Book recommendations?

maintenance man

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Hammster

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Hey all!
I’m a new follower of Jesus Christ (non-denominational). I’m looking for book recommendations that will help me grow in my faith! Any subtopic is welcome. Thank you so much in advance! I appreciate it!
Holiness by J. C. Ryle.
 
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Reborn1977

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Hey all!
I’m a new follower of Jesus Christ (non-denominational). I’m looking for book recommendations that will help me grow in my faith! Any subtopic is welcome. Thank you so much in advance! I appreciate it!

Sea Brushes welcome to the family of God!

I feel like the reading of the Bible should be a given, I recommend the New King James Version, however in addition here are my recommendations.

I have been a Believer in Jesus since 1977 and a non-denominational minister since 1994 - the first book I tell any Believer to read who wants to cement their relationship with Christ in Truth is Neil Anderson's "Victory Over Darkness" which helps you fully understand who you are in Christ, how God views you now that you are regenerated, and the power available to you in Christ.

Learning godly wisdom, and how to use it, is important. I have a blog and am doing an in-depth study of the book of Proverbs, which is the book in the Bible that tells us how to use godly wisdom in our life. Godly wisdom will keep you on a good path in life. You can go to my profile page or my blog page to get the website address for the study if you like.

Also, the book maintenance man recommended "Experiencing God" is a great study.

Whatever you decide to do just immerse yourself in the study of God's Word in different forms and establish a solid foundation in your faith early on - deep roots, deep spiritual roots.

Lastly, if you ever want to discuss anything privately please do not hesitate to send me a message via the forum's message system.

God bless you!
 
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Halbhh

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Hey all!
I’m a new follower of Jesus Christ (non-denominational). I’m looking for book recommendations that will help me grow in my faith! Any subtopic is welcome. Thank you so much in advance! I appreciate it!
It's after reading very widely, and plenty of great Christian books also, including such first rate writers as Timothy Keller and Max Lucado, and very many commentaries on various scriptures, and plenty of books about books in the bible, that hands down, easily, by far the best way to grow in faith and understanding is to read with a real listening attitude the gospels, especially Matthew and John (but also in time Mark and Luke), and usually the first time the excellent NIV translation is best, but later times, when rereading (as we all gain every time we do), the ESV translation. Here's a good site:
Matthew 1 NIV
John 1 NIV

The amazing thing is even the third or fourth or fifth time, we learn new and wonderful things, because we are ready for more, and Christ's words are 'living'. Any Christian, including those having read fully through all the Bible more than once, will gain if they read again a gospel with a truly listening attitude, putting aside all ideas and goals, and just truly listening to Christ with all of your heart, to let His words soak in.

Some days I might read a chapter in a gospel, but some days only a verse or 2 and I'm so full I have to wonderfully stop to just dwell with the words in my mind.
 
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Halbhh

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Hey all!
I’m a new follower of Jesus Christ (non-denominational). I’m looking for book recommendations that will help me grow in my faith! Any subtopic is welcome. Thank you so much in advance! I appreciate it!
And, welcome to CF!
 
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Sketcher

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Lessons On Assurance is good to get you started.

https://www.navpress.com/p/lessons-on-assurance/9780891091608

Outside of that, I recommend reading the New Testament from the beginning to the end. That will take a while. If your church is diving into a particular book of the Scriptures, I recommend going along with that.
 
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Tolkien R.R.J

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Chris V++

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Who's Who in the Bible. https://www.amazon.com/Whos-Who-Bible-Illustrated-Biographical/dp/0895776189

It's a reference book that gives biographical data and relevant stories about just about everyone. As it's preventing the biographical data it's telling or retelling the stories. I never detected any denominational bias.

Here's the publisher description:

An A-to-Z biographical biblical reference furnishes in-depth portraits of some five hundred important biblical personalities, as well as concise identifications of nearly four thousand individuals from the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha. 20,000 first printing.
 
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Quasiblogo

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Firstly, a version of the Bible that helps you to memorize Bible verses. I have yet to find versions that is better for this than the King James (KJV) or New King James (NKJV). For general readability, what works for me are . . .

