On My Bookshelf: Kevin Briggins

We recently released a video of books I recommend. (I’d like to thank our friend Melissa Dougherty for the idea.)

Here is a synopsis of each book and why I recommend it. These books range from understanding the character of God, understanding the Bible, and dissecting the cultural issues of our day. Taken together, this list reflects the kinds of conversations we are having in the church right now.

Some of these works will ground you in the unchanging nature and attributes of God. Others will help you read Scripture more faithfully and think more clearly about the mission and health of the local church. Still others will equip you to navigate pressing cultural debates around identity, race, justice, masculinity, economics, and compassion without losing biblical clarity or Christian charity.

I recommend these books not because they are trendy, but because they are substantive. They help Christians think deeply, love biblically, and stand firmly. Whether you are a pastor, a ministry leader, or simply a believer who wants to be better equipped for the times we are living in, this collection will stretch your mind, strengthen your convictions, and deepen your walk with Christ.

Walking in Unity by Krista Bontrager and Monique Duson

Synopsis:  In Walking in Unity, Krista Bontrager and Monique Duson address racial division within the church and critique secular approaches to racial reconciliation. Writing from a biblical worldview, they argue that true unity must be grounded in the gospel rather than critical social theories. The book calls Christians to pursue justice, love, and reconciliation rooted in Scripture and the historic teachings of the church.

Why I recommend this book: There have been many books written on the issue of reconciliation, justice, and race and Walking in Unity is the most biblical and helpful. Krista and Monique’s unique friendship shed light on how the gospel and scripture must be central in our walk in Christian unity. Secular philosophies fall short even when we wrap them in Christian language.

Dividing the Faithful by David Schrock

Synopsis:  In Dividing the Faithful, David Schrock examines how the book Divided by Faith negatively influenced debates over race, justice, and critical theory within evangelical churches. He analyzes key theological and cultural issues, warning against importing secular ideologies into Christian doctrine. Schrock urges believers to maintain doctrinal clarity and unity under biblical authority.

Why I recommend this book: Dividing the Faithful was the first book I wrote a published endorsement for. Dividing the Faithfuldoes an excellent job of examining the book, Divided by Faith, which was promoted by key evangelical leaders. I even fell for it and used to recommend it as a good resource. This was before I understood what critical race theory was. The book had such an impact on how evangelicals approached the issue of race and reconciliation. David does an excellent job addressing and critiquing each point made in the book from a biblical perspective.

Critical Dilemma by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer

Synopsis:  Critical Dilemma by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer offers a careful evaluation of critical race theory and related social justice movements from a Christian perspective. The authors argue that while Christians should pursue justice, critical theory presents a competing worldview that conflicts with biblical anthropology, sin, and redemption. The book seeks to help believers discern truth while remaining committed to gospel-centered compassion.

Why I recommend this book: Critical Dilemma is the best book written on contemporary critical theories from a biblical worldview. This book is academic and thorough but remains at a level the average reader can understand. Neil and Pat do a great job of quoting original sources and allowing proponents of these ideas to speak for themselves. If you’re interested in understanding critical theory and its offshoots through a biblical worldview, Critical Dilemma is a must read. And I promise I’m not saying this because I’m quoted in the book. 

The Truth War by John MacArthur

Synopsis:  In The Truth War, John MacArthur contends that the church must contend earnestly for biblical truth in an age of doctrinal compromise. Drawing from the book of Jude, he warns against false teaching and theological drift. MacArthur calls Christians to defend objective truth and uphold sound doctrine with courage and conviction.

Why I recommend this book: I first read The Truth War around 2007 and it had a profound impact on me. At the time, I had no idea how prophetic this book would be, but it addressed the prevalence of postmodernism in our society and even in the church. Understanding the threat of postmodernism helped me to see the flaws in wokeness a decade later. 

