Unriddling Our Times
Posted November 6th, 2009 by Tullian TchividjianThe Bible makes clear that Christians must be people of double listening—listening both to the questions of the world and to the answers of the Word. We’re to be good interpreters not only of Scripture but also of culture. God wants us to be like the men of Issachar, “who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). Faithfulness to Christ means we can’t afford to leave our culture unexamined. We’re to think long and hard, deep and wide about our times and all the issues surrounding the church’s mission—its proper relationship to this world and its proper place in it.
I don’t claim to understand all of the complexities involved and the challenges that face Christians in different parts of the world, but I would like to offer some direction regarding what I consider must-read books that can help us think through these issues biblically. No one will agree with all of the content in these books. In fact, some of these books represent opposing perspectives on how Christians should relate to the culture around them. But all of these books will help you develop your own conclusions.
As I once heard Tim Keller say, “Read one thinker and you become a clone. Read two and you become confused. Read a hundred and you start to become wise.” While I don’t list a hundred books here, these are my Top 40, and I’m convinced they’ll help you on that road to wisdom. All these books are well written but none of them is easy reading. They all require an engaged mind. I know this sounds crazy, but I suggest that over time you try to read them all.
I also urge you to be a diligent and intentional reader. Highlight and underline key phrases and sentences, and make notes in the margins. As C. S. Lewis said, “The best way to read is with book in lap, pen in hand, and pipe in teeth.” So enjoy these books—but easy on the tobacco.
Here are my top fifteen recommendations (in alphabetical order):
American Evangelicalism by James Davison Hunter
Chameleon Christianity by Dick Keyes
Christ and Culture Revisited by D. A. Carson
Christian Mission in the Modern World by John Stott
Culture Making by Andy Crouch
Engaging God’s World by Cornelius Plantinga
God in the Wasteland by David Wells
The Gospel in a Pluralist Society by Lesslie Newbigin
The Gravedigger File by Os Guinness
How Now Shall We Live? by Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey
Lectures on Calvinism by Abraham Kuyper
No Place for Truth by David Wells
Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon
The Way of the Modern World by Craig Gay
Where in the World Is the Church? by Michael Horton
And here are twenty-five more I highly recommend:
The Abolition of Man by C. S. Lewis
All God’s Children in Blue Suede Shoes by Ken Myers
Christ and Culture by H. Richard Niebuhr
The Church Before the Watching World by Francis Schaeffer
The Contemporary Christian by John Stott
Creation Regained by Albert Wolters
The Culturally Savvy Christian by Dick Staub
Culture Matters by T. M. Moore
He Shines in All That’s Fair by Richard Mouw
Heaven Is a Place on Earth by Michael Wittmer
Heaven Is Not My Home by Paul Marshall
Making the Best of It: Following Christ in the Real World by John G. Stackhouse Jr.
No God but God by John Seel and Os Guinness
The Noise of Solemn Assemblies by Peter Berger
Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be by Cornelius Plantinga
A Peculiar People by Rodney Clapp
Prophetic Untimeliness by Os Guinness
Redeeming Pop-Culture by T. M. Moore
Rumor of Angels by Peter Berger
Surprised by Hope by N. T. Wright
The Transforming Vision by Brian Walsh and Richard Middleton
Too Christian, Too Pagan by Dick Staub
Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
When the Kings Come Marching In by Richard Mouw
Where Resident Aliens Live by Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon
November 7th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Pastor Tullian
Get the list from “Unfashionable” to all those who have not yet purchased it.
I was thinking about what you said in your message 11/01/09. The part about being wide awake or
engaged, something to that nature and I pulled an excerpt from “Unfashionable” that I thought was
the best description of how worldliness affects our soul.
“The Biblical notion of worldliness is a sleepiness of the soul in which the status, pleasures,
comforts, and care of the world appear solid, stunning, and affecting while the truths of
scripture become abstractions– unable to grip the heart or guide our everyday activities.”
We need to be engaged in cultrure but not to the point of losing touch with the reality of being a christian.
I will take your advice and try to read the books recommended. God bless!
November 8th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Way off topic, but I just came across this encouraging article about the surprising growth of evangelical churches in highly secular and atheistic France.
November 9th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
As a Christian Book Store Manager, what a blessing to see the book list on your blog.
November 10th, 2009 at 7:08 am
pastor Tullian
the senior pastor at the fellowship I attend has been aflicted with schingles. He works very hard about 80 hours a week and it shows. He has some free time while he recouperates so I gave “Unfashionable” to his wife for him to read. She said he would enjoy it.
God Bless
November 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
This is a fantastic list. Read or working through most of these books.
I would recommend this blog to you, written by a man who got me starting reading several of theses:
www.doggieheadtilt.com
November 10th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I think one major reason we are so afflicted in the Western church with complacency and culture conformity is that we have no idea what happens to the church in the East. The international day of prayer for the persecuted church is a wonderful entry into the reality of the truly “unfashionable”, self-denying, way of the cross. I learned about the plight of our brothers and sisters in regions hostile to the gospel through a number of different ministries such as The Bridge International and the Voice of the Martytrs. A good look at the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation would be a good place to begin, as well. The Sunday evening service has also been a wonderful glance at what is an “unfashionable” and persecuted church looks like. Oh, that we would all grasp the life Christ calls us to.
PS “And you shall be My witnesses (the Greek word, translated martyrs)”-Acts 1:8
November 11th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
“pipe in teeth” I don’t think my wife would appreciate that too much.
Thanks for the suggestions Pastor! Keep up the good work!