RESOURCES
As we explore our faith and deepen our relationship with Jesus, it is sometimes helpful to take advantage of those who have gone before us and experienced some of the things we've experienced and asked the same questions we've asked. Some of those people write about that. Here are a few resources that you might find helpful as you walk your own journey. (You can click on the image to jump to an online source to purchase.)
NRSV Annotated Study Bible
This particular version of the Bible includes the Apocrypha as well.
A More Christlike God by Bradley Jersak
If Christ is "the image of the invisible God, the radiance of God's glory and exact representation of God's likeness," what if we conceived of God as completely Christlike -- the perfect Incarnation of self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love?
A More Christlike Word by Bradley Jersak
The Scriptures are an essential aspect of the Christian faith. But we have often equated them with the living Word Himself, even elevating them above the One to whom they point. In doing so, we have distorted their central message — and our view of God.
Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen
This sincere testimony of the power and invitation of Christ is indeed a great guide to a truly uplifting spiritual life in today’s world.
A More Christlike Way by Bradley Jersak
A More Christlike Way is a book about Jesus Christ. Writing from decades of pastoral experience, Jersak lays out how Jesus Christ of Nazareth, in his fully human nature, forged the path for a new and true humanity. We’ll call it the Jesus Way.
The Sin of Certainty by Peter Enns
Enns explains how Christians mistake “certainty” and “correct belief” for faith when what God really desires is trust and intimacy, offering a model of vibrant faith that views skepticism not as a loss of belief, but as an opportunity to deepen religious conviction with courage and confidence.
Falling Upward by Richard Rohr
Fr. Rohr seeks to help readers understand the tasks of the two halves of life and to show them that those who have fallen, failed, or "gone down" are the only ones who understand "up." He explores the counterintuitive message that we grow spiritually much more by doing wrong than by doing right -- a fresh way of thinking about spirituality that grows throughout life.
The Practice of the Presence of God
Brother Lawrence often stated that it is God who paints Himself in the depths of our souls. We must merely open our hearts to receive Him and His loving presence.
A More Christlike Word by Bradley Jersak
The Scriptures are an essential aspect of the Christian faith. But we have often equated them with the living Word Himself, even elevating them above the One to whom they point. In doing so, we have distorted their central message — and our view of God.
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook
Maybe you long for a more intimate prayer life or deeper insight from God's Word but just don't know how to get there. Adele Calhoun gives us directions for our continuing journey toward intimacy with Christ, showing how desires and discipline work together to lead us to the transformation we're longing for ― the transformation only Christ can bring.
Out of the Embers by Bradley Jersak
Jersak explores the necessity, perils, and possibilities of the Great Deconstruction — how it has the potential to either sabotage our communion with God or infuse it with the breath of life, the light and life of Christ himself. A Light shines through the ashes.
God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines
Feeling the tension between the understanding of the Bible he'd been given and the reality of his same-sex orientation, Vines devoted years of intensive research into what the Bible says about homosexuality, resulting in a book that is unique in its affirmation of both an orthodox faith and sexual diversity.
The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby
The book is a call from a place of love and desire to fight for a more racially unified church that no longer compromises what the Bible teaches about human dignity and equality. A call that challenges black and white Christians alike to standup now and begin implementing concrete steps for a more equitable and inclusive environment among God's people.
A Theology of the Ordinary by Julie Canlis
With the surge of books and blogs celebrating the ordinary, Canlis lays a theological foundation for this celebration based upon the Father's blessing of ordinary life, the Son's incarnation in ordinary life, and the Spirit's re-creation of ordinary life.
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
by Peter Scazerro
Peter Scazzero learned the hard way: you can't be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature. He did what most people do: avoid conflict in the name of Christianity; ignore his anger, sadness, and fear; use God to run from God; and live without boundaries. Eventually, God awakened him to a biblical integration of emotional health and the spiritual practice of slowing down and quieting your life for to experience a firsthand relationship with Jesus.
Unspoken Sermons by George MacDonald
MacDonald was a Scottish poet, novelist and minister. C.S. Lewis said of his Unspoken Sermons that it had given readers "indispensable help toward the very acceptance of the Christian faith.” Madeleine L'Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time, wrote that “George MacDonald gives me renewed strength during times of trouble — times when I have seen people tempted to deny God.”
Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
Wright argues that what we believe about life after death directly affects what we believe about life before death. For if God intends to renew the whole creation — and if this has already begun in Jesus’s resurrection — the church cannot stop at "saving souls" but must anticipate the eventual renewal by working for God’s kingdom in the wider world, bringing healing and hope in the present life.
Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley
McCaulley discovered that a key element in the fight for hope has long been the practice of Bible reading and interpretation that comes out of traditional Black churches. This ecclesial tradition is often disregarded or viewed with suspicion by much of the wider church and academy, but it has something vital to say.
Obviously, there are many more books to explore from a variety of authors from a variety of perspectives. This selection is not exhaustive. The authors of these books offer scores of other books to consider as well. We hope that you will find one or more of these helpful as you continue to deepen your relationship with Jesus and step into a community of Christ followers.