20 Christian Books You Should Read in 2019

As some of you may know, I’m a HUGE bookworm. There is nothing better than to sit down, drink a cup of coffee (or tea) and read a good book. Many of you may also know that I’m a book reviewer for some publishing companies which gives me the best opportunity to get my hands on the newest published books. So I asked myself, “why not briefly review some of the best books I recently read (or read long ago) and suggest them to my readers for 2019?” That is exactly what I will do with this post. Please note that many of these books are not new- some are decades old. However, this will give those who haven’t read or heard about these books a chance to know a little about them. So without further ado, here are 20 books (in no particular order) you should read in 2019. 

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Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you make a purchase through a link we’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you but will help this blog to keep on running.

The Vision and Beyond

This is a VERY important book that has been neglected and underestimated in these times. At the time of its publication in the 70s, it became well-known but with time most people I know have never even heard of David Wilkerson unfortunately. In The Vision and Beyond, late Rev. David Wilkerson recounts a prophetic vision the LORD gave him about the following decades. He goes on to describe with bone-chilling accuracy the economic collapse from 2008, the filth on TV and in the streets, the rise of homosexuality and legalization of gay marriage, increasing natural disasters, rise in teenage rebellion and atheism, abortion and marijuana legalization plus so much more.

Everything described in this book sounds like Wilkerson is describing the world today and keep in mind that this book was written in 1974! Before you dismiss this book, take into consideration that many of the prophecies discussed have already been fulfilled and others being fulfilled as I type this! This is perhaps the most relevant book you could read in 2019! Unfortunately, this book is now out of print so you won’t be able to find it in bookstores or Amazon. I was able to secure a copy from eBay so give it a try there or at a thrift store including ThriftBooks.com 

Crazy Love

I had to include Crazy Love in this list- if you’ve read it I know you’ll understand why. This book was VERY convicting. With humility and love but with firmness, Francis Chan exhorts the Church to love God, not just in word but in deed. If you believe you’re living out your life in a God-honoring way, this book will convict you in the areas of your life that need work. How we live reveals if we genuinely love God and this book helps you to analyze yourself, test the fruits and calls you out to be honest with yourself. Francis, goes through several points that may hinder us from living a sold-out life for God including lukewarmness, serving God leftovers, prayerlessness, and more. Francis’ humor and humility make this book very relatable and real. I highly recommend it! Buy it here.

Growing Slowly Wise

I read this book a few years ago which left an imprint in my heart so I had to add it to this list. This is a message on the book of James and can be used as a guide or Bible study. James is one of my favorite NT books-short but powerful and this small book does an amazing job of bringing out the gems. If you need a push in the right direction toward stronger faith and a convicting word on obedience and devotion, this book is for you. The author has a beautiful way of writing the truth in a gentle, yet firm manner and making it relatable. Buy it here.

20 Things We’d Tell Our Twenty-something Selves

If you’re in your 20s or even 30s, this book will speak to you. Husband and wife team, Peter and Kelli Worrall discuss 20 things they wish they had known in their 20s that they want you to know. This book is jammed packed with life advice from a Biblical perspective that will guide you in some way or at least make you think. From learning to make wise decisions to controlling your emotions, dating, and marriage, dealing with pain and rejection, adjusting to changes, taking risks, living out God’s will, and much more, this book is a refreshing change from all the other books about becoming an adult.

This is not a “how-to” but more like a counseling session with adults that have been where you are and are offering their own personal experiences to help you.  Needless to say, this books raises some very good points that make you ponder. Buy it here. 

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Made For The Journey

If you have read Through Gates of Splendor, you will like this one. This is the testimony of Elisabeth Elliot’s first missionary work in Equador before she was married to Jim. Elisabeth tells about her struggles adjusting to missionary life in the jungle surround by the Colorado Indians. It is humbling to see a missionary’s first experience away from civilization, where all the commodities are gone and you’re left with homesickness, it is a very real account. What I like about this book is that it shows real missionary life, it doesn’t glamorize anything as many other books do. You read about how Elisabeth grew in her spiritual life as well as an individual-how God made her stronger and qualified her for the call. Buy it here.

Forgotten God

This is one of those books that you need to keep a highlighter close by because it has so much truth and wisdom. This one is a powerful exhortation on the neglect of the Holy Spirit. If you need more conviction in your life for your Christian walk and would like to learn more about the ways the Holy Spirit works, this book is perfect! It will make you analyze your spiritual relationship and cut deep into your soul causing you to reconcile yourself with the Holy Spirit. Forgotten God is a much-needed book in our times because grieving the Holy Spirit is what we humans are experts in and it’s not preached about enough. If we feel like God is far away; 100% guarantee that we have grieved the Holy Spirit and are in desperate need of reconciliation. Buy it here.

