The following books are excellent resources for ministers and students, and those who
just love the Word of God! I personally recommend them all, and do not list any books here
that do not meet my high standards of quality, precision and usefulness.
theology proper and philosophy |
Systematic
Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective edited by Stanley Horton. This is a
fine resource work which covers important issues of theology in a clear and scholarly
manner. Viewpoints and arguments are considered and discussed, and Pentecostal
distinctives are emphasised, and validated. |
Chris Chrisman
goes to College by James W. Sire. This is an excellent work. It describes,
in narrative format, the philosophies of individualism, relativism and pluralism and their
impact and growth in a secular society. The book portrays the journey of learning and
self-discovery by a motley collection of new undergraduate students. Sire's book is easy
to read and entertaining, but very thoughtful and thought-provoking. It will help one
understand these differing views and their ramifications to Christianity, and prepare one
to adequately respond. |
missions |
Perspectives on
the World Christian Movement: A Reader edited by Ralph Winter. Put simply,
just get it! This book is invaluable for missions-minded Christians and is a hefty
collection of readings that will explain God's purposes, mission history and strategy, and
the nature of the task at hand. Read this book and let the Lord work in your heart and
challenge you to greater depths of love and service for Him! |
Operation World:
The Day-by-Day Guide for Praying for the World by Patrick Johnstone. Put
simply, just get it! This book is invaluable for missions-minded Christians and is a
unique and fascinating resource on the world and its people. |
|
Eternity in their
Hearts by Don Richardson. Ok, this one is not so essential ... but
any missions-minded Christian will certainly find it fascinating. Richardson explains the
concept of redemptive analogies and explains how many cultures have been prepared
for the Gospel by legends and myths and examples that they have passed through
generations. |
![[Eternity in their Hearts]](images/richardsoneh.gif) |
the holy spirit |
God's empowering
presence: The Holy Spirit in the letters of Paul by Gordon Fee. This is the
most comprehensive and insightful work in print on the life and work of the Holy Spirit as
reflected in the writings of the Apostle Paul. Dr. Fee combines his acknowledged skill as
a text critic and exegete with his vibrant spirituality to give us access to God's living
presence in the Church. |
Paul, the Spirit
and the People of God by Gordon Fee. This is a less weighty work than God's
empowering presence and Fee's emphasis is on the Church as the People of God living
between the times, and Paul's view of the "already/not yet" of eschatology.
These are especially helpful in guiding the Church today into a truly Biblical view of the
Spirit's work in the Church and the world. |
|
Surprised by
the Power of the Spirit by Jack Deere. This is a wonderful book which
Pentecostals will enjoy, and Cessationalists should certainly read. Deere is a former
Dallas Theological Seminary professor who learned that God does indeed move in powerful
ways today. He presents a theological basis for this, and refutes cessationalist
arguments. This is an excellent example of narrative theology. |
|
Surprised by
the Voice of God by Jack Deere. This title continues from Surprised by
the Power of the Spirit and provides a narrative theological basis for hearing and
discerning God's voice and leadings today. Deere's two books are very practical and
helpful, for those who desire a more intimate relationship with the Lord. |
Signs and
Wonders Today by C Peter Wagner. Wagner's book details a course on Signs
and Wonders introduced at Fuller Theological Seminary, and the far-reaching
ramifications of this. Many lives were touched, but due to pre-conceived theological
biases the Seminary's Theology department experienced considerable difficulty and
frustration with the course. Yet, the Missions department knew that God still moved
in miraculous ways from their real-life on-the-field dealings with animist cultures. This
engrossing work details the course and its impact and the Bible and soul searching that
many people underwent, to deal with the impact of this course on their existing beliefs
and faith. This book is unfortunately out of print, but Amazon.Com will attempt to locate
it for you, if you express interest. |
the bible: hermeneutics, exegesis and textual
criticism |
How to Read the
Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee. A guide to understanding the Bible
in its literary dimensions with techniques for interpreting scripture while being faithful
to the literary genres. A book written for the layman. |
|
New Testament
Exegesis by Gordon Fee. This indispensable, stimulating guide provides a
practical method for a thorough, careful exegesis of the New Testament. It gives
step-by-step analysis of the exegetical procedures, a brief guide to exegesis for sermon
preparation, and resources for further study. |
|
Gospel and Spirit:
Issues in New Testament Hermeneutics by Gordon Fee. This is an excellent
collection of essays on practical concerns to Evangelicals, and is helpful to anyone who
wishes to hear the Bible speak to today's situations. |
Exegetical
Fallacies by Don Carson. This text assists in good exegesis from the revese
point of favorite Bible interpretation methods based on improper use of the text. |
The King James
Version Debate: A Plea for Realism by Don Carson. This excellent work
explains the issues behind the King James Only controversy, with sensible and
reasoned answers. |
|
Scribes, Scrolls
and Scriptures: A Student's Guide to Textual Criticism by J Harold Greenlee.
