resources
recommendations as you journey with God
Getting in the Word
As a Christian it is important not only to speak with God (pray) but also to hear from God. One way of doing that is by consistently reading the words he gave us through the Bible. Here are some tools to use to help you get in the Word each day.
Reading plans from biblegateway.com
New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp
The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms by Timothy and Kathy Keller
Dinner Table Devotions: 40 Days of Spiritual Nourishment for Your Family by Nancy Guthrie
RWS Pastoral Team's Reads
Rev. David Bisgrove,
Senior Pastor
The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith | A book based on Tim Keller’s sermons from Luke 15. If you haven’t read it. Read it. If you have, read it again. It underscores Tim’s understanding of what it means to be lost and found by Jesus and how our morality robs us of experiencing God’s grace.
Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund | A deeply biblical and beautiful reflection on the heart of Jesus, written for the “discouraged, the cynical, the empty.” A reminder that Jesus moves towards us in our brokenness and failures.
The Sacred Journey: A Memoir of Early Days by Frederick Buechner | Buechner’s first of four memoirs in which the author weaves his early life with profound insight into the human condition. He shares his pain, doubts and struggles in a way that gives hope and for me his writing is like a fine meal, something to savor.
Rev. Andrew Field, Executive Pastor
Church History in Plain Language, Fifth Edition | This is a classic, updated with more recent events and perspectives.Ties to the July sermon series.
Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation | Learn about the theological foundation of our church’s pastor and how Redeemer grew since 1989. This book will help you be even more thankful for God’s work in Tim’s life as we honor him in his recent death.
You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World by Alan Noble | Brilliant review of the contemporary identity crisis in North America and how the gospel provides a sure identity in Christ.
Ordinary Saints: Living Everyday Life to the Glory of God ed by Ned Bustard | Forty short essays on living a Christian life in the smallest details. From karaoke, museums, mentoring, work, mental illness, and grandparenting, to comic books. (I have one essay in there but I receive no royalties from this book).
Rev. Paul Yoo,
Senior Director of Mercy & Justice
Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman | It might not be an overstatement to say this is the most important Christian book of the past 10 years for navigating the rapidly changing and disorienting cultural shifts on issues like sexuality and gender. Trueman takes us on a historical tour to help us understand how we’ve gotten where we are today, and it helps us find our bearings amidst all the change. Every Christian should read it. Really!
Home by Marilynne Robinson | Marilynne Robinson might be my favorite contemporary novelist. In a world where we’re all always on the go, she slows you down and helps you to see, notice, observe, feel. Her novels, rather than being heavily plot-driven, draw out characters and life with such richness and depth. It’s hard to read more than 15 minutes a day – there’s so much to reflect on in each page. And it does something to you – you become wiser about life and people, and maybe a little bit more human.
Jamie Yoo,
Senior Director of Care & Counseling
Caring for One Another: 8 Ways to Cultivate Meaningful Relationships by Edward T. Welch | Simple yet insightful book that casts vision for what it looks like when ordinary, needy people care for other ordinary, needy people in everyday life.
Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness by David Powlison | Carefully explores the complexities of anger in a biblically robust and nuanced manner. It is a soul-searching book that helps the readers to consider their own problem of anger, and how it can be redeemed with practical wisdom.
