Thomas Watson published this book in 1663, one year after he and about 2,000 other pastors were ejected from their churches by the Church of England and suffered great hardship and persecution. It is still very readable and eminently practical today as he speaks from personal experience, but more importantly from deep understanding, love of God and Scripture. In the great Puritan tradition, the entire work is a series of sermons on Romans 8:28 and its related themes. This truth was not merely theoretical but was his heart confidence that God is supremely sovereign and good and for His elect children He works all things, including sinful actions and suffering, for His glory and our ultimate good. Part of how God worked all things for good in Watson's time was by preserving through his suffering, this God-centered book that can richly benefit us hundreds of years later. For some sample quotes as appetizers of this feast, click here (page 9) – Pastor Phil

A. W. Tozer's passionate plea to his generation and ours was to maintain a high view of God as the great need of the hour. He wrote: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” He believed that what we truly believe about God is the most determinative factor of our entire worldview and understanding or reality, as Al Mohler wrote of Tozer, whether we realize it or not, we live out our most basic beliefs and reveal what we really believe about God, the world, and ourselves. Warren Wiersbe wrote: “listening to Tozer preach was about as safe as opening the door of a blast furnace." He knew God is not "safe," but there is nothing more important than knowing God rightly, and Tozer's writings will help you fear and love God more.

For more about Tozer and some sample quotes, click here (pages 4-6) -- Pastor Phil

What is an elder?  What does he do?  In order to define eldership, Alexander Strauch in his book Biblical Eldership first presents the major feature of biblical eldership.  Then he spends a majority of the book taking an in-depth look at all the Biblical texts on church eldership.   It is a clear encouraging, convicting, study of what God expects of the elders of His church. --Len Bentley 

Click here to purchase the full-size book (340 pages) 

Click here for an abridged version (46 page booklet) or click here for an online abridged version with study guide that you can read for free online

Click here for the book Kent and Barbara wrote together on "Disciplines of a Godly Family" 

Here is a scripturally based blueprint for the woman who truly desires to be the wife God intended her to be. This book is based on Proverbs 31:10: An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. Thousands of women have already discovered the worth of this volume and testify to lives and marriages changed because of a commitment to the principles presented here. If this is a commitment you have made, or want to make, The Excellent Wife answers the difficult questions facing you today.  
 

Martha Peace, a counselor and teacher of women presents a biblical blueprint for the woman who wants to be the wife God intended her to be by making a commitment to the principles presented here. A separate spiral-bound study guide makes this an ideal format for individual or small-group Bible. (Editorial review) 
 

Click here for Table of Contents

The one-word description of this short book by author pastor C.J. Mahaney is: "readable."  I was enlightened, convicted and blessed by it.  C.J. draws out of the Bible; God’s promise of humility, His definition of humility and the perils of pride.  Several chapters of the book are devoted to practical ways to grow and exhibit humility.

-- John Rucker

Note: C.J. Mahaney leads Sovereign Grace Ministries and spoke movingly on this subject of humility at the 2007 Shepherd's Conference.

Women Helping Women has been described as a one-of-a-kind resource written for Christian women who desire to share with other women the comfort, hope, and encouragement the Bible has to offer in response to the problems of today. For every one of the major life issues covered in this book, you’ll find clear biblical advice along with consistently practical guidelines for bringing about true change. After building the foundation for counseling that is truly and thoroughly biblical (not "Christian psychology") and why women should counsel women (chapters 1-4), the remaining chapters present how we can bring biblical advice and help to the discontent unmarried, young single mothers, wives in problem marriages and/or married to unbelivers, women considering adoption, mothers of children with disabilities, mothers of rebellious teens, divorced women, women abused as children, women with addictions or eating disorders, women in sexual sin, and women in mid-life or at the end of life.  Each chapter is written by an experienced biblical counselor in her field, and is a wonderful and welcome resource to help the church fulfill the critical ministry in Titus 2:3-5. -- Pastor Phil