Recommended Book List for a Preacher’s Library, by Pastor John Cereghin
NOTE: No book is perfect, except the Bible. Even with this list, discernment is required and not everyone will agree with my conclusions. These are simply a list of books that I found to be very useful, even when I disagree with some of the conclusions of the author. I have not limited my list to a single theological system for that would be foolish. This list is very broad in the types of men and systems represented.
APOLOGETICS
Ferguson, Paul, God and the Atheist
Geisler, Norm, Baker’s Dictionary of Apologetics
McDowell, Josh, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, More Evidence That Demands a Verdict
Wurmbrand, Richard, The Answer to the Atheist’s Handbook
BIBLE DIFFICULTIES
Cloud, David, Things Hard to Be Understood
BIOGRAPHICAL
Bonar, Andrew, Diary, Memoirs and Remains of Robert Murray McCheyne
Dallimore, Arnold, George Whitefield
Darby, John Nelson, Letters, Complete Works (35 volumes), Notes and Jottings
Martyn, Henry, Letters and Journals
Murray, Iain, Jonathan Edwards, A New Biography
Newton, John, Works
Olford, Stephen, Olford on Scroggie
Patton, John, Autobiography
Payson, Edward, Complete Works
Rutherford, Samuel, Letters
Spurgeon, Charles, Autobiography
Tyler, Bennett, Ashael Nettleton: His Life and His Labors
Wesley, John, Journal
CHURCH HISTORY BOOKS
BAPTIST HISTORY
Allix, Peter, History of the Ancient Churches of the Albigenses, History of the Ancient Churches of Piedmont
Beale, David, In Pursuit of Purity: A History of Fundamentalism Since 1850
Benedict, David, History of the Donatists, A History of the Welsh Baptists
Cummins, David, This Day in Baptist History (3 volumes)
Murray, Iain, Revival and Revivalism
Verduin, Leonard, The Reformers and their Stepchildren
Wylie, A History of the Waldenses
CHURCH HISTORY (GENERAL)
Beeke, Joel and Randall Pederson, Meet The Puritans
Bennett, W. W., The Great Revival in the Southern Armies
Cloud, Davis, Rome and the Bible
Jones, J. William, Christ in the Camp
Pitts, Charles, Chaplains in Gray
van Braght, Thieleman, Martyr’s Mirror
Usher, James, Annuals of the World
Wylie, J. A., History of the Papacy
COMMENTARIES
ENTIRE BIBLE-COLLECTIONS
Henry, Matthew, Commentary on the Whole Bible
Poole, Matthew, English Annotations on the Holy Bible
Smith, James, et al, Handfuls on Purpose
BIBLE SURVEYS
Baxter, J. Sidlow, Explore the Book
Boyd, Robert, World’s Bible Handbook
Halley, H. H., Halley’s Bible Handbook
Scroggie, W. Graham, The Unfolding Drama of Redemption
Spence, H. T., The Canon of Scripture
Willmington, Harold, The Outline Bible
OLD TESTAMENT COMMENTARIES
Jones, Floyd, Chronology of the Old Testament
PENTATEUCH
Mackintosh, Charles (CMH), Notes on the Pentateuch, 5 volumes
Spence, Talmadge, The Foundations Bible Commentary; The Pentateuch
GENESIS
Morris, Henry, The Genesis Flood, The Genesis Record
Ruckman, Peter, Bible Believer’s Commentary on Genesis
EXODUS
North, Gary, Tools of Dominion
Ruckman, Peter, Bible Believer’s Commentary on Exodus
LEVITICUS
Bonar, Andrew, Leviticus
JOSHUA
Spence, O. Talmadge, The Foundations Bible Commentary: Joshua
JOB
Ruckman, Peter, The Bible Believer’s Commentary on Job
PSALMS
Baker, Richard, Meditations and Disquisitions Upon Certain Psalms
Phillips, John, Exploring Psalms, 2 volumes
Scroggie. W. Graham, A Guide to the Psalms
Spence, H. T., The Ascent of the Christian Life (The Songs of Degrees)
Spurgeon, Charles, Treasury of David, The Golden Alphabet, Psalm 119
PROVERBS
Bridges, Charles, Proverbs
Ruckman, Peter, The Bible Believer’s Commentary on Proverbs
ECCLESIASTES
Ruckman, Peter, The Bible Believer’s Commentary on Ecclesiastes
SONG OF SOLOMON
Gill, John, Exposition of the Book of the Song of Solomon
Spence, O. Talmadge, The Foundations Bible Commentary: The Song of Solomon
Spurgeon, Charles, The Most Holy Place: Sermons on the Song of Solomon
DANIEL
Larkin, Clarence, The Book of Daniel
Phillips, John, Exploring Daniel
JONAH
Knox, James, The Christ Honoring Commentary Series: Jonah
ZECHARIAH
Knox, James, The Christ Honoring Commentary Series: Zechariah
MALACHI
Knox, James, The Christ Honoring Commentary Series: Malachi
THE GOSPELS
Robertson, A. T., A Harmony of the Gospels
Scroggie, W. Graham, A Guide to the Gospels
MATTHEW
Phillips, John, Exploring Matthew
Ruckman, Peter, Bible Believer’s Commentary on Matthew
MARK
Phillips, John, Exploring Mark
LUKE
Phillips, John, Exploring Luke
Van Doren, W. H., A Suggestive Commentary on Luke
JOHN
Phillips, John, Exploring John
Van Doren, W. H. A Suggestive Commentary on St. John
ACTS
Ruckman, Peter, The Bible Believer’s Commentary on Acts
Thomas, W. Griffin, Expository Outlines of Acts
ROMANS
Knox, James, Christ-Honoring Commentary on The Book of Romans
Phillips, John, Exploring Romans
Robinson, Thomas, A Suggestive Commentary on the Epistle of St Paul to the Romans
1 CORINTHIANS
Phillips, John, Exploring 1 Corinthians
