Back in February of 1998, Desiring God hosted a Conference concerning “The Gospel in Contemporary Culture.” During the panel discussion, one attendee asked the speakers if they had one or two books that had impacted them in a significant way. Here were their answers:
George Verwer
David Wells
John Piper
Alister Begg
Dave Miller (75)
Debbie Kaufman (63)
Rick Patrick (41)
Chris Roberts (37)
Bob Hadley (33)
Frank (33)
Greg Harvey (31)
Bart Barber (30)
dr. james willingham (30)
cb scott (29)
So John Piper picked his own book?
Piper is most pleased with us when we are most satisfied to purchase his books.
Now I count myself as a Piper fan-boy, but that right there was funny.
Rick is a liberal!!!!!!!!!
I wish ya’ll would listen to the source before you made accusations. The book Piper recommended was actually the Jonathan Edwards book The End for Which God Created the World. John Piper hadn’t even written the book when he recommended the Edwards book. At this time, he said that the only place it could be found was in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, which cost around $75. So, Piper wrote an introduction to Edwards’ essay/book to make it available at a cheaper price. That’s why he recommended his own book. At the time, it was $65 cheaper than the Edwards’ collection.
Rick, that is awesome.
Jared, Please tell me you have not set it up so you get a cut from Amazon if anyone buys one of the books above by clicking through from this site.
And as the smoke cleared from the barrel of Lydia’s sniper rifle, her spotter exclaimed with a smile on his face, “Nailed it!’
That may have been true when this was published at his site, but as far as I know, SBC Voices has no link to Amazon that rewards us.
Actually, as I understand it, many sites have agreements with Amazon or other book houses that reward the blogger simply if someone clicks through the link to the site. I do not know of any such arrangement at Voices.
Why would that be a problem? It is interesting information, and if someone buys one of the books, what would be wrong with him getting a tiny percentage of the sale? It’s not like it will cost you extra.
Lydia, If someone buys one of the books, I get a small percentage. I’ve been linking to Amazon for over 2 years, and I’ve made a total of around $57.00. This total amount is less than it cost to run my site those 2 years.
I don’t get anything if someone just clicks on the link.
Your comment sounds accusatory. What’s the problem?
Jared, I am the biggest capitialist around. I have no problem with entrepreneurial preachers, either ,within reason, mainly because of your influence over people from a piece of furniture. I just think being upfront about it is best or linking to your own blog with it would make more sense. I think it is great you made 57 bucks. I have a friend who makes about 4 times that much per month doing the Amazon thing. Just as long as you are not promoting a MLM at church! (wink)
Lydia, I don’t understand your point at all. Also, this comment doesn’t jive with your accusatory comment above.
SBC Voices receives money from the ads on the right. Tony uses this money to pay for the site. The writers here don’t receive any money. On this article, I would provide a link to the books anyways, but you have a problem with me receiving a very small amount of the purchase price if a book is bought? There is no difference in price for the consumer. So, I don’t see why you wrote a negative comment above.
In the future, please only make comments that deal with the content of the article.
Jared Moore,
That’s just Lydia’s way of telling you she loves you. Put up the sword.
Tomorrow is Right-to-Life Sunday. Use the sword tomorrow when it counts.
Lydia, just for the record, most of the book reviews on this site contain referral links to Amazon where the person who wrote the review receives a portion of the purchase price if a person clicks through and buys anything at Amazon. Also, none of the authors link to their blog or “let people know beforehand.” There’s no need to since the purchase price is the same regardless.
I find your first comment on this article to have nothing to do with the content of the article. It’s also unfounded and inconsistent with your next comment. From now on, if you leave a comment on any of my articles that has nothing to do with the article, it will be deleted.
Let’s make it three Jared.
Thanks for the post, Jared.
I just want to make a general point about being a well-read Christian. Part of what I see here in the reflections of these men is an almost across-the-board reliance on one tradition (Reformed) of Christianity. I see Calvin, Edwards, Heppe, Lloyd-Jones, Murray, and such as the formative books. While that is to be expected, I suppose, given who these folks are (in the more or less Reformed tradition), I think that to be a well-read Christian, we need to read as much out of our own particular brand as in it.
I know if I were to put together a list of formative books in my own life, I would be spanning the theological spectrum. I also think we would be better able to understand each other if we read broadly as well.
Unsolicited, here are some keepers (in my opinion):
Against Heresies by Irenaeus
Four Discourses against the Arians by Athanasius
On the Trinity by Hilary of Poitiers
The Theological Orations by Gregory of Nazianzus
The Freedom of a Christian by Martin Luther
Institutes by John Calvin
Declaration of Sentiments by James Arminius
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace by J.B. Torrance
Jesus and the Undoing of Adam by Baxter Kruger
Anyway, I liked Piper recommending his own book as well.
Jim G.
Hmmm, the list looks pretty heavy to me. Mark Twain said that a classic is a book everyone wants to have read but no one wants to read. Sure it is impressive to have read Calvin’s institutes but how many people were seriously impacted by it? A few I am sure- not me, sorry to admit that! God has shaped my heart and mind through a wide variety of works- some were even classics. The books that shaped me and have drawn me back again and again were the following:
Into the Glory by Jamie Buckingham was used by God to call me into missions when I was 13.
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Prayer by Richard Foster is even better.
Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton (Very heavy but worth it)
The most readable old classic is The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis
Wild at Heat by John Eldridge
Also his Waking the Dead
Let the Nations Be Glad by Piper
Church Planting Movements by David Garrison
The Vision of the Possible by Dan Sinclair- this is the best book most of you haven’t heard of.
The Vision by Rick Joyner- yes he is a madman, yes there are some very important truths in this book.
Developing the Leaders Around You by John Maxwell is one of the better how to disciple books out there.
The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning
That’s enough. Please guys, list more! I am in the US for six months and am looking for a new reading list.
That should probably be Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. Though Wild at Heat could be fun too.
“Wild at Heat” is the sequel to the Driscolls’ marriage book!
OK Rick. That made me gut laugh.
Me too.
Rick, don’t encourage Driscoll.
He just might be tempted to use that title!
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