Christianity is based on the bible, by far the most widely read book of all time. It was the first book ever made on the printing press, and over 6 billion copies have since been printed. It has been translated into more languages than any other book in history. In English alone, there are over 50 translations. Two fine translations include the English Standard Version and the New English Translation. For some of my thoughts on other good English translations, click here.

Recommended readings on the truth of Christianity

• Christian Think Tank - a great place to start with basics of the faith and evidences for its veracity. There is enough here, with enough depth, to study profitably for several months. Much of the website is Q&A between very thoughtful writers.
• Jesus' Resurrection: Fact or Figment? by William Lane Craig and Gerd Ludemann. A debate between a prominent Christian scholar and a prominent atheist on the historicity of the resurrection versus a hallucination theory. I personally find Craig's arguments compelling. For a taste of how Craig makes his case, click here.
• Mere Christianity by C.S. Lews. A former agnostic, C.S. Lewis was Professor of Medieval Literature at Cambridge University in England. He wrote a tidy, provocative, and classic book on the essential core of Christian faith and why he became a believer.
• A General Introduction to the Bible by Norman Geisler and William Nix. A comprehensive volume that covers questions like, "What is meant by inspiration?", "Why did some books and not others get into the canon?" and "How do we know that the bible wasn't edited during its transmission through history?" Anyone seeking to understand Judaism and Christianity will find this volume very helpful.
• Christianity on Trial by Vincet Carroll and David Shiflett. Several charges are frequently leveled against Christianity: accusations of causing many wars in history, upholding slavery, opposing science, etc. This book (2001) persuasively argues using secular sources, that those charges are false, and in fact Christianity is responsible for the great triumphs of history including the abolitionist and civil rights movements, the rise of education, scientific inquiry, and belief in inherent personal liberties.
• The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. This journalist who became a Christian interviews experts in a wide variety of fields (textual critics, historians, archaeologists) and forms the case for Christianity in an informal, case-brief style.
• Easter Enigma: Are the Resurrection Accounts in Conflict? by John Wenham. Critics often attack the bible by saying that the gospels contradict each other. Nowhere is this attack more felt than in the resurrection accounts, in which the four gospel writers give four broadly similar accounts, but with some striking differences. This masterful and short book (roughly 150 pages), by John Wenham, who taught Greek at Oxford University, is a gripping and insightful journey into how to read the gospels. It contains many rich insights into how to understand the genre of the New Testament. Wenham lived in Jerusalem for some time, and begins the book with a layout of Jerusalem so that you can visualize locations and paths (identifying the path that Mary Magadelene took from the tomb, for example). He carries the reader with suspense as he unfolds each of the characters and how they relate to the resurrection story. You will never read the story of the resurrection the same way again. You will also appreciate how, in fact, cursory reading finds contradictions while careful reading finds unity.
• Scaling the Secular City by J.P. Moreland. An excellent, modern, and wide exploration of the question of "How do I know there is a God?" and "What is the evidence for Christianity?"

• True Christianity by Charles Finney. Perhaps only once or twice in a lifetime, a person might read a book that changes the very direction of their life. While reading the autobiography of Charles Finney, it struck me that his Christian experience was unlike anything that I had ever heard of -- a journey to a new world full of power and transformation. A subsequent and deep intrigue about how he understood the gospel led me to compile and edit this book of lectures written by Charles Finney: an attempt to gather his best material about what he understood the core of Christianity to be. (Many of the chapters are taken from his Lectures on Revivals of Religion). The content of this book challenged me to live the true Christian life in new and deeper ways. The book can also be read in pdf form by clicking here.
• With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray. The apostles recognized that Jesus miracles, speech-acts, and commanding authority flowed from his life of prayer. Hence they asked him, "Lord, teach us to pray." Murray takes the reader through a school in which Christ is our teacher for how to pray. Since Christ is now before the Father making intercession, to be Christ-like is to participate with him in this ministry. Murray's book is the best single volume on prayer that I have ever encountered; each chapter is a pearl that should be slowly read and meditated on. At the conclusion of each chapter is a prayer that should be prayed and put into your own words.
• The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee. A friend recommended this book to me as the most influential book outside the Bible that affected him. Nee was a Chinese believer who could read the Bible in ways that will astonish and bless you. Dripping with powerful insights, this book should especially be read by those who want to understand faith and belief better. This content represents core material that all believers should know. The Normal Christian Life has revolutionized many lives with his understanding of grace and what it is to be "in Christ." Nee is a controversial figure for other reasons, but the content of this book is practically unanimously judged to be his best and most helpful.
• Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan. Printed over one million times, this book will call you to rethink many of your beliefs about the history of missions and current missions practice. Reading the book gave me a new lens with which to view the world. It will make you rethink how to live in light of the needs of believers and Christian workers around the world. The publishers will mail you the book for free.
• Praying Hyde: Apostle of Prayer edited by E.G. Carre. So few of us today pray as we ought, even though prayer is one of the most important things that we can do. This book is a compilation of several writers on their recollections of a man named John Hyde, one of the greatest prayer warriors of our time. It is inspiring and instructive reading in order to show us what a prayer life should be like.
