Friday, November 30, 2018

November check-in

What Bible(s) did I read from this month? I finished two Bibles this month. And I'm reading in a third. The one I'm currently reading is the ESV Systematic Theology. The ones I finished are:



How many books by J.C. Ryle did I read this month? I finished one and started another. I'm currently reading HOLINESS. I finished Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Matthew


Favorite quote(s) by J.C. Ryle:

No doubt men may easily think too little of God the Father, and God the Spirit, but no man ever thought too much of Christ.

Am I keeping up with my Morning and Evening devotional by Charles Spurgeon? YES
Favorite quote(s) by Charles Spurgeon:
  • Make God your only object. Depend upon it, where SELF begins—sorrow begins!

How many books by R.C. Sproul did I read this month? one


Favorite quote(s) by R.C. Sproul:
  • The single most important thing to understand about worship is that the only worship that is acceptable to God is worship that proceeds from a heart that is trusting in God and in God alone. (38)
Did I read any Puritans or Reformers this month: A tiny bit. I read a few chapters in a Matthew Henry commentary. But I didn't share any quotes online.
Favorite quote(s):
If we work only for our fellow human beings, our works at best will die with us; if we work for God, they will follow us (Rev 14:13).
Did I complete at least one book from the TBR Pile challenge? Which one? No.
Other Christian nonfiction books read this month:



Christian fiction books read this month: 2



How many "new" books did I read (published 2000-present)? 5
How many "old" books did I read (published before 2000)? 7
Which book was my overall favorite?



© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Bibles Read in 2019

Current Project:

January
February
March
ESV Story of Redemption Bible. Crossway. 2018. 1920 pages. [Source: Gift]
April
May
My Creative Bible KJV (Pink Hardcover)Illustrated by Brad Miedema and Allison Sowers. 1611/2016. Christian Art Publishers. 1410 pages. [Source: Review copy provided by KJV Bibles.com]
June
July
ESV Prayer Bible. 2019. Crossway Books. 1920 pages. [Source: Review copy]

August
September
October

Giant Print Handy Size Reprint NASB 1977 Edition. 2011. AMG Publishers. 2304 pages.
The Holy Bible. King James Version. 1947/52. Spence Press. 1566 pages. [Source: Gift]

November
CSB Reader's Bible. 2019. Holman. 1824 pages. [Source: Bought]


December
Reading God's Story: A Chronological Daily Bible (HCSB). Arranged by George H. Guthrie. 2011. Holman Bible Publishers. 1440 pages. [Source: Bought]
KJV Spurgeon Study Bible. Edited by Alistair Begg featuring notes by Charles Spurgeon. 2018. Holman Bible Publishers. 1840 pages. [Source: Bought]


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Books Read in 2019

Pierre-Auguste Renoir: "Gabrielle lisante" and "Liseuse a la Venus"
January
Christian Nonfiction
1. Found: God's Will. John F. MacArthur Jr. 1972. 60 pages. [Source: Bought]
2. Made for the Journey: One Missionary's First Year in the Jungles of Ecuador. 1998. Revell. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
3. The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler. John Hendrix. 2018. Harry N. Abrams. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
4. The Practice of the Presence of God. Brother Lawrence. 1691/1982. 96 pages. [Source: Bought]
5. Ruth. (Thru the Bible #11) J. Vernon McGee. 1976. 96 pages. [Source: Bought]
6. What is an Evangelical? D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. 1992. Banner of Truth. 80 pages. [Source: Bought]
7. Not God Enough: Why Your Small God Leads to Big Problems. J.D. Greear. 2018. Zondervan. 237 pages. [Source: Review copy]
8. A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night: Finding and Following God's Will for You. A.W. Tozer. Edited by James L. Snyder. 2019. [March] Bethany House. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
9. A Book of Comfort for Those In Sickness. Philip Bennett Power. 1876/2018. Banner of Truth. 97 pages. [Source: Bought]
10. Together: United Methodists of Temple, Tabernacle, and Table. Stanley R. Copeland and Scott Gilliland. 2018. 190 pages. [Source: Borrowed] NOT RECOMMENDED
11. Mere Calvinism. Jim S. Orrick. 2019. P&R Publishing. 224 pages.
12. Through Gates of Splendor. Elisabeth Elliot. 1956/1996. Tyndale. 219 pages. [Source: Bought]
13. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. J.I. Packer. 1961/1991. IVP. 126 pages. [Source: Bought]

