Best Baptist Christianity
The Baptist Story is a narrative history spanning over four centuries of a diverse group of people living among distinct cultures on separate continents while finding their identity in Christ and expressing their faith as Baptists. "[The authors] have written an eminently readable, thorough, and well-balanced account of the Baptist past from its roots in English Separatism to the modern context where the Baptist movement has become truly global. Nathan A. Finn is Dean of the School of Theology and Missions and Professor of Christian Thought and Tradition at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book is a helpful overview of the history and beliefs of Baptists."
"This was a new book and the content was good, but the binding had glue all over the edges of the pages, making them hard to turn."
"Chute, Finn, and Haykin trace the Baptist Movement from inception to the present with the right balance of detailed account, primary sources, and the broader context of the times."
"The Kindle version of the excellent book does not contain any of the pictures that are in the hardback version."
"Great history of the Baptist that goes into important details without boring the reader."
Spurgeon wants readers only to consume his work and ponder it, he asks nothing in return because he believes in the power of God to bring unbelievers to Him. Spurgeon brings the gospel to his readers with pointed illustrations, well-placed anecdotes, irrefutable arguments, heart-felt pleas, and above all else the plainly-spoken and rightly-applied word of God. An All Round Ministry. While Spurgeon is always, both stimulating and challenging, the context in which these addresses were given brought the best out of him and gave them unique quality. Full of biblical exposition, wise counsel, practical sanity and warm exhortation, they also sparkle with a delightful wit. Spurgeon weaves a verse of Scripture into each devotion, helping readers draw deeper meaning out of the selected passages. Til He Come. The father of the modern "mega-church," Spurgeon is most famous for his pastorship at London's Metropolitan Tabernacle, where he regularly preached to huge crowds. Some were preached to the congregation at Metropolitan, while others were spoken to small groups of Christians Spurgeon hosted on Sundays to celebrate communion.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"You may not know this, but Spurgeon is considered to be the father of the mega-church; however, many mega-churches today have veered off course from preaching Scripture to preaching feel-good-isms."
"This set is such a Christian classics, get it!"
"Wonderful works of Spurgeon's."
"I love Spurgeon's writings, his ministry and his spiritual intellect."
"I have not read them all but I found the first one's target readers to be theology students rather than readers simply wanting to do Bible study."
"Even though this book was published years ago, it will always keep its freshness and open your mind to understanding the scriptures with no confusion."
"His other books are solidly bible based and are good for leading the reader to a better understanding of God, Christ, and biblical doctrines."
"It is thought provoking, enlightening and puts a desire in you to live a better Christian life."
"The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, that Paul preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is a helpful tool for pastors to use as quick sermon reference or illustration for what the Gospel really says and means."
"It's weak if one is looking for iron clad scriptural support however."
"A good read for those who are caught in the middle of the Calvinism/Arminian debate and need someone to clearly state the Reformed view."
"A strong, concise defense of the Biblical doctrine of election through a conversational treatise of biblical and philosophical considerations."
"If you haven't read Surgeon before, here's a good place to start."
"I would only recommend this product to someone who thinks Spurgeon was an Arminian or didn't believe in the doctrines of grace."
"A balanced, though brief exposition."
"I found this work unconvincing and remain aligned with the Arminianism of John Wesley."
Best Calvinist Christianity
Spurgeon's magnum opus on the Psalms. Predico su primer sermon a la edad de 16 anos, y a los 17, era pastor de la iglesia de Waterbeach.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"He wrote a lot in his short life here on earth but OH how rich this commentary on the book of the Psalms is!"
"Spurgeon's books are always GREAT Books for my library!!!"
"Great book and came as expected."
"Excellent product, speedy delivery!"
"In an instant, one is cut to the quick by his incisive and often tender thrusts."
"The use of different commentaters for eachieving book in the paslms."
"Nothing like it...absolutely the best overall Commentary on Psalms from the Prince of Preachers Charles Spurgeon!"
"Spurgeon is a genius with words, and the poet among bible commentators."
