The Preacher’s Library
A Ministry Aid
From:
Sola
Scriptura Ministries
1041 Cleveland
Meeker, CO 81641
Updated October
2002
This short resource is meant to be an aid for the preacher of God's Word. It is a suggested library from one who has been in the ministry for some 30 years. May it be a blessing and encouragement (and perhaps even a challenge) to you. Please read the Introduction for more explanation.
CONTENTS
A. Overviews
B. The Gospels (and the Life of Christ)
C. Works On Individual Books Of The New Testament
III. The Old Testament
B. Works On Individual Books Of The Old Testament
A. Hebrew
B. Greek
C. English
VI. History
VII. Doctrine
A. General Works On Theology And Doctrine
C. The Doctrine Of The Scriptures
D. The Doctrine Of The Holy Spirit
F. Prophecy
VIII. Other Vital Topics
D. Devotional
E. Apologetics
F. Biographies
Introduction
Books are basic! Books are the most important tools of ministry that the preacher possesses. Without good books the preacher is like a carpenter without hand tools--he can accomplish almost nothing. Since the number one responsibility of the preacher is to feed God's people and to equip them for service (Eph. 4:12), he must have the right tools to do so.
But what books should the preacher have in his library? What books are going to be the most useful? Some people will maintain that this is all a matter of "taste," or that the matter is completely relative to each man's opinion, approach, or situation. We must disagree. There are good books and there are bad books. There are books that are absolute "musts" and there are books that should not be allowed to take up space on the shelf. It is this subject with which we will deal here.
A word of caution is in order. What you are about to read here are my suggestions based on almost 30 years of study and experience in ministry, a ministry of expository preaching and teaching with a view to the deeper growth of Christians. No man's opinion can be taken as authoritative, but humble suggestions should certainly be considered by any servant of God.
Before we begin, may we consider a few introductory thoughts. First, the books discussed here are foundational; they are a starting place. As your interests grow, so will your library. This discussion will be useful to the student who is beginning to build his library or even to the more established preacher who perhaps needs to "weed out" a few books and keep the ones that are the most important. Second, just because a book is mentioned here does not imply total agreement or endorsement. Rather, it means that within that book is much useful material. All books must be read with discernment. Third, books are an investment, not only spiritually but monetarily. Like so many other things today, books are expensive, so do not buy a book hastily. There are many discount, mail-order book distributors today. A few of these are:
1. Scripture Truth Book Company, http://www.scripturetruth.com/
2. Christian Book Distributors, http://www.christianbook.com/
3. Amazon http://www.amazon.com/
I pray that the following suggestions will be of help to you. After each book there is a letter (or letters) in parentheses; this represents the publisher of that book, and a list of publishers appears at the end of this page. May the Lord bless your committed ministry.
Before we begin, I would like to share my heart. One of
my greatest burdens is publishing. Publishing today is more about making money
than it is about carrying on ministry. Because of that—and excuse me for
being blunt—most of what is published today is not worth the paper and ink it
took to print it. Most of it is not rooted exclusively in Scripture but is
rather experience oriented. For these reasons, what you will find in this list
is good, solid material, and I am convinced that this is what pastors should be
reading, not the fluff that is so common today. In many instances, it’s “the
old guys” who are the best, that is, pre-20th Century and early 20th
Century. This does not mean that there are no good authors today. On the
contrary, there are several. But these are far fewer in number than the others.
One more comment. New to this update of “The Preacher’s Library” is section “IX. Computer Software.” There is now a lot of material available on CD-ROM. Before you buy the hardcopy of any title, you might want to find out if it’s on a CD somewhere. Besides, it’s very likely that you’ll not just get the one title you’re look for.
I. Works on the Whole Bible
How important it is that the preacher of God's Word have a "strategic" (over-all) understanding of the Scriptures! In a lengthy exposition of Ephesians, for example, each individual message must be viewed in light of the whole letter and the whole letter must likewise be understood in light of the rest of Scripture.
One of the most useful books on the entire Bible is Explore The Book by J. Sidlow Baxter (Z). This book is not really a commentary; rather, in the words of the author, it is a "basic and broadly interpretive course." The wealth of this work is beyond estimate. I must confess to a disagreement with Baxter's presentation of the books of Acts and Revelation, as well as his views of the Gap Theory and local flood in Genesis, but overall these minor detractions from the over-all value of this major achievement. Read it, enjoy it, and use it. The big downside at this writing is how ridiculously expensive it now is—$65 at Christian Book Distributors!
Another indispensable whole Bible reference is Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible (T). This 1,000+ page reference is eight volumes in one: Bible commentary, topical dictionary, archeological handbook, OT and NT cross-reference guide, theological manual, illustrated Bible encyclopedia, prayer fact-finder, and textbook of Israel’s history.
A must have volume is The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, which contains 500,000 Scripture references and parallel passages. As R. A. Torrey writes in the Introduction, "There is no other commentary on the Bible so helpful as the Bible Itself."
Other useful strategic works include: The Unfolding Drama Of Redemption by W. Graham Scroggie (P&I), which comes in three volumes, and Living Messages Of The Books Of The Bible by G. Campbell Morgan (R). One might also want to consider Morgan's Analyzed Bible (R), and The Unfolding Message Of The Bible (R).
Most one-volume commentaries are disappointing. An exception is The Believer’s Bible Commentary (TN) by William MacDonald, edited by Art Farstad. This is hands-down the best one-volume commentary I have ever seen. Another exception to this is The Bible Knowledge Commentary, an exposition of the Scriptures by the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary and is edited by John Walvoord and Roy Zuck (V). There is one volume on the Old Testament and one on the New. They are good, and I recommend them, but I do wish that they were not based on the New International Version (NIV). Matthew Henry's commentary is also available in one-volume editions, and should always be consulted. Don’t get an abridged version.
