Rachel and I were conversing recently about one of the books we were reading together, and she mentioned that we should have a list of recommended books on our website that we could refer to our family and friends. We do have a list of recommended medical books in the Resources/Health & Wellness section, but that is a niche category that I didn't want to expand to books in other categories. So I added this page to our Media section of the website that has books of non-medical nature with a summary of why we recommend it. I am hoping and praying that our culture gets back to the focused learning that comes from reading books, both old and new that help us escape from the tyranny of the now, as C.S. Lewis once articulated, and help us understand more deeply and engage in the amazing world God created for us to inhabit. It bears mentioning that our framework for the source of Truth about this life we are privileged to live comes ultimately from the Bible, both Old and New Testament that reveals the nature and purposes of God for His creation on this planet earth in this current dispensation of time.

The Fulfilled Prophecies of Jesus (Jim)
This book is a verse by verse study of Matthew 24. The book contains the many references and resources that present the conclusion that Bible prophecy concerning "the last days" was fulfilled in the first century just as Jesus said it would be. Dr. Coates has a podcast at www.PresentTruthMatters.com that continues to expound on the Scriptural basis that is presented in this book. I found this book to be a "game changer" in my understanding of Scripture. My view and respect of Scripture was deepened by the ideas presented in this book. Some of the books referenced in this book are ones that I have been exposed to in different parts of my life, some of which I was not ready to read till this time in my life. This book was like entering through a "gate of understanding" that once I came through, I could never return to the ignorance I had carried of Scripture's treasures in the past.

 

Stockholm Syndrome Christianity (Jim)

What if our culture isn’t collapsing because of crusading secularists, but because leading Christians identify more with secular elites than with their fellow believers? Writing with well researched examples and naming names, This book is like experiencing first hand what C.S. Lewis' Puddleglum might have felt in the witches lair in his book "the Silver Chair" for those of us privileged to live at this time. The author, Dr. John West is Vice President of Discovery Institute in Seattle and co-founder of its Center for Science and Culture. An award-winning author and filmmaker, he has written or edited thirteen books and directed a dozen documentaries. Formerly Chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography at Seattle Pacific University, he holds a PhD in Government from Claremont Graduate University.

 

The Immortal Mind (Jim)

Many scientists and doctors believe that there is no such thing as the soul, and conversely many people who look to them for truth. The implication of this belief is that there is no part of us that persists beyond death. We are not spiritual in any respect. We are made up of cells and tissue, and completely controlled by a material organ in our heads: the brain. Dr. Michael Egnor, practicing neurosurgeon, neuroscientist and Professor of Neurosurgery at Stony Brook University, makes the case—based on 40 years of practice and over 7,000 brain surgeries—that science has gotten it all wrong. The human brain is incredible, mysterious, and powerful. But it’s not what makes us who we are. The soul does that. One of my friends, Dr. Ron Bryce, during his residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, TX and I conversed long before this book was researched and written by Dr. Egnor. The book brought back to memory long conversations regarding the logical existence of a mechanism outside of the physical body that people have intuitively known and written about for millennium. This book will help a person rediscover why the reality of our eternal souls make more sense than the slip shod propaganda of Darwinian orthodoxy.

 

The Atlas Factor (Jim)

With over three decades experience as a pastor and church planter, Lance Ford is a writer, coach, and consultant who has designed unique training systems currently being used by networks, seminaries, and leaders throughout the world. He has written many articles for Christianity Today, Outreach Magazine, Relevant, and others as well as co-founded the Sentralized Conference. His books include UnLeader, The Starfish and The Spirit, Missional Essentials, The Missional Quest, Next Door as It Is In Heaven, and others. This book cut through the rhetoric that too many Christian organizations utilize to "build the church". I recognized much of my past experiences with churches and the leadership there, some of it aligned well with Scripture, others did not. If you need help discerning whether the church you are currently in is fulfilling the role that Jesus gave to his followers, this is a great book for enhancing your discernment.

 

Look Me In The Eye (Jim)

Ever since he was small, author John Robison had longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits--an inclination to blurt out non sequiturs, avoid eye contact, dismantle radios, and dig five-foot holes (and stick his younger brother in them)--had earned him the label "social deviant." No guidance came from his mother, who conversed with light fixtures, or his father, who spent evenings pickling himself in sherry. It was no wonder he gravitated to machines, which could, at least, be counted on.After fleeing his parents and dropping out of high school, his savant-like ability to visualize electronic circuits landed him a gig with KISS, for whom he created their legendary fire-breathing guitars. Later, he drifted into a "real" job, as an engineer for a major toy company. But the higher Robison rose in the company, the more he had to pretend to be "normal" and do what he simply couldn't: communicate. John Robison goes into the details of what it is like to grow up autistic, giving the reader a rare view into the way an autistic person thinks and acts. I read this book to better understand one of our children we raised, and it brought tears to my eyes for the understanding I wish I had at the time. Highly recommended book for anyone that lives with or engages with someone that may be "on the spectrum" or considered autistic.