Books I wish I had read at the beginning of my ministry

I am nearly at the end of Charles Haddon Spurgeons book "lectures to my students" On virtually every page I find myself saying "I wish I had read this when I first started out as a preacher I would not have made so many gaffes"...... Which then lead me to thinking "what are the books that have really influenced my life, other than the Bible?" The first 4 were easy, and I list them here and why they influenced me so much. The books that follow are in no particular order but everyone of them I would heartily recommend to a a follower of Jesus.

Number 1 Would be "Desiring God" I first read this book as an open theist suffering with depression as a result of working most days a16-18 hour day, spending hours in prayer and fasting three days a week. You see my theology was fueling how I lived and a theology that puts the future of Gods Kingdom in our hands requires works. So I was seeking through my works to bring in Gods kingdom here on earth. Two years out of Bible College I was burned out,and in spiritual depression.

A friend of mine first handed me John Pipers book the Pleasures of God back in 1991. As I read it I threw the book across the room on several occasions as I wrestled with John Pipers Calvinism. The chapter on Gods pleasure in Election made me scream with anger. However, the weight of his exegesis, his love of the lost and his passion for God and missions were infectious. It was hurting me to kick against the goads. The references to His book Desiring God awakened in me a desire to read the book....... And then the adventure began, as this tired, weary, Christian weighed down with the burden of human responsibility melted under the Gospel of Grace. The Majesty of God in Christ burst into my soul and it was as if I came alive alive with glorious God centred truth.

CS Lewis said "we read to know that we are not alone" and as I read on I realised the my insatiable desire for the things of God was good!!! I was not alone! My desire to indulge myself in the greatness of God was a good thing. Then I discovered that the greatest expression of this worship was mission. Man my very reason for being alive was answered and the fuel for my christian life was found.

So why would I recommend this book so highly? Basically because it makes everything right... Why am I alive, how should I live, how do I relate to God, why do we have the Bible, why pray, why mission........ inside these pages is fuel for the Christian life, take it read it and apply it.. I read this book first nearly 18 years ago it's pages are still alive to me today.

2. Knowing God JI Packer.... Who is God, What is God like, What is the Gospel, these are the big big issues in the Universe and this book gives you beautiful God centred reasoned answers. I think it was in this book that I finally grasped the Gospel in all it's beauty and what God had done for me in the person of Christ in hanging on the Cross for me... A must read for every Christian.

3. The Holiness of God RC Sproul..
I first met this book as a series of teaching on Video. I will always remember as I saw this masterful Bible Teacher embracing this subject in such a devotional way. RC Sproul adores the Divine he is of an era of men who have bathed themselves in the teachings and writings of the Puritans and it comes out as he teaches. The modern trend today is to remove from the Bible all that is offensive to our culture in the name of relevance. We like a cuddly fluffy Jesus but we don't want a Holy God who is other than and above and unlike us because we have made ourselves little Gods. RC debunks that and puts man where he belongs under the eye of an all Holy God. Why do we need this book so badly? To keep us on track with who God really is and what we are really like.. again a must read.

Fourth and lastly for this edition of this blog "The Glory of Christ" by Peter Lewis. Jesus Christ is the focus of all of creation, the risen one at the centre of the throne who has bought humanity into the divine realm, to whom is due all praise honour glory and power. There are not enough words to describe who Christ is. However in terms of Christology you would be pushed to better Peter's extensive and painstaking work here. Getting our Christology right as Gospel people is paramount and Peter helps us to do so. This is a rich meal like the others, and this book is best chewed a chapter at a time.

Happy Reading