• Preaching so as to Convert Nobody by Charles Finney. An incisive, penetrating analysis of how not to preach. This is a must-read for those who attend church -- for those who preach in order to improve their messages, and for those who listen so as to recognize gospel preaching from worldly preaching.
• The Complete Index of Sermons and Lectures by Charles Finney. There is so much valuable insight off this page that it is worth regularly reading. It contains thousands of pages of material.
• The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards. An inspiring look at the resolve of a young man who determined to fully serve God. As he did himself, it is worth reading these regularly, such as on a weekly or monthly basis.
• Marriage: The Mystery of Christ and the Church by David Engelsma. The New Testament repeatedly describes marriage as being a lifelong bond that only God can break through the death of one of the spouses. Such an understanding prohibits remarriage while the former spouse lives. So few preachers today defend this teaching. Three books from different perspectives nicely defend this high view of marriage. We in the church should not be deceived by the many false views propagated today. David Engelsma, a professor at a Reformed seminary, strongly and eloquently asserts the "unbreakable" view of marriage in the book above. The next book Divorce and Remarriage: Biblical Principle and Pastoral Practice by Andrew Cornes, an Anglican vicar, upholds the "no remarriage" view with a more pastoral approach. Third, Jesus and divorce by Wenham and Heth refutes the typical modern understanding so prevalent today from a more technical standpoint referring often to the underlying Greek and Hebrew. Lastly, there are two free, online pieces that are much shorter and give a taste of the basic position: one by me, and the other by David Engelsma.
• Operation World by Patrick Johnstone. This daily devotional is a prayer guide for Christians, taking them country by country through the whole world. It teaches us to break provincialism and pray for Christians and non-Christians everywhere. More than vague prayers of "God bless China, God bless America," this book goes into great depth about the religious and cultural background of a country, and how to pray effectively for it.
• The Victory Bible Reading Plan by James McKeever. So few professing Christians have even a rudimentary understanding of the Bible. (To check your own knowledge of the Bible, click here.) This little booklet contains a very helpful Bible reading plan, such that you'll read through the Bible once every year. Every day you'll read three portions: one from the Psalms or Proverbs, another from the Old Testament (presented chronologically), and another from the New Testament. This "balanced diet" makes this reading plan superior to other one-year Bible plans that I have seen. Moreover, besides having read through the entire Bible, you'll have read the Psalms and Proverbs twice and the gospels twice.
• Pacifism and biblical nonresistance by J.C. Wenger (free online essay). Wenger makes a strong case for biblical nonresistance, exploring the New Testament and views of the early church. The early church was consistently against any form of killing or war; it was not until the fourth century, after Constantine, that the church's views began to change. For other essays from authors in the "peace churches" (Anabaptist, Mennonite, Brethren, etc.) on this subject, click here
• What would you do? by John Howard Yoder. This book tackles the question of pacifism versus "just war." How literally do we take the Sermon on the Mount with its commands, "Turn the other cheek" and "Do not resist an evildoer"? The cover of this book actually reads: "If a violent person threatend to harm a loved one... What would you do?" Most of us have been taught a non-pacifist ideology, and so the first question I (and pretty much everyone else) asks a pacifist is, "If someone were going to harm your child, would you let them?" Well, this book is exactly a response to that question. Written by John Yoder, a smart Mennonite thinker, this short book (141 pages), will challenge any non-pacfist to think deeply about what Jesus meant on the Sermon on the Mount, and how it applies to our own lives, the concept of war, etc. Highly provocative. There are essays in this book from many other thinkers such as Leo Tolstoy.
• Bible Views Articles - An excellent set of free, online articles on many diverse topics. While I differ on a few minor points, overall these articles are probably the best set of essays on biblical topics that I have encountered.
• How to say no to a stubborn habit by Erwin Lutzer. This short book has many excellent pearls on living a victorious life and overcoming any bad or sinful habit. It's worth re-reading this book at least once a year. It has a great deal of various basic and fundamental doctrines that all Christians should meditate on regularly.
• Houses that Change the World by Wolfgang Simson. This book is all about the house-church model of meeting, which was the pattern of the apostolic early church. We can learn a great deal from thinking about how the early church met and how things are different today. For example, in the early church, everyone was expected to participate (see 1 Corinthians 14:26) -- totally different from the more passive, spectactor model common today. Also, the early Lord's supper was an actual meal around which fellowship occurred, not merely a symbolic meal. The idea of a clergy who dress differently is also not biblical. The true church is organic and living, not an institutional and hierarchical structure filled with spectators. This book is provocative read for those thinking about house-churches or for those who want to energize their current churches. To get a taste of the contents of the book, click here to read a free sample.
• Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ronald Sider (5th edition). This book challenges the church to be faithful to God's call to live simply and help those in need. Sider's thinking has sharpened over the decades, which is reflected in this latest edition of the book (published in 2005) and its footnotes. Though the book has a single author, many people over the years have contributed to its contents, including several economists. You will learn a tremendous amount about the state of the world today (alone worth the price of the book). I disagreed with Sider in his negative remarks on population growth (he is consistently quite against high fertility) and on his high view of political activism (I personally don't think that is the way to real change). Despite that, there is a much in the book worth pondering.
• Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership by Alexander Strauch. Very few churches today follow the New Testament pattern of leadership. This book is essential reading for those involved in church leadership, those concerned about it, or for those who simply want to understand the New Testament paradigm. Strauch is a great writer who includes many memorable quotations.
• Vegetarianism as Stewardship (free online reading) A very brief essay on the merits of vegetarianism from a Christian perspective. Click here for a fuller treatment.
• The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. A classic book that explores what the word holiness means, and how it impacts the Christian. It also has a very illuminating presentation on the concepts of justice, mercy, and grace.
• A Case for Amillennialism by Kim Riddlebarger. Understanding eschatology, the study of the last days, is a challenging task. However, because it is difficult does not mean that we should shy away from the task. After all, books like Revelation promise a blessing to those who hold fast to the words of the book (Rev 22:7). Most popular bible teachers teach an eschatology called dispensational premillenialism, which is a view that was founded in the 19th century. In this book, Riddlebarger makes a compelling case for amillenialism, which was the dominant eschatology of most of church history, including the Reformation. I've read several good books on eschatology, and this one is by far the best. The author covers all the relevant issues in a balanced and insightful fashion. To get a taste of the contents of the book, click here.
• Grace, Faith, Free Will: Contrasting Views of Salvation by Robert Picirilli. The author of the book does an outstanding job about presenting both sides of the Calvinist/Arminian debate in a fair and balanced manner. For those who think about these issues, he raises a number of very challenging points in his own defense of Arminianism that, no matter what your beliefs, are worth thinking deeply about.
• Every Man's Battle by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker. A practical and inspiring book for men on maintaining sexual purity in a corrupt culture.
• Christianity at the Religious Roundtable by Timothy Tennent. A fascinating book of fictional dialogues between a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu where one may understand the answers to questions commonly posed by other faiths.
• Answering Islam by Norman Geisler and Abdul Saleeb. A prominent Christian thinker and a former Muslim wrote this well-rearched and thoughtful book describing the Christian response to Islam. For an unrelated website with a lot of content about the Christian response to Islam, click here.
• Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz. A former member of the Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses describes the organization from the inside and many of the reasons for its problems today. It is an honest and level-headed examination of the group.
• Out of Mormonism by Judy Robertson. This is a book that every person in Mormonism (or those seeking to understand it) should read. The book is simply her own story -- not a theology book, but a very honest and compelling piece as to why she left the religion.
• The Sermons of John Wesley A collection of sermons by England's finest preacher. They all can be read for free.
• Kregel Pictorial Guide to Church History by John Hannah. This book covers all of church history in less than 25 pages. At first I was skeptical as to what it could cover, but it's actually quite good. It also comes with a nice chart.
• A History of Christianity (2 volumes) by Kenneth Latourette. This book by a Yale professor surveys the history of Christendom from its beginnings through the 20th century.
• Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig. An excellent description of evidences for the veracity of the Christian faith. Craig also spends a great deal of time examining opposing views from philosophers such as Hume and Spinoza.
• Tektonics Apologetics Ministries A website with a wide variety of materials on the veracity of the Christian faith. This is the first place I go to look up supposed contradictions in the bible. Another useful site is the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry.
• The Rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark. Written from the perspective of a non-Christian sociologist, the goal of this book is to explain why Christianity grew so rapidly in the early Roman Empire. Since he is a non-Christian, the book is an attempt to understand the growth using purely naturalistic explanations. There are many valuable lessons in his analysis.
• Some thoughts on Matthew 16:18 by David Stark. Some people argue that Peter is the rock on whom Jesus builds his church. A more careful study of the Greek (with backtranslation into Aramaic) shows that this is a false conclusion. This short essay (free to read) examines this subject.
• Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ by Harold W. Hoehner. If you are a biblical student with an affinity for history, this is a very valuable resource. Hoehner works through in detail how to form a chronology of Jesus' life. He argues very convincingly that Jesus was crucified on Friday, April 3, 33 AD. His well referenced book will help you to understand how to use extrabiblical data (such as Roman history and the Jewish historians Philo and Josephus) in piecing together a chronology. Very technical and detailed (not an easy read), this book is a valuable reference for any serious student of New Testament chronology.
• The Genesis debate Three pairs of scholars debate the interpretation of the word "day" in Genesis chapter 1. A well-referenced and worthy read.
• A Hebrew-English bible This is a free, online bible (Old Testament only) with one column in Hebrew, and the second in English. The English is the 1917 Jewish Publication Society translation. The Hebrew fonts are fairly decent, certainly much better than any other site I have seen.
• Basics of Biblical Greek by William Mounce. A book that gently introduces Greek with the goal of being able to read the New Testament. A very enjoyable book to read.
• Teknia An adjunct to Mounce's textbook, this website contains tools designed to help in learning Greek.
• Greek New Testament Actually read the New Testament online in the original languge! Very clear fonts make this site very valuable. In addition, you can click on any word and get its parsing.

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