Jesus Revolution

Having been born and grown up in the 90s, learning about the Jesus Movement of the 60s and 70s was inspiring. This book is more of a biographical work about Greg Laurie’s early life before Christ and his early ministry days. He gives background information of the Jesus Revolution that exploded in the SoCal area during the hippie era. Greg recounts how thousands of hippies came to Christ and many became ministers. This is a glimpse of the revival God brought to a generation that was deemed lost to rebellion, drugs, sex, and alcohol. It’s a testimony of what God can do when the church is willing to witness, pray for, and embrace the lost kids and how He can do it again today with this generation. No one is too lost for God. Buy it here. 

Why Revival Tarries

This is a great Christian classic! The list wouldn’t be complete without this book. In Why Revival Tarries, the late evangelist, Leonard Ravenhill lovingly exhorts the church on lukewarmness and spiritual laziness. He calls out lethargy, mediocrity, rebellion, pride, disobedience, etc and the reasons why we don’t see a spiritual revival in our lives. This is a book you don’t come out from without conviction because no matter how devoted your life is to God, there is always a closer place where we can be at in our spiritual walk. There is a little for everyone here and this is the type of book we can all use in our daily walk. If there is one word to describe this book it would be FIRE! Buy it here.

The Screwtape Letters

How to describe this one? If you haven’t read this Christian classic you have to. I enjoyed this one from page 1 to the end. With his amazing writing style, C.S. Lewis takes you through the subject of temptation and the devil’s tactics to deceive and cause humanity to fall. Written from the perspective of “Screwtape” a veteran demon who through letters to his nephew, “Wormwood” gives advice on how to tempt a young man into all kinds of sin and disbelief in God with the end goal of dragging him into hell.

This is a very eye-opening book with many truths about the devil’s tactics to entice Christians and non-Christians alike into sin. The way C.S. Lewis used fiction to tell many truths is very creative and makes this book more enjoyable and easier to read. Buy it here.

The Knowledge of the Holy

Tozer classic! This is a great book for new Christians and mature Christians alike. It was required reading for a Theology class I took but I had already read it before, so it was refreshing to revisit it. Tozer addresses the attributes of God in easy to understand terms. I love that Tozer doesn’t use big theological words and makes it easy to follow. The chapters are short but are packed with much-needed wisdom that makes you meditate deeply on the character of God. There are many theology books out there but this one is simple, straight to the point, and worth more than all those other big volumes. Great book all around! Buy it here. 

Jumping Through Fires

Biographies have to be my favorite genre so this list couldn’t be complete without one. David Nasser, an Iranian immigrant recounts his life from his early childhood memories before moving to the US all the way to when he started his ministry. David’s family left their country during the Iranian Revolution and moved to the US. He was brought up in the Muslim faith but later surrendered his life to God at age 18. He briefly talks about his youth growing up in the south, his different phases as a teen and how he eventually met Christ when invited to church by a friend, met and married his wife, founded David Nasser Outreach, and continues to speak around the country.

This is a story about redemption, how a lost teen from Iran met his savior and has been powerfully used by God since then. If you are looking for a quick, inspirational read, you will find it in this book. Buy it here.

Hitler’s Cross

This one is an important book which will always be relevant no matter the times. Erwin Lutzer has done fantastic research on the life and reign of Hitler. You learn a little about Hitler’s early life and his rise to power as chancellor of Germany and later as a dictator. Lutzer exposes the Nazi regime’s evil tactic in using religion as a means to gain the people’s support. Why did Christians stand by and allow Hitler to murder 6 million Jews? If you have ever wondered why many Christians supported the Nazis when the evil perpetrated by them was so public, this book answers that question and more. Hitler’s Cross, is an exhortation to the church, that she may not sleep again lest she may fall through deception once more to support an evil agenda. Buy it here.

Jews Don’t Need Jesus & Other Misconceptions

Whether you know much or little about Jews, their beliefs, or Jewish evangelism all Christians should read this book. This is an excellent treatment written by a Messianic Jew on misconceptions Christians have about Jewish evangelism. When it comes to Jews, many Christians have mixed feelings, and it shouldn’t be that way! Jews need Christ just as much as we all do. But sadly, Jews are the most neglected group when it comes to sharing the Gospel. Avi Snyder breaks through 16 misconceptions/excuses Christians have for not evangelizing to Jews.

As a Jew himself, Synder also gives advice on how to approach non-believing Jews. Highly recommend this book, a definite must-read for all Christians. Let us not forgot our brethren the Jews, after all, Jesus was a Jew. Buy it here.

