Koncocoo

Best Christian New Testament Biographies

The Apostle: The Life of Paul (John Pollock Series)
The Acclaimed, Authentic Biography of the Early Church's Greatest Evangelist--the. Apostle Paul. John Pollock is one of today's preeminent Christian biographers.
Reviews
"Amazing, inspiring book that brings the historical times and the real St. Paul (as well as Jesus and his Apostles/disciples) back to life."
"This is the best book to date that I have read about the Apostle Paul."
"Just finishing the book, much history of Paul's life and what it was like is detailed here."
"A wonderful book explaining more about St. Paul than I ever knew before."
"There were a number of times as I progressed through this book where I became hungry for the authors citation Information."
"It gives us a look at what Paul was like and what he was feeling as he was traveling across Macedonia preaching the story of Jesus Christ and salvation."
"Another perspective on the life of the Apostle Paul, which is well written."
"This author has used all the Scriptures about Paul and written by Paul to form the basis for this biography."
Find Best Price at Amazon
Life of Christ
With his customary insight and reverance, Sheen interprets the scripture and describes Christ, not only in historical perspective, but also in exciting and contemporary terms, seeing in Christ’s life both modern parallels and timeless lessons. Filled with compassion and brilliant scholarship, Fulton Sheen's recounting of the Birth, Life, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Christ is as dramatic and moving as the subject Himself.
Reviews
"Excellent."
"Beautifully written."
"Easy to read, very informative, fills in blanks for me."
"It gives an indepth background on many Scriptural texts and explanation of symbolizm from Old and New Testament."
"I recommend this to anyone from Christians beginning their journey to cradle Christians who have studied the faith for decades."
"Excellent book for anyone on a faith journey."
Find Best Price at Amazon
Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels
Beginning with Jesus' birth, Ken Bailey leads you on a kaleidoscopic study of Jesus throughout the four Gospels. (Roy B. Zuck, Bibliotheca Sacra, October-December 2010). "The work will yield a rich harvest of information, pastoral support, and insight for all who read it." Laid out in simple format for easy absorption by readers, the author's explanations of his findings require no formal training to follow and understand them. "Bailey has a gift of clear, lively expression; he takes advantage of his personal experiences, interest in Hebrew poetic structure, and knowledge of Arabic to bring insights into NT interpretation." "A rich and fascinating anthology of exegetical essays reflecting on gospel texts through the lens of Middle Eastern culture and rhetoric. Another valuable contribution of this book is the introduction to, and interaction with, great Eastern commentaries long forgotten or largely unknown to Western Biblical Scholarship. The author of more than 150 articles in English and in Arabic, his writings include Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes , The Good Shepherd , Open Hearts in Bethlehem: A Christmas Drama , and The Cross and the Prodigal . Traveling around the globe to lecture and teach, Bailey spoke in theological colleges and seminaries in England (Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol) Ireland, Canada, Egypt, Finland, Latvia, Denmark, New Zealand, Australia, and Jerusalem. He was active as a Bible teacher for conferences and continuing education events in the Middle East, Europe, and North America, and he taught at Columbia, Princeton, and Fuller Seminary.
Reviews
"We have an anointed Women's Ministry Leader who teaches us the Word and this book helps us understand the culture and the nuances."
"Terrific insights into times, culture, languages and scripture."
"As he points out the culture resists change, so that listening and watching today through Bailey's accounts of culture and custom give great insight into today's ME world."
"Helped me put the life of Jesus in perspective and gave me a lot to think about."
"Kenneth Bailey has been teaching New Testament in the Middle East for over 50 years, and he has tremendous cultural insights into the text that only someone living in the Middle East at the time of Jesus and afterward would get. Fishing was never done during the day on the Sea of Galilee during the daytime because the fish would hide under the rocks hundreds of feet below sea level to escape the heat."
"Gave it to a Bible Study friend who spends a lot of volunteer time trying to be a Christian witness to interested Afghanistan Muslims."
"In Western theological discussions around Jesus and gospels the contextual setting has been defined more by a helenistic scientific approach where reason and explanation are imposed upon a middle eastern culture."
"Looking at the world that Christ lived in through the eyes of those who lived in that culture during that time is intriguing."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Jesus, the Gospels & Acts

