Recommended Books

The Anabaptist Story - An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism, William R. Estep, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1975, 1996. An enlightening look at the Anabaptists, the movement that gave us separation of church and state, freedom of conscience, neutrality in war, and believer's baptism. Readers will be surprised to learn that Ulrich Zwingli, the supposed bright light of the reformation, viciously persecuted this peaceful Christian community.

Authentic Relationships - Discover the Lost Art of "One Anothering", Wayne Jacobsen & Clay Jacobsen. Baker Books, 2003. A scriptural study of relationship sharing among Christians. An excellent study for small groups.

Baptism & Fullness - The Work of the Holy Spirit Today, John R.W. Stott, InterVarsity Press, 1975. A well-balanced, scriptural view of the operation of the Holy Spirit among Christians in our time.

The Believer's Church - The History and Character of Radical Protestantism, Donald F. Durnbaugh, The Macmillan Company, 1968. A very interesting look at historical Christian movements outside the institutional church.

Biblical Pacifism, Dale W. Brown, Herald Press and Evangel Publishing House, 1986, 2003. A very readable presentation of the historical peace church movement. It opens with a damning quote from Gandhi: "The only people on earth who do not see Christ and His teachings as nonviolent are Christians.

Christ the Controversialist, John R.W. Stott, Inter-Varsity Press, London, 1973. John Stott shows that Jesus was not afraid to stand up for scriptural truth, even if it brought him into conflict with established religious authority. He then challenges us to do the same.

The Christ of the Covenants, O. Palmer Robertson, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1980. In the outworking of hi purposes, God establishes various covenants with his people, culminating in the New Covenant instituted by Christ. Christians should understand what these covenants are and what God expects from us. Robertson provides a very good introduction.

Christians and the Fall of Rome, Edward Gibbon, Penguin Books, 1994. Taken from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Romqn Empire, Vol. I, and edited by David Womersley. Gibbon investigates Christian belief and practice of the first few centuries. As it turns out, modern Christianity has little in common with apostolic Christianity.

Competent to Counsel, Jay E. Adams, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1974. A must read for house church leaders and elders. Adams presents a framework for biblical "nouthetic" counseling--using the scriptures to help guide the Christian to a more truer walk with their Lord.

Divine Truth or Human Tradition? A Reconsideration of the Catholic/Protestant Doctrine of the Trinity by Patrick Christian Navas. A thorough and well-researched analysis of the Trinity doctrine in light of bible teaching. For Christians who strive to base their beliefs on scripture alone, this is a must read.

End Time Delusions, Steve Wohlberg, Treasure House, 2004. Wohlberg argues that the futurist view of prophetic interpretation, championed by the Left Behind series, and the rise in the Preterist view, which assumes most if not all prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D., is on the rise. He warns that the loss of interest in the Historicist view, which sees prophecy as being fulfilled increasingly over time, including the last 2000 years, may be blinding the church to prophetic events today. He also shows that the prophetic fascination with the modern state of Israel by Evangelicals and others is not biblical.

The Formation of the Christian Biblical Canon, Lee M. McDonald, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995. A very readable account of how we received the Old and New Testament writings.

The Greatest Thing in the World, Henry Drummond, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, London, updated edition, 1920. First published in 1880. Henry Drummond presents a masterful analysis and application of 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen, and shows that it is authentic Christian love, expressed in all areas of our lives, that identifies us as belonging to Christ.

The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God, G.E. Ladd, Eerdmans, 1990. An excellent scriptural overview of the Kingdom of God. Ladd shows that the Kingdom was inaugarated at Pentecost but will be consumated when Christ returns in glory to rule over the world. A pleasant departure from Left Behind, the Late Great Planet Earth and other such nonsense.

Houses that Change the World, Wolfgang Simson. C & P Publishing, 1999. Simson, an international house church leader, presents an analysis of house church historically. He demonstrates that the institutional church has lost the organic spirit of the first century, and that this spirit is being reclaimed globally in house church settings. Finally, he challenges us to engage in this great work of God in our time.

A History of Christianity, Paul Johnson, Atheneum, New York, 1985. Arguably the best one volume church history ever written. If you want to understand the development of the church, as well as what went wrong with institutional religion, read this well-written book.

The Incomparable Christ, John R.W. Stott, Inter-Varsity Press, 2001. Stott describes the "eternal Christ who never changes, but who challenges us to follow him today" (p. 233).

