Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Looking To Read A Book ABOUT the Bible

A few years ago, I compiled a list of recommended books. It's time to update that list!

My top pick:

Taking Back the Good Book by Woodrow Kroll

A huge disconnect exists between owning a Bible and reading it. Simply put, the number of people who claim to read the Bible isn't supported by their knowledge of the Bible (66).
Some people choose not to read the Bible because they're afraid it will contradict what they've already made up their mind to do. But the Bible isn't a dialogue between God and us. It's a revelation from him to us. The Bible should be our guide to life, not a sometimes-support for our pre-existing belief system. (71)
The Bible is read by people who choose to read it. Bible reading is neglected by people who choose to neglect it. It's just that simple. No excuses. Just honesty. (77)
When you win the battle for Bible literacy in your own life, you not only discover the joy of God, you are the joy of God. He delights in our getting to know him, and the most direct way to make that happen is by reading what he has revealed about himself in his Word (145).
If you don't take the Book in your life and read it consistently, you are saying to its Author, "I don't care enough about you or your Book to read it." That's what Bible literacy means to God. It means you love him, and you show it. It means you worship him, and you show it. It means you thirst for him, and you show it. Isn't it time we did some serious thinking about just how Bible-literate we are? Isn't it time for you to do some thinking? (151)

The full list:

God's Power For Your Life: How the Holy Spirit Transforms You Through God's Word. A.W. Tozer. Edited by James L. Snyder. 2013. 224 pages.
The ESV and the English Bible Legacy. Leland Ryken. 2011. Crossway. 183 pages.
Pleasure and Profit in Bible Study. D.L. Moody. 167 pages. [Source: Bought] 
Is The Bible True...Really? Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett. 2011. Moody. 144 pages. [Source: Bought]  
Reliable Truth: The Validity of the Bible in an Age of Skepticism. Richard E. Simmons III. 2012. Union Hill. 192 pages. [Source: Review Copy]
Understanding English Bible Translation: The Case for an Essentially Literal Approach. Leland Ryken. 2009. Crossway Books. 208 pages.
Which Bible Translation Should I Use? A Comparison of 4 Major Recent Versions. Andreas J. Kostenberger, ed. 2012. B&H. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]
Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible. Edited by Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, Thomas R. Schreiner. Contributors: Vern S. Poythress, C. John Collins, Gordon Wenham, David Howard, David Reimer, Paul House, J. Julius Scott, Jr., David Chapman, John Delhousaye, Thomas R. Schreiner, Darrell Bock, Dennis Johnson. 2012. Crossway. 160 pages.
The Scriptures Testify About Me: Jesus and the Gospel In the Old Testament. Edited by D.A. Carson. Featuring essays by R. Albert Mohler Jr., Tim Keller, Alistair Begg, James MacDonald, Conrad Mbewe, Matt Chandler, Mike Bullmore, and D.A. Carson. 2013. Crossway. 188 pages.
Dig Deeper: Tools for Understanding God's Word. By Nigel Beynon and Andrew Sach.
Knowing Scripture. R.C. Sproul. 1977/2009. IVP. 152 pages.
 How To Get The Most From God's Word. John MacArthur. 1997. Thomas Nelson. 168 pages.
Discovering Jesus: Why Four Gospels to Portray One Person?T.D. Alexander. 2010. Crossway Publishers. 144 pages.
How To Study The Bible. R.A. Torrey. 1896. Hendrickson Publishers. 90 pages.

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