Best Methodist Christianity
Undone is author Michele Cushatt’s quest to make peace with a complicated life. "Michele is a friend that I adore and trust to speak truth over deep places in my life where I need a confidant. She helps her reader find God's comfort, love and revelation in the midst of hardship. It made me laugh, cry, and ponder anew the mystery of suffering and the meaning of life." Michele's story will inspire you, move you, and leave you feeling empowered that you, too, can face overwhelming odds and unknowns with courage and bravery." "This is a hopeful, heartfelt memoir about finding the hidden beauty in the midst of life's greatest struggles. "The hardest things in life have a way of showing up unexpectedly, as do the most beautiful and breath taking. Reminded how God has shown up when I least expected; how Comfort and Peace have pulled up close when I felt alone. If you feel like you're coming undone, read this book and let Michele's words awaken the hope and courage your heart needs today!" However, if you've ever known what it's like to have a dream unravel, a hope or desire remain unfulfilled, regardless of how long and hard you've wished and prayed otherwise, then Undone isn't just my story. So if you're at the end of your hope, if you wake up and wonder how in the world you can go on with this unexpected life you've been given, if you're tired of fear and desperate for a drowning of peace, pull up a chair, my friend.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you’ve ever struggled with shattered hopes, a fearful diagnosis, a wayward child, a dysfunctional church, or the silence of God, Undone will walk beside you as a companion. My favorite quotes: "Peace isn’t a byproduct of control, the payout of a happy conclusion. One who loves nothing more than to step into the middle of locked and darkened rooms and impossible circumstances, close enough to touch." Including the countless ways my shortcomings and flaws have made me a better character in my own story." (Page 235). "Ministry—of the truest kind—isn’t about impressing unknown strangers with spotless presentations and a flawless life. (Pages 82-83). Undone shows you how God waits on the other side of our thin expectations as He draws us close to Him through painful places, finally opening to us the broad expanse that is His grace."
"After reading Michele's memoir, UNDONE - A Story of Making Peace with an Unexpected Life, she has inspired me to be more vulnerable and to allow my story to live on its own merits."
"Yet, by being real, open and honest, we see how our journey of being undone by life, and how God, “even in our own wickedness” uses even us to perpetuate His story of redemption. Instead of seeing streaks of mud along the way, what you are going to find is a redemption story of how God uses all of her journey to inspire and encourage you on your own journey."
"The life that God calls us to usually is so different than what we plan."
"Raising teenagers is HARD....when you haven't been with them from the beginning and able to teach them the same morals, values, beliefs and just the way of doing things that you yourself have, it's incredibly HARD."
Best Shaker Christianity
The 7 Exact Habits of Successful Christians Revealed You’re about to discover how to live a purpose-filled, fruitful and intentional life as you manifest success through Christ. This book is about developing but also committing to the 7 Highly Effective Habits of Successful Christians. While the world sees power, wealth or influence as success, the truth is that your character is the core of your life and is the most essential success of all. As you are successful in life, you will inspire others to a life of success with God. Giving God pre-eminence in your life as a precursor to success... How to number your days and gain wisdom for a victorious life...
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This short book is packed work spiritual nuggets that are practical and timely for being an effective, successful Christian in the 21st Century."
"I enjoyed this book very much!"
"Awesome book and easy read."
"I found Janet's words very inspiring!"
"This book overall was great."
"Very practical but powerful guide that give tips on building a foundation of success while applying God's word to all you do."
"I enjoyed this book a great deal!"
"Boils down effective Christian holy living into easy, detailed concepts and a quick read."
Best Quaker Christianity
Welcome to Harmony ... These vignettes will doubtless become favorites, not only for the quarter of a million people who enjoyed Gulley's Front Porch Tales, but also for new readers who will respond to the Garrison Keillor- style humor and pathos of fictional Harmony, Ind. The town's characters include the wise Quaker pastor who narrates the book; a childless couple who spend their life savings (and then some) to wrest their niece from the grip of her alcoholic parents; and the narrow-minded church elder who "knew just enough Scripture to be annoying, but not enough to be transformed."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I stumbled onto this book on a Kindle sale and was at first wondering why Gulley was compared to James Harriott and Jan Karon."
"There is the church lady who sits in the same pew every Sunday and has an opinion on everything and who complains about everything. There is the church deacon that is pompous and loud who always manages to do just the wrong thing at just the wrong time, upsetting all those around him and totally oblivious to the chaos he creates. There is also the elderly church secretary who imparts his words of wisdom gleaned from years of living that positively affect those around him. There is also a bit more of a "bite" in here since, while very very humorous, there are people here you really wouldn't want to spend more time with than you had to. Side note: A resident of central Indiana myself, I have had the opportunity to hear Mr. Gulley speak multiple times over the years."
"They both have the knack of taking an incident or a person that might have driven them mad and be able in retrospect to turn it into something funny."
"Love, love, love Philip Gulley's books!"
"A light hearted read that is perfect for the beach or a long plane trip."
"Told from the point of view of a Quaker pastor, the book is engaging and unputdownable -- all without the use of the foul language and explicit scenes used by so many authors to bait and hook readers interest more and more often (like all the time) lately."
"I loved the book!"
"If you're looking for something like this but with more substance, read Jan Karon"s Mitford series or Ann B. Ross' Miss Julia books."
