Here is just a handful, just a sampling, of so many wonderful books, some old, some new, that have accompanied me in my own walk with God over the years. They are not ranked in any particular order, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. May they help fill and guide your spirit, as well.
– Pastor Jim
Where God Meets Man by Gerhard Forde (Augsburg 1972)
Please don’t let the non-inclusive language of the title of this classic turn you away. It is one of the most readable, understandable books on Lutheran theology you will come across.
Reclaiming the “L” Word by Kelly Fryer (Augsburg Fortress 2003)
This is one of those books that boils down our life together as a people of God (and the mission we share) into such simple, learnable, livable terms… the potential to transform lives and congregations is enormous!
Where Is God When It Hurts? by Philip Yancey (Zondervan 1990)
This first half of this book is pretty academic, but stick with it! By the time you reach the end of the book, you will have absorbed some of the best, soul-enriching medicine there is to the age-old question of human suffering.
The Rapture Exposed by Barbara Rossing (Basic Books 2004)
In response to the psychology of fear and the “us versus them” theology that has sadly been made popular by the “Left Behind” books, Dr Rossing counters that mis-interpretation of the book of Revelation with a vision of God’s healing hope for the world. This is not light reading! But it certainly reclaims the Revelation given to St John in a positive and undistorted light.
Power Surge by Michael Foss (Fortress Press 2000)
An excellent, hands-on description of how the “Faith Practices” mentioned elsewhere on this website are actually lived-out among the people of a Lutheran congregation. A real-life glimpse of the shift that can be made from simply counting members to actually growing disciples.
The World’s Religions by Huston Smith (Harper 1991)
Originally published back in the mid-sixties as “The Religions of Man”, this is another classic worth reading. A task well-done in illustrating the beliefs and practices of the world’s major religions.
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster (Harper 1988)
Another classic. A great introduction to a good number of spiritual disciplines practiced throughout the centuries by the people of God.
Bread for the Journey by Henri Nouwen (Harper 1985)
A favorite daily devotional that carries within itself the real depth and wisdom pulled from the many writings of this gentle and beloved Roman Catholic priest.
Baptized, We Live by Daniel Erlander (Holden Village 1981)
Sometimes called the “Lutheran Coloring Book”, this is a very usable teaching tool to help illustrate a Lutheran worldview to both newer folks to the church as well as life-long participants.