It Is Not Lawful For Me To Fight, Jean-Michel Hornus, Herald Press, 1980. A translation from the French, originally published in 1960. A landmark book investigating early Christian attitudes toward war, violence and the State. Well-written and convincingly argued.

Jesus As They Saw Him, William Barclay, Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962. A brilliant and readable study of Jesus Christ in his various roles (Man, God, Son of David, Son of God, Messiah, etc.) as he was perceived by those that knew him--namely, the first century Jews and Jewish converts to Christianity. Barclay expounds scripture clearly and honestly, and is not afraid of ruffling the feathers of 'orthodox' belief. A real gem of a book.

The Legacy of Michael Sattler, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., 1973. Michael Sattler was a Catholic Prior who left the church to eventually become an early Anabaptist leader. He was arrested, tortured and burned to death by Ulrich Zwingli and the government of Zurich. This book contains much of his writings and other biographical information.

Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric, Howard Kahane and Nancy Cavender, Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1998. Unfortunately in the world today, there is much manipulation by powerful interest groups and corrupt religions, but it is often difficult to recognize. This book is a must read if you want to improve your reasoning capability and learn how to determine when someone is arguing fallaciously. Many examples and exercises are given. For Christians trying to unravel false doctrines, this is a must read.

Manufacturing Consent, Edward S. Herman, Noam Chomsky, Pantheon Books, 2002. Herman and Chomsky brilliantly demonstrate that the mass media is controlled by the consensus of the powerful elite. A must read for anyone trying to unspin the spin we are showered with daily in the media. Christians who are watching for their Lord need to perceive what is real in world events, not what governments and business elites want us to know. This book helps. There is also an accompanying video available.

New Testament History, F.F. Bruce, DoubleDay, 1971. In the preface, Bruce says, "...I am persuaded that the theological implications can be the better appreciated when the historical basis is duly laid." Reading the book proves this to be true. He expounds, in detail, the historical context of the first century of Christianity and earlier, giving us a much richer framework from which to comprehend the biblical events and teachings of Jesus and his apostles.

The Normal Christian Life, Watchman Nee (various publishers). Watchman Nee was an influential house churchleader in China, during a time when the Christianity was banned. He spent many years in prison for his beliefs. This classic outlines the authentic Christian walk, emphasizing the inner experience of Christ.

Out of the Flames - The Remarkable Story of a Fearless Scholar, a Fatal Heresy, and One of the Rarest Books in the World, Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone, Broadway Books, New York. The story of the conflict between Michael Servetus and John Calvin. Readers will be shocked to learn that John Calvin, one of the supposed bright lights of the reformation, was responsible for the prosecution and subsequent burning of Servetus at the stake. Servetus' crime was to disagree with Calvin. The lesson here is that sometimes the 'heretics' are the real Christians.

Paul's Idea of Community - The Early House Churches in their Historical Setting, Robert Banks, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1988. Also available from Commentary Press. The early Christians met in their homes, and Banks examines their life, their community, and their worship.

The Preacher's Portrait, John R.W. Stott, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1961. John Stott explains, from the scriptures, the traits and responsibilities of those mature Christians who are looked to as examples for others.

The Reasonableness of Christianity, John Locke, Regnery Gateway, Washington D.C., 1965. Written in 1695, the Reasonableness caused quite a stir. The basic premises of the book are that Christianity should be understandable and logical, that the bible is true, and that the basic Christian proposition has not changed: that we should believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord, Saviour, and King. In the context of the corrupted English Church, this book was revolutionary.

Seven Myths about Small Groups - How to Keep from Falling into Common Traps, Dan Williams, Inter-Varsity Press, 1991. Williams presents the seven common myths about home groups, and how to avoid common problems.

A Shepherd Looks at the Good Shepherd and His Sheep, W. Phillip Keller, Zondervan, 1978. Keller presents a unique view of Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd, drawing on his years of experience as a real-life shepherd. He shows that being one of the Lord's sheep has nothing to do with joining a religious organisation.

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse--Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority Within the Church, David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen, Betheny House Publishers, 1991. Johnson and Van Vonderen argue convincingly that many of Christ's sheep today are being abused by false shepherds. They demonstrate how to recognize these false shepherds and how to escape from them and begin the healing process.

When Jesus Became God: The Struggle to Define Christianity during the Last Days of Rome, Richard E. Rubenstein, Harcourt Brace Trade, 2000. A fascinating account of the Arian controversy, which led to the development of the Trinity doctrine in the fourth century.

Worship in the Early Church, Ralph P. Martin, W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974. Martin determines, from the scriptures, the nature and practice of Christianity in the early years.