person and in print.  Some of my most important mentors through the years have been Christian leaders who have impacted my life through their writings.   Why not make a commitment to read a different book at least once a month this year?  Here are some recommendations for you (in no particular order):

The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright

This book is considered by many Christian scholars to be the most complete work on the theology of the resurrection of Christ.   In my opinion it is a book that should be read every few years.

Basic Christianity by John R.W. Stott

This is another one of the Christian classics that should be in every families library in my opinion.  It is a concise and beautifully written summary of the meaning of the Christian life.

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul

In this book Sproul does a masterful job of describing the incredible riches of the glory of God and how our awareness of His beauty and goodness changes how we see life and see ourselves.

Darwin on Trial by Phillip E. Johnson

I put this book in the "Oldie but Goodie" category as it was written in the 1980s but the terrific logic and insights brought to bear in this book are just as current today as they were back then.  Johnson is a terrific writer who does an excellent job at equipping believers in the defense of their faith against the biases of darwinian evolutionist belief so prevalent in current culture.

Londonistan by Melanie Phillips

A fascinating explanation of the sociological changes that are taking place in London and in other parts of Europe as a result of the loss of a traditional Western Christian world view in lieu of the new dominant religion secularism and the resulting dominating values of political correctness and equality.  

Turning Points by Mark A. Noll

Mark Noll is one of my favorite writers and in this book he does a terrific job explaining the most important historical events in Christian history.

The Story of Christianity Part One by Justo L. Gonzalez

Widely believed to be the most complete work of Christian history from the time of Christ to the reformation.

The Story of Christianity Part Two by Justo L. Gonzalez

This year I'm beginning a new Wednesday night tradition called "Coffee and Theology".  These two books will be heavily relied upon as we study Christian history together.

The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis

The classic allegory of heaven and hell written by C.S. Lewis is a Christian classic.

The Language of God  by Francis S. Collins

Francis Collins is the brilliant scientist who was largely responsible for the discovery of the human genome.  He is also a devoted Christian and sees no conflict between his Christian beliefs and his practice and application of science.  This book is his explanation of that.

Summa Theologica  by Thomas Aquinas

This book is not only a Christian classic, it is also seen as one of the most important books in philosophy and Western thought.

Uncharted Path by Lee Myong-Bak

In this autobiography of the president of South Korea Bak gives an account of his rise from terrible poverty after WW2 to become head of Hyunai, mayor of Seol and eventually the presidency.  Bak gives his mother credit for raising him in a strong Christian environment.