I am a Christian and, over the years, there have been some great books on faith that have really helped me understand concepts that I otherwise would have struggled with. God has used some amazing writers to impact my life and my faith journey.
Here are some of my personal favorite books on faith. All of them are books I would recommend to Christians and non-Christians alike as they are simply beautiful and intelligent works that I think many would be interested in.
I hope you enjoy my little list!
"All of Grace" by Charles Spurgeon
I read this one at the beginning of the year and I think it was a really good one for me. It goes over the basics of grace, but also dives deep into the heart of it and, I think, getting to the actual point.
It’s a short book, but a really powerful one. This book is good for Christians as well as people wondering what Christianity — real Christianity — is all about. Because, basically, that’s where it begins — with grace.
" Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis
Yes, the Narnia guy.
I read this for the first time, I believe, a summer ago. That was a good summer — sweet rain, quiet freedom, and lots and lots of books. And this could have been the best one I read that summer. Certainly the most memorable.
To summarize, it is a book that puts forth an argument for the fundamentals of the Christian faith. This is a guy who was once an atheist and came to the conclusion that Christianity is the most logical belief and in this book he tells you why. It’s so fascinating.
This book is a book I would recommend for pretty much any human being. It is, so far, the best book on Christianity that I have ever read. Ahem — excluding the Bible. But you know what I mean.
Honestly, I wanted so much to flood this post with C.S. Lewis books because his books on faith are so brilliant, but I really don’t think that would be interesting or helpful. I will settle for a sentence, though.
Go read C.S. Lewis — AND NOT JUST NARNIA (but Narnia too because Narnia is also great).
"Jesus > Religion" by Jefferson Bethke
Jefferson Bethke’s work is absolutely wonderful. It’s based on a spoken word poem of his that got pretty popular. Today it has over 31 million views.
I don’t know if you remember this video, but it was big for me and still is. It’s called "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus" and it talks about the difference between the worship of false religion and actively following Jesus.
I encourage you to watch the video first (just down there, you see it) and then to dig into the book for more details if you’re interested. I’d say it’s definitely worth it. Bethke writes really well and I really appreciated what he had to say about grace.
"One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp
Oh, Ann Voskamp. You are a lovely, lovely writer. And this book, my friend, is absolutely brilliant.
It’s all about the power of gratitude and truly embracing the grace that God pours out for us every day.
This is sort of a milestone book for me. I entered a season of profound gratitude when I read this book and I still carry the message of this book with me today; it’s that impactful. Check it out!
"God’s Smuggler" by Brother Andrew
Another milestone book for me. I wondered if I should include this one as it’s been awhile since I’ve really read it. But the me who didn’t know how to believe in a God of miracles read this book and, well, began to seriously believe in a God of miracles.
This is a book about an impossible task — ministering to and smuggling Bibles to people behind the Iron Curtain — that became possible through the power of an amazing God.
I think what amazed me most was just how reliant on actual, undeniable miracles Brother Andrew had to be and how time and time again God proved faithful.
It’s a captivating and intense story with as much suspense and interest as a work of fiction. Definitely worth a read!
Thanks for reading! Again, these are books I would recommend to active followers of Jesus as well as people who are just curious or who are struggling with their faith. They each have had an impact on my faith journey and I think they’re each worthy of a read.
Happy reading!