2 CORINTHIANS
Phillips, John, Exploring 2 Corinthians
GALATIANS-COLOSSIANS
Ruckman, Peter, Bible Believer’s Commentary on Galatians-Colossians
GALATIANS
Phillips, John, Exploring Galatians
EPHESIANS
Phillips, John, Exploring Ephesians
Waite, D. A., Ephesians, Preaching Verse by Verse
PHILIPPIANS
Phillips, John, Exploring Philippians
COLOSSIANS
Phillips, John, Exploring Colossians and Philemon
1 2 THESSALONIANS
Phillips, John, Exploring 1 and 2 Thessalonians
1 TIMOTHTY
Phillips, John, Exploring the Pastoral Epistles
2 TIMOTHY
Phillips, John, Exploring the Pastoral Epistles
TITUS
Knox, James, The Christ Honoring Commentary Series: Titus
Phillips, John, Exploring the Pastoral Epistles
HEBREWS
Phillips, John, Exploring Hebrews
Spence, H. T. The Epistle to the Hebrews
JAMES
Manton, Thomas, An Exposition of the Epistle of James
Phillips, John, Exploring James
1 PETER
Phillips, John, Exploring the Epistles of Peter
2 PETER
Phillips, John, Exploring the Epistles of Peter
123 JOHN
Phillips, John, Exploring the Epistles of John
JUDE
Manton, Thomas, An Exposition on the Epistle of Jude
Phillips, John, Exploring the Epistle of Jude
REVELATION
Knox, James, The Christ Honoring Commentary Series: Revelation
Larkin, Clarence, The Book of Revelation
BIBLE CUSTOMS
Freeman, James, Manners and Customs of the Bible
CONTEMPORARY THEOLOGY
Spence, H. T., Critical Truths For Critical Days (many volumes)
CREATIONISM
Ferrell, Vince, The Evolution Cruncher
Patten, Donald, The Biblical Flood and the Ice Age Epoch, The Long Day of Joshua
Ruckman, Peter, The Christian’s Handbook on Science and Philosophy
DEVOTIONAL-CHRISTIAN LIFE
Brooks, Thomas, Private Prayer, The Secret Key of Heaven
Henry, Matthew, Daily Communion With God
Jay, William, Morning Exercises, Evening Exercises
Muller, George, Answers to Prayer
Nee, Watchman, Sit, Walk, Stand
Spence, O. Talmadge, The Quest for Christian Purity
Spurgeon, Charles, Morning and Evening
Watson, Thomas, A Treatise Concerning Meditation
DOCTRINE
Willmington, Harold, Willmington’s Guide to Bible Knowledge: Introduction to Theology
CALVINISM
Vance, Laurence, The Other Side of Calvinism
DICTIONARY
Vance, Laurence, Archaic Words and the Authorized Version
White, Stephen, White’s Dictionary of the King James Language (2 volumes currently)
Any good college-level English dictionary
DISPENSATIONALISM
Huebner, R.A., Precious Truths Revived and Defended Through John Nelson Darby, 4 volumes, Elements of Dispensational Truth (5 volumes), J. N. Darby’s Teachings Regarding Dispensations, Ages and Administrations (we add these to show the differences between dispensationalism taught by John Nelson Darby and modern dispensational teachings. Because of this, we do not recommend the Scofield Reference Bible)
Larkin, Clarence, Dispensational Truth
PROPHECY
Pentecost, Dwight, Things To Come
SANCTIFICATION
Doddridge, Phillip, The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul
Ryle, J. C., Holiness
Spence, O. Talmadge, The Quest For Christian Purity
Tozer, A. W. The Pursuit of God
MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE- AV DEFENSE
Cloud, David, Bible Version Question and Answer Database
O’Reilly, Alan, O Biblios
Paine, Gustavus, The Men Behind the King James Version
Riplinger, Gail, In Awe of Thy Word, The Language of the King James Bible, New Age Bible Versions, Hazardous Materials
Ruckman, Peter, The Christian’s Handbook on Manuscript Evidence, The Christian’s Handbook on Biblical Scholarship, The Bible Babel
Spence, Talmadge, The King James Version Case, Preserving the Preserved Word
Strouse, Thomas and Jeffrey Khoo, Reviews of the Book From The Mind of God to the Mind of Man (rebutting this very destructive book published by Bob Jones University)
Vance, Laurence, Archaic Words and the Authorized Version, King James, His Bible and Its Translators
Waite, D.A., Defending the King James Bible
MINISTRY
Gibbs, Alfred, The Preacher and His Preaching
Ruckman, Peter, The Local Church
Spence, H.T., A Preacher Am I!
Spurgeon, Charles, Lectures to my Students
MUSIC-ART
Cowper, Williams and John Newton, Olney Hymns
Darby, John, Hymns For The Little Flock
Ruckman, Peter, Art and Artists, Music and Musicians
Spence, H. T. Confronting Contemporary Christian Music
Watts, Isaac, The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts
General Writings, assorted by author
Bunyan, John, The Pilgrim’s Progress
Spence, O. Talmadge, The Divine Interlude
Spurgeon, Charles, John Ploughman’s Pictures, John Ploughman’s Talks, Pictures from Pilgrim’s Progress, The Salt Cellars, The Park Street Pulpit, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Autobiography
Wesley, John, Journal
There is no study Bible on this list. The closest recommendation I can offer is the Newberry Reference Bible. It is not a study Bible with notes but rather with grammatical markings to help the English reader with little or no knowledge of Greek and Hebrew.