Souljournaler: Some Bad News & 50 Books That Have Mattered To Me

Preface: I am reposting this list with the start-up of my site being infiltrated by advertising (by choice) to help support my desire to be in ministry.

To My Readership @ SoulJournaler.

I have held out as long as I possibly could but I can no longer abstain from monetizing my site. My last source of income the Lord has deemed fit to pull and things have been extremely tight financially. I am also working through a full course load throughout the summer and engaging in part-time work to balance the bank account in the form of sermons and whatnot. Compound this fact with minimal donations to SoulJournaler and I now need to monetize and seek supplementary income through ads like Amazon and AdSense.

I truly loathe the idea of doing this and truly feel as if I am whoring myself out to godless and faceless corporate entities but I have no choice. As such I will also need to seek further part time employment outside of the ministry since our government claims things are improving but full time ministry jobs are in short supply (i.e.: non-existent). I do apperciate the patronage and readership but due to the need to diversify income sources I will be dedicating less time to this blog. You have my apologies. I have prayed and dwelt in the Lord as much as I can but this is the answer I have so far. The plus side of this is that I have been moving into a more homiletic (preaching) field in recent months as more churches in my area become aware of my itinerant status (pastor in training) and need of preaching skill refinement and desire for employ.

Also, do to the proliferation of liberal theology and acceptance of many non-biblical practices and doctrine (such as not believing in the inerrancy of Scripture, acceptance of deviant lifestyles in the leadership, etc) many longstanding denominations and churches are breaking association with parent organizations. This has opened the door to true Biblical preaching in in small breakaway churches that desire the truth be preached in a pulpit. This has been helpful to my situation.

As is always the case I still request donations but they will clearly need to be supplemented with money gleaned from a partnership with monolithic machines like Google and Amazon since this is were the money is. They only plus to this is that I can customize the ad bars with products suitable to the readership of SoulJournaler. I will only recommend products I view as conducive to a Christian lifestyle.

If you have it in your heart to donate cheerfully, please do as it will be helping the cause of putting man of God in the pulpit that wishing only to glorify a sovereign God.

Blessings to you all.

δοῦλος Χριστόu,
Andy Pierson
-----------------------------------------

Many folks, both in-person and over the Internet have asked me what readings or books have been most important and instrumental in shaping my Christian outlook and the way that I think. I have decided to make a comprehensive list. So, other than the book reviews I have already posted I will list a few books that have been pivotal in shaping my direction in terms of their theology and wisdom. I will categorize them in terms of either introductory, intermediate and intermediate/advanced complexity. They are in no particular order but all were vital to shaping me spiritually and intellectually.

As an off-the-wall aside I have also included some non-Christian and/or non-theological books that have influenced my thinking. Since there are so many I have reserved comment. They are all great books and worthy of at least one read, even the science fiction in the non-theological category because they force you to think about being human and what it is to be human. If I have to mention the Bible is numero uno you probably shouldn't be reading this blog to begin with...

If you wish to purchase any of them or read more thorough reviews please click on the advertisement on the right hand column called "Books That Matter". Every click you make adds to a kickback fund that eventually pays me directly.

Introductory:

Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference by Philip Yancey

According To Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy

Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God by Greg Ogden

The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur

Ashamed of The Gospel by John MacArthur

Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur

The Mystery of The Holy Spirit by R.C. Sproul

Desiring God by John Piper

This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence by John Piper
(click on title above to download online copy)

How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth By Gordon D. Fee, Douglas Stuart

Basic Guide to Interpreting the Bible: Playing by the Rules by Robert Stein

The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis

________________________________

Intermediate:

The Reason For God by Tim Keller

The Cross of Christ by John R Stott

Studies In The Sermon on The Mount by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil by D.A. Carson

The Cost of Discipleship by Deitrich Bonhoeffer

The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards
Plowshares & Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic by Brent Sandy
What Have They Done with Jesus?: Beyond Strange Theories and Bad History--Why We Can Trust the Bible by Ben Witherington III
The Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice
The Parables of Jesus by Dwight Pentecost

The Parables of Jesus: A Commentary by Arland J. Hultgren

Recovering Jesus: The Witness of the New Testament by Thomas Neufeld

Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels by Kenneth Bailey

The Penteteuch As Narrative by John Sailhamer

________________________________________

Intermediate/Advanced: