Crossroads' Classics by Dan Reiland

[NOTE: The article below is from the Pastor's Coach, and contains several books to help Christians mature in their walk with Jesus.]

Crossroads is committed to helping people become mature followers of Jesus Christ. There are many ways to help accomplish this, including the printed word. Since we are always looking for the best resources to help people mature as Christians, we embarked on the challenging project of discovering a "short list" of books that have the highest impact on personal spiritual growth.

We are calling them Crossroads' Classics - a dozen books that the pastoral staff and other key leaders felt would best serve our community of believers. The list is so strong; we thought it wrong to keep it to ourselves!

In these books, from contemporary and classic authors, you will find a treasure chest of wisdom and insight covering a wide base of spiritual development for the believer. Most of these books are reasonably short, because we feel that brevity and simplicity are often the better teachers.

My prayer is that Jesus would bless and change you through these works of art as much or even more than he has blessed us, and that you may benefit from the wisdom these fellow journeymen share through their own printed page.

I want to give special thanks to Pastor John Lehmberg who played the lead role in helping me bring this project to the finish line. John is a friend and former staff member who now offers insightful and practical consultation for student ministry. Visit his website at www.makeitloud.org.


The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
The most quoted man and book throughout our entire list of Crossroads' Classics. During World War II, Bonhoeffer was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp and executed for his faith. A brief description of this book hardly does it justice in its value for a believer to learn what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Bonhoeffer's legacy and insights in faith will deeply bless you. This is one of the finest Christian books ever to go to print.


The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges.
This easy to read book, with teachings primarily from the book of Romans, focuses on engaging God and living for Him. It tackles why holiness is important and how it is achieved in day to day life. This book also gives practical evidence of holiness, without merely employing a "be moral" kind of dialogue. It is also emphasizes that living a holy and devout life from a centered heart is of great importance to one's personal faith development.


No Easy Road, Dick Eastman.
If prayer baffles you, or you are new to it, this book will truly bless you. Not mechanical in any way, it is centered on teaching you to be the kind of person God desires, so that prayer might be intimate, enjoyable, and effective. Eastman uses great analogies to help connect the dots for readers, making this book on prayer very easy to grasp.


The Sacred Romance, John Eldredge.
This book is an all around staff favorite that is destined to be a classic in Christian literature. Eldredge paints a masterful picture of the gospel. He provides a marvelous framework for Christianity and addresses the issue of why Christianity doesn't seem to "work" the way so many have hoped. This book helps new believers to see how God draws them to himself in loving friendship, and helps all Christians understand what it means to fight for our faith. It is an excellent foundational book, written from the heart to the heart.


Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster.
A fantastic book to help you develop the basic spiritual disciplines of Christian faith that are needed to fully engage and encounter God. In a world where many of our disciplines have been lost, Foster returns us in a contemporary way, to God, through prayer, fasting, and many of the other spiritual disciplines. This is a great book to help you understand and practice the disciplines, so that you might connect with God more deeply.


The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence.
So much wisdom can be found in this little book, from a very simple man who lived in the 17th Century. Brother Lawrence simply strived to continually be in the presence of God during the mundane and ordinary workings of his life. Packed with insight on connecting with God in everyday life, this is a book you will return to again and again.


Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis.
Do you consider yourself reasonably philosophical or intellectual? If so, Mere Christianity, or any of C.S. Lewis' work, is for you. You'll find it small, formidable, and thought provoking. Those who often find themselves asking the question "Why?" will love this book. Nothing Lewis writes is for the faint of heart, but of all of his writings on faith, this one is delightfully enlightening. You'll find wonders from a deeply intellectual thinker who is also an excellent study of human nature.


The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning.
If ever you've thought that you could not come to Christ because of your unworthiness - the "I'm too messed up" sort of thing, then this book is the perfect read. It articulates the deep love of God for you in a very real and personal way. Taking the reader through Christ's work, in plain language, Manning has a beautiful way of communicating the simple truths of God.


Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee.
A blessed tour through Ephesians, this book helps us understand our true identity, which is found only in Jesus. Identity is the cry of this generation - they need to know who they are in Christ, and what He has already accomplished in them in so that they might live in His completed work. Short yet profound, this 90 page book is full of insight!


The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nouwen.
If Mere Christianity was a book for intellectuals, then this is a book for those who have an artistic bent, or simply find God speaking to them through a visual nature. As God is the Author of Life, he is also understood through artistic endeavor. Nouwen was so captured by a poster of Rembrandt's The Prodigal Son, that it started him on a personal spiritual pilgrimage with the Father through the story of the prodigal son in the scriptures. Nouwen's insights are contextualized within his descriptions of the painting. He describes how God speaks to him through the story of the prodigal son, whe! n he visits Russia to see the original work of art. A delightful read - an awe inspiring masterpiece that reminds you that you're God's child.


Desiring God, John Piper.
Insights abound in this book of great depth and interesting premise. Piper's approach is what he calls "Christian Hedonism" or finding pleasure in Christ. In a society so pleasure and thrill focused, it is an awesome experience to see someone addressing what it means to find pleasure in a relationship with Christ. With about 350 pages this book is our most lengthy entry on the list. It could be daunting to some, but is written conversationally and is very readable.


The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer.
This book could perhaps be best described by the title of Chapter 1 - "Following Hard After God." Intensity and Intimacy! Tozer takes you through what it means to understand God and pursue him, and how we are wired for relationship with Him. This is not a "how-to" book, but a fresh look at what it means to sit in intimate relationship with the Father, and is a worthy book to close out our list.

We hope that you and those you lead will find the joy and spiritual growth we have found within the pages of these uncommon and timeless books.