This is an excellent little book for anyone interested in understand the field of textual
criticism. This field is important as it allows us to have confidence in our modern Bible
text. It is also of relevance to those grappling with the King-James Only
controversy. Unfortunately this book is out of print, but Amazon.Com can attempt to locate
a copy for you if you express interest. |
greek |
The Greek New
Testament, United Bible Societies, 4th ed. How can you study the Greek New
Testament without a copy of it? :-) This is the Nestle-Aland text, the
authoritative text to many translators, seminaries and scholars. If you have any serious
interest in the Greek New Testament then you cannot do without this resource. |
The Complete Word
Study New Testament by Spiros Zodhiates. This fine reference identifies
each Greek word in the New Testament by giving grammatical tags, as well as numerical
codes for cross-referencing words in Strong's Concordance. Many key words can also be
found in the extensive Lexical Aids section included at the back of the book. Included are
an introduction to each book, helpful exegetical notes, grammatical explanations, a Greek
concordance, and a translational reference index. |
A Greek Grammar of
the New Testament and other early Christian Literature edited by Robert W. Funk.
This fine reference helps one understand the Greek New Testament by reference to contexts
in the wider body of contemporary literature in the Koine Greek corpus. I certainly
recommend it if you have a technical interest in Koine Greek, and interpreting and
translating the New Testament. |
New Testament
Greek: A Beginning and Intermediate Grammar by James A. Hewitt. This was
the textbook I used for my Greek subjects, and I do refer back to it often. An advantage
for those interested in self-learning Greek is that the solutions to the exercises are
available, below, for a nominal price. However, this book is very rigorous, and those who
are not so used to academic study may prefer Dobson's book, below. |
Key to Exercises
for New Testament Greek: A Beginning and Intermediate Grammar by James A.
Hewitt. If you buy the Hewitt book above, then I also recommend this. It is very
cheap, and will be extremely helpful when self-testing your Greek knowledge. |
Learn New
Testament Greek by John H. Dobson. This is a highly readable introduction
to New Testament Greek which is far more accessible to beginners than the Hewitt book,
above. Note that a cassette tape
is sold separately to accompany this book, which is helpful for hearing the spoken Greek
pronunciation, for practice while driving, and for self-testing. |
![[Learn New Testament Greek]](images/dobsonlntg.gif) |
eschatology and the book of revelation |
The Climax of
Prophecy: Studies on the Book of Revelation by Richard Bauckham. Professor
Bauckham looks closely at Revelation's own literary dynamics as a closely integrated
literary whole. He investigates Revelation's intertextual relationship with the Hebrew
Bible, illustrating how constant disciplined allusion to the Old Testament scriptures is a
key element in the way Revelation conveys meaning. There is fresh study of the
relationships between Revelation and other Jewish and Christian apocalypses, and there is
extensive examination of Revelation's contemporary context. Revelation emerges as a work
of meticulous literary artistry, remarkable creative imagination, radical political
critique and profound theology. Above all, its central message, portraying itself as the
climax of the biblical prophetic tradition and claiming to reveal the secret of God's
purpose for the final coming of God's kingdom, appears with fresh clarity. |
The Theology of
the Book of Revelation by Richard Bauckham. This is an excellent
introduction to important issues in the Book of Revelation, covering the nature of
apocalypses and the message of this book concerning God, Christ, man, sin and salvation. |
The Hope of the
Early Chuch: A Handbook of Patristic Eschatology by Brian Daley. This is a
wonderful resource which explains the eschatological viewpoints of prominent figures
during the first four hundre years of the Church. Unfortunately it is out of print, but
Amazon.Com can attempt to locate a copy for you if you express interest. |
history: church history, and the times of
jesus |
Christianity
through the Centuries by Earle E. Cairns. This is a highly readable and
fascinating commentary on the history and development of the Christian Church. The first
edition of this book was in 1954, and the latest in 1996, which reflects its durability
and objectivity. |
|
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim. I do not know if I can recommend this book highly enough. Edersheim is a brilliant historian and scholar, who brings to life the very atmosphere and presence of first-century Judaism and social life. This explains the culture and land that Jesus walked in and brings insight to the New Testament, and the history of Judaism. |
puzzles |
Rush Hour by Binary Arts. Ok, this category is entirely non-spiritual :-) but I've been engrossed by this wonderful single-player game. You play a little car on a board, trapped in various configurations of gridlock. There are four levels from beginner to expert. The game is emminently playable and addictive, from 8 years to adult. It is recommended by Mensa and many other thinking and educational organisations. |
Railroad Rush Hour
by Binary Arts. This is for those who prefer trains to automobiles :) It also
features large pieces and more puzzles. |