Thank You and Read on!

Many, many thanks to all that came out last night for the fellowship dinner and the Indelible Grace concert.  It was better than expected and everyone (including the band) was humbled by Covenant's enthusiasm and hunger for the gospel through song.  We hope we can provide events like this more often here at Covenant.  Next week we return to our Wed Worship service working through 1 Thessalonians.  Rev. TJ Wolters will be leading the preaching with Faith Piper Renneker leading us in song.

Secondly, as pastor of discipleship, I get asked multiple times per week, what books do I recommend for discipleship groups and/or personal reading.  I found this excellent list by Tullian Tchvidian but I added 6 more to the mix to make it a top 20.  If you or your group hasn't read a few of these, let me whole heartedly recommend them all.  I have triple starred (***) the ones I'd say, stop what you are currently reading and pick them up now! 

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Twenty (one) Books On “The Gospel For Christians”

As I’ve said before, I once assumed (along with the vast majority of professing Christians) that the gospel was simply what non-Christians must believe in order to be saved, while afterward we advance to deeper theological waters. But I’ve come to realize that once God rescues sinners, his plan isn’t to steer them beyond the gospel, but to move them more deeply into it. The gospel, in other words, isn’t just the power of God to save you, it’s the power of God to grow you once you’re saved. After all, the only antidote to sin is the gospel—and since Christians remain sinners even after they’re converted, the gospel must be the medicine a Christian takes every day.

This idea that the gospel is just as much for Christians as it is for non-Christians may seem like a new idea to many but, in fact, it is really a very old idea.

Well, I’ve had some great help along the way as I’ve wrestled with this “new idea.” There have been some books (beneath the Bible) which have helped me better understand how God intends the reality of the gospel to mold and shape and liberate us at every point and in every way. The following list of books (not in any particular order) is not exhaustive, but if you read them you will be moving in the right direction toward a better, more Biblical understanding of the Christian’s need for the gospel.           Tullian Tchvidian

1. Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges

2. The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges

3. The Gospel-Driven Life by Micheal Horton

4. In Christ Alone by Sinclair Ferguson ***

5. Scandalous Freedom by Steve Brown

6. When Being Good Isn’t Good Enough by Steve Brown

7. Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick ***

8. Christ Formed In You by Brian Hedges

9. Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller ***

10. The Prodigal God by Tim Keller ***

11. The Reign of Grace by Scotty Smith

12. Holiness by Grace by Bryan Chapell ***

13. From Fear to Freedom by Rose Marie Miller

14. Counsel From the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson

15. The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshal

16.  The Cross-Centered Life by CJ Mahaney

17.  How People Change by Tim Lane & Paul Tripp

18.  The Cross of Christ by John Stott

19.  You Can Change by Tim Chester ***

20.  What is the Gospel by Greg Gilbert

And One to Grow On:  Surprised by Grace by Tullian Tchvidian

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