Christian Fiction
1. With You Always. (Orphan Train #1) Jody Hedlund. 2017. Bethany House. 359 pages. [Source: Review copy]
2. A Garden in Paris. Stephanie Grace Whitson. 2005. 285 pages. [Source: Bought]
3. Together Forever (Orphan Train #2) Jody Hedlund. 2018. Bethany House. 343 pages. [Source: Library]
Seven Alone. Honore Willsie Morrow. 1926/1977. Scholastic. 240 pages. [Source: Own]
5. Searching for You (Orphan Train #3) Jody Hedlund. 2018. Bethany House. 341 pages. [Source: Review copy]
6. What Is Given From the Heart. Patricia C. McKissack. Illustrated by April Harrison. 2019 [January]. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

February
Christian Nonfiction
14. The Gospel in Dorothy L. Sayers: Selections from Her Novels, Plays, Letters, and Essays. 2018. Plough Publishing House. 270 pages. [Source: Review copy]
15. Thru the Bible #12: 1 and 2 Samuel. J. Vernon McGee. 308 pages. [Source: Bought]
16. The Joy of Fearing God. Jerry Bridges. 1998/2004. 352 pages. [Source: Bought]
17. Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World. John F. MacArthur Jr. 1993/2001. Crossway. 266 pages. [Source: Bought]
18. The Love of Loves in the Song of Songs. Philip Graham Ryken. 2019. [Feb 28] Crossway. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
19. God Is In the Small Stuff Twentieth Anniversary Edition. Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz. 2019. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]
20. Discovering the Good Life. Tim Savage. 2019. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
21. Dark Clouds Deep Mercy: Discovering The Grace of Lament. Mark Vroegop. 2019. Crossway. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]
22. New England Primer (1777 edition). Various authors. 90 pages. [Source: Online] 
23. The Christian Book of Mystical Verse: A Collection of Poems, Hymns, and Prayers for Devotional Reading. A.W. Tozer, editor. 1991/2016. 177 pages. [Source: Bought]
24. Remaining Faithful in Ministry: 9 Essential Convictions for Every Pastor. John MacArthur. 2019. 80 pages. [Source: Review copy]
25. Knowing Christianity. J.I. Packer. 1995. 191 pages. [Source: Bought] 

Christian Fiction
7. Thank You, Omu! Oge Mora. 2018. Little, Brown and Company. 34 pages. [Source: Library]
8. Navigate Your Faith: A Christian's Field Guide to Not Getting Lost. Ron Pratt. 2019. Charisma House. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
9. The Crown and the Crucible. (The Russians #1) Michael R. Phillips and Judith Pella. 1991. Bethany House. 416 pages. [Source: Bought]
10. A Hilltop in Tuscany. (A Garden in Paris #2) Stephanie Grace Whitson. 2006. Bethany House. 301 pages. [Source: Bought]


March
Christian Nonfiction
26. Tozer on Worship and Entertainment. A.W. Tozer. 1997/2006. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]
27. God is the Gospel: Meditations on God's Love as the Gift of Himself. John Piper. 2005. Crossway. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
28. Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age. Tony Reinke. 2019. Crossway. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
29. 31 Verses to Write On Your Heart. Liz Curtis Higgs. 2016. 224 pages. [Source: Bought] 
30. And There Was Evening, And There Was Morning. Ellen Kahan Zager. Illustrated by Harriet Cohen Helfand. 2018. 24 pages. [Source: Library]
31. Praying the Bible. Donald S. Whitney. 2015. Crossway. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]
32. The Institutes of the Christian Religion. Abridged. John Calvin. (1536) Edited by Tony Lane and Hilary Osborne (1987). Baker Books. 272 pages. [Source: Bought] 
33. ESV Story of Redemption Bible. Crossway. 2018. 1920 pages. [Source: Gift]
34. Final Word: Why We Need the Bible. John MacArthur. 2019. [June] Reformation Trust Publishing. 136 pages. [Source: Review copy]
35. Cries From the Cross: A Journey Into the Heart of Jesus. Erwin Lutzer. 2002. Moody. 170 pages. [Source: Bought]

