7 Important BooksThat Should Be On Your BookShelf

I love reading! Studies have shown you actually add time to your life the more you read. It's science, you can't argue with that...too much.

So, this list is being made to help save your life! You're welcome!

1) The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe- A C.S. Lewis classic that opens the door into a fantastic land of magic, talking animals, and a battle between good and evil. It has sold millions of copies and been made into a movie. This is a story of three human children who step through a wardrobe into the land of Narnia. In this new world they discover a curse that has been upon the land for quite some time and join in the fight to free Narnia from the grips of the White Witch. As they travel through Narnia they find that the only cure for the curse is found through the power of the great lion, Aslan. It is a wonderful tale filled with fantastic imagery created by Lewis to reveal the truth of Jesus Christ and the power he holds in redeeming the world from the power of sin. Read it, and while you’re at it, finish the entire Chronicles of Narnia series.

2) The Weight of Glory- This is another C.S. Lewis classic! I am quite fond of Lewis, so I highly recommend all of his books, but this one in particular is incredibly moving in thought and challenge. This work is written in such a way that it challenges the reader to fully engage in their faith and what they regard as truth. Lewis makes a point to challenge situations we face in the everyday, especially today, and paints a vivid picture of faith, forgiveness, and hope. Clive Staples Lewis had a wonderful mind and a great grasp on his own faith and desire to seek Christ. A man who once was an atheist, came to discover his redemption in Jesus and wrote about it in this piece for the world to read.

3) unChristian- David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons are thought leaders in Christian culture and provide thoughtful commentary and study on how to engage with the world around us as followers of Jesus. In unchristian, Kinnaman and Lyons help to reveal how the world views Christians and why so many are turning from the faith. They challenge the church to rethink how they view those who are not a part of the faith system and give insight into how to engage with those who are trying to discover what it means to be Christian. With a large amount of evidence to support their claims, it is a great book to read if we truly want to understand how to reach those who are outside of our church community.

4) Good Faith-Kinnaman and Lyons are back with a wonderful book that challenges people of Christian faith to think about how they are portraying the gospel in the world around them. Again, they have done a large amount of research to support their writing and it is quite alarming to see the numbers alongside the information they share. The subtitle to the book says, “Being a Christian when society thinks you’re irrelevant and extreme”, which speaks volumes. As followers of Christ, we should be seeking ways to engage culture, but we need to do it in a healthy, Christ honoring way. We have so many opportunities to reveal the good news of Jesus, but we all too often miss the mark. Kinnaman and Lyons give great insight into what a person who practices “Good Faith” looks like in today’s world.

5) Spotting The Sacred- Dr. Bruce Main is the founder and President of UrbanPromise, an organization developed to serve children and youth in Camden, NJ. Their goal is to create safe places for youth to engage and be equipped with life skills and spiritual development to move forward in a poverty stricken area. In this book, Main shares personal stories of success and sorrow. He shares wisdom and guides the reader to focus their heart and mind on the world the way God sees it. It is compelling and challenging for the reader to think about how to view the world through the lens of the Creator in order to “spot the sacred” and see where God is already working and engage in it.

6) The Pursuit of God- A.W. Tozer is a well-known name to most. He passed away in 1963, but his words are still moving to today. He was a pastor who aimed to seek God in every aspect of life and challenged the believer to do the same. In The Pursuit of God, Tozer challenges the reader to think through their selfishness and understand that there is nothing anyone can do to save their self or redeem their identity. The only power they have is found in God. He makes a point to show that no matter how hard we try or work, God is ultimately the One who pursued us from the beginning and, when we pursue Him, it’s because He has done the work beforehand. It’s a short, yet thought-provoking read.

7) Jesus Among Other Gods- Ravi Zacharias is one of the best Christian Apologists alive today. His story is remarkable and a true testimony to Christ’s amazing power of healing, redemption, and grace. In Jesus Among Other Gods, Ravi writes stimulating thoughts and engages the reader to think through their faith. He aims to answer questions such as, “Why do we follow Christ?”  “Why is He the One we follow over any other religious figure?” “Does God cause the suffering we face?” and many others. It is a book that will lead the reader to think and think some more about who they worship, why they worship, and what they worship as they move in their faith journey.

All of these books are quality and fairly easy reads. Again, the more you read, the more you add on to your life. So, build up your bookshelf and add some time to your presence here on earth to share the wisdom and knowledge you gain from reading.

May we discover truth in great works from those wiser than ourselves. May we challenge ourselves to put our phones down and read a book.

Peace and blessings friends.

QUESTION: What are your reading now?