Pastor Trevor’s Book Recommendations - 2024

Bible, Theology, and Missions:

Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation by Nancy Guthrie – The Revelation is a challenging and confusing book; Nancy Guthrie has written the best introduction and overview that keeps the central focus of the book constantly in view. “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it…”  

The Atonement: An Introduction by Jeremy Treat – An excellent introduction to the most important elements of this most essential doctrine.   

No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions by Matt Rhodes – If you only ever read one book to help you understand what a biblical vision for missions and missionaries should look like, read this one. Rhodes thoroughly highlights patterns in modern missions have been shaped by a desire for speed and results, leading to some very unbiblical and dangerous practices.

The Wells of Salvation Opened by William Spurstowe – This is looking like it will shape up to be my favorite Puritan work that I’ve read this year. Spurstowe reminds us of all the promises God has made to His people, and he helps us to use them to deepen our faith and worship of the God whose well of salvation is endlessly deep. Read this slowly and prayerfully!

Enjoying Jesus: Experience the Presence and Kindness of the Son of God in Everyday Life by Tim Chester – This is a follow up to Chester’s wonderful book titled Enjoying God. Here he turns his focus onto how knowing and enjoying Jesus helps us day in and day out.

Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders by David Mathis – After completing my ThM thesis this year, I read several books on the pastoral calling, qualifications, and ministry. Of all those books the one I hope every member of Bethany will read is this book. It reminded me of the importance of elder/pastors striving to be growing as men of character, and of our calling to serve the church as workers for her joy. This book shows us what the pastor/elders of Bethany need to be striving to be, and what the members of Bethany should be seeing in us her leaders.

History and Church History:

Priests of History: Stewarding the Past in an Ahistoric Age by Sarah Irving-Stonebraker – My favorite historical book of the year. Sarah is a scholar helping us see the dangers of neglecting history, but she also shares of how God used her love of history to bring her to saving faith in Jesus.

When Christians Disagree: Lessons from the Fractured Relationship of John Owen and Richard Baxter by Tim Cooper – Part history, part counseling manual for Christians in conflict. Cooper helps us uncover some reasons for why these two famous pastors and theologians ended up on different sides of a near life-long conflict. Along the way we learn how even the greatest men and women of God have clay feet, and of how things might have been different if they would have disagreed more humbly.

Biography:

John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken – Newton’s life is an incredible demonstration of the “Amazing Grace” that he so famously wrote about. Highly recommended.  

Devoted: Great Men and Their Godly Moms by Tim Challies – Wonderful collection of mini-biographies seeking to encourage mothers to press on in God’s incredible calling on their lives. A great read for men needing a reminder of how they should treasure their wives and mothers!

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by John Bunyan – Part biography, part gospel meditation. Wonderful little book that marvels at God’s abundant grace.

Rebel to Your Will: A Story of Abuse, Father Hunger, and Gospel Hope by Sean DeMars – A short biography showing how God’s grace completely remade a man whose first two decades of life were unthinkably broken.

Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class by Rob Henderson – This recommendation comes with a warning. Rob is not a Christian and he lived an exceedingly broken life. There is a fair bit of language and many stories that you would expect from such an upbringing. For those whose consciences will not be harmed by such a book, this is one of the more insightful books that I have read for understanding key aspects of the political and cultural divide in our country and time.

Technology, Culture, and Politics:

The Extinction of Experience by Christine Rosen – This is a fascinating book that takes a deep dive into the many ways technology is shaping us, often to our great detriment.

American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified our Nation—and Could Again by Yuval Levin – Yuval helpfully reminds us of the genius of the American Constitution, and of how both sides of the current political aisle try to ignore that genius.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Caused an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt – For those with children I highly recommend this book and his previously co-authored book The Coddling of the American Mind, They explain how culture and technology are affecting our children. Two short but more practical Christian books on this same theme are God, Technology, and the Christian Life by Tony Reinke, and The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch.

Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture by Aaron M. Renn – This is one of the most important books of the year for understanding the slow growing opposition in the public square. Renn’s thesis has been evaluated by many as truly insightful.

Critical Dilemma: The Rise of Critical Theories and Social Justice Ideology—Implications for the Church and Society by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer – This is an in depth look at the various critical theories that have been reshaping America in recent decades. Incredibly well researched and balanced, though unwaveringly Christian in their critique. I wish this book had been written 10 years ago.