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Disappearing Church

This is a quick read about the state of the modern church. Mark Sayers exposes truths about the dangerous emergent church and the disastrous doctrines preached about today. A very thought-provoking tome which will make us snap out of whatever reverie we may all be in that we are unaware of the disappearing church. Mainstream Christianity has quickly overtaken the whole world, while the true church goes underground. Exchanging the Biblical Gospel for cheap “feel good” motivational speeches, the “church” is quickly disappearing. If you are easily offended this book is NOT for you. Buy it here.

Pagan Christianity?

Another thought-provoking and controversial book (with facts!). This one is very good, highly recommend if you’ve ever wondered why we practice church the way we do. Where did we get the order of service we practice every Sunday? This book answers this question and many more. Viola and Barna expose the long history of Christian traditions and reveal the deep paganistic (and Catholic) origins of most of our modern day church practices.

This is a very heavy and well-researched book with many notes and references to back it all up. You will be surprised to find out that there are more pagan traditions in our church practices than we’d ever thought. Whatever you decide to do with all this information is up to you but I’m grateful that the authors took all that time to write this excellent exposé. Buy it here. 

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The Pursuit of God

How could I NOT include my favorite classic of all time? If you have not read The Pursuit of God, you need to read it this year. Tozer delves deep into the Christian lifetime of godly pursuit. With his beautiful prose, Tozer exhorts and encourages Christians to seek more of God through prayer and humility. The Pursuit of God is a call to Christians to worship God wholeheartedly and to hunger for His presence. This is a challenge to spend more time in prayer, to seek to know God more intimately and kill the lukewarmness in our lives. Hungry souls will not be disappointed with this little book, it is a double portion for the starving. Buy it here. 

Once We Were Strangers

This one is a short inspirational biography that is sure to warm your heart. Struggling writer, Shawn Smucker tells about his experience in befriending a Syrian refugee and his family. Through this unique and beautiful experience, Shawn learns about the hardships of refugees and his deep appreciation of their resilience and hard work. Mohammad escaped his native Syria with his family to America where he quickly learned the language, worked hard for a better and safer life, and unbeknownst to him, broke the immigrant stigma.

Shawn quickly realized that most immigrants are just looking for a better life, are hard workers, and make great loyal friends. Shawn thought he was going to teach his Syrian friend about life in America, but instead, his friend taught him more about friendship than he knew. Buy it here.

I Will Not Fear

Yet another inspirational biography right here. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I know you will too. Award-winning writer, activist, and former news anchor, Dr. Melba Patillo Beals tells about her experience as one of nine African-American students chosen to integrate segregated schools in the 1950s. This was not her only struggle as an African-American woman in a period of segregation and racial struggles. Throughout her life, Melba faced racial discrimination in school, life in general, and later in her professional careers. Only her daily dependence on God got her through these trying and difficult periods of her life. This book is a reminder of God’s faithfulness and protection over those who choose to follow Him. Buy it here.

Let Me Be a Woman

This was one of the most enjoyable books I read this past year and not just because Elisabeth Elliot is my favorite Christian author but because no other book is more needed in these times as Let Me Be a Woman. It is written as a series of letters from Elisabeth to her daughter Valerie as she gets ready for marriage. With her beautiful prose and gentle wisdom, Elisabeth gives her daughter advice about marriage, life, and explains what it means to be a godly woman. In a world, where women are being stripped off of their feminity, Elisabeth counteracts unbiblical feminism. Being a woman and embracing our God-given purpose as women don’t make us lesser than men but make us equals as we each seek to glorify God in our roles.

There is so much godly wisdom to glean from this book, women of all ages can learn something new. If you’re struggling with your role as a woman, whether you’re married or single, I highly recommend this book. Or if you’re looking to defend the biblical view of womanhood, this book brings up some very good points. This one is a must-read! Buy it here. 

Shalom in Psalms

This one is not exactly a book, it’s more of a devotional but I had to include it because it has been a great blessing to me. Written by 3 men from a Jewish perspective of the book of Psalms. They go through each of the 150 Psalms explaining the Jewish meaning and significance of words that are completely lost to the Gentile believer. When you’re done with all 150 Psalms you don’t see the book of Psalms in the same way anymore. Your eyes are opened up and you go away with a deeper sense of understanding of the Psalms. If you’re looking for a new devotional for 2019, this one is perfect! Buy it here.

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And that is a wrap! I hope some of these books have piqued your interest. What other great Christian books do you recommend? Comment down below. I’d love to hear all of your suggestions, as I am looking for new books to read this year.

 

 

 

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