What If I Could Only Have 25 Books in My Minister's Library?

By Thom S. Rainer, Op-ed Contributor Sunday, September 20, 2015

I recently gave away thousands of my books in my library. I only have a few left. In the exercise of deciding which few books I would keep, I asked myself a hypothetical question: What if could keep only 25 of the books?

I began the process thinking it would be a simple exercise. I was wrong! I had great trouble narrowing the list to 25. Here are some of the parameters I used.

I didn't hesitate to choose books that were simply personal preferences.

I decided at the onset I would strive to choose a variety of issues and topics, rather than just the 25 best books.

I was sufficiently lacking in humility, and put two of my own books on the list.

I really struggled eliminating many commentaries of individual Bible books.

With those caveats in mind, here are the 25 books in alphabetical order. I have little doubt you readers will engage in some interesting conversations!

Akin, Daniel, ed. A Theology for the Church. Nashville: B&H, 2007, rev. 2014.
Archer, Gleason. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982.
Bruce, F. F. The Canon of Scripture. Downers Grove: IVP, 1988.
Carson, D.A. Exegetical Fallacies. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996.
Carson, D.A. The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.
Carson, D.A., Douglas J. Moo, and Leon Morris. An Introduction to the New Testament. 2nd ed., Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.
Coleman, Robert. The Master Plan of Evangelism. Grand Rapids: Revell, 1963.
Dallimore, Arnold A. George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the Eighteenth-Century Revival (2 Volumes). Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1970, 1980.
Elwell, Walter. Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996.
Erickson, Millard. Christian Theology. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013.
Green, Michael. Evangelism in the Early Church. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970.
Guthrie, Donald. The Pastoral Epistles. TNTC. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007.
HCSB Study Bible. Nashville: B&H, 2010.
Kaiser, Walter C. Jr. "Exodus" in EBC. vol. 1. rev. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.
Keller, Tim. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. New York: Dutton, 2008.
Matthews, Kenneth. Genesis 1:1-11:26. NAC. Nashville: B&H, 1996 and Genesis 11:27-50:26. NAC. Nashville: B&H, 2005.
Merrill, Eugene H., Mark F. Rooker, and Michael A. Grisanti. The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament. Nashville: B&H, 2011.
Packer, J. I. Knowing God. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1993.
Piper, John. Let the Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2010.
Pohill, John. Acts. NAC. Nashville: B&H, 1992.
Rainer, Thom S. I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude That Makes the Difference. Nashville: B&H, 2013.
Rainer, Thom S. and Eric Geiger. Simple Church. Nashville: B&H, 2006.
Schreiner, Thomas R. Romans. BECNT. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998. TP
Stott, John R.W. The Cross of Christ. Downers Grove: IVP, 1986.
Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.