"Music Through the Eyes of Faith" by Harold Best

"How should we as Christians judge and critique our music and the music of others?" Best does a great job of providing us a Biblical answer to this question. By discussing the philosophical ideas of truth and beauty as well as issues of music in the church, Best has provided us with a valuable text that every Christian musician should read. 

"Hearing God's Voice" by Henry & Richard Blackaby

With this book, Blackaby, and son Richard this time, has presented a logical follow-up to his and King's incredible, best selling study course "Experiencing God".  Look for the many ways the Blackaby's prepare the reader for a two-way conversation with God, yet always cautioning that God's side (voice) will never "contravene" Scripture.

"The God Who is There" by D.A. Carson

This has been one of the most enjoyable books that I've read recently. D.A. Carson does a tremendous job of walking the reader through basic Christian beliefs using the Biblical text to guide the discussion. If you are a person that is trying to understand the big picture of the Bible better or seeking to know more about God as He is revealed through the Scriptures, then I urge you to get this book. It is not written for the academician, but for the church. Take advantage of Carson's work and enjoy!

"Through Western Eyes (Eastern Orthodoxy: a Reformed Perspective)" by Robert Letham

This is a great book by Robert Letham (writer of the Eastern Orthodox section of the ESV Study Bible) which surveys the history of orthodoxy and how the church split occurred between the east (Eastern Orthodoxy) and the west (Catholicism). It also explains the major theological differences between modern Reformed Evangelicalism and Eastern Orthodoxy and how these differences came to be. This book is incredibly reader friendly and provides a fantastic structure in which you can properly assess Orthodoxy's tradition inspired beliefs compared to the Reformed Evangelicalism's beliefs, which are dictated by Scripture, the Word of God, alone. Letham will grant you a great understanding of this situation, but be sure to draw your own conclusions using this wonderful tool.

"Becoming God's True Women" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

This book is a collection of short exhortations to women by seven different women, some of which are pastors' wives and some of which are women's ministry directors. These women offer sound encouragement for the Christian woman as she battles the voices of the culture in looking for significance. While the culture urges women to be defined by career, external beauty, and fashion, these women encourage women to be defined by the Scripture's definition of godliness, which is much more eternally valuable and ultimately more satisfying.

An FBCN Book Recommendation from Angela Mooney

“Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God” by Noel Piper

This book is five mini biographies of Christian women. I like to read Christian biographies of women who have “finished the race” and have done so well. It’s encouraging to read about their faith as they faced struggles and trials, but persevered by the sheer grace of God.

FREE PDF Download / Amazon

A Leadership Team Book Recommendation from Jack Eddy, Church Administrator 

“Pathway to Freedom: How God’s Law Guides Our Lives” by Alistair Begg

A very insightful writing that makes the reader aware of the guidance the Ten Commandments should (must) have on our daily lives.

A Book Recommendation from Dr. Jeff Mooney, Senior Pastor

“Test Train, Affirm & Send into Ministry” by Brian Croft

Brian Croft’s book, Test Train, Affirm & Send into Ministry, provides an alternate opinion to the pervasive concept of “calling” into the ministry. Croft highlights the necessity of the church’s responsibility to execute the external call to or affirm individuals who claim a personal divine draw to the ministry. This perspective undermines the highly individualistic, exclusive, almost Gnostic sense of call that people speak about today and which is automatically considered above evaluation or critique from anyone, let alone the local church. This book will start lots of conversations and change some minds about how we as the body of Christ, particularly in the Low Church tradition, affirm the pastoral ministry of individuals. Thank you, Pastor Croft, for contributing to this important conversation!

A Leadership Team Book Recommendation from Nik Brownell, Director of Outreach

“Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus” by D.A. Carson

This is a great book that really helps us understand the validity and the impact of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Carson biblically summarizes what the Gospel is, why God has provided it, and the full impact it should have on the church as we fix our gaze on Christ.

A Leadership Team Book Recommendation from Matt Cobb, Director of Integration & Discipleship

“It is Well: Expositions on Substitutionary Atonement” By Mark Dever and Michael Lawrence 

This book was given to me as a gift & I had the opportunity to begin reading it this past weekend. It is a series of messages on various passages throughout the Bible that help us understand the concept of substitutionary atonement better. No matter who you are, it is good to know that “Jesus stood as a substitute for his people, taking the penalty that was due to those who actually deserved it.” This book will help you understand the work of God seen throughout Scripture better and will lead you to worship God with this biblical concept in mind. It will mean so much to be able to sing, “And I beheld God’s love displayed, You suffered in my place, You bore the wrath reserved for me, Now all I know is grace.”