Other Book Recommendations

Other Book Recommendations from Pastor Jeff

Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ
By: John Piper
Crossway Books & Bibles / 2004 / Paperback

If you want to know Jesus you do not need to go to seminary or embark on a tour of the Holy Land. All you need to do is to read the gospels with an open heart. In Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ Pastor Piper will help you explore Jesus' deity, power and wisdom. Once you have "Seen" Jesus for who he is and have "Savored" his beauty, goodness and truth, you cannot help but be changed.

The Cross-Centered Life
By: C.J. Mahaney
Multnomah / 2002 / Hardcover

Sometimes the most important truths are the easiest to forget. It's time to get back to the starting point of the Christian life - the cross of Christ. Jesus' work on your behalf must be the central motivation for your life and faith - the main thing.

"Never lay it aside. Never move on," says C.J. Mahaney, who shows you how to center every day around the cross of Calvary and how to escape the pitfalls of legalism, condemnation, and feelings-driven faith.

Worship in Spirit and Truth
By: John M. Frame
P & R Publishing / 1996 / Paperback

Do you long for a more meaningful worship experience? This thoughtful, practical guide outlines basic biblical principles for church worship services. You'll learn about the history of worship in the Old and New Testaments, the importance of God's Word and the sacraments, and how you can make your worship service an unforgettable experience.

Foundations of the Christian Faith
By: James Montgomery Boice
Inter-varsity Press / 1986 / Hardcover

"We do not have a strong church today, nor do we have many strong Christians. We can trace it to an acute lack of sound spiritual knowledge. Why is the Church weak? Why are individual Christians weak? It is because they have allowed their minds to be conformed to the 'spirit of this age,' with its mechanistic, godless thinking...A weak god produces no strong men, nor does he deserve to be worshiped. A strong god, the God of the Bible, is a source of strength to those who know Him."

This scathing indictment of the church forms the foundation of James Montgomery Boice's classic Foundations of the Christian Faith, written to remind all of us of the very strong God that we worship and serve. Does it succeed? Indeed, it does. Christianity Today says of this book, "It would be difficult not to be helped by reading this fine material." The well-respected Boice has reminded us of the strong foundation that Christianity is built on, Jesus Christ.

This excellent version of Foundations of the Christian Faith combines four of Boice's books into one volume. Book one deals with our sovereign God, the knowledge of God, the Word of God, the attributes of God, and God's creation. The second book examines God as redeemer, the fall of the human race, law and grace, the person of Christ, and the work of Christ. Book three is about our relationship or awakening to God, the Spirit of God, how God saves sinners, the life of the Christian, and the work of God. Finally, in book four, Boice looks at God and history, time, history, the church of God, secular and sacred cities, and the end of history.

Truly a well-reasoned and coherent systematic theology. Boice brings his respected wisdom and insights together into a beautiful exposition of Christian doctrine, proving that a strong God begets strong people, people capable of continuing God's work in the world. Jesus told us to build our house on the rock, and Boice offers us a picture of God as the rock, the foundation, upon which all of history rests. His goal, in writing this book, was to help people know God better, and he succeeds, painting a vivid picture of the source of our strength.