Pastor Kory's Page - Sun, August 18, 2024
Many people in our tech-focused culture scarcely read books anymore. It’s a shame, especially because it’s through the “Good Book” of Holy Scripture that we read of God’s revelation to us, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and our Lord’s will for our lives.
In addition to the Bible, reading Christian books is one of the ways that we can “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). We do, however, need to be discerning with what we read. Some Christian literature can promote false or confusing teachings. With all things, we need to heed John’s guidance and “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).
For this Pastor’s Page article, I’m simply recommending some Christian books. All of these come from our Synod’s own publisher, Concordia Publishing House (CPH). While there are a variety of authors and perspectives represented among CPH’s resources, everything they publish is doctrinally reviewed for faithfulness to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. Soon, I’ll write a “part two” of recommended resources (with a digital focus), but for now, here’s my list of Bibles and books:
The Lutheran Study Bible – Filled with study notes written by Lutheran theologians, the Lutheran Study Bible is a great Bible choice for Lutheran households. It’s available in several sizes and as a phone app.
Today’s Light Bible – This is available as both a devotional Bible and as a quarterly devotional reading guide for use with your own Bible. It’s my favorite devotional resource.
Lutheran Service Book (LSB) – We use the LSB hymnal as the basis of our services at St. Matthew. It also makes a great in-home resource for learning the music and prayers of the Church.
Luther’s Small Catechism (2017 Edition) – Martin Luther wrote his Small Catechism in 1529. Nearly 500 years later, it continues to be the standard summary of the Lutheran Christian faith. The Catechism is available in several formats and as a phone app.
Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions – In addition to the Small Catechism, Lutherans also adhere to several other confessional writings from the 16th century. Concordia includes the Augsburg Confession, Luther’s Large Catechism, the Formula of Concord and more. (We will be starting a new Sunday Bible study this fall on the Augsburg Confession. Participants will receive a copy at church.)
The Lutheran Difference: An Explanation & Comparison of Christian Beliefs – This is an in-depth comparison of Lutheran teaching with what other Christian denominations believe and teach.
Luther: Biography of a Reformer – This is an easy-to-read biography of Martin Luther by Frederick Nohl. If you’ve never read a basic summary of Luther’s life and times, I’d recommend this book as a place to start.
The Spirituality of the Cross: The Way of the First Evangelicals – This book, by Gene Edward Veith Jr., describes his journey into the Lutheran tradition and what sets Lutheranism apart from other beliefs. I highly recommend this – and Veith’s many other books.
Grace Upon Grace: Spirituality for Today – This book, by Australian Lutheran writer, John Kleinig, reflects on how we are recipients of God’s amazing grace. Kleinig writes in a biblically-rich, devotional style. (I like to read this book a few pages at a time.)
Books on Revelation – Let’s end this list on the topic of the Bible’s last book! Christians regularly have questions about Revelation. Two books I recommend are The Revelation to John: A Commentary by Martin H. Franzmann and Concordia Popular Commentary: Revelation by Louis A. Brighton. Either of these books would help you to navigate through the challenging passages in the book of Revelation.
Please let me know if you have questions about these or other resources or if I can help you order something. Visit cph.org or Amazon to find any of these books. Most are also available on Amazon Kindle. Used copies are readily available online as well. God bless your reading and reflecting on your faith in Christ, and please let me know what Christian books are a blessing to you!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Kory Janneke