The Canon of my Spiritual Formation

Books that helped me love God with all my mind, heart, soul, and strength.

Here is a list of the most important books in my walk with the Lord.

I can go back to certain books and see seasons of deep spiritual growth.

I am gonna try and go in order from the beginning of my walk.

The Holy Spirit placed each book in my life for a specific reason.

Here is my spiritual canon.

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

Pretty sure this is the first book I read cover to cover in my walk with the Lord.

The whole book is about one concept: making your heart a chapel where the Lord dwells.

You can continually be with God.

From doing dishes to cooking to evangelizing.

A “quiet time” can be throughout the entire day, instead of 30 minutes in the morning.

You can live a life where the Spirit of God dwells in you so richly that you don’t forget His presence.

When you forget His presence with you, return to Him and acknowledge it.

This work has marked me.

If you want to think about God more, read it.

Cost of Discipleship by Diedricht Bonhoeffer

This book is marked by obedience.

God’s love language is obedience.

Bonhoeffer speaks of single-minded obedience.

Read the Word and do it.

The other main concept was costly grace versus cheap grace.

Costly grace picks up the cross.

Cheap grace neglects the cross.

Costly grace requires surrender.

Cheap grace requires comfort.

Great read.

If you want to pick up your cross more, read this book.

Fire and Fragrance by Andy Byrd

Okay the theology and hermeneutics in this book are not great.

But, I still like it and it still transformed me.

Too often, especially on the west, do we think God is not in the business of doing miracles or transforming nations.

This book will spark a fire for revival and desiring great things of God.

Don’t read it for the theology of it, read it so that you can keep that fiery zeal.

Hear about what God is doing in the world.

If your heart is hard and cold, read this book.

The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun

God is doing things in the world.

A great picture of the Chinese picture and revival in China.

Good read for the heart.

Theos Starter Pack by Nathan Finochio

This book is a spiritual feast.

This book is why I am in seminary.

This book convinced me theology matters.

This book drew me into loving God with my mind.

A great introduction to theology.

A great redemption of theology for myself who was burned by people with an unhealthy passion for theology.

If you want to love God with your mind, read it.

Orthodoxy by G.K Chesterton

The way that Chesterton sees the world is, I believe, the way the Christian should see the world. To see that God "made a frog jump, because a frog prefers jumping."

Or to see the emancipation that, "Christianity is on the side of humanity and liberty and love."

Finally, I'll conclude with Chesterton's idea on the secret of Christianity, "Joy, which was the small publicity of the pagan, is the gigantic secret of the Christian."

Will be reading this yearly. Chesterton is an apologist, a poet, a theologian, but also a prophet.

If you like C.S Lewis, you’ll love Chesterton.

Chesteron’s prior work The Everlasting Man is the book that converted Lewis.

If you want to learn about the common sense that it is to be a Christian, read it.

In Light of Eternity: The Life of Leonard Ravenhill by Mack Tomlinson

Ravenhill will be in the hall of faith in heaven.

Prayer, revival, and holiness.

Read it and weep in repentance before a Holy God.

Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Eliot

You won’t be able to put it down.

My friend Mike gave me this book in hopes to mobilize me to do overseas missions.

I want to do overseas church planning because of this book.

If you want to be stirred to fulfill the Great Commission, read this.