In general, the best commentaries and expositions are those that are on specific books of the Bible. They are deeper and more thorough. However, there are a few sets to consider.
Calvin's Commentaries (E) are absolutely priceless. The "old guys" are hard to beat. Just back in print as of this writing is the New Testament Commentary (B), the 12-volume set by William Hendrickson and Simon Kistemaker. It’s the only complete commentary written from the Reformed perspective. If you can afford it, this is one to have. Lenski’s New Testament Commentary (HEN) is another excellent 12-volume set. It comes from the Lutheran perspective, but this doesn’t detract from its value if you aren’t Lutheran. Expositions Of Holy Scripture (17 volumes) by Alexander Maclaren (B) contains some great riches, although they require patience due to their lack of verse divisions. The Pulpit Commentary (E), quite frankly, should be purchased only if you find it used and at a very reasonable price (never retail or even wholesale). Its twenty-three volumes have some good material, but some outdated and useless material as well. Matthew Henry's Commentary (Mc) is, of course, a classic and should always be consulted. As mentioned earlier, it is now in some one-volume editions. Harry Ironside's commentaries are worth having. They will be a blessing in their devotional thoughts, but most of them (especially those in the New Testament) are not very deep in their content or thorough in their exposition. I feel that Dr. Ironside was stronger in the Old Testament, as some of my later recommendations will show. The Expositor's Bible Commentary (Z), edited by Frank Gaebelein, is good, especially in its introductions to Bible books. It, too, is unfortunately based on the NIV. The six-volume Expositor’s Bible (E), edited by W. Robertson Nicoll, is helpful if read with discernment. Like The Pulpit Commentary, purchase it only if you find it used and at a reasonable price. It’s lack of verse division and wordiness make it a second choice.
II. The New Testament
Many will agree that the preaching and teaching of the New Testament is by far the most important thing a preacher can do. Personally, I have a particular passion for the doctrinal Epistles of Paul, especially the books of Ephesians and Romans. Surely, the Epistles, Paul's and other's, are the most pertinent material for the church. For this reason our discussion now turns to the New Testament.
A couple of essential works are New Testament Introduction (IV) by Donald Guthrie and The New Testament: An Historical and Analytical Survey (E) by Merrill Tenney. Another good work by Tenney is New Testament Survey (E), and another good one by Guthrie is New Testament Theology. There are many New Testament survey books, but I think one of the best is Jensen’s Survey of the New Testament by Irving Jensen (M).
A word is here in order concerning William Barclay's Daily Study Bible (W). These volumes give some great historical information and good word studies, but they are weak in their Theology.
May we also interject a word about Warren Wiersbe's "Be... Series." Each of these books is a short exposition of a New Testament book, such as Be Rich (Ephesians), Be Joyful (Philippians), etc. Every one of these can and should be read and appreciated by preachers and laymen alike. I especially appreciate his straight-forward, no-nonsense approach to Revelation in Be Victorious. He sticks with the text and avoids getting fanciful and silly like many other commentators do.
One other thought—Personally, I like the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series (E). Some of these are better than others, but each is worth studying when your are expositing a book of Scripture.
B. The Gospels (and the Life of Christ).
An indispensable work here is G. Campbell Morgan's The Crises Of Christ (R), not to mention Alfred Edersheim's classic The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah (E). Make sure you get Edersheim's book in an unabridged version. You'll also want Morgan's exposition of the Gospels (R). Other volumes of blessing include, The Suffering Saviour (M) by F. W. Krummacher and The Seven Sayings of The Saviour on the Cross (B) by Arthur W. Pink. For studies on the parables, you should acquire Morgan's The Parables and Metaphors of Our Lord (R).
C. Works On Individual Books Of The New Testament.
In addition to the following, you can sometimes buy individual books from sets such as Calvin's Commentaries. You might also be able to get individual books from Lenski’s Commentaries, and the New Testament Commentary mentioned earlier.
Matthew - I think John MacArthur's four volumes (M) are hard to beat. For studying the Sermon on the Mount, Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Studies In The Sermon on the Mount" (E) cannot be equaled. A. W. Pink’s is good also.
Mark - The best work here is E. Schuyler English's Studies in the Gospel According to Mark (OH).
Luke - The best book on Luke is probably Frederic Godet's commentary (Z).
John - I strongly recommend three works here: John: The Gospel of Belief (E) by Merrill Tenney; Exposition of the Gospel of John (Z) by Arthur W. Pink; and The Gospel of John (L) by A. C. Gaebelein.
Acts - A. C. Gaebelein's, The Acts of the Apostles, (L) in spite of his view that Paul was at times out of God's will in his later ministry. Of course, we also recommend G. Campbell Morgan's commentary (R) and his exposition of Acts 2, "Birth of the Church" (R). Studies on Paul's life include: "Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free" (E) by F. F. Bruce and "A Harmony of the Life of St. Paul" (B) by Frank Goodwin.
Romans - By far, Charles Hodge's Romans (E) is an undisputed classic and an absolute must. Other "must haves" include: Robert Haldane (BOT), William Newell (M), Martyn Lloyd-Jones (8 volumes covering chapters 1-9, but be careful of his weakness on the Holy Spirit in chapter 8) (Z), Donald Grey Barnhouse (4 volumes) (E), and John MacArthur (M). For an unequalled study of the doctrine of sanctification in chapters 6-8, J. Sidlow Baxter's trilogy (A New Call To Holiness, His Deeper Work In Us" and Our High Calling) (Z) is marvelous.
