If We’ve Only Got One Life…

Ben’s Summer Reading List (So Far)

What I’ve read so far (in approximate order):

1. Preaching & Preachers by Martyn Lloyd-Jones - I started reading this over winter break, read a handful of chapters over the course of last semester, and finally finished it this summer.  It talks a lot about the life of a preacher, how preaching should work, and why preaching should be done.  Very helpful.
2. The Reason For God by Tim Keller - I only read the second half of it.  It is an apologetics book, meant for nonchristians and Christians who talk to nonchristians about Jesus.  Quite interesting and helpful.  The first half I intend to use as a reference.
3. When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper - Tremendously helpful, practical book.  It’s essentially a sequel to Desiring God, and talks about how to pursue joy in God through truth, the Bible, prayer, meditation, etc.
4. Memoirs Of An Ordinary Pastor by D. A. Carson - Carson wrote a biography of his dad’s life and ministry.  His dad was a church planter in Canada with a modest sized congregation and a very interesting story.  The wannabe church planter in me found it very interesting.
5. Counted Righteous In Christ by John Piper - Piper gives an exegetical defense of imputed righteousness as a component of justification.  A short book, but a hard one.  If you want to see how closely reasoned exegesis looks, I recommend this to you.  Difficult, but worth it.

What I’m working on:

1. Future Grace by John Piper - A 31-chapter book (one per day for a month) elaborating on the concept of living by faith in future grace (hoping in future blessings of Jesus instead of simply banking our hope on past blessing (which is still important)).  If you decide you want to read this, let me know.
2. Instruments In The Redeemers Hands by Paul Tripp - an amazingly God-centered book on Christian counseling.  I dare say that Piper could not have written a more glory-centered, sovereignty-centered beginning to the book.  Immensely practical and helpful, I recommend this to everyone who doesn’t feel called to be a hermit.  It will help you help others and be helped by others, with God at the center, for God’s glory and your joy.
3. Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem - An enormous theology textbook (basically).  My goal is to finish it by the end of the summer.  It is very well written, very pastoral (as opposed to inapplicably dry), and covers a comprehensive set of subjects about God, his work, and his people.
4. Changes That Heal by Henry Cloud - I started this and I’m not sure if I’ll finish it.  Our Cru staff gave it to me.  I think/hope that Instruments In The Redeemers Hands will sufficiently cover the same material (but I may be wrong - I’ll probably read a bit more of it just to make sure).

What I’m planning to read:

1. Tell The Truth by Will Metzger - A book on evangelism with a stunning list of endorsments - Piper, MacArther, Ryken, Packer, and others.
2. Teaching To Change Lives by Howard Hendricks - John Sullivan recommended this.  I’ve read another book by this guy, and found it quite helpful.
3. Whiter Than Snow by Paul Tripp - After reading him in Instruments and reading snippets on JT’s blog, I think I’m sold.
4. Brothers, We Are Not Professionals by John Piper

There are probably a lot of others that I intend on reading, but I forget what they are right now.  When I’m done with Systematic Theology, I’ll probably move on to Calvin’s Institutes.

Yes, there’s a lot of Piper in there, but 1. he’s good and 2. I work for the guy and get his books for free, so I might as well.

-Ben