The Top 5 Christian Books I’ve Ever Read

Brian Dempsey

Quite often I get asked what books have been the most influential in my life. And to be honest, picking the top 5 is a bit tough.  Even though I’ve read literally hundreds of Christian books – from a broad range of topics – there are a few that have had profound, lasting impact on my walk with Christ.  I thought I’d share them with you (and yes, I’m starting with the Bible):

1. ESV Thinline Calfskin Bible
2. Holiness by J.C. Ryle
3. Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
4. Lectures on Calvinism by Abraham Kuyper
5. George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the Eighteenth Century (2 Vol) by Arnold Dallimore

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1. ESV Thinline Calfskin Bible

The English Standard Version (ESV) Bible is a new, essentially literal Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and depth of meaning.  I love the version! We use it as our official version at church, and that is what I do most of my personal reading from.

As far as bindings, it’s really hard to beat Crossway’s ESV calfskin Bibles.  For years I used a black thinline calfskin (which is now out of print!) that felt like nothing I had ever held before.  You could nearly roll it up in a ball it was so supple.  I tried using their less expensive TruTone Bibles made of coagulated polyurethanes; they felt nice, but did not last more than year before the back cover was coming apart.  The beauty of buying a Crossway ESV is that they have a lifetime warranty on all of their Bibles.  I’ve sent back several Bibles after a couple of years that were just coming apart from use and they have replaced them free of charge – no questions asked.

So if you’re looking for a Bible you can keep for life – that is perfect for reading, study and preaching – I would highly recommend the ESV Calfskin.

Crossway’s Thinline Cordovan is the best manufacturer “premium” binding I have ever handled. It takes some risks and they pay off. As far as I’m concerned, this edition alleviates the need for re-binding and is the must have Thinline ESV. ~ J. Mark Bertrand, The Bible Design Blog

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2. Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots by J.C. Ryle

Of all the books I have ever read, J.C. Ryle’s Holiness has been the most quoted, often-referred to and most highly recommended book in my library. In fact, chapter 5, The Cost of Being a True Christian, outside of the scripture, has had the most profound impact on my personal life and understanding of the gospel than any other chapter I have ever read. A few quotes from this chapter should illustrate why:

Our sins are often as dear to us as our children: we love them, hug them, cleave to them and delight in them. To part with them is as hard as cutting off a right hand or plucking out a right eye. But it must be done. The parting must come.

He must take pains and trouble if he means to run a successful race toward heaven. He must daily watch and stand on his guard, like a soldier on enemy’s ground. He must take heed to his behavior every hour of the day, in every company and in every place, in public as well as in private, among strangers as well as at home. He must be careful over his time, his tongue, his temper, his thoughts, his imagination, his motives, his conduct in every relation of life. He must be diligent about his prayers, his Bible reading, and his use of Sundays, with all their means of grace. In attending to these things, he may come far short of perfection; but there is none of those who he can safely neglect.

He must be content to be thought ill of by man if he pleases God. He must count it no strange thing to be mocked, ridiculed, slandered, persecuted and even hated. He must not be surprised to find his opinions and practices in religion despised and held up to scorn. He must submit to be thought by many a fool, an enthusiast and a fanatic, to have his words perverted and his actions misrepresented. In fact, he must not marvel if some call him mad.

If you’ve never read this book, I cannot commend it to you too highly.  Please get a copy of this book – and prepare for heart surgery!

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3. Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin

I first read through The Institutes when I was in my early 20′s.  And at that time I remember thinking how remarkably pastoral and warm they were.  It was not at all the dry, abstract theology I had expected.  The other thought that struck me – that has been reinforced time and time again – is how few people have actually read The Institutes.   This is one of the most influential works written in the history of the Christian church – volumes that were literally chained to pulpits across Europe – and yet today even the majority of Calvinists would have to wipe the dust off the covers and confess that they have never read them.

The portions of The Institutes that have challenged and enlightened me are too numerous to list.  So I’ll leave you with a quote about Calvin and The Institutes:

“After the Holy Scriptures, I exhort the students to read the Commentaries of Calvin. . . . I tell them that he is incomparable in the interpretation of Scripture; and that his Commentaries ought to be held in greater estimation than all that is delivered to us in the writings of the ancient Christian Fathers: so that, in a certain eminent spirit of prophecy, I give the pre-eminence to him beyond most others, indeed beyond them all. I add, that, with regard to what belongs to common places, his Institutes must be read after the Catechism, as a more ample interpretation. But to all this I subjoin the remark, that they must be perused with cautious choice, like all other human compositions.” ~  Jacob Arminius

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4. Lectures on Calvinism: The Stone Lectures of 1898 by Abraham Kuyper

I was introduced to this volume only within the last few years by a friend at church who kept insisting that I read it.  By this time I had been a Calvinist for nearly 20 years and didn’t see the point of reading another book on Calvinism.  How thankful I am to the Lord for my friend’s persistence.  By the time I finished the first chapter, I realized that this was far from the typical book on Calvinism.  And I have now come to believe that this book should be required reading by all the egg-head young Calvinists who think Calvinism is about 5 points!  Kuyper’s book unfolds the big picture and God’s purpose – to glorify Himself in all of creation. The book is divided into six chapters:

1. Calvinism as a Life System
2. Calvinism and Religion
3. Calvinism and Politics
4. Calvinism and Science
5. Calvinism and Art
6. Calvinism and the Future

The book, as you can see from the lecture titles, is a book about worldview. The collection is called Lectures on Calvinism and not lectures on Christianity, because Kuyper believed that Calvinism most truthfully and most completely articulates the Biblical Christian faith.  This is a must read!

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5. George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the Eighteenth Century (2 Vol) by Arnold Dallimore

I first read this 2 volume set when I was 19 years old, the same age George Whitefield was ordained a Deacon in the Church of England.  I read with wide-eyed amazement how God used this young man so mightily – and I was stirred to imagine how he might use me if I lived my life consecrated to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Since reading both volumes (about 1,200 pages) over 20 years, I have reread them several times- along with other biographies, his journals, sermons, letters, etc.  No biographer, however, gets to the heart of Whitefield as Dallimore.  I would highly recommend these volumes.

So, there’s my list.  I’d love to see your list in the comments!