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Top 5 Books I Read in 2022



2022 Was a big year for me; I got engaged and married, our church continued to grow in number, I finished my Master of Divinity and with all that I read so little. I thought finishing school would free me to read more and write more, but it has been tough to find the motivation to do either. I hope this year would be different as I constantly have thoughts I would like to share through this platform. But alas, ministry is but a draining and time consuming machine that holds its prey firmly. Don't get me wrong, I love ministry but I do miss the solitude of reading and writing. Despite my futile efforts to be a consistent and fervent learner, I would like to share my annual list of the top 5 books I read. These are only top in the sense that they stood out to me personally, but they are by no means the top 5 books out there that you ought to read. This list is really for those that do not know where to begin their journey in reading. With that said, here they are.


Putting Amazing Back Into Grace. By Michael Horton.

This is perhaps the book that most of you would want to check out and read. The subject matter of this book is nothing groundbreaking or new, as it shouldn't be. Horton's revised and updated version of his landmark book simply touches on the topic of salvation through grace. Theologically it looks at the fundamental protestant reformed belief that one is saved by faith alone and that no human contributes anything towards their salvation. Nothing new and yet mesmerizing for me. Only in that grace is so absent in the expression of my daily living, that I need this reminder to ground all that I am. A simple re-articulation of a timeless truth, needed by all believers.


Devoted to God's Church. By Sinclair Ferguson.


If I had to pick a theologian and scholar that influenced me most this past year, it is Sinclair B. Ferguson. This man's writings and teachings have helped me tremendously through many different seasons that I endured in 2022. This book was found during my endeavour to select a book for our church's discipleship program. I was looking for books on the topic of ecclesiology and church life in general that would assist my congregation in understanding what it means to be a part of the church and how we can participate in it. Upon reading various books I found this one to be most concise and practical for my specific needs. I imagine it would be of the same assistance to many of you as well, especially those who are finding it hard to serve your church or finding the motivation to do so.


Marriage. By Paul David Tripp.

As I mentioned in my introduction, I got married this past year. And in preparation for such a hallmark moment in my life, I embarked on reading and studying up on Christian marriage. And I read all the titles that most people know, as well as some obscure titles that cover the topic from a scholarly perspective, which I found quite engaging. However, of all the books this one was simply refreshing. Paul Tripp has a way of writing, and preaching if you have ever had the chance to hear him, of connecting with his audience on a personal level. This was just a really simple and good book that is easy to recommend to those either looking to get married, preparing to get married or already married.


Reformed Ethics. By Herman Bavinck.

One of the most important documents of the Christian church and its treasury of historic writings is the Reformed Dogmatics written by the Dutch Reformed Theologian Herman Bavinck. Check out this article at The Gospel Coalition on why you ought to know Bavinck and read Bavinck: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-you-should-read-bavinck/. I embarked on reading these hefty documents a year ago and upon reading volume one of his Reformed Ethics I quickly understood why his writings are so important for every Christian to encounter. This is truly a treasure. I wish to one day not only be able to think like this man but write like him too. It is certainly dense and a heavy read, take it in slow like you would a fine piece of meat. It is worth savouring each bite. For the faint in heart, do not tackle this read but for the keen minds and the ones who want to truly know more and explore deeper I commend this to you. This book touches on how and where our human ethics come from, its distortion and its flaws. It is Bavinck's insight as to the moral and ethical issues that plague the church. Happy reading.


NIGTC: The First Epistle to the Corinthians. By Anthony Thiselton.

The NIGTC is one of my go-to commentary series because of its faithfulness to scripture and the quality of the commentators that write in this series. Perhaps the best of them (?) if I can be allowed to say such, is this one. This is Anthony Thiselton's commentary on 1 Corinthians. A book that our church went through in a sermon series for about a year. I used this commentary over and over and was abslotuely floored by its richness and depth of insight into this letter of Paul. 1 Corinthians is a book that has some complex matters within, and Thiselton does justice to it by helping readers to understand the intricate nuances of Corinth and Paul's relationship. His writing is complex at times but not without reason and it is never overbearing. Many regard this to be the best commentary on 1 Corinthians ever written, I may have to agree.


 
 
 

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