Frank Viola | Beyond Evangelical

Official Blog of Author & Speaker Frank Viola. Digging below the surface and moving beyond the shallows in today's Christianity.

The 100 Best Christian Books Ever Written

“When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes.”

~ Erasmus

People often ask me what books I recommend reading. In response, I’ve compiled two main lists.

My 100 Best Christian Books Ever Written list.

My 100 Best Christian Academic Works & Commentaries list.

If you are building a spiritual library, I recommend that you begin with these titles.

Note: These aren’t the “pop” books that most Christians rave about today. They are books that are in line with THE DEEPER JOURNEY.

Each book can be purchased directly from the above pages at a discount.

Be sure to read the explanatory note at the top with the disclaimer.

Click here to listen to the audio where I talk candidly about how to build a library and some “inside information” about contemporary Christian books.

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  1. Thanks for this list, I will be checking some of these out. I am always looking for deeper Christian books, particularly fiction, with more theology to them. I review the literature of Christian Victorians on my blog.

  2. Thanks for the great list. However,I am seeing many great authors and books missing from this list. I don’t see Charles Stanley, Beth Moore, Billy Graham, Henry Blackaby, and many more. I plan to read some from the list, but would have liked to seen a wider variety of authors and books on here.

    • Most of those are the “pop” authors of our time. The books on this list are the ones that have a lot more depth in my opinion. Just read Watchman Nee’s The Normal Christian Life or T. Austin-Sparks’ The School of Christ and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Billy Graham is a great evangelist, but I don’t regard him as a great author.

  3. I am looking for a book that is worded like Jesus is talking to you as you read….hoping you have it on your site

  4. I wonder if you have read Francis Chan’s book Crazy Love. If not, I recommend it, I was surprised not to see it on this list. 🙂

    • We have the same publisher. Read a little, but it didn’t grab me. Not a bad book, but just gives basic truths. Good for people new to the faith about basic Christian truth and especially written for people who are lukewarm. Those who have come into a deeper walk with the Lord won’t find anything new in it. It’s a “kick in your pants” kind of book that’s very popular today (I talk about this in my podcast on Christian books – https://www.frankviola.org/podcast). The books on my list are deeper than the average Christian book that one will find in a Christian bookstore. I recommend starting out with “The Normal Christian Life” by Watchman Nee and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

  5. As a long-time admirer of the works of T-A-S, I was glad to see him ranking well in your top 100. What I am a bit concerned about is the fact that (as I understand it) he was insistent that his writings would never be for sale, but kept as a free resource for the church. I understand that a Kindle version takes certain resources to produce and can understand the charge, but his books? Am I misunderstanding something?

    • You need to take your concern up with the publisher: Destiny Image. It does cost money to put a book together. The content isn’t the major thing being sold for any book. But you should ask them about your specific concern. Only they can answer since they published the books.

  6. Thanks Frank for your interesting list! Cool to see my dad make the list! 🙂 (http://wineskins.net/)

    I am not a great reader and so I’ve personally only read a few of these. I know we have some Watchman Nee at home that I need to check out. I was surprised I didn’t see Richard Foster or Eugene Peterson on your list – but books hit everyone differently. Out of curiosity, can you share your top 2-3 from before the 20th Century? Just curious.

    • Howie: Love your dad, bro. How did you find this blog? Before 20th century, too many to list, the Eastern Fathers, A.B. Simpson, C. Spurgeon, J. Guyon, Brother Lawrence, etc.

  7. Hands down, pound-for-pound, outside of the Bible, the best Christian book I’ve ever read — ‘The Normal Christian Life’ (Watchman Nee)…thoroughly support your championing of it, Frank.

  9. Hey Frank…I just received 2 books I ordered on your list. “Sit, Walk, Stand” by Nee and “Christ the Center” by Bonhoeffer. I’m starting Nee’s book first as I’m reading Ephesians now anyway. Thanks! How’s the book coming along?

  10. Hi Frank: Thanks for being part of the some of the shaking the Father is doing to wake us up from the spiritual stupor the boxed church is in. I sense that the Lord is quietly and slowly awakening some(many who were former pastors) to spirituality and ministry that helps us to allow the Holy Spirit to be unleashed to show us Father(what Jesus came to do). I have read much of T. Austin-Sparks and benefitted from his writings.

    • That’s difficult. Off the cuff I’d say:

      The Normal Christian Life
      The School of Christ
      The Normal Christian Church Life
      Sit, Walk, Stand
      Going to the Root

  14. Just out of interest, any idea what percentage of the list are not white, from the west, and male? A serious point – and apologies not having the time to go through it all myself – but just wondered about global theology and different perspectives.

    • KB: Thx. for your comment. Let’s see . . . off the cuff, Nee and Kaung who have multiple books on the list were Asian and from the East. Mary McDonough, Jeane Guyon, Rosalind Rinker, and Ruth Paxson were women. Some of the authors were/are Asian. Some German. Some Scottish. Some French. Some Australian. Some Dutch. Some British. Some American. Some of the authors I have no idea. Just yesterday someone recommended a Yoder book called “The Fullness of Christ” that I’ve never heard of. As I read more books, I may either extend the list or swap some for better titles.

  15. Thanks for the list, Frank. The books I’ve read from the list have been excellent so far. I appreciate having this as a guide amid so many books to choose from.

  16. Great list. Going through Bonhoeffer’s Discipleship. Much to chew on. Thanks for the update.

  17. Just so you know, you can still get The Secret of The Strength about the Anabaptists from Scroll Publishing. I know at one time you listed it as out-of print. It’s one of my top 100.

  18. Nice list, read Watchman Nee back in the 70’s all good, I should dust them off again.
    May I highly suggest:”The Practice Of The Presence of God”, Brother Lawrence; “Jerusalem In The Time Of Jesus”, Joachim Jermias; “The Method and Message of Jesus Teachings”, Stein;
    “Christianity With Power”, Kraft.
    All young adult christians should read “Whats So Great About Christianity?”, Dinesh D’Souza, it places a firm Biblical belief foundation after being taught the worlds ways in our public school system.
    Nice website.
    I love the name “Beyond Evangelical”

    • Chesterton is great. But I like the books I listed a bit better (his would make the top 150). Pascal’s book would be unreadable to most. It would fall under the “academic” books.

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