alistair's top ten list

I'm always attracted to "top ten" (or 20 or 50) lists of books that authors, theologians, pastors, or scholars give as recommended reading. Each year at the Basics Pastors' Conference at Parkside Church, Alistair Begg gives his current list of top ten books. Here's the list for 2016, and his notes:

A Body of Divinity, Thomas Watson, Banner of Truth.
Based on the Westminster Assembly’s Shorter Catechism, this book deals with the foremost truths of the Christian faith. Watson conveys his knowledge of the truth in an original, concise, pithy and illustrative style.

Confessing the Faith, Chad Van Dixhoorn, Banner of Truth.
The Westminster Confession of Faith finds itself in the first rank of great Christian creeds. In this book, Dixhoorn seeks to deepen our understanding of each paragraph of the Confession. Challenging hearts and minds, Confessing the Faith hopes to edify and instruct both advanced and general audiences.

Heroes, Iain Murray, Banner of Truth.
The Bible no more knows a separate class of heroes than it does of saints. Yet grace so shines in some, that it lightens the path of many. As A.W. Tozer could write, “Next to the Holy Scriptures, the greatest aid to the life of faith may be Christian biographies”. In this book, Murray sheds light not only on some well known figures in church history but also on some of those who are not so well known, encouraging readers to see what Christ did “yesterday” and be energized to trust and serve him today.

Honest Evangelism, Rico Tice, Good Book Company.
Hostility and hunger—that’s the response to the message of Jesus. The first is painful, the second is wonderful, and Rico Tice is honest about both. Short, clear, realistic and humorous, this book will challenge you to be honest in your conversations about Jesus, help you to know how to talk about him, and thrill you that God can and will use ordinary people to change eternal destinies.

How the Church Can Change Your Life, Josh Moody, Christian Focus.
Google books on church, there will be no shortage of choice. Some will be helpful, others less so. So why another book on church? Josh Moody is asking a very different question: why should I go to church at all? Filled with practical advice, this book will help you address questions you should know the answers to and others you never knew to ask.

Isaiah by the Day, Alec Motyer, Christian Focus.
These daily devotionals are birthed from a lifetime of study on the prophecy of Isaiah. Day by day, readers are provided with passages from Isaiah and an opportunity to explore them further.

Morning and Evening, Charles Spurgeon, Crossway.
For over one hundred years, Christians have treasured Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening devotional. With a reading for the beginning and end of each day throughout the year, this book helps the reader appreciate Spurgeon’s emphasis on the importance of abiding in Christ and meditating on God’s
Word. His wisdom and counsel provide a timeless guide through the trials and triumphs of the year.

The Gagging of God, D.A. Carson, Zondervan.
Is Jesus the only way to God? This clear, scholarly response to that question affirms the deep need for the Gospel’s exclusive message in today’s increasingly pluralistic global community. The Gagging of God offers an in-depth look at the big picture, showing how the many ramifications of pluralism are all parts of a whole, and then provides a systematic Christian response.

The Whole Christ, Sinclair Ferguson, Crossway.
Since the days of the early church, Christians have wrestled with the relationship between law and gospel. Sinclair Ferguson shows us that the antidote to the poisons of both legalism and antinomianism is one and the same: the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ, in whom we are simultaneously justified by faith, freed for good works, and assured of salvation.

Remaking a Broken World, Christopher Ash, 10 of Those.
The thing about Christianity – for many today – is not whether it is true or false, but that it is simply irrelevant. In a sweep through the whole Bible story, this book shows that the ordinary local Christian church, if it is faithful to the Bible, is the most significant happening in the world. Here are the beginnings
of the remaking of a broken world. This – in spite of appearances – really is “where it happens”. Anyone interested in the Christian faith will be stimulated and provoked by this fresh Bible overview.

bible reading nov 1-2

Bible reading for weekend Nov 1 -- 2 Nov 1 -- Hosea 7 and Psalms 120-122 Nov 2 -- Hosea 8 and Psalms 123-125 ================ "Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing." (Hosea 8:12) THE RESULTS OF SIN (ch 7-8). Notice the words and metaphors to describe Israel's sinful condition: they are surrounded with, and proud of, their evil (7:1-3); like adulterers in the heat of passion (7:4-5); their anger is like a hot oven (7:6-7); they are like a half-cooked (one side only) cake (7:8); their strength is gone (7:9); they are like silly doves easily trapped (7:11-12); they are undependable like a warped bow (7:16). In spite of all of this they are so proud of themselves! (We might say they have a strong self-esteem.) They have spurned what is good (8:3); they sow to the wind and have no real fruit (8:7); they are a useless vessel (8:8) and a wild donkey wandering alone (8:9); they regard God's law as a strange thing

bible reading dec 3-5

Bible reading for weekend December 3 -- 5 Dec 3 -- Nahum 1 and Luke 17 Dec 4 -- Nahum 2 and Luke 18 Dec 5 -- Nahum 3 and Luke 19 ================ "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness." (Nahum 1:7-8) TIME'S UP FOR NINEVEH (Nah 1-3). The prophecy of Nahum is God's word to the people of Nineveh, part two. Jonah was part one, chronicling a city-wide repentance of Assyrians in the capital about a hundred years earlier. The closing bookend is Nahum, and the Assyrian empire is big, powerful, and aggressive. Notice the references to chariots (2:3-4, 13; 3:2). The Assyrians were a militarily advanced culture, and cruel in their warfare. Whatever spiritual receptivity they had at the time of Jonah was gone by the time of Nahum. Nahum may not have actually visited Nineveh, for it seems the book was w

bible reading dec 13-14

Bible reading for December 13 -- 14 Dec 13 -- Haggai 2 and John 3 Dec 14 -- Zechariah 1 and John 4 ================ "Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts..." (Haggai 2:4) THE LATTER GLORY (Haggai 2). The Jews, having returned from Babylonian exile, must get to work and finish rebuilding the temple. For this reason, the post-exilic period is called the "second temple" period. King Herod would later enlarge and add many embellishments to the site. But the beginnings in Haggai are so modest compared to the temple originally built by Solomon, and the people were discouraged. The Lord asks, "Is it not as nothing in your eyes?" (v 3) He tells them that they are to be strong and to keep working, for he is with them, no matter how humble the project may seem. This principle applies to us, as well (Matt 28:20; Eph 6:10). We should not become disheartened at the smallness of the return on our

my burg

Search This Blog