Recommended Christian Reading : Growing in understanding
With the exception of one or two, the books listed below are ones you could encounter in the first year of Bible college. They cover the whole sweep of God’s Word rather than selected topics.
All of them are written in an easy style and come highly recommended by Bible scholars and ministers. I have read all of them and keep copies on my shelf.
1. How to read the Bible for all its worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
This splendid work is aimed at the person who wants to learn how to go further in understanding the Bible. It does what a good Bible college should do in an easy and simple to comprehend manner. It provides a good grounding in how to discover the intended meaning of the Bible (exegesis), and how to make it relevant to our contemporary world (hermeneutics).
2. How to read the Bible book by book by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart
Here’s the follow up to the last book. It takes you through all the books of the Bible providing an overview of each. Here’s a book that you dip in and out of as you study through the Bible.
3. What the Bible is all about - Bible handbook By Dr Henrietta C. Mears
If you are looking for an easy to follow overview of all the books in the Bible, then here you have it. You will soon find out why this book has sold over 4 million copies and is loved by those who dread anything too technical. This is written for the average church goer. Although every minister of the word of God would certainly benefit from the succinct approach this material offers on all the books in the Bible.
4. All the Men of the Bible/All the Women of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer
The Title says it all. God works through people and the Bible is full of them. Bible studies on individuals often miss a lot out when we don’t get all the references to the character in question. This scholarly work does it all for you.
All the references to each person as well as the meaning of their names are provided. The perfect ground level material for in-depth character study.
5.The Drama of scripture – Finding our place in the Biblical story by Craig G Bartholomew and Michael W Goheen
Here is an excellent book to compliment the ones already mentioned.
While we all start by reading the Bible book by book, or picking bits from different books and chapters, it is essential we see how the bibliotheca neatly weaves together God’s plan for humanity from Genesis to Revelation. This book does this well.
10 September 2021
keywords: recommended, reading, books,learning, growth, christian, theology