Christian Fiction
11. A Clearing in the Wild. (Change and Cherish #1) Jane Kirkpatrick. 2006. Waterbrook. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy]
12. Life with Lily (The Adventures of Lily Lapp #1) Mary Ann Kissinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2012. Revell. 280 pages. [Source: Review copy]
13. A New Home for Lily (Adventures of Lily Lapp #2) Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2013. Revell. 266 pages. [Source: Review copy]


April
Christian Nonfiction
36. Joyful Surrender: 7 Disciplines for the Believer's Life. Elisabeth Elliot. 1982/2019. Revell. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
37. Saving the Reformation: The Pastoral Theology of the Canons of Dort. W. Robert Godfrey. 2019. Reformation Trust. 265 pages. [Source: Review copy]
38. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. Laura Hillenbrand. 2010. Random House. 473 pages. [Source: Bought]
39. Gladys Aylward: Missionary to China. Sam Wellman. 1998. Barbour. 204 pages. [Source: Bought]
40. The New City Catechism: 52 Questions and Answers for Our Hearts and Minds. Timothy J. Keller. Introduced by Kathy Keller. 2017. Crossway Books. 128 pages. [Source: Bought]
41. Mighty Acts of God: A Family Bible Story Book. Starr Meade. 2010. Crossway. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]
42. Grace Defined and Defended: What a 400 Year Old Confession Teaches Us About Sin, Salvation, And the Sovereignty of God. Kevin DeYoung. 2019. Crossway. 144 pages. [Source: Review copy]
43. Why Christ Came: 31 Meditations on the Incarnation. Joel R. Beeke & William Boekestein. 2013. Reformation Heritage. 108 pages. [Source: Bought]
44. Growing in Godliness: A Teen Girl's Guide to Maturing in Christ. Lindsey Carlson. 2019. Crossway Books. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]
45. Christ's Call to Reform the Church. John F. MacArthur. 2018. Moody Publishers. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
46. The Cross: God's Way of Salvation. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. 1986. Crossway. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]
47. Ken Taylor: Bringing the Bible to Life. (Heroes of the Faith) Jim Kraus. 2006. Barbour Books. 208 pages. [Source: Bought]
48. The Bible In Pictures for Little Eyes. Kenneth N. Taylor. 1956/1984. Moody Press. 190 pages. [Source: Bought]
49. The Psalm 119 Experience. John Kramp. 2014. B&H Publishing. 217 pages. [Source: Review copy]
50. Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me. Kevin DeYoung. 2014. Crossway. 138 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christian Fiction
14. A Big Year for Lily (The Adventures of Lily Lapp #3) Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2013. Revell. 267 pages. [Source: Review copy]
15. A Surprise for Lily (The Adventures of Lily Lapp #4) Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2013. Revell. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]
16. A House Divided (The Russians #2) Michael R. Phillips and Judith Pella. 1992. Bethany House. 352 pages. [Source: Bought]

