Top Ten Books of the Last Decade
February 8, 2010
Recently I was asked to submit a list of my top ten books of the last decade. I forget how the request was worded, but the upshot was that they wanted me to give them a list of ten influential Christian nonfiction books of the last decade.
Well, you can go a lot of different ways with a list like that. Do you want the “best” books of the last decade? My personal favorites? Books I think others should read? What about the offbeat books I happened to read that were so narrowly focused that no one else is likely to be interested in them? The whole thing is made more complicated by the fact that I really can’t remember what I was reading back in 2002, which seems like a lot longer than eight years ago.
After ruminating on the matter for a bit, I decided to make my “top ten” list simply ten of the most noteworthy books I read during the last decade. With that introduction, here is my list:
I haven’t actually “read” the entire study Bible, but I’ve read enough to know that this is the new standard in the whole field of study Bibles. Just the charts, graphs, maps and illustrations are worth the price of the book. The thousands of study notes reflect a broad evangelical consensus and cover every major passage in the Bible. If you can only afford one study Bible, buy this one.
2. Jesus in Beijing by David Aikman
Wouldn’t make everyone’s list, but given our family’s interest in China, I find this book indispensable as the best current treatment of the state of the Christian movement in the world’s largest country.
3. Heaven by Randy Alcorn
Probably the best and most comprehensive treatment on heaven we have today. Read it and be blessed and encouraged and inspired to serve the Lord today in light of the glories to come.
4. Troubling Deaf Heaven by Jeannette Clift George
The author says we should never underestimate the silence of God, and she’s right. It provided hope at a crucial moment in my own spiritual journey.
5. The Faith by Chuck Colson
A very fine treatment of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Good mixture of theology, church history, and stories of contemporary Christians from around the world.
6. Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent
Few books in the last decade have moved me as much as this one.
7. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs
Marlene and I agree that this is the best book on marriage we’ve read.
8. Praying by J. I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom
Note the title. “Praying,” not “Prayer.” Packer and Nystrom combine theology with practical encouragement about the act of praying to God. This book makes me want to pray and that’s the best recommendation I could give.
9. Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg
Combines an astute reading of contemporary world events with a careful study of Bible prophecy.
10. Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger
The authors argue that churches flourish when they focus on doing a few things well instead of multiplying unrelated programs.