Best Anglican Christianity
Drawing from the diversity of her life as a campus minister, Anglican priest, friend, wife, and mother, Tish Harrison Warren opens up a practical theology of the everyday. "To live in the vision that Warren is offering―to find sacredness in the everyday practices of life―will require that we engage with these and other institutional realities in our midst. (Kristen Deede Johnson, Comment Magazine, December 1, 2016). "Warren's message flies in the face of our culture's love of distraction and pursuit of extreme sensation. Her words can help us grasp what my grandfather learned through a lifetime of commonsense faith―and a lot of sweeping: The 'new life into which we're being baptized is lived out in days, hours, and minutes. Under Tish Harrison Warren's insightful gaze, our seemingly 'boring' daily routines become a liturgy of their own―calling us to confession and community, Scripture and Sabbath, baptism and embodiment. This marvelous little book is that certain slant of light that illuminates the everyday as an arena of sanctification, where the Spirit makes us holy in ways we might miss. No mundane daily task will be the same once these pages open your eyes to how the work of your hands reflects the ways of the Creator and the rhythms of eternity." "In this moment in culture, when much feels complicated and shallow, Tish Harrison Warren offers a beautiful and life-giving narrative: a way toward the ordinary sacred. "If Christianity is to retain its witness in our frenetic and fragmented age, it must take root not only in the thoughts and emotions but also in the daily lives and even bodies of those who call Christ Lord. Tish Harrison Warren has beautifully 'enfleshed' the concepts and doctrines of our faith into quotidian moments, showing how every hour of each day can become an occasion of grace and renewal. If you want to know how faith matters amid messy kitchens, unfinished manuscripts, marital spats, and unmade beds, Liturgy of the Ordinary will train your eyes to see holy beauty all around." The highest compliment I can offer is that her book inspired me to go back to my dirty sink and my screaming kids with a renewed sense of purpose."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book challenges the idea that following Christ must only be bold and dramatic and has reminded me that God breathes life into my ordinary."
"Tish blends her deep knowledge of Scripture and theology with her daily reality to provide a pathway for encountering God in the everyday."
"Tish Harrison Warren takes us through the mundane, everyday parts of our lives and shows their connection to the sacred. From waking up to brushing our teeth to eating leftovers and fighting with our spouses, every part of our day is an echo of our relationship with God. As someone who struggles with spiritual disciplines, this book taught me I can work in so many of them during my normal routine."
"My wife and I gave up social media and this was one of the first books my wife bought to read while nursing our newborn, when she would have rather scrolled through her phone."
"We tend to compartmetalize our life in Christ."
"I've purchased several of these books for gifts."
"humorous and down to earth, easy read, deep but practical."
"The day to day told as it is."
Best Lutheran Christianity
Content includes: · Five Divine Services. · Morning Prayer. · Evening Prayer. · Matins. · Vespers. · Family devotions. · Luther’s Small Catechism. · 150 psalms. · 636 hymns, songs, and canticles.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am so glad that something got worked out, although the fonts in the print version are different than the ebook version and the readability of the hymns is very dependant on screen size."
"The LSB is a wonderful book for Lutherans to use at church, at home with their families, or for personal study."
"The Kindle edition is a bit clunky, especially if your device is a small handheld."
"After more experimentation, I found the contents side bar off the left of the screen, so a quick swipe brings it up and I can scan sections for the song or order of service I need - much better!"
"These are used in our Church, I wanted a home copy."
"This is a terrific resource with one important shortcoming: it doesn't have real page numbers set up, so you're limited to working with Kindle "Locations.""
"First, The Lutheran Service Book is a lovely hymnal and I've been waiting for the Kindle version to come out ever since I purchased the pew edition for home use."
"Digital edition."
Best Pentecostal Christianity
Then they began to pray … God began to move … street-hardened lives by the hundreds were changed by the love of Christ … and today they are more than ten thousand strong.The story of what happened to this broken-down church in one of America’s toughest neighborhoods points the way to new spiritual vitality in the church and in your own life. Although he believes he didn't do it--God did--Cymbala does have a secret: the church is first and foremost a house of prayer, he says, a place where souls can call on God. Accordingly, Cymbala established Tuesday-night prayer meeting as the most important church function (later, church members began a "Prayer Band" to intercede round the clock for all and sundry). With professional Christian writer Merrill's help, Cymbala tells not his church's story as much as the stories of individual souls whose saving illustrates the truth of his testimony that God responds to prayer made in repentance and faith.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This was recommended by a friend and I'm so glad I read it."
"Jim Cymbala has shared precious truths he has learned from the Lord!"
"Given this book by my pastor a really great book about prayer I would definitely recommend reading wonders for spiritual uplifting."
"I picked this book up in a dentist office and started reading while I was waiting on my son."
"This is a great book."
"Our quarterly study at church is on the Holy Spirit and this book has been a blessing to that study."
"Jim has extended a powerful challenge to pastors, spiritual leaders, and congregations to become serious about prayer."
"This is one of three books that I buy in bulk and give away because it will challenge you and push you to make the changes and decisions you need to make to have a life altering experience with the REAL God."
Best Episcopalian Christianity
The normative edition for all who sing — choir and congregation alike — containing all hymns and service music.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Very nice hymnal for your library."
"The Christian Miracle Foundation Press has created a very usable Kindle edition of the Book of Common Prayer and I wish that they would do the same for the hymnal."
"I will offer what I consider to be issues with it, but considering the volume of music included in the hymnal, it's a relatively minor list, though it may come across as more. The issues I have that bring it down somewhat are: 1) Compared to the accompaniment edition, it is lacking a lot of service music for the smaller offices/services. 3) A few very minor changes here and there (I assume for copyright reasons) to both music and text that aren't necessarily "inclusive language" related. the Herald Angels Sing," for instance, has some verses completely switched around, and it's quite jolting."
"...As a Roman Catholic who often cringes in church at hymns with smarmy lyrics and tunes which only a musicologist from a Catholic women's college could love, I envy our Episcopal sisters and brothers who get to use this wonderful book every Sunday."
"I may get to a page that has the heading for that hymn, but it's likely that I will have to continue to scroll to find the "picture" of what the page would look like in the printed hymnal. In many cases, when I scroll through subsequent pages, all I find is the page heading (number and hymn title) - no lyrics or music."
"I bought a BCP, NRSV and this Hymnal for my kindle because the books in the pew are difficult for me to read and keep up with."
"I am trying to plan music for the service on Sunday, and checking the words in the hymnal against the recorded tracks we have to use at our church-and three of the four songs I am checking today have only the title and copyright information, the actual music and lyrics are not there."
"Unfortunately, this hymnal does not have hymn titles!"
Best Seventh-Day Adventist Christianity
The Desire of Ages is a book about the life of Jesus Christ authored by Seventh-day Adventist pioneer, Ellen G. White. Ellen White was a woman of remarkable spiritual gifts who lived most of her life during the nineteenth century (1827-1915), yet through her writings she is still making a revolutionary impact on millions of people around the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A very good book, well written on the life of Jesus."
"The most beautiful book on the life of Christ."
"Before reading each chapter of this book, I read the Bible text associated with that chapter."
"I highly recommend this book for a better understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ, his life story from Childhood all throughtout his sufferings and crucificion and the resurection."
"This book is one of many that were written by Mrs. White."
"Absolute best book on the life of Christ I have ever read."
"Best book I read on life of Christ."
"This most comprehensive story of the life of Christ creates an understanding of His very special love for us that is beyond human expectations.!"
Best Presbyterian
New York Times bestselling author of the forthcoming God's Wisdom for Navigating Life Timothy Keller shows how God calls on each of us to express meaning and purpose through our work and careers. "Tim Keller's ministry in New York City is leading a generation of seekers and skeptics toward belief in God. Drawing on decades of study and ministry, Every Good Endeavor may soon become one of the most important contemporary books on faith and work." Every Good Endeavor deftly explains how we can relish and enjoy our work while honoring God and serving others, all the while avoiding the extremes of negativity on the one hand and idolatry on the other." In 1989 he started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City with his wife, Kathy, and their three sons. He is the author of The Songs of Jesus , Prayer , Encounters with Jesus , Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering , and The Meaning of Marriage , among others, including the perennial bestsellers The Reason for God and The Prodigal God . After her CEO roles at One Touch Systems and Pensare, Redeemer Presbyterian Church recruited Katherine to lead the church’s efforts in marketplace ministry, now called the Center for Faith & Work, which has grown to serve more than two thousand people a year.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"He invites the reader to find his purpose in joining in on what God is doing for the world through your company."
"Every Good Endeavor reminded me that I was created for good work and there is glory to the Lord that comes from excellence in my work."
"Being Christlike in the workplace is always a challenge."
"Before starting this book I had a misconception that ministry glorifies God more than work, but Keller shows that God is glorified in all things."
"Every one should read this book to help us all understand that our vocation is for the Kingdom regardless of what it is (as long as it is not sinful)."
"Timothy Keller addresses the stereotypes and provides an uplifting, Biblical view of doing well, setting a positive example and just plain getting more out of life."
"I was on my way to a meeting and I put my book down on the secretary's desk to sign in and she looked at me... "Funny that you put that book there?""
"While I may still write that book one day, as a second career Pastor coming from the world of retail, I am thrilled to offer this book to any of my parishioners who are seeking a deeper understanding of how their work relates to the work of God in the world. In fact, after reading it, some have joined together to start an inter-church study on the topic of work and are starting with Keller's book."