Last week I noted that Christianity doesn’t stand a chance at your local library. I also noted that this is likely not because your local librarian hates Jesus. More than likely it is simply because of the nature of how books are acquired and the type of books that are on the best-seller list.
I encouraged folks to help me come up with a list of books that would fit the criteria that was set and would help to give the gospel a hearing in your local library. I broke them up in four categories: apologetics, Christian living, helps, and Classics/Research. Here are the twenty I came up with:
Apologetics
- The Reason for God by Tim Keller (some libraries will have this)
- Truth Matters by Kostenberg, Bock, and Chatraw
- Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper
- The God I Don’t Understand by Christopher Wright
- The God Who Is There by D.A. Carson
Christian Living
- Tempted and Tried by Russell Moore
- Radical by David Platt
- Pleasures Evermore by Sam Storms
- How People Change by Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane
- Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
Helps
- Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
- How Long O, Lord by D.A. Carson
- What Did You Expect by Paul Tripp
- 40 Questions on Interpreting the Bible by Robert Plummer
- What’s Best Next by Matt Perman
Classics/Research
- Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
- The Works of Jonathan Edwards
- The Story of Christianity by Justo Gonzaelz
- Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
- The Cradle, The Cross, and the Crown by Kostenberger, Kellum, Quarles
The Plan
Last week I promised to have a challenge for my readers. Here is the challenge.
Step One: Make a list of books you’d like to see in your library. You can use mine as a guide or cut and paste the entire thing.
Step Two: Contact your local library and ask if they’d be willing to stock a few more Christian non-fiction books.
Step Three: Give them your list and offer to partner with them in donating some of these books (or perhaps all of them).
Step Four: Continue to build a good relationship with your local library and encourage folks in your church to occasionally check out these books and read them as well. The more use the greater likelihood they’ll stay on the shelves.
Step Five: Retweet or Share this challenge. I believe the Lord uses good books to help Christians grow and also to help people come to know Him. I want to see many local libraries stocked with great Christian books to give the gospel a hearing at your local library.
We are very fortunate in that our library system regularly takes suggestions. So far, I think every book my family has suggested has been purchased, with the exception of those that might be out of print or not available through a standard distributor. Good suggestions here.
Mike – thanks for this idea. Am on the library board in my city and will be discussing this with the Library Director to see if the church which I attend can donate the books. Thanks again and hope are doing well.