I Corinthians - The best commentaries I have seen on I Corinthians are those by Charles Hodge (E), G. Campbell Morgan (R), John MacArthur (M), and Leon Morris (E). I also enjoy reading the insights of Gordon Clark (TR), as I’ll mention elsewhere. He makes a wonderful comment, for example, on 13:10, which for some odd reason many interpreters today want to deny is a clear reference to the completion of Scripture.
II Corinthians - The most helpful works here are those by John MacArthur (M), G. Campbell Morgan (R), Charles Hodge (E), and Handley C. G. Moule (P&I).
Galatians - John MacArthur's commentary (M) is an excellent good choice here. Also helpful are those by Lehman Strauss (L) and Merrill Tenney (E). For critical study, acquire John Eadie's classic commentary (Z).
Ephesians - This Epistle is my personal passion, so I will have to contain myself in my recommendations (I have over fifty in my library and still collecting). An absolute must for serious study of Ephesians is Martyn Lloyd-Jones' monumental eight-volume exposition (B). For critical study, acquire John Eadie's classic commentary (Z). Other good works include commentaries by John MacArthur (M), Charles Hodge (B), both of which are excellent, F. F. Bruce (R), Francis Foulkes (E), and Lehman Strauss (L). As mentioned before, I also enjoy reading the insights of Gordon Clark (TR). You might also enjoy reading John Calvin’s Sermons on Ephesians (BOT). Lenski’s commentary (mentioned earlier) is especially useful as it debunks the modern view that Ephesians was not addressed specifically to Ephesus (because the words “at Ephesus” in 1:1 are not found in the so called “older manuscripts”) and was therefore a “circular letter.” Hendrickson also addresses this pretty well in the New Testament Commentary mentioned earlier.
Finally, for a disgustingly liberal treatment, get the Word Biblical Commentary by Andrew Lincoln (WOR), which, among other things, denies Pauline authorship. Frankly, that Word Publishing would even publish this illustrates its lack of concern for the truth.
Philippians - Again, the classic works are the commentaries of John Eadie (Z) and J. B. Lightfoot (Z). We would also recommend John MacArthur (M) and The High Calling (R) by J. H. Jowett. Other help will be found in the works by Handley C. G. Moule (Z), A. T. Robertson (B), and Gordon Clark (TR).
Colossians and Philemon - Once again, the classic works here are by John Eadie (Z) and J. B. Lightfoot (Z). One will also want the works by John MacArthur (M), Guy King (M&S), W. H. Griffith Thomas (B), and Gordon Clark (TR).
I and II Thessalonians - The best volumes I know of here are those by Leon Morris (E) and Gordon Clark (TR).
Pastoral Epistles - An excellent work on the pastorals is the one by Donald Guthrie (E), as are the one's by John MacArthur (M), Guy King (M&S), Homer Kent (M), and Gordon Clark (TR).
Hebrews - William Newell (M), as in all he ever did, is excellent in Hebrews, and his commentary is a classic. Andrew Murray is good for a devotional approach (R), as is W. H. Griffith Thomas (E). Many consider the work of Philip Edgcumbe Hughes the definitive work on Hebrews (E). John MacArthur also has written an excellent work (M). I might also add that A. W. Pink is very good and provides the best arguments available for a Pauline authorship of Hebrews.
James - I do not think a better work has been done on James than that of the three volumes by Spiros Zodhiates (The Word of Faith, The Labor of Love, The Patience of Hope) (AMG). I wish these studies had more outline to them, but they are excellent. John MacArthur’s (M) commentary is also excellent (though you might raise an eyebrow at how he approaches 5:13-18). Warren Wiersbe's Be Mature (V) is one of the best expositions in his “Be Series."
Peter's Epistles - W. H. Griffith Thomas is good here (E), but the classic is that by Robert Leighton (K). One may also want Edward Gordon Selwyn's commentary (M), and Gordon Clark’s (TR).
John's Epistles - I would highly recommend the commentary by John R. W. Stott (E). Consider also the classics by B. F. Westcott (E) and Robert Law (B). F. F. Bruce's and Gordon Clark’s (TR) book should also be acquired (R).
Jude - The most helpful commentary for most preaching is S. Maxwell Coder's (M). For those who really want to study (and who doesn’t?), Thomas Manton's classic is "only" 376 pages (BOT).
Revelation - Frankly, I stay away from most contemporary books on the book of Revelation; many of these get fanciful in their interpretations and speculations; others get down right ridiculous. Some companions to consider when studying the Apocalypse are the commentaries of William Newell (M), Lehman Strauss (L), John MacArthur (M), and Wiersbe’s Be Victorious (V).
III. The Old Testament
For Old Testament study the number one book to have in your library is, Survey of Old Testament Introduction (M) by Gleason Archer. You will also want The Theology of the Older Testament (Z) by J. Barton Payne. I would also advise acquiring a copy of Leon Wood's A Survey of Israel's History (Z). Like the New Testament, there are many Old Testament survey books, but I think one of the best is Jensen’s Survey of the Old Testament by Irving Jensen (M).
B. Works On Individual Books Of The Old Testament.
Genesis - One must be careful of his extremes in typology and of his tendency to spiritualize, but Arthur W. Pink is very good (M). An absolute must is Henry Morris' The Genesis Record (B). A classic critical commentary is the one by H. C. Leupold (B).
Exodus - The best commentaries here are those by Arthur W. Pink (M), and John J. Davis (B). For studying the Ten Commandments, I would recommend Thomas Watson (BOT), G. Campbell Morgan (B), and Lehman Strauss (L).
