Recommended Reading- 2024
Summers are a great time to pick up new reading habits. Perhaps it’s because you’re on holiday, or because you are enjoying extended periods of sunlight, or even because you have the opportunity to listen to sermons or read Scripture in a fresh way? If this was true of your summer, or if you’d like it to have been, we at RCL want to encourage you to continue reading, as we transition into the Autumn season.
In an effort to help you nourish your reading habits, the RCL staff and a few elders have put together the following list of book recommendations.
We hope this helps!
Maryane’s recommendation:
The Life of Peter, Molded in the Master’s Hands, by Derek Thomas.
This book captures Peter’s life from the moment he encounters Jesus, showing his transformation from a brash fisherman into a bold Apostle. It highlights his high and low points, his shameful failures, and his moments of bold faith, reminding us of Christ’s power to renew and transform imperfect believers.
When we read scripture and encounter different men and women of God, we can sometimes put them on a pedestal. We forget to see their humanity, blunders, and shortcomings. What I love about this book is how the grace of God transforms and sanctifies His people, who are rough around the edges and have many quirks and flaws. Through Peter’s life, it demonstrates that true discipleship isn’t a journey of perfection but one where we keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
Toyin’s Recommendation:
A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Common Good, by Miroslav Volf
It was a great book that challenged me to think about how I engage my faith in public setting and view public issues from a Christian perspective.
Brittany’s recommendation:
Sticky Faith, by Kara E. Powell and Chap Clark
It is an essential read for anyone invested in helping young people develop a lasting faith. The book addresses the challenge many families face — keeping kids connected to their Christian faith after they leave home. Through extensive research and real-life stories, Clark and Powell offer practical strategies to build a faith that “sticks” well into adulthood. With an empathetic tone and actionable advice, it’s a resource that provides hope and guidance for nurturing a deep, resilient faith in young people.
Ed’s Recommendation:
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, by Jeremiah Burroughs
C.S. Lewis once wrote ‘After reading a new book, never allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between’. This is my ‘new but old’ book recommendation. In fact it should really be called a ‘golden oldie’.
This short book contains a deep reflection on the benefits and sadly rarity of Christian contentment, taking as its primary text Philippians 4:11, where Paul reminds this church that he has endeavoured to learn to be content in all situations. ‘All’ is to be highlighted here. In fact, Burroughs seeks to answer the question, ‘How can a Christian enjoy deep contentment regardless of circumstance in this life?’. This is question we all need to know the answer to, I would argue our Christian witness depends on it.
As with all older books, take your time and read it slowly. Despite its brevity it is relatively dense and like the very best Christian books, it is best read prayerfully. Though, I hope, like me, you will find yourself launched into prayer as Jeremiah Burroughs explains the beauty, value, and benefit that a cultivated contentment in Christ brings.
My (Chrissy’s) Recommendation:
New Every Morning Revised, by The British Broadcasting Corporation
This book is a collection of daily services that were broadcasted each day by reverends in the Church of England. The daily service begins with a bible passage and is followed by a grounding prayer, a hymn and then intercessory prayers for specific populations, needs or events.
I found this book either in an old bookshop or my grandmother’s closet and didn’t realise the treasure that it was initially. To my great surprise, this book has become my new daily devotional guide and I have been really challenged particularly by the intercessory prayers which often are for events, people, or needs that I would normally never have thought to pray for.
If you’re looking for a new devotional book that challenges you with King James version texts and to be pushed to pray with more intentionality and diversity, then this is the book for you.
In closing, we wanted to say if you do end up reading any of these, be sure to let the staff or elder know what you thought on a Sunday! We’d love to hear from you, as we hope these resources will be an encouragement to you.
