My Reading List for 2015

One of my resolutions for this year is to read 25 books. According to Goodreads, I read 18 books last year so 25 should be attainable, especially considering I have some friends who read well over 100 books each year. In order to have a plan of attack, I compiled a list that I’d like to work on. The list ended up being longer than 25 (51 to be exact), but it gives me a framework from which to choose.

I also recognize that the books I choose to read may change. I’ve actually already modified the list a couple of times because I picked up a new book and wanted to add it. So without further ado, my (potential) reading list for 2015, organized in some fashion.

Completed

I’ve already completed these books this year.

• The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception by John MacArthur
• Jesus Unmasked: The Truth Will Shock You by Todd Friel
• Don’t Fear the Reaper: Why Every Author Needs an Editor by Blake Atwood

In Progress

• The Bible (ESV Translation)
• John (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary) by R.C. Sproul
• The Pilgrim’s Progress (Penguin Classics) by John Bunyan
  I am reading this in conjunction with a Ligonier Connect course.
• Essential Truths of the Christian Faith by R.C. Sproul
  I am reading this in conjunction with a Ligonier Connect course.

Gifts

The following two books were given to me as gifts from men that I respect, so I want to make sure I read them.

• Seven Days That Divide the World: The Beginning According to Genesis and Science by John C. Lennox
  I’ve been doing a lot of reading on Genesis and young earth stuff. My pastor gave me this book to help me wrestle through some frustrations that I have with others who do not see things from my point of view. (I’ve actually just started this book, but wanted to keep it in this category)
• Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional by Jim Belcher

Fiction

I’ve started reading the Peter and the Starcatchers series to my kids, so we’ll hopefully finish these:

• Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
• Peter and the Shadow Thieves (Peter and the Starcatchers Book 2) by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
• Peter and the Secret of Rundoon (Peter and the Starcatchers Book 3) by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
• Peter and the Sword of Mercy (Peter and the Starcatchers Book 4) by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
• Bridge to Never Land, The (Peter and the Starcatchers Book 5) by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson

I’m huge fan of Brandon Sanderson, so I’d like to fit in a couple of his books. Steelheart is a YA book that may be suitable for my older children (we’ll see) and Way of Kings is his big epic which I’m dumbfounded as to why I haven’t read it yet.

• Steelheart (Reckoners Book 1) by Brandon Sanderson
• The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, Book 1) by Brandon Sanderson

Family Matters

• What He Must Be: …If He Wants to Marry My Daughter by Voddie Baucham Jr.
  My oldest daughter is 15 years old. Boy, how time flies.
• Her Hand in Marriage: Biblical Courtship in the Modern World by Douglas Wilson
• Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney
• 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son by Vicki Courtney
• Time for The Talk by Steve Zollos
• Modest: Men and Women Clothed in the Gospel by Tim Challies & R W Glenn
• The Fulfilled Family: God’s Design for Your Home by John MacArthur
• When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling by R.C. Sproul Jr.
  Aubrey and I (mainly Aubrey) homeschool our kids, so it wouldn’t hurt to get R.C. Jr’s perspective (he has eight kids).

Marriage Matters

• For Men Only, Revised and Updated Edition: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women by Shaunti Feldhahn & Jeff Feldhahn
  I bought this after a marriage retreat that Aubrey and I attended almost two years ago. Investing in my marriage is a good thing = finish this book.
• Marriage Matters: Extraordinary Change through Ordinary Moments by Winston T. Smith
• Reforming Marriage by Douglas Wilson
• Federal Husband by Douglas Wilson

The “Old Guys”

Having discovered the wonderful world of Reformed Theology, I am keenly interested in reading the works of or works about the old dead guys.

• The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
• John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, Doxology by Burk Parsons & Various Contributors
• The Expository Genius of John Calvin (A Long Line of Godly Men Series Book 1) by Steven J. Lawson
• The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther (A Long Line of Godly Men Series Book 5) by Steven J. Lawson
• The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink
• Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen
• A Body of Divinity (Body of Practical Divinity) by Thomas Watson
• The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World by Stephen J. Nichols
• The Poetic Wonder of Isaac Watts (Long Line of Godly Men Profiles) by Douglas Bond

Apologetics, Christian Living, Theology & Ministry

• Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice by Bryan Chapell
• What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur’an by James R. White
  I love watching Dr. White on the Dividing Line (Alpha and Omega Ministries). I’ve also developed an interest in knowing more about Islam.
• Fools Rush In Where Monkeys Fear to Tread: Taking Aim at Everyone by Carl R. Trueman
  I like Carl Trueman, mainly through watching him in conference videos (Ligonier), so I thought I’d give one of his books a shot.
• Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World by Michael Horton
  I like the White Horse Inn podcast, and this book sounded interesting.
• The Call to Wonder: Loving God Like a Child by R.C. Sproul Jr.
  I bought this at the Ligonier Fall Conference at Reformation Bible College. I got it mainly so I’d have something for Dr. Sproul Jr. to sign, but it does look like a good book.
• Foundations of Grace (Long Line of Godly Men) (Long Line of Godly Men Profiles) by Steven J. Lawson
  Ah, the doctrines of grace, how I love thee and find comfort.
• Assured by God: Living in the Fullness of God’s Grace by Burk Parsons & Various Contributors
  How do I know I’m saved? This became a fairly important question for me this past year and it has also become important to my children. I got this book in hopes of gleaning more perspective on that issue.
• Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth: A Critique of Dispensationalism by John H. Gerstner
  R.C. Sproul speaks highly of his old professor, Dr. Gerstner, so I figured I’d give this a read. I grew up dispensational in my theology, not really knowing that’s what it was.
• The Promises of God: Discovering the One Who Keeps His Word by R.C. Sproul
• Taking God At His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me by Kevin DeYoung
• The Ever-Loving Truth: Can Faith Thrive in a Post-Christian Culture? by Voddie Baucham Jr.
• The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism by Craig R. Brown
• Killing Calvinism: How to Destroy a Perfectly Good Theology from the Inside by Greg Dutcher
• Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will by Kevin DeYoung
• Not a Chance: God, Science, and the Revolt against Reason by R.C. Sproul

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