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy - Harry Ironside's Levitical Offerings (L) is good. Irving Jensen's commentary on Numbers is also good (M). For serious study of Deuteronomy, acquire P. C. Craigie's commentary (E).
Joshua, Judges, and Ruth - Good studies of Joshua are those by Harry Ironside (L), Arthur W. Pink (M), and W. Graham Scroggie (P&I). Leon J. Wood's commentary is the one you want on Judges (Z), and Leon Morris' (IV) is the one you'll probably want on Ruth.
The Historical Books - The number one tool here is A Harmony of the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles (B) by William Crockett. As in the general books above, we here mention Leon Wood's A Survey of Israel's History (Z).
Job - I doubt that most preachers will need much more than the two excellent volumes on Job in Albert Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament, but get G. Campbell Morgan's The Answers of Jesus to Job (B) anyway!
Psalms - I would recommend John Phillips (L), A. C. Gaebelein (L) and A. F. Kirkpatrick (C). If you can acquire Spurgeon's Treasury of David for a good price, do it, but don't waste your time reading anything else but Spurgeon's expositions. For individual Psalms, acquire Psalms 119 (BOT) by Charles Bridges, Faith On Trial (Ps. 73) by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (IV), and Have Mercy Upon Me" (Ps. 51) (Ran) by Andrew Murray. Also, for studying Psalm 23, buy John Stevenson's exposition (Car) and Phillip Keller's A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Z).
Proverbs - I would recommend three commentaries here: Charles Bridges (Z), Harry Ironside (L), and John Phillips (L) whose two-volume work is loaded with illustrations.
Ecclesiastes - The best work on Ecclesiastes is probably H. C. Leupold's (B), though the reader may disagree with the author's view of authorship. David Allen Hubbard's Beyond Futility (E) is excellent.
Song of Solomon - Recommended reading here are the works by Watchman Nee (CLC), Harry Ironside (L), and Clarence Mason’s Love Song (M).
Isaiah - I would highly recommend the two volumes on Isaiah in Albert Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (B), as well as W. E. Vine's little commentary (Z). The classic work is Edward Young's three volumes (E). Get Ironside, too.
Jeremiah and Lamentations - Study G. Campbell Morgan (R) and Harry Ironside (L).
Ezekiel and Daniel - Harry Ironside is fairly good in both of these (L), but Charles Lee Feinberg is best in Ezekial (M), and John Walvoord (M) and Lehman Strauss (L) are best in Daniel.
Minor Prophets - Personally, I think Harry Ironside is excellent in the Minor Prophets. G. Campbell Morgan gives a good survey in Voices of the Twelve Hebrew Prophets (B). On specific books I would recommend: G. Campbell Morgan on Hosea (B) and Malachi (B); Roy Lee Honeycutt on Amos (Br); Hugh Martin on Jonah (BOT); Martyn-Lloyd Jones (From Fear To Faith) on Habbakuk (IV)—Warren Wiersbe's From Worry To Worship is also quite good (BTB); Thomas Moore on Haggai (BOT); and David Baron on Zechariah (ST).
IV. General Reference
No student of God's Word should be without a good Bible dictionary and I don't think you can do better than Unger's Bible Dictionary (M). A Bible Handbook is also a wise purchase. I would advise securing both Unger's Bible Handbook (M) and Halley's Bible Handbook (Z). For studying Bible geography, buy Baker's Bible Atlas (B) by Charles Pfeiffer. And, of course, one must have Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.
For "secular" reference, a good set of encyclopedias is not only good for your children, but they are an invaluable tool to any serious student. One might even want The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia (Av) for the desktop.
V. Language Helps
A must for Hebrew study for the English reader is The Complete Word Study Old Testament by Spiros Zodhiatus (AMG) and the two-volume Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (M) by R. Laird Harris, Gleason Archer, and Bruce Waltke. Another helpful volume is Nelson's Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament (TN) by Merrill Unger and William White, Jr. Personally, I see little necessity in anything deeper than these for most students.
When it comes to the Greek, I don't think it's necessary for a preacher to have to be able to conjugate every verb from memory, but neither do I feel that a man is really preaching if he does not bring the Greek into it in one way or another. I like Thayer's Greek - English Lexicon (HEN) by Joseph Thayer. Another good one is by George Abbott-Smith (Sc). I don't recommend the ten-volume Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (E) edited by Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich unless one is going to do some REAL deep study. It is expensive and contains more material than most students could ever use. Most needs will be met by the excellent abridged one-volume work by the same name (affectionately called “Little Kittel"), abridged by Geoffrey Bromiley (E), by the four volume New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Z) edited by Colin Brown, as well as both The Complete Word Study New Testament and The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (AMG) by Spiros Zodhiates.
My favourite "cheater" is The Analytical Greek Lexicon (Z) by Robert Young, which lists every word in the Greek New Testament and defines its form. A. T. Robertson's A Grammar of the Greek New Testament" (Br) is a classic. Simpler works include New Testament Greek For Beginners (Mac) by J. Gresham Machen, and Essentials of New Testament Greek (Br) by Ray Summers. For word studies in English many like A. T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (Br), but I feel Kenneth Wuest's Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (E) is better, although his total reliance upon and defense of the Critical Text readings gets annoying.
As far as the Greek New Testament, I recommend George Ricker Berry's Interlinear Greek-English New Testament (B). It is based on the Greek text of Stephens, 1550, which is commonly called the Textus Receptus. Every Greek word also has the Strong's number above it and Strong's dictionary is in the back of the book. It also includes Berry's lexicon and synonyms. For a textual apparatus, I also recommend The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text by Arthur Farstad and Zane Hodges. It not only provides the apparatus for the Majority Text but also compares it with the apparatus of the Critical Text.