* NKJV
* New American Standard Bible (NASB)
* New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
* Contemporary English Version (CEB)
* Common English Bible (CEV)

Books in general. I'll go back 40 years to when God revealed the Good News to me. Here, a short list of books I read during my early/born again years:

* More Than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell
* The Problem with Pain and Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis
* The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer
* A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller
* Abide in Christ, Andrew Murray
 
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St_Worm2

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Hey all!
I’m a new follower of Jesus Christ (non-denominational). I’m looking for book recommendations that will help me grow in my faith! Any subtopic is welcome. Thank you so much in advance! I appreciate it!
Hi Sea Brushes, along with some of the books that have already been mentioned above, I'd recommend Dr. J. I. Packer's, Knowing God.

Also, as a new believer, you've no doubt begun to face the kind of spiritual attacks that we all face as Christians (from our common enemy), but you may not know how to recognize his and his demons' attacks for what they are yet. This was a huge problem for me when I first became a Christian (nearly 33 years ago now), but someone recommend a book by C.S. Lewis that really helped me back then called, The Screwtape Letters.

It's a collection of short stories that Lewis first read on the radio (that he wrote from the demon's POV .. so when you see the word "Enemy" used in this particular book, for instance, you'll know it's the demons making reference to God).

It's fictional, nevertheless, it will give you a very clear picture/understanding of how the demons are operating/the techniques that they are using to undermine your faith as they try to make you as ineffective as a Christian as possible.

All that said, it's a Christian Classic and a great read too, so I'm certain that you'll enjoy it :)

If you don't mind spending a little money for it, the Annotated 50th Anniversary edition is the one you'll want (there is a lot of extras in it, both from and about both Lewis and the book). You can buy it here on Kindle or as a book.

Or you can read it for free online here.

BTW, WELCOME TO CF :wave: And far more importantly, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD :)

God bless you! (Numbers 6:24-26)

--David
p.s. - for a read that I promise you will not be able to put down, I also HIGHLY recommend the autobiography of missionary Bruce Olsen called, Bruchko. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will be blown away by everything in this incredible book, and especially by this amazing look into God's powerful work in the lives of a hidden South American people who had never heard of Jesus and were still living like people did in the Stone Age .. until the Lord sent 19 yr old Bruce Olsen to them, that is.

1 Thessalonians 5
23 May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
.
 
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Paidiske

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For a good introduction to Christian faith, I'd find it hard to go past Tokens of Trust by Rowan Williams.

For spirituality, Adele Calhoun wrote Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us which is intensely practical. Robert Elmer compiled and edited a selection of works in a book called Rediscovering Daily Graces: Classic Voices on the Transforming Power of the Sacraments which is not a bad place to start (includes writing by early church fathers, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Moody, Spurgeon, Kierkegaard and others). There's no end of great stuff on prayer, but Teresa Blythe's 50 Ways to Pray: Practices From Many Traditions and Times is one I go back to again and again.

That's probably where I'd start. If you let us know about any particular areas or topics we can probably tailor suggestions more to your needs.
 
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Kris Jordan

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Hey all!
I’m a new follower of Jesus Christ (non-denominational). I’m looking for book recommendations that will help me grow in my faith! Any subtopic is welcome. Thank you so much in advance! I appreciate it!

Hi Sea Brushes,

First, I really REALLY encourage you to read one or two chapters of your Bible every day, starting in the New Testament (Matthew) and reading all the way through Revelation. Then start all over again. As a new believer, I would concentrate on the New Testament books until you get a more solid understanding of your faith, etc., before venturing into the Old Testament (which is the old covenant). The bible will be the greatest resource for you to grow in your faith.

Also, I would like to recommend a resource book I published entitled, "Scripture Subjects" which will help you understand Christian doctrine and truth, as well as help establish you in your new-found faith. It is available in Ebook format or soft/hard bound. I would gladly send you a complimentary copy if there's a way for you to contact me privately on this site. :) For more info on the book, you can visit www.krisjordan.net.
 
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Sea Brushes

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Thank you so much everyone for all the great recommendations! I should have clarified - in addition to the Bible of course! I spend so much time in the Word each day and it's truly become SUCH a blessing in my life, but I wanted to read some books as well! There are some great choices here, so thank you all, I greatly appreciate all the kindness and recommendations! <3
 
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