If you’re looking to dig deeply into the topic of what spiritual growth is and how it happens, these books are a great place to start. Each one has impacted my own walk of faith by giving a fresh perspective on what spiritual growth looks like.
This book is not about relief; it is about change. Its message is not, ‘Here’s how to feel better now.’ Rather, it deals with the route to transformation of character.
. . .I’m not very far along the path to deeply felt life and joy in Christ, but I think I’m on it. Consider with me what is available in this life: a change of character that enables us to taste enough of God now to whet our appetite for the banquet later.
— Larry Crabb
Inside Out by Larry Crabb — Do you want to experience true and lasting change? Then this book is for you. Dr. Larry Crabb is persuaded that the only path to true change starts from the inside out, and in this book, he presents his case.
According to Dr. Crabb, a major step toward experiencing change involves coming to terms with the world being the way it is and accepting that full satisfaction won’t be found until heaven. Transformation of our character also requires dealing with the sin in our heart, not just the sin in our actions.
Filled with insightful observations of human nature, this book is a fascinating and helpful study for anyone wanting to learn more about how to make progress on the path to maturity.
God doesn’t make anything and then decide to throw it away. He creates, and then, if there is a problem, he rescues. Redemption always involves the redemption of creation. The psalmist says, “Know that the LORD Himself is God. It is He who made us, and not we ourselves.“
Here is the good news: When you flourish, you become more you. You become more that person God had in mind when he thought you up. You don’t just become holier. You become you-ier. You will change; God wants you to become a “new creation.” But “new” doesn’t mean completely different; instead, it’s like an old piece of furniture that gets restored to its intended beauty.
— John Ortberg
The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg — I was impressed by how many topics this book covers (not comprehensively, of course, but enough to offer a good grasp on each one). The topics covered include identity, personality, relationships, temptation, thoughts, prayers, career, calling, and suffering.
The common thread that connects all of these topics is how they relate to our spiritual growth. After you finish reading this book, you’ll be equipped with a fresh perspective and practical steps you can apply in all of the areas mentioned plus several others.
For all this book covers, it’s still an easy read. Packed with memorable illustrations and quoteworthy lines, this is popular Christian nonfiction at its finest. It’s both educational and enjoyable.
Spirituality is complex, complicated, and perplexing—the disorderly, sloppy, chaotic look of authentic faith in the real world.
Spirituality is anything but a straight line; it is a mixed-up, topsy-turvy, helter-skelter godliness that turns our lives into an upside-down toboggan ride full of unexpected turns, surprise bumps, and bone-shattering crashes. In other words, messy spirituality is the delirious consequence of a life ruined by a Jesus who will love us right into his arms.
— Michael Yaconelli
Messy Spirituality by Michael Yaconelli — I love this book! Without so much as an introduction, Michael Yaconelli jumps right in, admitting that his own life is a mess. Throughout the book, he is painfully honest about his own and others’ struggles. He uses plenty of vivid illustrations to portray his points in a way that sticks in readers’ minds.
I love Michael’s distinctly delightful writing style. He’s amazingly creative and original, and his unusual way with words arrests your attention. By giving words meanings and connotations different from common usage, he makes you pause and think through what he’s really saying.
What I liked most about this book was seeing how Jesus is very much present in the middle of our messy lives. Messy Spirituality is an incredibly encouraging and wonderfully uplifting read for anyone who realizes their life is, well, messy. (And that should include everyone!)
Why is it that so few Christians know in actual experience what it is to enjoy the winged life of the heavenly places? Is it not because we know so little about love? Love is the law of the winged life. Up there in the heavenly places is to be experienced the perfect freedom and joy of those who have learned to love truly and have received power to do so continually and under all circumstances.
— Hannah Hurnard
Winged Life by Hannah Hurnard — Due to its age, this book is written in an old-fashioned style, but don’t let that scare you. It’s a treasure trove of insights on a range of subjects including suffering, thought life, reading habits, and how to truly love and accept others. All are united by the theme of becoming more Christlike in our thinking.
Hannah Hurnard’s insights on unity among believers who disagree with one another have been particularly impactful for me. I would recommend this book on the basis of her thoughts on that topic alone, because her wisdom helped me reach a point of resolve on what had been an immensely troubling issue for me.
It is not enough to teach and preach about the Spirit. We must experience him personally in new depths, or we will accomplish little. Without the Holy Spirit there is no quickening of the Scripture. Worship is hollow. Preaching is mechanical, never piercing the heart. Conviction of sin is almost nonexistent. Faith is more mental than heartfelt. Prayer meetings fade away. Church meetings become routine. And Christian people stay lukewarm at best.
Please, God, send the Holy Spirit upon us and revive your people.
— Jim Cymbala
Fresh Power by Jim Cymbala — In this inspiring and uplifting book, Pastor Jim Cymbala reminds believers that our deepest need in the church is not for better programs or newer methods, but fresh power from above. His convicting thoughts on the state of the church are as relevant today as they were when this book was written a little over twenty years ago.
Pastor Cymbala’s thoughts are interspersed with powerful testimonies from members of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, which lend flesh and color to his call for change in the church by giving a picture of what transformation can look like.
Saturated with Scripture and sensitive to the Spirit, this book would be a great read for anyone who is hungry for revival.
What might it look like for Jesus to revive us again today? It needn’t have a label, like a movement among a certain denomination or tradition, or among believers of a certain eschatological view. It needn’t be confined to Christians from megachurches or minichurches, or to those who speak in tongues or those who don’t. It needn’t be the experience of just the hipsters or the oldsters, or just those who dunk or those who sprinkle. It will be where and when and with whom God chooses. It will be a beautiful mess—and let’s just pray that it happens again. Soon.
— Greg Laurie and Ellen Vaughn
Jesus Revolution by Greg Laurie and Ellen Vaughn — Before the movie, there was this book. Before the book, there was the movement. And behind that revival was the same Spirit who is still working today.
If you come to this book expecting a play-by-play description of the events of the Jesus Movement, you’ll be disappointed. That isn’t the sole focus—or even the primary focus—of this book. The Jesus Movement (or the Jesus Revolution, as it is also called) is one of a few threads in the book. The authors include plenty of historical context to help readers understand what was happening in the nation and across the world during that time. Also woven into the narrative is Greg Laurie’s testimony of coming to faith and obeying the call to become an evangelist. As such, readers get a history lesson and a personal testimony in addition to the story of a revival. It’s a lively, rollicking ride—story-driven, adventure-filled, and faith-guided.
At the heart of this book is a desire to ignite faith for another great revival in our day. It inspired hope in my heart for another move of the Spirit, and it could do the same for you.
My question then, for individual believers and thus the church, is this: do we view our faith as a magnificent philosophy or a living truth; as an abstract, sometimes academic theory or a living Person for whom we are prepared to lay down our lives? The most destructive and tyrannical movements of the twentieth century, Communism and Nazism, have resulted from fanatics singlemindedly applying fallible philosophies. What would happen if we were actually to apply God’s truth for the glory of His kingdom?
— Charles Colson
Loving God by Charles Colson — Packed with vivid stories and unflinching reflections, this intensely practical modern-day classic challenges readers to think about what it means to obey the greatest commandment. It reminds us that loving God is a transforming action with radical implications for our daily lives. Don’t read this book unless you want to be challenged to obey Christ with all your heart, soul, and mind and do whatever it takes to follow His call.
I’ll have to put some of these on my reading list!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!