Yes, English! Preachers should use proper English in speaking and writing. Three volumes, which can often be found in a set, are: The Elements of Grammar (Mac) by Margaret Shertzer; The Elements of Style (Mac) by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White; and The Elements of Editing" (Mac) by Arthur Plotnik. Also acquire a good dictionary and a
thesaurus.
VI. History
I think one of the best works on Bible history is Elmer Mould's Essentials of Bible History (RP). Bible History by Alfred Edersheim (APA) is also excellent. I would encourage every preacher to read (and take to heart) Alexander Hislop's The Two Babylons (L). One will also need Manners and Customs of Bible Lands (M) by Fred Wight.
The definitive work on Church history (shaded at times by Catholicism) is Phillip Scaff's eight-volume History of the Christian Church (E). Two more concise, and excellent, works are Christianity Through The Centuries (Z) by Earle Cairns, Great Leaders of the Christian Church (M) by Elgin Moyer. I especially like History of the Christian Church (Sc) by George Park Fisher; while it’s long out of print, you might find it used. Finally, Sketches from Church History (BOT) by S. M. Houghton is good overview, and an excellent textbook for high school age.
An extremely handy little volume is Elgin Moyer's Who Was Who in Church History (KP). One will also greatly benefit from Worldly Saints" a history of the Puritans (Z), by Leland Ryken. Another handy volume is Handbook of Denominations in the United States (A) by Frank Mead. I would also recommend Fundamentalism and the Word of God (E) by J. I. Packer, a realistic history of Fundamentalism. I must also mentioned David Larsen’s marvelous book, The Company of Preachers (K), a history of Biblical preaching from the Old Testament to the modern era.
A preacher should know history! For American History, read Quest of a Hemisphere (WI) by Donzella Cross Boyte and The Oxford History of the American People (O) by Samuel Eliot Morison. For World History, A History of Civilization (2 volumes) by Brinton, Christopher, and Wolff is thorough (PH). Most anything can be read, if read with discernment. A case in point, Don’t Know Much About History by Kenneth Davis (Avon) is informative and entertaining but is clearly revisionist history.
VII. Doctrine
To introduce this section, Sola Scriptura Ministries and Grace Bible Church are thoroughly evangelical and embrace historical Christianity. The works that follow bear testimony to our theological position.
A. General Works On Theology And Doctrine
I collect Theology books, but I’ll try to be concise. The all time classic is, of course, Calvin's Institutes, which should be read by every preacher. Not only is this available in two volumes (W), but in several abridged versions, the best of which I think is from Baker Book House. Another classic is Lewis Sperry Chafer's eight-volume Systematic Theology" (Z), although some do not agree with Chafer's extreme Dispensationalism. The classic on the Covenant Theology side is Systematic Theology by Charles Hodge, which comes in three volumes (E) or an abridged one-volume edition (B).
Other good works include: Outlines of Theology" (BOT) by A. A. Hodge, Christian Theology and Elemental Theology" (Z) by Emery Bancroft; Systematic Theology by Augustus Strong (JP); The Great Doctrines of the Bible by William Evans (M); Basic Theology (V) by Charles Ryrie; and Lectures in Systematic Theology" (E) by Henry Thiessen, one of my favorites. You can also now get John Gill’s A Body of Doctrinal and Practical Theology in hardcopy (The Baptist Standard Bearer), but it’s expensive; you’re much better off getting in on computer CD-ROM, which we’ll look at in Section IX.
If finances allow (save for it if necessary), get the mammoth three-volume Institutes of Elenctic Theology (PR) by Francis Turretin (1623-1687). As the flyleaf states, “As an ‘elenctic’ theology—which aims at affirming and demonstrating the truth, in refutation of false doctrine—the Institutes contrasts Reformed understanding of Scripture with conflicting theological perspectives, particularly, Roman Catholic, Arminian, and Socinian.” Preachers would do well to read and understand how evangelicals today are compromising and even abandoning the truth on which the Reformation was founded.
To better know our wonderful God, read: The Knowledge of the Holy (HR) by A. W. Tozer and Majesty: The God You Should Know (HLP) by J. Sidlow Baxter. There's a lot to wade through, but reading Stephen Charnock's two-volume work The Existence and Attributes of God (B) was one of the greatest blessings I have ever received. Also required reading is R. C. Sproul’s The Holiness of God (T). For a good study of worship, read John MacArthur’s The Ultimate Priority (M).
C. The Doctrine Of The Scriptures
A General Introduction to the Bible" (M) by Norman Geisler and William Nix is a must, as are Rene Pache's The Inspiration and Authority of Scripture (M) and E. J. Young’s Thy Word is Truth (BOT). The King James Only Controversy (BHP) by James White and The King James Version Debate (B) by D. A. Carlson reflect the most widely held view of today on the subject. For the other side, which we at Sola Scriptura Ministries stand on, read and seriously consider The King James Version Defended by Edward Hills (The Christian Research Press), The Ancient Text of the New Testament (Premier) by Jakob van Bruggen, Which Bible by David Otis Fuller (Grand Rapids International Publications), Identity of the New Testament Text (BFT) by Wilbur Pickering, and the works of Dean John Burgon (BFT). Sola Scriptura Ministries also offers several titles on their CD-ROM software.
D. The Doctrine Of The Holy Spirit
The classics here are by John Walvoord (Z) and John Owen (K). For a fair treatment of the Charismatic movement, see John MacArthur's The Charismatics.