Defending the Faith by R. C. Sproul

Synopsis:  In Defending the Faith, R. C. Sproul introduces readers to classical Christian apologetics. He explains the rational basis for belief in God and the reliability of Scripture, emphasizing logical coherence and the necessity of a Christian worldview. The book equips believers to articulate and defend their faith thoughtfully and respectfully.

Why I recommend this book: This book was my introduction into apologetics. In the early 2000s the church faced a large challenge from the New Atheist Movement. This movement sought to prove Christianity as false by challenging the truth claims of Christianity. This book has been extremely helpful to me and presents one of the best arguments I’ve ever read against the Big Bang Theory and that’s the law of Cause & Effect. 

The Toxic War on Masculinity by Nancy Pearcey

Synopsis:  In The Toxic War on Masculinity, Nancy Pearcey challenges the cultural narrative that traditional masculinity is inherently harmful. She argues that secular ideologies have distorted both manhood and fatherhood. Pearcey presents a biblical vision of masculinity that affirms strength, responsibility, and sacrificial love.

Why I recommend this book: I found this book to be very timely as we faced a crisis of young men in our society. For years, young men have been told that they’re toxic and the way to be masculine was to embrace a more feminized masculinity. Nancy Pearcey does an excellent job of combating this false premise and promoting the need for masculinity in our society.

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman

Synopsis:  In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman traces the intellectual history behind today’s identity politics and expressive individualism. Drawing from philosophers such as Rousseau, Marx, and Freud, he explains how Western culture shifted toward viewing personal identity as psychological and self-defined. Trueman connects these ideas to contemporary debates about sexuality and selfhood.

Why I recommend this book: This is one of the most important books of our lifetime. To understand why our world appears mad and why liberalism turned into progressivism you need to read this book. If you have a desire to understand worldviews and underlying ideologies that plague our society then this book is for you. 

The Attributes of God by A. W. Pink

Synopsis:  In The Attributes of God, A. W. Pink explores the character and nature of God as revealed in Scripture. Each chapter focuses on a specific divine attribute, such as holiness, sovereignty, and love. Pink emphasizes the majesty and transcendence of God, calling believers to deeper reverence and worship.

Why I recommend this book: This book is a modern Christian classic and should be on everyone’s bookshelf. To fully understand God we must understand how he has revealed himself to us by his character and his attributes. To understand the cross we must understand that God is fully just and fully loving. We must understand God in all of his ways.

Knowing God by J. I. Packer

Synopsis:  In Knowing God, J. I. Packer invites readers beyond intellectual knowledge into relational knowledge of God. He explores key theological themes such as God’s love, wrath, grace, and adoption. Packer combines doctrinal depth with devotional warmth, urging Christians to pursue a deeper, worshipful understanding of who God is.

Why I recommend this book: Similarly to the Attributes of God, Packer explores God’s attributes and  invites us to know God relationally. This is another modern Christian classic which should be on every bookshelf. 

Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church by Michael Lawrence

Synopsis:  In Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church, Michael Lawrence argues that understanding the Bible’s unified storyline is essential for healthy ministry. He explains how biblical theology shapes preaching, discipleship, and church leadership. Lawrence presents Scripture as a coherent narrative centered on Christ.

Why I recommend this book: This is one of the best books I’ve read on understanding the bible. When we understand the bible as one narrative and one story from Genesis to Revelation, it informs how we view everything in between. It’s all a part of God’s redemptive story. 

Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever

Synopsis:  In Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, Mark Dever outlines key characteristics that distinguish biblically faithful congregations. These include expositional preaching, meaningful membership, church discipline, and sound doctrine. Dever provides practical guidance for cultivating spiritually healthy churches rooted in Scripture.

Why I recommend this book: 9Marks is one of my favorite ministries and it all started from this book. In this book, Mark lays out nine distinct characteristics of a healthy church. These are the markers I look for when looking for a church home and so far I’m two for two. Both times we’ve moved for work I’ve used the 9Marks Church Search to find churches in the area. Each time, we have visited and joined the first church on our list because it checked the boxes of a healthy church.

Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper and Wayne Grudem

Synopsis:  This volume, edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem, presents a complementarian understanding of gender roles in the home and church. Contributors argue that Scripture teaches distinct but complementary roles for men and women. The book defends these convictions against egalitarian interpretations and cultural pressures.

Why I recommend this book: In a confused generation, it is important to remember what scripture teaches about manhood and womanhood and what it does not. Masculinity, femininity, the family, traditional family roles, and male headship have all been under attack.This book is helpful in grounding our understanding of these things in scripture and not in culture.

The Tragedy of American Compassion by Marvin Olasky

Synopsis:  In The Tragedy of American Compassion, Marvin Olasky examines the history of poverty relief in the United States. He argues that earlier models of charity emphasized personal responsibility and spiritual transformation, whereas modern welfare systems often foster dependency. Olasky advocates for faith-based approaches that combine compassion with accountability.

Why I recommend this book: To understand how we ended up with a massive welfare state you have to understand how charity was hijacked by those who had good intentions but whose heart was bigger than their head. Many of our issues today are because we violated the two principles of charity, the benefits of charity should never outweigh the benefits of work, and never do for someone what they can do for themselves.

When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett

Synopsis:  In When Helping Hurts, Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett critique common approaches to poverty alleviation. They argue that well-intentioned aid can unintentionally harm communities by undermining dignity and local initiative. The authors propose development strategies that empower individuals and emphasize long-term transformation.

Why I recommend this book: This has been one of the most transformative books in my life. It helped me to understand material poverty through the lens of broken relationships of self, God, and others. True poverty relief is about healing those broken relationships not simply about giving material need. In many cases, giving material needs could do more harm than good. This book also teaches us to guard against paternalism and seeing those in material poverty as less than or other.

Whose Money Is It Anyway? by John MacArthur

Synopsis:  In Whose Money Is It Anyway?, John MacArthur addresses biblical stewardship and the Christian’s responsibility toward wealth. He teaches that all resources ultimately belong to God and that believers are managers rather than owners. The book encourages generosity, contentment, and faithful financial stewardship.

Why I recommend this book: This is a book every Christian should read. What God has entrusted to us is not ours but his. We are entrusted to steward all he’s giving us to his glory. Some are entrusted with more than others, but regardless of how much we’ve been entrusted with we’re all called to be good stewards.

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney

Synopsis:  In Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney outlines practical habits that cultivate spiritual growth. These disciplines include prayer, Bible intake, fasting, worship, and evangelism. Whitney emphasizes intentional practice as a means of grace for deepening one’s walk with Christ.

Why I recommend this book: This is another must have for Christians. Sanctification is a lifelong pursuit and this book lays out practical ways and habits that lead to spiritual growth. When we neglect these things we see the negative impact in our spiritual lives and in our relationship with God and others. 

The Masculine Mandate by Richard D. Phillips

Synopsis:  In The Masculine Mandate, Richard Phillips presents a biblical vision of manhood grounded in creation and covenant theology. He argues that men are called to leadership, responsibility, and faithful service in the home and church. The book encourages men to embrace their God-given roles with humility and strength.

Why I recommend this book: This book really challenges men to live out their purpose and their biblical calling. It challenges us to be men of character and who step up and lead and who are not passive. When men neglect their biblical roles everyone suffers. 

Before the Mayflower by Lerone Bennett Jr.

Synopsis:  In Before the Mayflower, Lerone Bennett Jr. chronicles the history of African Americans from precolonial Africa through the twentieth century. He highlights the contributions, struggles, and resilience of Black Americans, challenging narratives that marginalize their role in American history. The book presents a sweeping account of the Black experience in America.

Why I recommend this book: This is the best pure history book on the legacy of black America. This book is honest and a true history book. It’s not filled with social theories or grievances. It simply sticks to what happened and when. If you’re looking for a book to use for homeschooling or to just teach others about black history, then this is the book I recommend.