May
Christian Nonfiction
51. On Earth As It Is In Heaven: How the Lord's Prayer Teaches Us To Pray Effectively. Warren Wiersbe. 2010. 156 pages. [Source: Bought]
52. Billy Sunday, Baseball Preacher. Fern Neal Stocker. 1985. Moody. 143 pages. [Source: Bought]
53. Job (Holman Old Testament Commentary #10) Steven J. Lawson. 2005. 400 pages. [Source: Bought]
54. Labor With Hope. Gospel Meditations on Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood. Gloria Furman and Jesse Scheumann. 2019. Crossway. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
55. Talk the Walk: How To Be Right Without Being Insufferable. Steve Brown. 2019. New Growth Press. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
56. The Big Picture Story Bible. David R. Helm. Illustrated by Gail Schoonmaker. 2004. Crossway Books. 451 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
57. My First Read-Aloud Bible. Retold by Mary Batchelor & Penny Boshoff. 2010. February 2010. Scholastic. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christian Fiction
17. The White City. (True Colors) Grace Hitchcock. 2019. Barbour Books. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]
18. The Refuge. Ann H. Gabhart. 2019. Revell. 400 pages. [Source: Review copy]
19. The Pink Bonnet (True Colors #2) Liz Tolsma. 2019. Barbour. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]
June
Christian Nonfiction
58. A Christian Manifesto. Francis A. Schaeffer. 1981/2005. Crossway. 157 pages. [Source: Bought]
59. Taking Back the Good Book: How America Forgot the Bible and Why It Matters To You. Woodrow Kroll. 2007. Crossway Books. 222 pages. [Source: Review copy]
60. Soaring Through the Bible: A Travel Guide from Genesis to Revelation for Kids. Skip Heitzig. 2019. Harvest House. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]
61. Choosing Community: Action, Faith, and Joy in the Works of Dorothy L. Sayers. Christine A. Colon. 2019. [October] InterVarsity Press. 150 pages. [Source: Review copy]
62. Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God's Image. Paul W. Brand and Philip Yancey. 2019. InterVarsity Press. 264 pages. [Source: Review copy]
63.  The Apostles' Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits. R. Albert Mohler Jr. 2019. Thomas Nelson. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]
64. 5 Minutes in Church History: An Introduction to the Stories of God's Faithfulness in the History of the Church. Stephen J. Nichols. 2019. Reformation Trust. 154 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christian Fiction
20. Because of Winn Dixie. Kate DiCamillo. 2000. Candlewick. 182 pages. [Source: Book I bought]
21. A Song of Joy. Lauraine Snelling. 2019. Bethany House. 464 pages. [Source: Review copy]
22. More Than Words Can Say. (Patchwork Family #2) Karen Witemeyer. 2019. Bethany House. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy]


July
Christian Nonfiction
65. How God Grows a Courageous Girl. Carey Scott. 2019. [October] Barbour. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
66. Untangling Emotions: God's Gift of Emotions. J. Alasdair Groves and Winston T. Smith. 2019. Crossway Books. 240 pages. [Source: Review copy]
67. How God Grows a Brave Boy: A Devotional. Matt Koceich. 2019. [October] Barbour. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
68. Not Home Yet: How the Renewal of the Earth Fits Into God's Plan for the World. 2019. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
69. Prayers for Little Hearts. Sandra Magsamen. 2019. Scholastic. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]
70. The Whole Armor of God: How Christ's Victory Strengthens Us for Spiritual Warfare. Iain M. Duguid. 2019. Crossway. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christian Fiction
23. Imagine...The Giant's Fall. Matt Koceich. 2019. Barbour. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]
24. Imagine...The Miracles of Jesus. Matt Koceich. 2019. [October] 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]


August
Christian Nonfiction
Christian Fiction
September
Christian Nonfiction
71. The Joy Of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less. Tonya Dalton. 2019. Thomas Nelson. 240 pages. [Source: Review copy]
72. Bible History ABCs: God's Story from A to Z. Stephen J. Nichols. 2019. Crossway. 60 pages. [Source: Review copy]
73. My Heart Cries Out: Gospel Meditations for Everyday Life. Paul David Tripp. 2019. Crossway. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]
74. Emblems of the Infinite King: Enter the Knowledge of the Living God. J. Ryan Lister and Anthony M. Benedetto. 2019. Crossway. 184 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christian Fiction
25. Sophie and the Heidelberg Cat. Andrew Wilson. Illustrated by Helena P. Garcia. 2019. Crossway. 36 pages. [Source: Review copy]
26. Lessons On Love: 4 Schoolteachers Find More than They Bargained For in Their Contracts. Susanne Dietze, Rita Gerlach, Kathleen L. Maher, Carrie Fancett Pagels. 2019. Barbour. 448 pages. [Source: Review copy]