The classic here for many years is Arthur W. Pink’s The Sovereignty of God (B). This is the original, unabridged version. Banner of Truth Trust has published an edited version, but in our opinion, it severely damages the work. Another classic is,. The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (PR) by Loraine Boettner. This is one of the most thorough discussions of the Doctrines of Grace ever written. Another good work is The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas (PR). This book provides a clear, concise overview of the Doctrines of Grace. Also worth reading is God’s Sovereign Grace by James R. White (Crowne Publications). This is out of print, but if you can find a copy, it is worth the effort. Personally, I wish the author had not used the New International Version throughout, but his presentation is clear and understandable, although his chapter on the extent of the atonement is weak.
The Interpretation Of Prophecy (AP) by Paul Lee Tan is a classic as is J. Dwight Pentecost's Things To Come (DP). Other helpful books are: The Millenial Kingdom (DP) by John Walvoord; What You Should Know About The Rapture (M) by Charles Ryrie; and Will Man Survive? (M) by J. Dwight Pentecost. To answer a lot of misconceptions about the Rapture, read When the Trumpet Sounds by Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy (General Editors). As we mentioned in the book of Revelation, avoid fanciful trends in prophetic speculation like the plague (no pun intended). For a Reformed approach to Eschatology, consider R. C. Sproul’s The Last Days According to Jesus (B).
For good exposés of false doctrine and cults, read Cults, World Religions, and You (V) by Kenneth Boa, Heresies Exposed (L) by Wm. C. Irvine, and What the Cults Believe by Irvine Robertson (M). For the best look at Roman Catholicism, read Lorraine Boettner’s classic (PR), as well as Far From Rome Near to God, the testimony of 50 converted priest compiled by Richard Bennett, a former Dominican (APA). You should also get Heresies by Harold O. J. Brown, an excellent work covering heresy and orthodoxy in the history of the Church. This is a must read in our day, as it is “a clarion call to evangelicals to preserve ‘the faith once delivered to the saints.’”
Number one, read Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Preaching and Preachers (Z), and read it once a year to be reminded of what we preachers are supposed to be doing. Also required is Spurgeon's Lectures to My Students (Z).
No matter what it costs, acquire Going Deeper (Z) by J. Sidlow Baxter and treasure it.
In light of the watering down of the Gospel message that is going on today, I highly recommend John MacArthur's The Gospel According to Jesus, Faith Works, Reckless Faith, Our Sufficiency In Christ (WOR), and One Way. We would also recommend Rethinking Our Priorities (Z) by J. Sidlow Baxter and A. W. Tozer’s God Tells the Man Who Cares (CP). Concerning Tozer, many of his other articles (which became the content of most of his books) are challenging concerning present issues. If you can find a copy, read Biblical Principles (PRF) by various authors. Also see the False Doctrine section.
By far, the best devotion book ever written (in my opinion) is Awake My Heart (Z) by J. Sidlow Baxter. Other excellent book is Strength for Today (CR) by John MacArthur. Other good ones are Giant Steps (B), a compilation by Warren Wiersbe, and of course the classic Morning and Evening (Z) by Spurgeon.
A classic here is The Genesis Flood (B) by John Whitcomb and Henry Morris. Another classic is Morris' Many Infallible Proofs (Master Books). Other good works include: Evidence That Demands a Verdict (CC) by Josh McDowell; Reasons For Faith (B) by John Gerstner; The Early Earth (B) and The World That Perished (B) both by John Whitcomb; and Studies In The Bible and Science (B) by Henry Morris. May we also add, the best critique of the "Gap Theory" is Weston Field's Unformed and Unfilled (PR). We might also add that for a more presuppositional approach to apologetics, read Gordon Clark’s Religion, Reason, and Revelation and Three Types of Religious Philosophy (TR), as well as Cornelius van Til’s Christian Apologetics. For a comparison of both schools of apologetics (Evidentialism and Presuppositionalism), read Classical Apologetics (AB) by R. C. Sproul, John Gerstner, and Authur Lindsley (although I disagree with their critique of Presuppositional Apologetics).
I must confess here a certain apprehension to the reading of biographies. There is no danger as long as they are not used as life models. Don't read a man's biography and try to mimic his life and ministry. Reading biographies, however, certainly has its merits. For example, I gleaned much, both positive and negative, from reading the biographies of John Calvin, Martyn Lloyd Jones, Arthur W. Pink, and Charles Spurgeon. In his books Walking With The Giants (B) Listening To The Giants (B) Warren Wiersbe sketches the lives of many of the great preachers and authors of the past and includes balancing comments where needed. Other short biographies are found in "The Best Of" books mentioned in our next category. I must also mentioned again David Larsen’s marvelous book, The Company of Preachers (K), a history of Biblical preaching from the Old Testament to the modern era. I'll not mention any others; I leave the matter to your own discernment.
It would be impossible to categorize all the following recommended messages, but there is a lot of good preaching we should read today. Baker Book House has a series of books called The Best Of . . . In them you will read the best of Harry Ironside, Arthur W. Pink, John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Alexander Whyte, and others. I highly recommend G. Campbell Morgan's Westminster Pulpit (ST) and Spurgeon's The New Park Street Pulpit (B); the wealth in both of these is absolutely priceless. Most of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ books (such as his expositions of Ephesians and Romans) are transcribed sermons, as are the expositional commentaries of James Montgomery Boice.
New to this update of this little list of books is computer software. As not only a pastor but also as a computer consultant and journalist, I have done much research into computer software. Following is an article I wrote for Christian Computing Magazine back in 1998 (with a few updates).
Serious Resources for Serious Students
I hope no one minds, but I’m going to change hats this month. As Technical Editor, I normally deal with technical subjects. Having been in the ministry for 25 years, however, and having written a few books on theological subjects along the way, I’m also a serious student of God’s Word. Because of this, my library has grown not only in number of volumes but in depth of subject. With more and more resources now available on CD, much of my library now fits in a single CD case instead of several massive bookcases.
