Visit the Book Cart next time you come to Sunday Services and check out our collection of books.

Pastor's Essentials: Books Every Christian Should Read

• The Discipline of Grace, by Jerry Bridges
• What Is A Healthy Church, by Mark Dever
• What is the Gospel, by Greg Gilbert
• Knowing God, by J.I. Packer
• Desiring God, by John Piper
• The Holiness of God, by R.C. Sproul
• The Cross of Christ, by John Stott

Author: Jerry Wragg and Paul Shirley

Review By: Travis Payton

Jerry Wragg and Paul Shirley have teamed up to address a very important doctrine in Scripture—sanctification. With the resurgence of the church’s emphasis on a clear view of the doctrine of justification: how a sinner is declared righteous before God, and the desire not to bring any component of man’s contribution via works into the marvelous work of God’s grace in salvation, the evangelical church has subsequently experienced substantial confusion in regard to sanctification: how a believer is conformed to the image of Christ in this life. This book is well described in its title. God, in justifying us by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for His glory alone, has freed us from sin so that we can actively put to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit’s power. I found myself repeatedly putting my pen to work in highlighting portions where the authors continually sounded the balanced biblical center in regard to how a believer is to grow in holiness and righteousness. I highly recommend this short book as a resource that provides rich biblical teaching on what could be summarized by the command given by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:12-13: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Author: D.A. Carson

Review By: Jeremy Twombley

One of the most difficult subjects Christians can ever consider is the reality of evil and suffering in a world created and ruled over by a perfectly good and all-powerful God. Very few issues are more deeply practical for Christians around the world and in every generation than this one. In this book Don Carson does an excellent job of unpacking and synthesizing what the Bible teaches on this important matter. He deftly weaves together in-depth exegesis of the most important texts as well as helpful treatments of knotty theological and ethical issues. While this book is heavy, it is a must read for any Christian wrestling with how to think about suffering and evil in their lives and the lives of others.

Author: Matt Perman

Review By: Craig Johnson

Does the gospel really have anything to say about the way you get things done? The premise of Matt Perman’s book, What’s Best Next, is that the gospel transforms productivity. In this book he makes the point that productivity matters and has gospel implications. The ultimate end of gospel-driven productivity is serving others.

The strength of Perman’s book is in the area of productivity structures and practices. Perman structured his book around the acronym DARE: Define, Architect, Reduce, and Execute. I found him most helpful in the later three portions, when he described how to create a flexible structure to your routine (Architect), how to Reduce what you are doing to be more effective, and how to manage your work and projects (Execute). Leaders and leaders in training will benefit most from these areas of his book. 

Author: Mark Jones

Review By: Jeremy Twombley

This book is truly a modern classic. If you want to plunge deeply into what the Bible teaches about the person and work of Christ and what it means for your life, it's hard to do better than this book. It will challenge you at some points, but the fruit it yields is well worth it. 

Author: Robert D. Jones

Review By: Jeremy Twombley

One of the most common struggles of every Christians is sinful anger. If you are looking to understand that struggle biblically and receive practical help for overcoming it, this is an excellent resource. I highly recommend it.