My 10 Favorite Books of 2021

Does the Bible say we should expect to hear God speak to us outside His written Word? That we must learn to discern His voice, interpret His dreams and visions, hear His still small voice, or put out a fleece to know His will for our life? Three years ago, I would have said, of course. But the answer is a resounding no! And in this book, Osman proves it by examining the teachings and practices of HVG against the Holy Scriptures. If you believe God communicates with you outside His Word, I highly recommend reading this book with an open Bible and an open mind. Osman examines every aspect of HVG using Scripture alone as a measuring stick, not his experience or feelings. His explanations are simple, logical and he always points readers to the Bible to see the truth for themselves. (See my full review here!).

There is no shortage of good books on learning how to read the Bible. But How to Eat Your Bible distinguishes itself by emphasizing loving God’s Word. Pickowicz does not only want us to know practical tips for efficient Bible study; he also wants us to love and hunger for it. And I love that Pickowicz encourages us to love reading Scripture. We are supposed to enjoy God’s Word and treasure it deeply. We must not only hurry to swallow it for nourishment but take time to chew it and savor its rich truths. My favorite part was Pickowicz’s approach to reading the books of the Bible 30 times in a row and his detailed plan. I have started reading books this way, and it has really helped me learn and retain God’s Word better. (See my full review here!)

R.C Sproul is one of my favorite Bible teachers and theologians. And it was tremendously entertaining to learn about his life and ministry. I discovered so many things I didn’t know about him, and some of them were hilarious. Nichols did an outstanding job of bringing us into the life of R.C. and seeing just the man. What I especially loved about this biography is its rich theology. Nichols explains R.C’s teachings and beliefs, such as the holiness of God, classical apologetics, and the inerrancy of Scripture.  I didn’t expect to learn so much theology from this biography; there is much more content about R.C’s beliefs than his personal life. With this book, you won’t just learn about the man but also about the God who made and inspired the man. (See my full review here!).

Question Women Asked is so brilliant! Unlike others history books, it focuses on the theology of church history figures rather than their personal stories. Carr structured her book this way because she wants women to challenge themselves with critical theological questions and mull over various theological issues. As a lover of theology and church history, this book is perfect for me! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and loved discovering these amazing sisters and being challenged by their theological questions. I highly recommend it! (See my full review here!)

I had the pleasure of discovering Elisabeth Elliot this year, and she has become one of my favorite figures in church history. In this book, Elisabeth tells the story of Jim Elliot, her husband, and four other young men who were savagely murdered on a mission trip. It is simply one of the most inspiring and impactful books I have ever read. It blessed me in many ways; I can hardly put it in words. It reminded me of the cost of following Christ and inspired me to surrender my life to Christ anew. He truly is no fool who gives what he cannot keep gaining that which he cannot lose. I highly highly recommend it; it is a must-read for all believers.

Let me be a Woman is another fantastic book by Elisabeth Elliot. She wrote this book for her daughter, who was about to get married. And it features many principles and pieces of advice on biblical womanhood and feminity. It was my first time reading a book on feminity, and I adored it. Elisabeth covered many important topics such as singleness, marriage, sex with grace, beauty, and Scripture. I learned a lot from this book, and it gave me a sweet taste of having an older woman mentor a la Titus 2. I highly recommend it!

The Art of Divine Contentment is a sort of exposition of Philippians 4:11. After studying Philippians earlier this year, I picked up this book, and wow! This book is superb! It is not just one of the best books I have read this year; it is one of the best books I have ever read! Watson explains biblical contentment, why we should pursue it, and how to learn it with brilliance and theological accuracy. His writing is relatively easy for a puritan and full of excellent practical illustrations. I have never highlighted a book as much as I did this one. It is a must-read! I also read The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs in 2021, and it is just as excellent!

The Spurgeon Speaks Series is a new series on Spurgeon by Moody Publishers. In this series, Jason K. Allen, the president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College, compiled several Spurgeon’s sermons and organized them topically. This book is the first volume of the series and I tremendously enjoyed it! I couldn’t stop highlighting as Spurgeon shares so much wisdom on prayer and has such elegant prose. Each sermon is short, easy to read, and filled with wonderful insights on prayer that will convict and encourage you to pray more. (Read my full review here!)

Cold Case Christianity by Wallace was one of my top ten favorite books of 2020. His latest book, Person of Interest is kind of a sequel. In this book, Warner examines evidence from history alone (not the Bible) to determine if Jesus is the most significant person in history and if He really changed the world. As with Cold-Case Christianity, Warner uses his experience and skills as a homicide detective and uses it  to solve the case. And the results are incredible! I finished reading book awed at the greatness of God. I can’t recommend this book enough!