Church Building Blocks – Resource List
We may have finished our Church Building Blocks sermon series, but there’s still plenty of need for us to all continue thinking about how we serve, pray, mission and steward. Our pastors, Mat, Greg and Brian, have recommended some books that are worth reading if you’re looking for more input on these topics.
1. Serving Without Sinking: How to serve Christ and keep your joy – John Hindley
Mat says: “This book by John Hindley works through both the wrong and the right reasons for serving. It is especially useful when serving is tough as it will remind you of why you are serving and the joy of working for the (real) boss. I was really struck by our new relationship with God through Christ and how that motivates us to serve.”
2. You Can Pray – Tim Chester
Brian says: “You Can Pray helps all Christians to see that prayer is accessible to them. The book’s three sections look at why prayer is easy, why prayer is difficult and what it is we pray. Tim Chester is realistic about the day-to-day challenges and difficulties of praying, and gently reminds us of the delightful truths about God that entice us to pray. It’s worth buying the book for the first chapter alone—Tim reminds us that we have a loving Heavenly Father who delights to hear his children speak to him.”
3. Know and Tell the Gospel – John Chapman
Greg says: “Whilst this book is almost 40 years old, it is still one of the best books around on personal evangelism. For John Chapman, evangelism was a way of life. But you don’t have to be Chappo to be an evangelist. This easy-to-read book will show you how you can share the message of the gospel in your own personal situations.”
4. Islam in Our Backyard: A novel argument – Tony Payne
Greg says: “I read this book maybe 15 years ago and it challenged me to think about not just how I can connect with people from an Islamic background, but also how to relate to people who think differently from me in general.
5. One-to-One Bible Reading: A simple guide for every Christian – David Helm
Greg says: “Phillip Jensen summed it up when he said, ‘David Helm has written a guide to help Christians in one of the most basic methods of helping others: reading the Bible with them.’”
6. The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the secret of joyful giving – Randy Alcorn
Mat says: “This book aims to unlock the secret of joyful giving. It is so hard to walk the line of godliness when it comes to money and possessions. The principles outlined in this book are simple clear reminders of what we need to remember. They cover topics such as ‘God owns everything, I’m his money manager’, ‘my heart always goes where I put God’s money’, ‘heaven, not earth, is my home’ and ‘giving is the only antidote to materialism’. I was particularly impacted by the reminder that nothing I have is mine. I manage what is God’s.