100 Books for the Christ Follower
I read a lot; and with that comes a lot of questions from others about what they should read next. In particular, from Christ followers who want to grow their faith or expand their theology. I’ve spent the last few months reviewing books by Christian authors that I have read previously, and narrowed the list down to my favorite 100.
After reviewing this list, let me know if you feel any are missing or any should be removed; and the reasons why.
Enjoy this list and happy reading!
[alphabetical by book title]
A Fellowship of Differents: Showing the World God's Design for Life Together, Scot McKnight, 2016
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World, Paul E. Miller, 2017
Basic Christianity (3rd edition), John Stott, 2017
Bible Overview, Rose Publishing, 2015
Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller, 2003
Bold Love, Dan B. Allender, Tremper Longman, 1992
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, Eric Metaxas, 2020
Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth (Anniversary Edition), Richard Foster, 2018
Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest Religion, Rebecca McLaughlin, 2019
Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters, Timothy Keller, 2011
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, Francis Chan, Chris Tomlin, Danae Yankoski, 2013
Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith, Michael Reeves, 2012
Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Revised Edition), John Piper, 2025
Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation, James K.A. Smith, 2009
De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next, Karl Vaters, 2024
Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud (Anniversary Edition), Philip Yancey, 2015
Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus, Mark Dever, 2016
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature, Peter Scazzero, 2017
Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels, Cyndi Parker, 2021
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J.I. Packer, 2012
Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work, Timothy Keller, 2014
Evidence that Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World (Updated and Expanded), Josh McDowell, Sean McDowell, 2017
Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God (2021 Edition), Henry and Richard Blackaby, 2021
Fear and Trembling, Soren Kierkegaard, 1986
Heaven: A Comprehensive Guide to Everything the Bible Says About Our Eternal Home (Anniversary Edition), Randy Alcorn, 2011
How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth (4th Edition), Gordon D. Fee, Douglas Stuart, 2014
Humility: True Greatness, C.J. Mahaney, 2005
Knowing God (50th Anniversary Edition), J.I. Packer, 2023
Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church, Paul David Tripp, 2025
Leadership Pain: The Classroom for Growth, Samuel R. Chand, 2015
Let the Nations be Glad! (30th Anniversary Edition), John Piper, 2023
Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian in Community, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 2009
Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis (multiple versions)
Messy Spirituality: God's Annoying Love for Imperfect People, Michael Yaconelli, 2002
Morning and Evening: The Classic Daily Devotional, Charles Spurgeon, 2018
Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta, Mother Teresa, Brian Kolodiejchuk, 2009
My Utmost for His Highest: Updated Edition, Oswald Chambers, 2017
Orthodoxy: Annotated, G.K. Chesterton, 2025
Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did, John Mark Comer, 2024
Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?, Philip Yancey, 2016
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God, Timothy Keller, 2014
Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools: An Invitation to the Wonder and Mystery of Prayer, Tyler Staton, 2022
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, David Platt, 2010
Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ (20th Anniversary Edition), Dallas Willard, 2021
Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges, 2017
Shattered Dreams: God's Unexpected Path to Joy, Larry Crabb, 2010
Sifted: Pursuing Growth through Trials, Challenges, and Disappointments, Wayne Cordeiro, Francis Chan, Larry Osborne, 2012
Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense, N.T. Wright, 2021
Soul Depths and Soul Heights, Octavius Winslow, 2012
Spiritual Discipleship: Principles of Following Christ for Every Believer, J. Oswald Sanders, 2017
Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer, J. Oswald Sanders, 2017
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, N.T. Wright, 2018
Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, C.S. Lewis (multiple versions)
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Second Edition), Wayne Grudem, 2020
The Barbarian Way: Unleash the Untamed Faith Within, Erwin R. McManus, 2025
The Basics of Christian Belief: Bible, Theology, and Life's Big Questions, Joshua Strahan, 2020
The Bible and the Future, Anthony A. Hoekema, 1994
The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible (2nd Edition), Scot McKnight, 2018
The Bondage Breaker: Overcoming Negative Thoughts, Irrational Feelings, Habitual Sins (Revised and Expanded), Neil T. Anderson, 2019
The Bruised Reed, Richard Sibbes, 2021
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence of Jesus (Updated and Expanded), Lee Strobel, 2016
The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love: Reintroducing the Doctrines of Church Membership and Discipline, Jonathan Leeman, Mark Dever, 2010
The Church as a Culture of Care: Finding Hope in Biblical Community, T. Dale Johnson Jr., 2021
The Church of Irresistible Influence: Bridge-Building Stories to Help Reach Your Community, Robert Lewis, 2002
The Confessions of Saint Augustine (multiple versions)
The Cost of Discipleship (Revised), Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 2025
The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus, Rich Villodas, 2021
The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God, D.A. Carson, 1999
The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God, Dallas Willard, 2009
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The Path to True Christian Joy, Timothy Keller, 2012
The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, Lesslie Newbigin, 1989
The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis (multiple versions)
The Hiding Place (35th Anniversary Edition), Corrie ten Boom, 2006
The Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us? (2025 Edition), Richard Stearns, 2025
The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness, Kevin DeYoung, 2014
The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis (multiple versions)
The Jesus I Never Knew: Revealing What 2,000 Years of History Have Covered Up, Philip Yancey, 2002
The Kingdom of the Cults: The Definitive Work on the Subject (Sixth Edition), Walter Martin, 2019
The Mortification of Sin, John Owen, Aaron M Renn, 2019
The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict (Revised and Updated), Ken Sande, 2004
The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan (multiple versions)
The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, Timothy Keller, 2011
The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine, A.W. Tozer, 2015
The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges, 2016
The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out, Brennan Manning, 2005
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (New Preface), Timothy Keller, 2009
The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming, Henri Nouwen, 1994
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer, 2019
The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis (multiple versions)
Through Gates of Splendor, Elisabeth Eliot, 1981
Trading Faces: Removing the Masks that Hide Your God-Given Identity, John and Angel Beeson, 2023
Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better (Updated), Brant Hansen, 2023
Victory Over the Darkness: Realize the Power of Your Identity in Christ (Revised and Updated), Neil T. Anderson, 2020
What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done (Expanded Edition), Matt Perman, 2016
What's So Amazing About Grace? The Key to Transforming a Broken World (Revised and Updated), Philip Yancey, 2023
When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself, Steve Corbett, Brian Fikkert, 2014
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People: Biblical Look at the Problem of Suffering, Melvin Tinker, 2009
Willing to Believe: The Controversy over Free Will, R.C. Sproul, 2002
Worship: Adoration and Action, D.A. Carson, 2002
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (Updated and Expanded), Jim Cymbala, 2018