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Perhaps you are a new Christian not knowing what next steps to take, or maybe you have been a believer for years and wish to find a point of new beginning to refresh your faith. Or perhaps you are looking for a way to minister to new believers and praying about where to point them for further spiritual meat.
While there are apps, internet sites, and worship services for every taste and stage of one’s faith walk, there is timeless wisdom to guide new believers between the covers of many great books. Aside from a trusty study Bible, here is a short list, in no particular order, that is sure to bring Godly guidance to new believers:
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
This classic was published posthumously in 1927, but its messages are timeless. In the form of 366 short, beautifully-written devotions, this volume leads new believers to meditate on a different aspect of God’s character each day, and what it means to live a Christian life. It brings a message to be lived daily and guides the believer in a step-by-step walk of faith without lists, dogma, or how-tos.
Seasoned believers turn back to this book again and again after their year of devotions is complete, finding that as they grow in Christ, there is a new depth to each God-honoring message with subsequent readings.
The late Ruth Bell Graham said of this book, “My Utmost for His Highest is one of a kind. It has been a source of challenge and blessing in my own life for years… I don’t think anyone can read it consistently without being a better servant of Christ.”
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Another classic, Mere Christianity is a slim volume penned by one of the great Christian thinkers of the 20th Century. Lewis had been an avowed atheist and came reluctantly to the faith, employing his academically trained mind to thoroughly vet the Bible’s claims before accepting them.
This introduction to the Christian faith is powerful, rational, and faith-building. Despite its slim size, there is a lot to digest and process here, so take your time! It is ideal for a small group discussion with other believers, and is spiritually refreshing and valid for any reader.
New Believer’s Guide to Effective Christian Living by Greg Laurie
Laurie has spent a lot of time ministering to new believers and hears the same questions again and again from them. There are many common questions presented in this book that new Christians are often hesitant to ask out of fear of drawing attention to their fledgling spiritual maturity.
Readers will find an uncomplicated, approachable guide to the meaning of salvation, the identity of Jesus, and what it looks like to live out a Christian life. This book offers just the right amount of depth to emphasize the importance of each topic without the reader becoming weighed down.
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
The best way to win hearts, minds, and spirits is with love, and this book invites believers to think intensely about God’s love for them. It is only through crazy, passionate love, Chan offers, that God would be willing to sacrifice his precious Son Jesus for humankind.
Instead of practical pointers, the author challenges the reader with deep and thought-provoking questions designed to solidify faith and yield a stronger walk and living out of a Christian life. Chan’s book has been credited with shaking the complacency of believers and igniting a passion for God that goes beyond the ruts Christians can get stuck in.
The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
Some of the most inspiring guides to Christian faith come from the crucible of persecution, and such is this beautiful account by Watchman Nee, a leader of the Chinese house church movement and veteran of 20 years of imprisonment for his uncompromising faith.
Nee writes with clarity and simplicity, and invites the reader to reflect on the completed redemption that Jesus achieved for us on the cross, God’s amazing plan of salvation, and how the Holy Spirit works daily in the lives of believers.
He advocates the servanthood of all believers as central to the gospel as we live out the ministries we are called to. Spiritual strength and vitality, contends Nee, should be the daily experience of all believers.
Of course, any effort to put together a list like this will be necessarily incomplete – we welcome your comments, input, and suggestions!
Disclaimer: Short of the Bible, no book is a perfect representation of God or his message. Any careful reader will find points of disagreement with the ideas put forth in books written by our fellow men. By all means, glean, take what speaks to you, and always turn to the Bible as the final authority on spiritual matters!