by Harold S. Martin
Books have always played a significant role in the lives of God’s servants. The secret of good sermon preparation and Sunday School teaching is to study much and to read widely.
The Apostle Paul requested that Timothy visit him in prison at Rome, and he was to bring along the “books,and the parchments” when he made the journey (2 Timothy 4:13).
Paul had preached for 30 years, yet he wanted books.
Paul had a wider experience than most of us have had, yet he wanted books.
Paul had been caught up into the third heaven and saw amazing things, yet he wanted books.
The most recent issue of
Brethren Life and Thought (Volume 44, Numbers 1 and 2) listed the ten most influential books in the lives of sixteen of our Brethren leaders. The list which follows is a record of those books which influenced the life of the
BRF Witness editor:
The links provided take you to possible sources for these books. BRF does not sell any of these books. –Web Editor
1.
The Bible
The one Book which answers the deepest questions of life is the Bible. Christians aim to make the Bible their rule for deciding the issues of life. The New King James Version is a favorite translation because it maintains the beautiful word flow of the older editions of the King James Version (with which I grew up), and at the same time eliminates the word endings and pronouns, etc., which are no longer in common use.
2.
The Suffering Savior, F. W. Krummacher
This book in my early years helped center the focus of attention on a core doctrine of the Christian faith–the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to give His life “a ransom” for us. This is the heart of the Gospel message as defined in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Krummacher’s book gives lucid insights on every detail of the last week of Christ’s earthly ministry.
3.
George Washington Carver, Rackham Holt
This was a book which I read in early high school days. It helped develop in my thinking a love for persons of all races, and Carver’s humble attitude and hard work-earning his way through college by cooking, doing laundry; and working as a janitor-became a challenge which helped me to try and persistently succeed in life even against many odds.
4.
How to Prepare Sermons, William Evans [for used copies,
go here]
This book is filled with practical instruction which became a helpful tool to me as a young preacher. The book explained how to choose and interpret a Biblical text, and demonstrated how to gather and arrange sermon material. In more recent years, the book Between Two Worlds, by John R. W. Stott, has provided a fresh updating of concepts related to preaching.
5.
The Home, Courtship, Marriage, and Children, John R. Rice
The book is a helpful manual giving guidelines for successful living in the home. Following the Biblical principles lifted up in the book has helped make our home a bit of heaven on earth, and the kindly admonitions contained in the book have helped me to become a more loving husband and a more caring father than would otherwise have been.
6.
The New Testament Doctrines, J. H. Moore
This book has strengthened my convictions regarding the importance of Bible teachings, and has helped to more concisely define those doctrines which over the years have been more distinctively Brethren. Moore deals with the nature and work of God, the plan of salvation, the work of preaching, the importance of the New Testament ordinances, and the final destinies of all human beings.
7.
Albert Cassel Wieand, V. F. Schwalm
It is the life of A. C. Wieand that helped to challenge me to become a careful student of the Bible, to continually seek growth in the deeper spiritual life, and to hold firmly to the evangelical faith. Wieand’s belief in the fundamentals of the faith, his ecumenical association with noted Bible teachers such as F. B. Meyer, D. L. Moody, and R. A. Torrey, and yet his determination to loyally uphold the distinctive Brethren teachings–these have set a pattern that was beneficial to me.
8.
Separated Unto God, J. C. Wenger
This book helped to explain in simple terms how the believer in Christ needs to make a clean break from the sub-Christian standards of the world, and at the same time maintain a-clear and strong commitment to Jesus Christ. The book has been useful in showing how Christians in our contemporary society can best win men and women to faith in Christ, without becoming entangled in worldliness themselves. The book contains much helpful information about the early Anabaptist and Pietist movements.
9.
What the Bible Is All About, Henrietta Mears
It is common to find persons who are familiar with favorite Bible passages, but do not have a grasp of the teachings of the Bible as a unit. This books helps give a broad overview that pictures the Bible as a cohesive whole. The book points out principal characters, basic outlines, and main lines of thought that are found in all sixty-six books of the Bible. Miss Mears was deeply committed to the greatness of God, the lordship of Christ, and the absolute trustworthiness of Scripture.
10.
Facing Death, Billy Graham
There are lots of voices that tell us how to live, but solid teaching on how to die is more difficult to find. Yet only those who are prepared to die are really prepared to live. Since, except for the very possible soon return of Christ, all of us will face death, we need to know how to face that enemy for ourselves, and also how to deal with the inevitable deaths of loved ones and friends. Billy Graham’s book gives a clear Christian perspective on death and dying.