This past summer, I spent a considerable amount of time reading books on pastoral ministry and the life of the minister. I thought I’d post my top 16 list of books for ministers. Perhaps you might not be familiar with some of these, or you might want to consider purchasing one of these for your pastor (“National Clergy Month” is October). In any case, these books have been helpful for my soul, and I commend them to you.
1. The Christian Ministry – Charles Bridges
2. Lectures to My Students – Charles Spurgeon
3. The Reformed Pastor – Richard Baxter
4. An Earnest Ministry – John Angel Adams
5. The Godly Man’s Picture – Thomas Watson
6. Between Two Worlds – John R.W. Stott
7. Preaching & Preachers – D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
8. Practical Religion – J.C. Ryle
9. A Pastor’s Sketches – Icabod Spencer
10. A Quest of Godliness – J.I. Packer
11. The Supremacy of God in Preaching – John Piper
12. Words to Winners of Souls – Horatius Bonar
13. An All-Around Ministry – Charles Spurgeon
14. Memoirs and Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne – Andrew Bonar
15. Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching – Don Kistler (editor)
16. Brothers, We Are Not Professionals – John Piper
Do you have a favorite on this list?
Are there any books on this list you would recommend?
Wow, kind of hard to pick a favorite, but if I must I would go with Lloyd-Jones Preaching and Preachers.
Scott,
Looking back at this list, I probably would change the order in which I placed them (like bringing Lloyd-Jones up higher). You are right. They are all so good, and I found it difficult to place one above the other.
Oh, and looking again at the list, I think the Puritan in me just came out! 🙂
Timmy,
I would highly recommend reading Lloyd-Jones and Spurgeon together. I read them both in a span of a month back in December. I want to go back and re-read them and outline them for future reference. I would think the only book I would add is one I had to read for Systematics I this semester. It is entitled “A Little Exercise for Young Theologians”. I wrote about it on my diary blog (19 August). It was a humbling book to say the least and one I know I will draw from for a long time. God bless, brother.
Piper’s, “Brothers, We Are Not Professionsals,” hit me between the eyes. I still refer to it regularly. Also, “Preaching and Preachers,” was a ministry changing book for me.
Les
Hey buddy. I agree with you Ichabod Spencer’s “A Pastor’s Sketches.” I would like to add Curtis Thomas’ “Practical Wisdom for Pastors.” Thomas writes from years of experience and provides words of wisdom and warning for many different aspects of preaching. An excellent read! On a side note, Thomas was one of the authors of “The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented.”
Danny McDonald
I added mine here: In Light of the Gospel
JHG
As a layman who has filled in occasionally in the pastor’s absence, Rediscovering Expository Preaching by John MacArthur and Master’s Seminary Faculty was really helpful for learning what expository preaching is (a lot of work!) and how to go about it. I believe it’s been republished as Preaching.
I see you have included Richard Baxter’s “Reformed Pastor”, that became one of my husband’s favorites back during his seminary days–still is!
And, for your women readers (like me!) I recommend, “Women Helping Women” co-edited by Elyse Fitzpatrick.