Robin Parry has done something similar in recommending his most influential theological book, and his guests have chimed in with favorites of their own.

For me, I think the most influential book I ever read was called Love is a Decision by Gary Smalley and John Trent. I haven’t read it for several years now, but I often think back to what I had read. I will let the Amazon review from Cindy speak for me on this one.

This was the first marriage book I was able to read without becoming angry about all the things my husband WASN’T doing. Instead, for the first time ever, I suddenly saw the things I WAS doing to push my husband away from me, to crush his spirit. God truly used this book to show me His amazing and perfect plan and order for marriage, and my life hasn’t been the same since. And when I changed, made the decision to honor my husband, he became everything I had hoped for without even trying or realizing. We are best friends now, not antagonists to one another. I never dreamed marriage could be as wonderful as mine is right now.

In short, marriage isn’t about what I get out of it, but what I put into it. If I choose to honor my wife, to respect her, and cherish her, no matter what our circumstances, then our marriage will thrive.

It should be required reading for engaged couples. If it was required reading I am sure we would see a decrease in the divorce rate! You can buy it used from Amazon for under three dollars.

Question: What books have been significant for you?

He has categorized them by Bible Teaching, Missions, Thinking, Evangelism, Revival & Prayer.
While they may not all appeal to you, it will certainly give you a starting point for some great listening.

He has also has a interesting new post on ideas for prayer.

Nigel also runs “Bookling”, quite possibly the cheapest place to buy Christian and other books online.

Finally, I love the imagery he used in a sermon to describe Paul’s final words to the Colossians, I have reproduced it below.

“I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.” As Paul ended his letter to the Colossians, the shackles around his wrists clattered. He stopped and looked at them, as he had done so many times before. Then, he raised his pen again. “Remember my chains,” he added – three words to remind the believers of their need to suffer for Christ, and of his need for their prayers. He put his pen down. In the darkness of his prison cell all was quiet. Paul looked at his chains again, and he was reminded of the One for whom he bore them. He thought of his Saviour, and of his Saviour’s suffering: the thorns, the nails, the cross. A tear trickled down his cheek as he remembered how his Lord had shown indescribable mercy to him—Saul, now Paul—on the Damascus road. Then, sitting with his back pressed against the cold prison wall and his face buried in his hands, the man began to weep. ‘Thank you, thank you… thank you,’ he whispered. Joy, thankfulness, a sense of eternity, and sheer love for his Lord welled up within him. Paul lifted his pen one last time. He would end not with his name, nor with the reminder of his chains, but with a word that represented the core of his message, the passion of his life, and the very essence of his God. “Grace,” he wrote. “Grace be with you.”