Our world, and to some extent even the culture in some Christian circles, is one of hot takes, shallow spirituality, and an ever‑shrinking attention span. I am convinced that the church is in need of, and is helped a great deal by, books that help us slow down and think biblically, pastorally, and theologically. From the pew to the pulpit, from the study desk to the seminary classroom, good Christian books continue to shape how we love God, understand ourselves, and care for others.
The following five books, though varied in style and focus, share a common concern: helping God’s people live faithfully as followers of Jesus in the real world. Written with pastoral sensitivity and theological seriousness, each offers something valuable to the reader. These are not exhaustive critiques of the books but appreciative reviews and I hope that will prompt you to pick up a copy and spend some unhurried time with them for your own benefit and spiritual nourishment.
Made in Our Image — Stephen Driscoll
Stephen Driscoll’s ‘Made in Our Image’ is a timely and thoughtful exploration of what it truly means to be human before God. At a moment when questions of identity, embodiment, and personhood dominate cultural conversations, Driscoll returns us to the Bible’s foundational claim: humanity is made in the image of God.
Writing with theological clarity and pastoral clarity, Driscoll avoids both abstract speculation and culture‑war hostility. Instead, he patiently unpacks the biblical doctrine of the imago Dei and shows how it shapes our understanding of dignity, responsibility, sin, and redemption. Readers will appreciate how firmly the book is rooted in Scripture while still engaging contemporary concerns with seriousness and compassion.
This is a book well suited to pastors seeking to teach on anthropology, students grappling with theological ethics, and other Christians wanting to think more deeply about what it means to live faithfully as image‑bearers of God. It is challenging without being combative, and convicting without being crushing. A difficult combination to manage, but Driscoll does it well.
A Pastor Prays for His People — Wendell C. Hawley
There is something profoundly counter‑cultural about a book that simply invites us to listen in on the prayers of a faithful pastor. Wendell C. Hawley’s ‘A Pastor Prays for His People’ does just that, offering readers a window into a life of intercession shaped by the Bible and love for the local church.
This is not a book about prayer techniques or ministry strategies. It is a deeply devotional work that models what it looks like for a shepherd to carry his people before the throne of grace. Hawley’s prayers are saturated with biblical language, theological depth, and pastoral concern which reminds the reader that prayer is not an accessory to ministry but its very heartbeat.
Pastors will find this book both encouraging and gently corrective, calling them back to the unseen faithfulness of prayer. Other Christians will also benefit from it, gaining a deeper appreciation for pastoral ministry and perhaps learning how to pray more richly for their own churches and fellow Christians.
Here to Love — Chris Cipollone
Chris Cipollone’s ‘Here to Love’ addresses a simple but searching question: what does it actually look like to love like Jesus did in the everyday life of the Christian? Cipollone explores love not as a vague sentiment but as a costly, covenantal commitment grounded in the gospel.
One of the things I really liked about this book is how it combines theological truth with practical examples and application. Cipollone takes you to the bible and shows you how God’s love for us in Christ becomes the pattern and power for our love toward others in the church, in families, and in a fractured world. Cipollone’s writing style is easy to read without being simplistic, making it especially suitable for small groups or personal devotional reading.
At a time when love is often redefined in purely therapeutic or permissive terms, this book offers a more robust, biblical vision of love – one that holds together truth and grace, conviction and compassion. It is a book that encourages self‑examination while constantly pointing the reader to the steadfast love of God.
Disentangled — Jo Johnson
In ‘Disentangled’, Jo Johnson writes with refreshing honesty about the spiritual knots that Christians get entangled in: anxiety, guilt, distorted desires, and unexamined habits of thought. Rather than offering quick fixes, Johnson patiently helps readers recognise how these entanglements form and how the gospel speaks into them.
I found the book to be very pastorally sensitive. Johnson does not minimise suffering or pretend that spiritual growth is easy, but neither does she leave readers without hope. Throughout the book, Scripture is carefully applied to the complexities of real Christian experience, encouraging readers to bring their whole lives, including their struggles, into the light of God’s grace.
This is a particularly helpful resource for those involved in pastoral care, counselling, or discipleship, but it will also resonate with any Christian who has felt stuck or weary in their walk with Christ. This book reminds us that sanctification is not about self‑salvation, but about learning to rest in Jesus.
The If That Changes Everything — Mike Hood
Mike Hood’s ‘The If That Changes Everything‘ is a thoughtful meditation on faith, doubt, and the transformative power of trusting God’s promises. Taking seriously the questions and hesitations that many people have in life, Hood shows how conditional thinking – the “ifs” of fear and uncertainty – can either paralyse faith or become moments of deeper dependence on God.
Rather than shaming doubt, Hood treats it as a pastoral reality to be addressed with Scripture and patience. The book consistently points readers back to the character of God and the reliability of his Word, helping them see how faith grows not by ignoring questions but by bringing them honestly before God.
This is a book that would be great for a student at university, for those new to the faith, or anyone navigating seasons of uncertainty. It is engaged the mind, is rooted in the Bible, and pastorally sensitive. A combination that makes it both reassuring and challenging.
Taken together, these five books remind us that faithful Christian reading is not about chasing novelty, but about being shaped, over and over, by the truths of the Bible which are applied to the realities of life. Each author, in their own way, helps the church think more clearly, pray more deeply, and love more faithfully.
Whether you are a pastor looking for resources that nourish your soul as well as your ministry, a student seeking theological depth, or a Christian eager to grow in wisdom, these books are well worth your time. In a noisy world, they offer something precious: thoughtful, gospel‑centred guidance for the long road of discipleship.
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