Rules: Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag some friends, including me because I’m interested in seeing what books my friends choose (as well as pick up suggestions for my reading list). To do this, go to your Notes tab on your profile page, paste rules in a new note, cast your 15 picks, and tag people in the note – upper right hand side).
i am putting these in order, according to how much they’ve impacted my life, by category. hopefully i haven’t left any out!
theology:
1. The Bible (because it was written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is applicable for everything)
2. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning (perhaps the best book i’ve ever read on God’s grace, and perhaps the best book i’ve ever read. and i still have 100 pages left.)
3. The Shack by William Paul Young (i love the raw, yet tender, portrayal of one man’s struggle with God and how Young captures the character of the Trinity)
4. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (classic logical exposition of the Christian faith)
5. Justification by N.T. Wright (i’m about 2/3 through this one but it’ll stay high on the list for now. wright exposes justification as a courtroom term and contextualizes this concept dealt with in paul’s letters. a subtle and delicate argument but crucial for unraveling some of the faults of the reformation that have infiltrated Christianity today, such as the imputed righteousness John Piper defends. stresses the importance of God’s grace reconciling the whole world, as well as the importance of Israel to the church. calls out what a lot of us unknowingly accept and believe and outlines the implications)
6. Dogmatics in Outline by Karl Barth (classic systematic theology read; explains different tenets of the Christian faith)
7. Is the Bible Intolerant by Amie Orr-Ewing (answers all those questions you have about the God of the Old Testament vs. God of the New Testament, War in the Bible, the historicity of scripture, etc)
8. What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey (another amazing look at God’s grace and how it’s not always what we expect it to be)
9. Healing by Smith Wigglesworth (never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit)
10. The Invisible War by Chip Ingram (tools for recognizing satan’s attacks and fighting the forces of evil)
11. The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning (Manning recounts incredible stories and theology of God’s love and passionate pursuit of us)
12. How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life by Gregory Frizzell (opens your eyes to the structure and content of your prayer life and suggests ways to make your prayer life more impacting)
classics
13. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (my first favorite book, my first glimpse into theology and fiction)
14. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (i frequently find myself referencing the social psychology presented in this work)
15. Hamlet by Shakespeare (madness! is hamlet an idiot or brilliant?)
contemporary fiction
16. Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling (my all time favorite series. a new classic, if you ask me. i have them all in hardback for my children to read one day). i know that makes 16 but i can’t leave out harry.


