There is no substitute for reading the Bible to grow in your knowledge of God. But, just as having a knowledgeable friend is a great help, so are good Christian books.

This is an introductory list of good, accessible books for the Christian who wishes to be informed about their faith. The books are arranged in the categories you see above, and we've tried to limit ourselves to 1 (or at most 2) well priced and easy to read book on any specific topic.

Purchasing these books will give you a good start to an effective Christian library. Perhaps you could take this list as goal to read over the next couple of years. When you've read one, why not come back and post a comment/brief review as a guide to others?

If you get no other book to help you in your knowledge of the Bible, get this dictionary.

With short articles to get you up to speed on nearly anything in the Bible, this is the essential basis of any collection of Christian books.

This particular dictionary has an excellent evangelical pedigree and is in its 3rd edition now.

Subtitled "A Christian Interpretation of the Old Testament" Goldworthy's book opens the door for those who've found the first three quarters of the Bible difficult to understand and difficult to connect with the New Testament.

This short modern christian classic lays out the vital essentials of biblical theology (the revelation of God as it unfolds through the Bible) by showing the overarching theme of God's People in God's Place under God's Rule. 

Theology is often seen as a difficult subject, and comprehensive systematic presentations are too off-putting for many readers. Jim Packer has done us a great service by breaking systematic theology (Bible teaching summarised by topic) into an extremely readable collection of 2-3 page articles on a wide range of topics.

Nothing I know comes near the approachable nature of this book. Although you would gain by reading it cover to cover, it is great as a quick reference. It gives the key Bible references without overwhelming the reader. 

Originally a set of 7 Bible studies given at CMS Summer School at Katoomba in January 1990 (still available in audio from CMS), Don Carson's book on prayer is a must read.

Subtitled "Priorities from Paul and His Prayers", it shows the why and how of prayer in light of the gospel. Carson says that the greatest need for the western church is a deeper knowledge of God, and this book is designed to assist all who see this need in their own lives to build a biblically wise practice of prayer.

After an introductory section about the importance of Christian ethical concern and involvement, John Stott examines global, social and sexual issues, devoting a chapter to each of 12 key issues. Those who buy this book to help in one area will soon find themselves aided in so many others. 

Like all of John Stott's writing, this excellent book is marked by Biblical focus and readable style. To have so much such wise counsel in one volume makes this the ideal introduction to serious Christian thought and action.  

John Dickson has done us a great service in writing these two small books on two big questions (only about 80 pages each). They are great to read, and great to give away. John doesn't claim to offer the definitive answer, but does provide the thoughtful reader with good reason to consider the Bible's perspective on these 2 vital areas.

Every religion and every individual in the world has to respond to the reality of suffering. After examining answers offered by various faiths, John puts the key biblical perspectives before his readers.

In a world full of faith (and even no faith) options, what makes us confident the Christian claim is clear and true? John moves from examining pluralism to the verifiable nature of Christianity's claims.

Bible Commentaries are a great assistance - it's like having a learned companion helping you study a book of the Bible.

• Single volume commentaries on the whole Bible are available as a starting point, but can often be disappointingly brief just when you need a longer explanation.
• Technical commentaries referring to original languages and scholarly works can be unhelpful to the average reader because they offer too much information.
• Many commentaries on single books of the Bible are published as part of a series. Although not every volume in a series is of equal quality or helpfulness, we can confidently recommend two evangelical series.