Mark’s Top 200 Books (besides the Bible!)
With so many books at our fingertips, it can be tough to find theologically sound, biblically rich, spiritually edifying works that stand the test of time. I get asked regularly to recommend books on a variety of topics pertaining to theology, apologetics, marriage and family, biblical studies, and ethics, among others. Because of this, I have put together this list of my top 200 books (besides the Bible) to help those who desire to stretch themselves and grow biblically, theologically, and in deeper, more intimate communion with God.
Some of these books are more academic than others, so you will want to look up each book online to get a more detailed description and overview. That said, I recommend each of these for your intellectual and spiritual growth. This list doesn’t include every great book that is out there, of course, but on a personal level, the Lord has used each of these books at different points in my own life and ministry to encourage me, challenge me, sharpen me, convict me, and ultimately spur me on toward greater love for God and people. I pray you can find a few on here that will do the same for you. And in case you are wondering, these books are not listed in any particular order. May you continue to grow in loving God with all of your mind that you might love Him with all of your heart and with all of your strength!
Mark’s Top 200 Books (besides the Bible!)
Desiring God by John Piper
When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper
The Pleasures of God by John Piper
Future Grace by John Piper
Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper
The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper
Hunger for God by John Piper
Let the Nations Be Glad! by John Piper
Finally Alive by John Piper
Reading the Bible Supernaturally by John Piper
Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
Love Thy Body by Nancy Pearcey
Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
Basic Christianity by John Stott
The Cross of Christ by John Stott
The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul
What is Reformed Theology? by R.C. Sproul
Knowing Scripture by R.C. Sproul
The Promises of God by R.C. Sproul
The Imperfect Disciple by Jared Wilson
The Gospel-Driven Church by Jared Wilson
Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson
Black and Reformed by Anthony Carter
A Theology of the New Testament by George Eldon Ladd
Integrative Theology by Bruce Demarest and Gordon Lewis
Jesus and the Gospels by Craig Blomberg
Neither Poverty Nor Riches by Craig Blomberg
Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray
Principles of Conduct by John Murray
What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert
Saving the Saved by Bryan Loritts
The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges
Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
The Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges
In His Image by Jen Wilken
Women of the Word by Jen Wilken
The Godly Man’s Picture by Thomas Watson
A Body of Divinity by Thomas Watson
What is a Healthy Church Member? by Thabiti Anyabwile
The Gospel for Muslims by Thabiti Anyabwile
Lectures to my Students by Charles Spurgeon
All is Grace by Charles Spurgeon
Smooth Stones Taken from Ancient Brooks by Thomas Brooks and C.H. Spurgeon
Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
Homosexuality by Kevin DeYoung
The Hole in our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung
Why We Love The Church by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck
Christ Formed in You by Brian Hedges
Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
Gospel-Powered Parenting by William Farley
Gospel-Powered Humility by William Farley
Found in Him by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Love to Eat, Hate to Eat by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Give them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick
John Owen on the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson
The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson
From the Mouth of God by Sinclair Ferguson
The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson
The Supremacy of Christ by Ajith Fernando
What Christians Ought To Believe by Michael Bird
The Meaning of Marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller
Jesus, Justice, and Gender Roles by Kathy Keller
The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller
The Reason for God by Timothy Keller
Prayer by Timothy Keller
God’s Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts
The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler
Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
Rejoicing in Christ by Michael Reeves
Delighting in the Law of the Lord by Jerram Baars
Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley
Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray McCheyne
by Andrew Bonar
The Shepherd Leader by Timothy Witmer
The Church by Edmund Clowney
The Things of Earth by Joe Rigney
Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be by Cornelius Plantinga
When People Are Big and God Is Small by Edward Welch
Depression by Edward Welch
Running Scared by Edward Welch
Addictions by Edward Welch
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney
Repentance by C. John Miller
Holiness by Grace by Bryan Chapell
The Mark of the Christian by Francis Schaeffer
How Should We Then Live by Francis Schaeffer
Art and the Bible by Francis Schaeffer
The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Apostles Creed by Albert Mohler
The Gospel According to Jesus by John Macarthur
The Freedom and Power of Forgiveness by John Macarthur
Ashamed of the Gospel by John Macarthur
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman
Good & Angry by David Powlison
Seeing With New Eyes by David Powlison
God’s Grace in Your Suffering by David Powlison
How Does Sanctification Work? by David Powlison
How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp
Chosen for Life by Sam Storms
Pleasures Evermore by Sam Storms
The Singing God by Sam Storms
Communion with the Triune Godby John Owen; Kelly M. Kapic and Justin Taylor, Editor
Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen; Kelly M. Kapic and Justin Taylor, Editors
Sound Doctrine by Bobby Jamieson
Expository Apologetics by Voddie Baucham
The Joy of Calvinism by Gregory Forster
Putting Amazing Back Into Grace by Michael Horton
Note to Self by Joe Thorn
The Christian in Complete Armor by William Gurnall
Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions by Arthur Bennet
Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers by D.A. Carson
How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil by D.A. Carson
Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson
Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God by C.J. Mahaney
Humility by C.J. Mahaney
The Cross-Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney
Training Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade
Holiness by J.C Ryle
A Call to Prayer by J.C. Ryle
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards
Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards
The Life and Diary of David Brainard by Jonathan Edwards
Preaching & Preachers by D.M. Lloyd-Jones
Spiritual Depression by D.M. Lloyd-Jones
When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty by Joni Erickson Tada
Tell the Truth by Will Metzger
The Storm-Tossed Family by Russell Moore
The Gospel Comes with A House Key by Rosaria Butterfield
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield
Openness Unhindered by Rosaria Butterfield
Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity by Mark Noll
Jonathan Edwards by George Marsden
Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes
Wesley and the Men Who Followed by Iain Murray
The Forgotten Spurgeon by Iain Murray
Spurgeon vs. the Hyper-Calvinists by Iain Murray
Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton
George Whitefield by Arnold Dallimore
Spurgeon: A New Biography by Arnold Dallimore
Foxe's Book of Martyrs by John Foxe
The Moment of Truth by Steven Lawson
The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall
A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God's Love by Milton Vincent
Heaven by Randy Alcorn
Happiness by Randy Alcorn
God, Marriage, And Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation by Andreas Kostenberger
The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink
The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink
The Person of Christ by Donald MacLeod
Still Sovereign by Tom Schreiner
New Testament Theology by Tom Schreiner
Even Better Than Eden by Nancy Guthrie
Holding Onto Hope by Nancy Guthrie
Thy Word is Truth by E.J. Young
The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer
A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life by J.I. Packer
Keep in Step with the Spirit by J.I. Packer
Weakness is the Way by J.I. Packer
Worship in Spirit and Truth by John Frame
Systematic Theology by John Frame
Apologetics to the Glory of God by John Frame
Christianity Considered by John Frame
Biblical Eldership by Alex Strauch
Love or Die by Alex Strauch
Leading with Love by Alex Strauch
If They Bite and Devour One Another by Alex Strauch
Men and Women: Equal Yet Different by Alex Strauch
The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter
The Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges
Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever
The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever
New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by F.F. Bruce
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen
Every Thought Captive by Richard Pratt
Truth Decay by Doug Groothuis
Confessions by Augustine
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes by Ken Myers
More Than A Carpenter by Josh MacDowell
Righteous Sinners by Ron Julian
The Enemy Within: Straight Talk About the Power and Defeat of Sin by Kris Lundgaard
No Place for Truth by David Wells
The Courage to be Protestant by David Wells
The Universe Next Door by James Sire
The Theology of the Reformers by Timothy George
