Books I Read in 2017

In 2017 I started reading more often and finished several books. In 2018 I'm hoping to increase the number of books I read, but I'm also hoping to tackle one or two thick, long titles.

The Potter's Freedom by Dr. James White
This was a longer book talking about God's freedom to save. I read this on my phone while I had many long nights with Charis while she was little. This one bled into 2017, but was started in 2016.

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
I read this title because the movie was coming out and I did not want to go see the movie. While it was a compelling story, the way this book portrays God is heretical and people should not seek to derive any of their doctrine or views of God from this book.  I could not recommend this book to anyone unless they wanted a fiction work or mere entertainment.

Discipling by Mark Dever
This was a great little book that focused on what it means to disciple and how the church can help to facilitate discipleship. A quick read that I would highly recommend.

Always Ready by Dr. Greg Bahsen
This was my introduction into presuppositional apologetics. Dr. Greg Bahnsen was a student of Cornelius Van Til who is known as the father of presuppositional apologetics. For those that don't know presuppositional apologetics makes the case that when defending the faith, you should not start with evidence to prove a God exists you should start with the fact that the God of the Bible does exists and has already shown Himself to everyone.

The Ultimate Proof of Creation by Dr. James Lisle
This is another presuppositional book, but is written in more modern times. Dr. Lisle is an astrophysicist who used to work for Answers in Genesis and has since started his own ministry.  This is another one I'd highly recommend if you're interested in presuppositional apologetics.

This Changes Everything by Jaquelle Crowe
This is an awesome book written by a teen for teens, but if you're an adult it will bless you too. She writes with sound theology about how belief in God shouldn't just be something we put in an Instagram bio, it should actually change everything about us. Highly recommend this to anyone.

My Seinfeld Year by Fred Stoller
This one was for fun and is a free ebook on Amazon. Stoller wrote for Seinfeld and takes you behind the scenes on what it was like to write for and work with the cast. A great read if you like Seinfeld. 

Tell Someone: You Can Share the Good News by Greg Laurie
I started to read several books with a focus on evangelism in the year because I'm admittedly a bit weak in sharing my faith. This was one of them.

Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations by Scroggins and Wright
This book focused on starting gospel conversations using a tool called the 3 circles. It's a good tool to have in your pocket, but it's not my go to method. It's still a short, beneficial read.

Sharing Jesus (Without Freaking Out) by Alvin Reid
If you're going to read one book on evangelism, make it this one. This is an excellent book that is freshly written for the culture we live in and Reid makes it so easy to feel like, "Hey, maybe I can share Jesus with people!"

The Heart of the Church, The Character of the Church, and The Life of the Church by Joe Thorn
These are three books that should be read together in this order. They all three are great. They are great for personal use, discipleship, church membership introduction, and I could go on. I was excited about these books and actually preordered them and all three while I was on vacation. The Heart of the Church is like an introduction to theology. What is the doctrine that drives the church? The Character of the Church then shows us what a healthy church should look like. What should a church include and what should it not include? Finally, The Life of the Church tells us what a church should be about. What is our church's mission and why do we do what do? These are great resources!

The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink
This one isn't for the faint of heart. It's written in an older dialect and I will admit I had to plow through the middle. Pink does a great job of laying before us the magnitude of a God who is in control, but at times this book seemed to drag for me and it took me a long time to get through.

There you have it, the books I read in 2017. Maybe one or more will peak your interest. Feel free to share in the comments books that you really loved or hated that you read in 2017.