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith
Now, in The Prodigal God , Keller takes his trademark intellectual approach to understanding Christianity and uses the parable of the prodigal son to reveal an unexpected message of hope and salvation. "An amazing, thought-provoking, illuminating work." "Explain, explode, expose, explore—all of these Jesus did by telling the parable of the prodigal son. In this book, Timothy Keller shows us something of how this story actually reveals the heart of God, and, if we read it carefully, our own hearts. This brief exposition is unsettling and surprisingly satisfying. Today Redeemer has nearly six thousand regular attendees at five services, a host of daughter churches, and is planting churches in large cities throughout the world.
Reviews
"But in his book Tim shows that in the original context Jesus meant for the elder son to play a much bigger role than the church has historically recognized."
"I found this book very interesting and I recommend it to anybody who maybe curious why the oldest son, who stayed home, was wrong in his actions."
"Great thought provoking book for individual or group study."
"Yet Dr Keller's depiction of Jesus message in the parable, and in its larger context, is true to Jesus' message of grace and truth: who we are, and how amazing is God's love toward us."
"In "The Prodigal God," Timothy Keller gives the familiar parable of The Prodigal Son a closer examination."
"This is a terrific study that I've found can be uncomfortable for us "comfortable" Christians but is well worth the time you may spend in introspection and prayer."
"In this book he talks about the lost sons."
"I loved this book."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Christian Old Testament Biographies

A Tale of Three Kings
For the many Christians who have experienced pain, loss, and heartache at the hands of other believers, this compelling story offers comfort, healing, and hope. He has written biblical fiction covering nearly the entire Bible, with titles that include the following: The Beginning, The Escape, The Birth, The Divine Romance, The Triumph, Revolution, The Silas Diary, The Titus Diary, The Timothy Diary, The Priscilla Diary, The Gaius Diary, and The Return.
Reviews
"I would like a life filled with breakthroughs, victories and peace but apparently the Man Upstairs has other plans....to which I'll submit."
"Good book that helps understand Godly leadership as reflected in the relationship between Saul, David and Absalom."
"This book challenges you and makes you think!"
"love this book could not put it down.. completely finished it in 2 days...very mind opening...makes you ask questions."
"All three tales are both inspiring, pondering, humbling, and if you allow them, life-changing."
"I really like Edwards expression of the biblical events surrounding these three kings of Israel."
"I love the way the characters are developed."
"One of the greatest books of all times."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Christian Papacy

Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas comes a brilliant and inspiring biography of the most influential man in modern history, Martin Luther, in time for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. On All Hallow’s Eve in 1517, a young monk named Martin Luther posted a document he hoped would spark an academic debate, but that instead ignited a conflagration that would forever destroy the world he knew. A beautifully balanced separation of fact from fiction.” —Hugh Hewitt “If you had to make a list of five people who shaped the modern West, Martin Luther would be on it. With a light and rapid touch that nonetheless is capable of conveying deep truths and insights, Metaxas deftly blends these many elements into a narrative that reads as compellingly as a novel. I imagine that Luther himself—not an easy man to please—would be deeply impressed by this master portraiture.” —Mark Helprin, bestselling author of Winter’s Tale and A Soldier of the Great War. With his customary verve and elegance, profound reverence, and biting wit, Metaxas’s Martin Luther is an education in the meaning of man’s relation to God. Gerald L. Schroeder, lecturer and teacher at College of Jewish Studies Aish HaTorah’s Discovery Seminar “This massive but eminently readable biography of Luther deserves no less an adjective than ‘formidable.’ Eric Metaxas is to religious biographers what Pixar is to cartoons.” —Peter Kreeft, author of Catholics and Protestants: What Can We Learn from Each Other? “If you wish to know why Martin Luther is remembered as one of the most consequential figures in history, and why Eric Metaxas has emerged as one of the most prominent storytellers of our generation, you’ll find the answers in this book. Eric’s skill as a writer and biographer are on full display here, even as he corrects the myths and secures the history of a monk who changed the world.” —John Stonestreet, president of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview. “A biography designed to peel back the myths and reveal Luther as the fascinating and influential man he was . the author’s fast-paced style and attention to interesting details sets this 450-page book apart.” —Institute for Faith, Work & Economics “Turns some centuries-long legends upside down.” —The Blaze “A masterful portrait of a seminal figure.” — Booklist (starred review) “A meaty autobiography of the Reformation leader. Bold, fast-paced, and magisterial like its hero, yet always stylish and witty like its author, this account blows the cobwebs off long-settled expectations, and helps us to understand the man who shook the medieval world and helped to shape the modern world.” —Os Guinness, author of Impossible People “When Martin Luther made it possible to read the Bible for yourself, he did more than anyone else to create the future. Read this book for yourself to understand the story we’re all still living through.” —Peter Thiel, cofounder of PayPal, entrepreneur, and author of Zero to One “Eric Metaxas has blessed us with yet another indispensable biography. With his customary verve and elegance, profound reverence, and biting wit, Metaxas’s Martin Luther is an education in the meaning of man’s relation to God. Gerald L. Schroeder, lecturer and teacher at College of Jewish Studies Aish HaTorah’s Discovery Seminar “This massive but eminently readable biography of Luther deserves no less an adjective than ‘formidable.’ Eric Metaxas is to religious biographers what Pixar is to cartoons.” —Peter Kreeft, author of Catholics and Protestants: What Can We Learn from Each Other? A tour de force.” —Johnnie Moore, Jr., founder of The Kairos Company “If you wish to know why Martin Luther is remembered as one of the most consequential figures in history, and why Eric Metaxas has emerged as one of the most prominent storytellers of our generation, you’ll find the answers in this book. Eric’s skill as a writer and biographer are on full display here, even as he corrects the myths and secures the history of a monk who changed the world.” —John Stonestreet, president of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview.
Reviews
"He starts off perfectly, explaining how MLK, Jr. got his name, which basically leaves no doubt -- this is important to all of us. Not to ruin the surprise, but key information literally "unearthed" in 2008. So yes, Metaxas adds new information to a well told 500 year old story, and it is really worth examining. But here's the best part about Metaxas' biography -- he makes sure God gets the glory. Metaxas pulls out the pieces of Luther's life that show how God was always part of the story. I heard that earnest but lighthearted Metaxas voice delivering several lines, and it struck me as very humorous."
"For most of my life I worked in the Printing profession so I was glad to see the Eric gave the invention of the printing press it's proper due in why Martin Luther's reforms work where other before him fell short. I personally rank him 2nd to Johann Gutenburg who moveable type combined with the Printing Press was the Reformation and the biggest event of the last millennium. The fact that this Monk could not be killed like nearly everyone else who dare question Catholic dogma of the time is in fact a GREAT story!"
"I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in church history and those of you that don’t really know how Martin changed the world."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Christian Saints & Sainthood

Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People
In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling au­thor Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls “a religious but not-so-spiritual life.” Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. “Unflinchingly honest (and funny)…You don't have to be religious to get something out of this book.” -NPR’s “Best Books of 2015” "Compulsively readable… [Bolz-Weber's] love for God and for humankind shines through on every page.” - Publishers Weekly "[Bolz-Weber] is one of the most important Christian voices around -- not because she has come up with some catchy, easy new way to do faith, but because when talks about the destructive power of sin, as well as redemption and grace, she knows of what she speaks." [Bolz-Weber's] voice communicates the scandal of the Christ and the sacraments of his church with more force and vitality than most writers can hope to summon." "If Saint Augustine were to return to life and live among us now, he would be Bolz-Weber; and if his Confessions were to be written in 21st century rhetoric and style, they would be this book. In just a few lines of description and dialog, Nadia Bolz-Weber manages to capture all that is beautiful and maddening and frightening about our shared humanity, including her own inconsistencies and struggles as a Jesus-loving sinner-saint. I couldn’t put this book down.” -Tullian Tchividjian, author of One Way Love: Inexhaustible Grace for an Exhausted World and founder of LIBERATE. "Nadia Bolz-Weber's new book is even tougher, sharper and sweeter than Pastrix: in painfully honest stories, she pulls back the curtains of religious life to show how church—the actual, living body of God—is created among us. Honest and funny, deep and insightful, Accidental Saints disarmed me and then, right when I was vulnerable, Nadia's words snuck right in to mess with me."
Reviews
"Pastor Nadia admits how early in her tenure at her church she was taken aback by how many “socially awkward people”showed up at her church and how the church would never have a chance if these were the people who showed up. I have been so frustrated at times at my parish (I am Catholic) while listening yet again to one more homily at Church about how we are all brothers and sisters in Christ while there are people sitting alone and hurting in the pews all around me. I want a priest to acknowledge that life is hard and people struggle and loneliness and pain are part of this world and there is a good chance there is someone in the pew near me who can use my help and maybe I should tell one of these people we are brothers and sisters in Christ and I want to help."
"I googled the pastor, Nadia Bolz - Weber, before I chose the book and when I saw her tattoos and muscles, I thought this was going to be a book that was kind of like the churches I sometimes see where they play hard rock music and that kind of thing (not that there's anything wrong with those, it's just what I thought.). So, this book for me is kind of the opposite of what I think of as church, where everyone is dressed nicely and have so many good things happening to them all the time they are always saying how blessed they are. The book is made up of several short stories and then at the back, there is a question section where you can ask yourself how some of the things in the book relate to you. This book was great and I look forward to reading her previous book and anything she writes in the future."
"Achieves what a great deal of books on ecclesiology and spiritual memoir never do in perceiving the messy sweat and blood way that the beauty of God grasps humanity."
"Appropriate for pastors, ministers, and church members."
"I'm not a Christian but her heart-felt honesty speaks deeply to me."
"Nadia Bolz-Weber understands what Christianity is really about."
Find Best Price at Amazon