Recommended Reading
In this article I’ve offered some recommended reading for those who want to go deeper following the whole church teaching podcasts. Some of these books relate to the whole topic; others are a bit more focussed. As ever, although I recommend these books, this does not mean that I agree with or endorse absolutely everything that these authors say or everything else that they have ever written – we always encourage you to read both critically and generously.
The other things to say is that these are all books that are, in principle, beneficial to anyone who reads them. However, there are loads of books that address particular struggles or addictions. I’d be very happy to recommend some of these as well for anyone who would like a more focussed reading list – just get in touch.
David Benner – Surrender to Love; The Gift of Being Yourself; Desiring God’s Will
David Benner is both a mature Christian and a psychologist who has spent decades helping others to change. This trilogy of short books (approx. 100 pages each) captures the heart of Christian spirituality – coming to know the love of God and allowing it to transform us. These books had a huge impact on my own life and have already spread widely within our church family. Each paragraph needs thinking about, but they are not ‘difficult’ books. They are also full of advice on how to respond in practice.
John White – Changing on the Inside
John White is another pastor/psychologist – who wrote a number of very helpful books later in his life. This book was mentioned by Dave Morris in his story of change. It is a little dated now, but still an incredibly helpful account of transformational change. For those whose struggles are connected to sexual sin or addiction, White has also written Eros Redeemed which is well worth reading.
Dallas Willard – The Spirit of the Disciplines; The Renovation of the Heart
Many of Willard’s books address how we change, but these two in particular address the inner life and transformative change – it is one of the most helpful accounts I’ve ever come across of how to develop spiritual disciplines, or rhythms that draw us near to God, in the way they are meant to function – as lifegiving habits rather than legalistic pressure.
John Mark Comer – The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
Comer is an American pastor whose teaching on this topic has been influential on my own thinking. A lot of his teaching and resources can be found on www.practicingtheway.org, but he has also written this book (which was actually inspired by Dallas Willard).
James K.A. Smith – You Are What You Love
Smith is an academic philosopher and theologian who has recently started writing more accessible books for thoughtful Christians. This one is excellent, addressing much of what we covered in the third podcast, unpacking how our desires, in the end, shape who we become, and how we can in turn shape our desires.
Peter Scazzero – Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
Scazzero is an American pastor who wrote this book to argue that ‘you cannot be spiritually mature and emotionally immature’, a lesson he had to learn the hard way. This book is really helpful in showing us how to begin exploring our iceberg and also busting some of the unhelpful Christian myths about change that can leave us in emotional, and therefore spiritual, immaturity.
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