Recommended Reading

The following is a list for me that is continually changing but this is what I have right now:

Spiritual Discipleship by J Oswald Sanders
Basic Christianity by John Stott
True Discipleship: The Art of Following Jesus by John Koessler
Intimate Friendship with God by Joy Dawson
The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot
Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray
I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris
Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

Spiritual Maturity by J Oswald Sanders
Power Through Prayer by E.M. Bounds
Not Even a Hint: Guarding Your Heart Against Lust by Joshua Harris
End of the Spear by Steve Saint
Know Why You Believe by Paul E. Little
Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill
Mere Christianity by CS Lewis
Developing the Leader Within You (book and workbook) by John C. Maxwell
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
A Tale of three Kings: A Study in Brokenness by Gene Edwards
The Ministry of Intercession by Andrew Murray

Spiritual Leadership by J Oswald Sanders
The Pursuit of God by AW Tozer
Knowing God by JI Packer
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
How Now Shall We Then Live? by Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey
The Holy War by John Bunyan
When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties by Norman L. Geisler
How to Give Away Your Faith by Paul E. Little

Developing the Leaders Around You by John C. Maxwell
Spiritual Authority by Watchman Nee
Disciplemaker's Handbook: Helping People Grow in Christ by Alice Fryling
Victory over the Darkness by Neil Anderson
Teaching to Change Lives by Howard Hendricks

Definitely some good books mentioned in the list, especially Bunyan, Stott, Tozer and Packer... but I am concerned about your mention of Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard.

I haven't read the book personally, but I have read things that would make me wary of anything that this woman has written. It appears that she strayed very far from biblical orthodoxy near the end of her life.

Instead of recommending this book, I would recommend Pilgrim's Progress by Bunyan as a much more theologically sound allegorical writing.

Yes and after hearing Paul Washer talk about justification I need to read Finney and Spurgeon again also.

I've read Finney's teachings from the Oberlin Evangelist (which have been compiled into a book called The Promise of the Spirit, a favorite of Keith Green and Leonard Ravenhill). While I think that there are some wonderful gems in Finney's writings, in retrospect, I realize now that he was also preaching a salvation by works on occasion. The sanctification he preached is also man centered, and not God centered.

I definitely have a stronger preference for Spurgeon over Finney, as Spurgeon has a much surer grip on Salvation by Grace through Faith, and issues relating to Faith vs. Works. I think that Spurgeon's ministry showed more lasting fruit than Finney's as well.

I think that Spurgeon's ministry showed more lasting fruit than Finney's as well.

How do you judge that? I just finished Finney's autobiography a couple of days ago and from what I could see, there was lots of good fruit there.

How do you judge that? I just finished Finney's autobiography a couple of days ago and from what I could see, there was lots of good fruit there.

[i]Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.[/i] - Romans 10:1-4

Ultimately, the amount of perceived response to one's ministry means nothing. Satan has a ton of followers. The gospel is an objective, historical truth, and when the truths of the gospel are distorted, the response of the people is not a substitute measure of success.

Being godly and zealous for the Lord also includes not taking the Lord's name in vain and holding to the "faith once and for all delivered to the Saints". The old writers really knew what the third commandment meant, as the "name" of the Lord represents all of His characters, works, and words. Thus, to misrepresent God was viewed as a breach of the third commandment. I think we can learn much from them here.

[b]Question 113:[/b] What are the sins forbidden in the third commandment?

[b]Answer:[/b] The sins forbidden in the third commandment are, the not using of God's name as is required; and the abuse of it in an ignorant, vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious, or wicked mentioning, or otherwise using his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, by blasphemy, perjury; all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots; violating of our oaths and vows, if lawful; and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful; murmuring and quarreling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God's decrees and providences; [b]misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the Word, or any part of it[/b], to profane jests, curious or unprofitable questions, vain janglings, [b]or the maintaining of false doctrines[/b]; abusing it, the creatures, or anything contained under the name of God, to charms, or sinful lusts and practices; the maligning, scorning, reviling, or anywise opposing of God's truth, grace, and ways; making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends; being ashamed of it, or a shame to it, by unconformable, unwise, unfruitful, and offensive walking, or backsliding from it.

-- Westminster Larger Catechism - 1646 A.D.

With care in Christ,
Taylor

Troy, you have posted a great list of books. I am familiar with almost all of them, and they are good ones for sure. But, it is also important to remember that books are still being written today by people who are working hard to contend for the faith. There are authors and speakers today who need the support of the evangelical community. They are dealing with current issues, issues that did not exist when these former authors were writing. We have to move on too.

Consider the top seller: Misquoting Jesus by Bart Ehrman. Thousands are abandoning Christianity altogether, thanks to his influence. He has “proven” the Bible to be hopelessly unreliable. Ehrman is a powerfully influential theologian, and very believable. Few have enough theological knowledge to recognize or address adequately his faulty assumptions. Few evangelicals are equipped to take on the challenge.

In that sense Ehrman does something good for the evangelical community: He is making us pull up our socks. We have been getting sloppy over the years – resting in a lot of assumptions, past glory, and hoped-for future revival.

Consider these current books:

“Misquoting Truth”by Timothy Paul Jones (a scholarly rebuttal against Ehrman)
“The Historical Reliability of the Gospels”Craig Blomberg
“The Gagging of God” Don Carson

Dan Wallace: has been challenging Ehrman. You find articles on the web)

Ravi Zacharias (has audio sermons on line)

These are a few of the Christian contenders for whom we should be praying (besides becoming familiar with their message).

Diane

HomeFree89 wrote:

I think that Spurgeon's ministry showed more lasting fruit than Finney's as well.

How do you judge that? I just finished Finney's autobiography a couple of days ago and from what I could see, there was lots of good fruit there.

I'm not saying that Finney was devoid of fruit, although he even pointed out later in his life that he did not believe that there was very much genuine fruit from his revivals.

The difference is, Finney incited emotions and preached sanctification by works, and gave a gospel invitation that skirted the border of Pelagianism.

Every Sunday for decades, Charles Spurgeon preached a Jesus centered salvation by grace through faith. When he exhorted men to live a sanctified life -it was not through their own power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Spurgeon was consistent in his witness to the genuine Gospel.

There were some wonderful messages given by Finney, and then others that made me cringe and squirm because of the obvious contradictions with the message of Gospel presented in the Word of God. I will not go so far as to call Finney a false teacher, I don't think that his heart was wrong, I just don't think his theology was right.