Catch my LIVE Q&A every Friday at 1pm Pacific time. I take your questions from the live chat with the goal of trying to get better at โฆ
38 COMMENTS
Thank you! This has been on my heart for my little (not so little anymore) cousin. She has gone and grown up ๐ฌ๐ณ๐ฅ And is going to graduate Highschool in a few months. It's been on my heart to write her a letter and send her off with some books so we don't get back a leftist activist when she starts college.
These are all apologetics books for the most part. If you want books on learning the Bible in general and not an apologetic focus, maybe a doctrinal focus or book theology/historical theology, you would need different sources.
Great recommendations! I read all those in my teens through early twenties. Really helped me understand what I was taught in Sunday School and prepared me for the tough conversations I had to go through in my early life.
Request all to read Testimonials of the great men of God like Antony Norris Groves, George Mueller, William Carey and Praying Hyde etc Very exciting and spiritual uplifting โจ๏ธ ๐
I was gonna say anything by J Warner Wallace! The classic, More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell. Also, Lee Strobelโs books starting with The Case for Christ, then The Case for Faith.
Ravi Zacharias "Why Suffering"? is brilliant. BTW, read his son's response to the posthumous allegations against Ravi. I don't believe the allegations either.
Another less weighty Josh McDowell book is More Than a Carpenter. You can't get the original anymore, but you can get the Second Edition that has new chapters. Josh collaborated with his son Sean on the second edition. I read the original in college, and it was amazing. I bought the second edition for my baby sister when she graduated high school (and one for myself). Both are wonderful reads.
Fun fact: my copy of the updated and expanded edition of Cold Case Christianity arrived yesterday. I bought it with Christmas money.
I'm thinking of teaching the kids' version to my Sunday School kids.
Evidence That Demands a Verdict was the book that convinced me that the Bible was the absolute word of God. Had to quit being Catholic because I couldn't reconcile Catholic doctrine with the Word. Very hard decision to make. Still refer to it after 50 years.
I can't recommend JWWallis, he states the gospels were written by 4 independent eye witnesses. Hardly independent when the first and third copied and edited most of the second gospel. I'm looking for some honest apologetics and the only person I've found in print so far is Mike Licona who got fired for suggesting Matthew's zombie rising could be a myth. Sean McDowell is a close second whose honest debunking of the apostles' martyrdom is worth considering.
Thank you! I have a 16 year old that has been talking a lot about the proof of Christianity, saying that an atheist friend has good arguments that the resurrection hasn't been proven, thus making Jesus just a "good man" he has asked for material to read to help him. I have said I would source books, but man, it's like a well trying to wade through all the material that would help a 16 year old!! Much appreciated
Iโve read CS Lewis books and โThe Ragamuffin Gospelโ by Brennan an excellent read especially for young Christians and unbelieversโฆ very relatable as we are all just mere RAGAMUFFINS ๐โฆ the cross cleans us all up ๐๐ปโฆ Ps. So many good suggestions on this feed which Iโll get and thx Mike for your outstanding ministry ๐๐ป๐๐ป
That aren't weighty reads โ for teens or college students? College students are so baby-ish that they can't read grown-up stuff? Seriously? You have to spoon feed college students??? Ugh! Mike! What are you saying??? For that matter, teens are well able to understand theology without telling them kiddie stories! No wonder the "christians" in this country are such ignorant babies! Grow up people learn the Word of God. You can read, can't you? It's time to give up the bottles, the sippy cups, the baby cereal and eat the meat!
What Id emphasize is the practice loop of attempting to answer, failing, AND THEN reading and studying why you were wrong with a specific section of the book.
You learn from correcting errors not from reading alone.
Thank you! This has been on my heart for my little (not so little anymore) cousin. She has gone and grown up ๐ฌ๐ณ๐ฅ And is going to graduate Highschool in a few months. It's been on my heart to write her a letter and send her off with some books so we don't get back a leftist activist when she starts college.
The teen version of The Cross And The Switchblade is also good.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Gail Riplinger's 'New age (bible) Versions"
The only Bible used to bring revival has always been with the Authorized King James Bible.
Tactics is HUGE! Definitely read it.
All EXCELLENT reads and helpful in so many ways!!
These are all apologetics books for the most part. If you want books on learning the Bible in general and not an apologetic focus, maybe a doctrinal focus or book theology/historical theology, you would need different sources.