Many users are aware of the more well-known and commonly used works included in most Bible study products today, such as: Bible translations, Strong’s, Easton’s, Vine’s, Matthew Henry, and so forth. My purpose in this article, however, is to point out some of the deeper works that are geared to the more serious Bible student.
I do want to emphasize that CC-Mag recommends all these products and others not mentioned. It in no way wants to put any one above any others. Any one of these will provide most any user the tools needed to do basic and intermediate Bible study. Some products, however, are better suited to deeper study, depending upon the needs of each individual student. My intent here is simply to lay a little foundation upon which each student can then build by looking at many products and comparing what they offer.
AGES SOFTWARE
For the serious Bible student, Ages Software (800-297-4307) has, in my opinion, the best collection of classic works of any other publisher. Personally, I think their titles are an absolute must for serious study. The Master Christian Library Version 6, for example, provides the Christian community with one of the best classic resources ever published. Many of the titles in this collection, in fact, are available nowhere else.
Among other historical resources, it includes the writings of Edersheim, Bang’s History of the Methodist Church, the works of Josephus, the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and of course Schaff’s 8 volume History of the Christian Church. Commentaries include Adam Clarke’s classic commentary (6 volumes), and Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown’s commentary (3 volumes), as well as commentaries by Calvin, Hodge, and Haldane. I for one am ecstatic that this collection now includes the first six volumes of John Owen’s collected works. Also included are the complete works of the Early Church Fathers (38 volumes), Jonathan Edwards (2 volumes), John Wesley (14 volumes), John Bunyan (9 volumes), James Arminius (3 volumes), and of course Calvin’s Institutes (2 volumes). And lest I forget, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia is now a part of this invaluable collection.
And there is still more. There are numerous other works by Sir Robert Anderson, Charles Finney, William Law, Martin Luther, Dwight Moody, and the beloved Charles Spurgeon. This collection is, indeed, one of the greatest gifts to the Church that has ever been given. I can’t even imagine how much all this would be in hardcopy! But it’s yours for a mere $89.95.
Two other Ages’ titles are equally impressive. The Reformation History Library includes over 50 historical resources. Just a few are: The Reformation/Scotland (Knox), Miller’s Church History, History of Protestantism (Wylie), History of the Ancient Christians (Perrin), History of Baptists (Benedict), Church History (Jones), Cloud of Witnesses (Wilkinson), History of the Reformation (Aubingne), and many more.
Students of Reformation history and doctrine will also want the John Calvin Collection. I scorched one of the buttons on my phone dialing the number when I saw this title. It includes four biographies (including Beza’s The Life of Calvin), the Institutes, Selected Works (7 volumes), sermons, all 22 volumes of Calvin’s Commentaries, and more.
Finally, are you ready for this? Ages also now offers The C.H. Spurgeon Collection. This is not just a couple hundred of his sermons. This is almost everything Spurgeon did. It includes all 63 volumes of his sermons, the 7-volume The Sword and the Trowel, and dozens more for a mere $60.
As of this update, there are also several other titles: The Arthur Pink Collection, The Works of John Owen, John Gill’s Exposition and other Writings, and The Pulpit Commentary. While I personally don’t like the PDF approach, my advice still is to buy ever title this company releases.
THE ONLINE BIBLE
John Gill (1697-1771) was without argument one of the greatest theologians and expositors that has ever lived. Tragically, few people have ever heard of Gill, since his works contain information that can’t be found except in ancient writings. Gill, who was a Baptist, preached in the same pulpit as Charles Spurgeon but over 100 years before him, and Spurgeon often quoted him. While some would dislike his extreme Calvinism, few, if any, theological publications in the English language deserve more repute than his two-volume, 1091 page, A Body of Doctrinal Divinity. Even more significant, however, was Gill’s 10 million-word exposition of the Bible, which is the most detailed exposition of the Scriptures ever written. It has been said of Gill’s expositions that if you disagree, you had better have very good reason and a lot of proof. Gill’s works are now available for the computer on CD-ROM in The Online Bible (www.onlinebible.com). While it has many other standard resources, as well as Robertson’s Word Pictures and archeological and creation science material, having Gill alone is more than worth the price of the product.
Another nice feature of OLB is the ease with which you can install selected titles onto your hard disk, which cuts down on disk shuffle. With a big hard drive, you can put a lot of resources on your computer without having to access a CD.
LOGOS RESEARCH
Besides the many common titles on the market, the Logos Library System has many that the serious student will find indispensable. For one, it includes Greek and Hebrew Bibles not found elsewhere, including: Stephen’s Textus Receptus (1550), Scrivener’s Textus Receptus (1881), the Byzantine/Majority Textform Greek New Testament, the Nestle Aland 26th Edition Greek NT with McReynold’s English Interlinear, the Biblia Sacra Vulgata, and the morphologically tagged editions of the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Septuaginta. It also includes An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (founded upon the 7th Edition of Liddel and Scott). A very important work now on CD from Logos is The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume (“Little Kittel”). Many students will also want The MacArthur Study Bible, The Bible Knowledge Commentary from Dallas, the Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, and MacArthur’s commentaries.
I was also delighted when I saw back issues of the Dallas Theological Seminary journal Bibliotheca Sacra from 1955-1995 as well as one of my favorite Theologies, Charles Hodge’s Systematic Theology (3 volumes). Additionally, Logos provides a plethora of other tools, including: Synonymns of the Old Testament (Robert Baker), The Moody Handbook of Theology (Paul Enns), Handbook of Christian Apologetics (Peter Kreeft & Ronald Tacelli), A General Introduction to the Bible (Geisler & Nix), The Archeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land, and more.
