January 21, 2010
My List of the Most Influential Christian Books of the Last Decade
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor
I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!
Ecclesiastes 1:13
Ecclesiastes 1:13Soon, our sister site Christianity.com will release a list (compiled mostly by smarter and more qualified people than me) of the books that have been the most important, most influential, most ground breaking to, by, and for Christians since the turn of the milennium. As one of the perks of my job is scoping out the many fantastic books that come across my desk as review copies from publishers, and being an avid reader myself, I've not been completely ignorant of the many inspirational and paradigm-altering titles that were published in the 2000s.
The books below excited me, challenged me, opened my eyes, or strengthened my spiritual walk in just the right way at just the right time. I wonder if they might not perform one of the same tasks for you.
Absence of one of your faves from this list is not in any way a detraction. It probably just means I didn't read it, or it didn't impact me (or I didn't perceive the impact on the culture) the way these others did.
- unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity, by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons (Baker Books, 2007).
- The Culturally-Savvy Christian, by Dick Staub (John Wiley & Sons, 2007).
- Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism? by Wayne Grudem (Crossway, 2006).
- Heaven, by Randy Alcorn (Tyndale House, 2004).
- Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller (Thomas Nelson, 2003).
- Wild at Heart, by John Eldredge (Thomas Nelson, 2002).
- Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity, by Lauren Winner (Baker Books, 2006).
- Vintage Church, by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears (Crossway, 2009).
- Worship Matters, by Bob Kauflin & Paul Baloche (Crossway, 2008).
- Epic, by John Eldredge (Thomas Nelson, 2004).
Intersecting Faith & Life: Don't neglect enriching yourself and the depth of your faith by reading the words of others God has blessed with wisdom, knowledge, and fresh takes - even those you disagree with can help you grow! Consider checking out one of the above titles or another recommended book today.