Read the ancient church fathersโฆ
Great recommendations! I read all those in my teens through early twenties. Really helped me understand what I was taught in Sunday School and prepared me for the tough conversations I had to go through in my early life.
Request all to read Testimonials of the great men of God like Antony Norris Groves, George Mueller, William Carey and Praying Hyde etc
Very exciting and spiritual uplifting โจ๏ธ ๐
Please read true discipleship by William Mcdonald and Bakht Singh the great poineer of India ๐ฎ๐ณ
I was gonna say anything by J Warner Wallace! The classic, More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell. Also, Lee Strobelโs books starting with The Case for Christ, then The Case for Faith.
Ravi Zacharias "Why Suffering"? is brilliant. BTW, read his son's response to the posthumous allegations against Ravi. I don't believe the allegations either.
Another less weighty Josh McDowell book is More Than a Carpenter. You can't get the original anymore, but you can get the Second Edition that has new chapters. Josh collaborated with his son Sean on the second edition. I read the original in college, and it was amazing. I bought the second edition for my baby sister when she graduated high school (and one for myself). Both are wonderful reads.
Fun fact: my copy of the updated and expanded edition of Cold Case Christianity arrived yesterday. I bought it with Christmas money.
I'm thinking of teaching the kids' version to my Sunday School kids.
Cold Case books for children are very good. ๐
C. S. Lewis The Case For Christianity may not be in print but you can easily find it
A very good read is Everyone's A Theologian by R.C. Sproul. Each chapter is relatively short and explained in a very understandable way.
โEarly Church Fathersโ
Frank Turek, stealing from God.
50 core truths by Gregg Allison
Evidence That Demands a Verdict was the book that convinced me that the Bible was the absolute word of God. Had to quit being Catholic because I couldn't reconcile Catholic doctrine with the Word. Very hard decision to make. Still refer to it after 50 years.
Theology is not for teens! Parents should teach their children, not some theologians!
So, there are no theology books for teens!๐
Greg Koekle's , "The Story of reality" has been great.
I can't recommend JWWallis, he states the gospels were written by 4 independent eye witnesses. Hardly independent when the first and third copied and edited most of the second gospel. I'm looking for some honest apologetics and the only person I've found in print so far is Mike Licona who got fired for suggesting Matthew's zombie rising could be a myth. Sean McDowell is a close second whose honest debunking of the apostles' martyrdom is worth considering.
Thank you! I have a 16 year old that has been talking a lot about the proof of Christianity, saying that an atheist friend has good arguments that the resurrection hasn't been proven, thus making Jesus just a "good man" he has asked for material to read to help him. I have said I would source books, but man, it's like a well trying to wade through all the material that would help a 16 year old!! Much appreciated
Why do you recommend these books. It's all fiction. Send Archie comics
Iโve read CS Lewis books and โThe Ragamuffin Gospelโ by Brennan an excellent read especially for young Christians and unbelieversโฆ very relatable as we are all just mere RAGAMUFFINS ๐โฆ the cross cleans us all up ๐๐ปโฆ Ps. So many good suggestions on this feed which Iโll get and thx Mike for your outstanding ministry ๐๐ป๐๐ป
Best recommendation: The Bible
The Great Divorce is short but it took me a few years. Super short but heavy.
Your podcast should be called "Same Shirt, Different Day"
Pilgrim's Progress!!!!!!!!
That aren't weighty reads โ for teens or college students? College students are so baby-ish that they can't read grown-up stuff? Seriously? You have to spoon feed college students??? Ugh! Mike! What are you saying??? For that matter, teens are well able to understand theology without telling them kiddie stories! No wonder the "christians" in this country are such ignorant babies! Grow up people learn the Word of God. You can read, can't you? It's time to give up the bottles, the sippy cups, the baby cereal and eat the meat!
You forgot about case for Christ lee strobel
Hi Mike โ would love you to know if your recommendations are updated from the 4yr old video?
What Id emphasize is the practice loop of attempting to answer, failing, AND THEN reading and studying why you were wrong with a specific section of the book.
You learn from correcting errors not from reading alone.
yeah "Against Praxeas" 210 A.D but still in book shops today. Not weighty at all, I was sooo ๐ฎ dissappointed. Itl bore U to death tho.
Thanks for the shoutout for Evidence that Demands a Verdict! I had the privilege to help with some of the research and a bit of writing in there.
Reformed Systematic Theology