A nice touch is the inclusion of both Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (10th Edition) and Webster’s Collegiate Thesaurus. Like Online Bible, Logos also makes it easy to install selected titles on your hard disk.
As of this update, I would like to personally add that the big downside to Logos is the price. It’s too bad that they price their material at the same level as hardcopy books. The whole point of e-publishing is that it’s supposed to be much cheaper.
EPIPHANY SOFTWARE
Unique to Bible Explorer is the classic Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT). The serious student will also appreciate the great history provided in William Barclay’s New Testament Commentary.
PARSONS TECHNOLOGY
Our friends at Parsons have also provided use with some serious tools. One of my favorites is The Defender’s Collection. This not only includes QuickVerse itself and my favorite Study Bible, The Defender’s Study Bible, but also six leading reference books on Creationism (Biblical Creationism, The Genesis Record, The Genesis Flood, Many Infallible Proofs, The Bible Has the Answer, and Science and the Bible). Many students will also appreciate the entire Hard Sayings of the Bible book series that comes on a single CD, The InterVarsity NT Commentary, The Ryrie Study Bible and The Believer’s Study Bible that come with QuickVerse. And lest I forget, Parsons has also given us the excellent Greek Tutor and Hebrew Tutor.
As of this update, it’s too bad that Parson’s also prices their material too high. With the later versions, they also ruined the product by making the whole thing into their STEP approach. Version 4.0 was the fastest Bible product in the world, and I still use it to this day.
NAVPRESS
Of special note from NavPress is The Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible (POSB). This 14-volume commentary on the NT has been around in hardcopy for several years, but is now available on CD. It includes a verse-by-verse outline, practical commentary, subject index, and Greek word studies. It is fairly expensive, however.
ZONDERVAN
While I did not have time to review Zondervan Reference Software, it provides at least resources that should be of interest. One is the 12-volume Expositors Bible Commentary. Another is one that I’m delighted about, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, which is still in beta. And students of Theology will want Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology.
THEOPHILOS BIBLE SOFTWARE
Back in February 1998 Ed Hoffman did a review of Theophilos Bible Software, but much has happened since then. The more I looked at this product, the more impressed I became. This is a first rate product that is no-strings-attached freeware. The free version comes with the KJV, Easton’s, and Matthew Henry, and you can download it right now from http://www.theophilos.sk. In my opinion, like the Ages collection, this alone is one of the greatest gifts that has been given to God’s people since this industry began. It includes over 60 resources. The serious student will like the Stephanus Textus Receptus, the Jamieson, Faussett, Brown Commentary, Calvin’s commentaries, the works of Josephus, and others.
Of special interest, however, is the Scribe utility. This incredible tool enables you to take any ASCII text file and create your own resource that can be used in Theophilos. Use them yourself or pass them on to other users of Theophilos. Electronic publishing simply does not get any easier or more inexpensive than Scribe. Hey, in my opinion again, this is what Bible software should be all about.
The price of the CD will start at $39, $59 with NASB unlock, and $79 with NASB and registration of Scribe.
As of this update, Sola Scriptura Ministries publishes the The Sola Scriptura CD-ROM Library, Volume 1, which is based on Theophilos.
In summary, I want to repeat that all these products, and others, are excellent for basic to intermediate study. For deeper study, however, each product has its unique strengths. My intent here was simply to provide a starting point for the more serious student. I pray I was successful. May God richly bless your study.
Well, we could certainly go further, but this list
should suffice to get you going. I sincerely pray that these suggestions will
be of help to my fellow preachers of God's Word. Dig deep, and preach the Word!
I’d love to here from you. Drop me an e-mail
with your feedback on this list.
Dr. J. D. "Doc" Watson
Pastor-Teacher
PUBLISHER'S
LIST
A - Abingdon Press
AC - Academie Books
AMG - American Mission To The Greeks
AP - Assurance Publishers
APA - Associated Publishers and Authors
Av - Avon Books
B - Baker Book House
BFT - The Bible for Today (609-854-4452)
BHP - Bethany House Publishers
BOT - Banner of Truth Trust
BMH - Brethren Missionary Herald
Br - Broadman Press
BTB - Back to the Bible Publishers
C - Cambridge Press
Car - Carter Publishing
CC - Campus Crusade for Christ
CLC - Christian Literature Crusade
CR – Crossway Book
CP – Christian Publications
DP - Dunham Publishing Company
E - Eerdmans Publishing Company
GRIP - Grand Rapids International Publications
HEN - Hendrickson
HH - Harvest House Publishing
HLP - Here's Life Publishers
HR - Harper and Row
IV - Intervarsity Press
JP - Judson Press
K - Kregel Publications
KP - Keats Publishing
L - Loizeaux Brothers Publishing
M - Moody Press
Mac - Macmillan Publishing
Mc - McDonald Publishing
M&S - Morgan and Scott Publishing
O - Oxford University Press
OH - Our Hope Publishers
P&I - Pickering and Inglis Publishing
PH - Prentice Hall Publishing
RP - Ronald Press
PR - Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing
PRF - Plymouth Rock Foundation
R - Revell Publishing
Ran - Randolph Publishing
SGP - Sovereign Grace Publishers
ST - Scripture Truth Publishing Company
Sc - Scribner Publishing
T - Tyndale House Publishing
TN - Thomas Nelson Publishers
TR - Trinity Foundation
V - Victor Books
W - Westminster Press
WI - Western Islands Publishing
WOR - Word Publishing
Z - Zondervan Publishing House