October
Christian Nonfiction
75. Jesus Heals [Board book] Danielle Hitchen. Illustrated by Jessica Blanchard. 2020 [January] 20 pages. [Source: Review copy]
76. Stop Calling Me Beautiful: Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World. Phylicia Masonheimer. 2020. [February] Harvest House. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
77. God Cares When I'm Afraid. Stormie Omartian. 2020 [ February] Harvest House. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
78. The Rhythm of the Christian Life: Recapturing the Joy of Life Together. Brian J. Wright. 2019. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christian Fiction
27. When Silence Sings. Sarah Loudin Thomas. 2019. Bethany House. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]
28. Rising Above Shepherdsville. Ann Schoenbohm. 2019. 320 pages. [Source: Library]



November
Christian Nonfiction
79. Becoming C.S. Lewis. A Biography of Young Jack Lewis. Harry Lee Poe. Crossway. 312 pages. [Source: Review copy]
80. A Small Book for the Anxious Heart: Meditations on Fear, Worry, and Trust. Edward T. Welch. 2019. New Growth Press. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
81. To Be A Christian: An Anglican Catechism. J.I. Packer, editor. Joel Scandrett, editor. 2020 [January] Crossway. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]
82. Faithful Theology: An Introduction by Graham A. Cole. Edited by Oren R. Martin. 2020 [January] Crossway. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]
83. Set Free: Restoring Religious Freedom for All. Edited by Art Lindsley and Ann R. Bradley. 2019. Abilene Christian University Pres. 354 pages. [Source: Review copy]
84. Truth We Can Touch. Tim Chester. 2020. [January] Crossway Books. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]


Christian Fiction
29. Westering Women. Sandra Dallas. 2020 [January 7] 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]
30. The Oregon Trail Romance Collection: 9 Stories of Life on the Trail Into the Western Frontier. Featuring Stories by Amanda Cabot, Melanie Dobson, Pam Hillman, Myra Johnson, Amy Lillard, DiAnn Mills, Anna Schmidt, and Ann Shorey. 2015/2019. Barbour Books.  448 pages. [Source: Review copy]
31. Good News! God Made Me! (Board Book) Glenys Nellist. 2019. Discovery House. 18 pages. [Source: Review copy]
32. Crossroads in Jerusalem. Elizabeth Raum. 2019. JourneyForth/BJU Press. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]
33. The Inn at Hidden Run (Tree of Life #1) Olivia Newport. 2019. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December
Christian Nonfiction
85. Transformed by Truth: How to Study the Bible as a Teen. Katherine Forster. 2019. Crossway Books. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
86. Exactly As You Are. The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers. Shea Tuttle. 2019. 211 pages. [Source: Library]
87. The Lost Son Comes Home. Illustrated by Tim Ladwig. 2019. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christian Fiction
34. Christmas Pageant for Jesus. Susan Jones. Illustrated by Lee Holland. 2019. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
35. Countdown (The Sixties Trilogy #1) Deborah Wiles. 2010. 394 pages. [Source: Library]
36. The Wedding Dress Christmas (The Wedding Collection #3.5) Rachel Hauck. 2019. 150 pages. [Source: Review copy]
37. My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Lost Love. Amanda Barratt. 2019. Kregel. 360 pages. [Source: Review copy]
38. Revolution (The Sixties Trilogy #2) Deborah Wiles. 2014. 538 pages. [Source: Library]
39. Once Upon A Dickens Christmas: 3 Charming Christmas Tales Set in Victorian England. Michelle Griep. 2019. 448 pages. [Source: Review copy]
40. The Bridge to Belle Island. Julie Klassen. 2019. 448 pages. Bethany House. [Source: Review copy]
41. The Printed Letter Bookshop. Katherine Reay. 2019. Thomas Nelson. 324 pages. [Source: Library]
42. Lost December. Richard Paul Evans. 2011. 346 pages. [Source: Library]
43. Anthem. (Sixties Trilogy #3) Deborah Wiles. 480 pages. [Source: Library]


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Bible Review: KJV

KJV Single Column. 2010. Thomas Nelson. 1632 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

This Bible is one of my favorites. I believe this was the second time I've read this particular Bible.

I love that it is single column. I don't dislike double columns. I don't. That won't stop me from reading a Bible--loving a Bible. But if I have to choose--get to choose--then it's single column for me.

I love that it's black letter. I do dislike red letter. Two reasons really. One it's impossible on these eyes. Red letters tend to be faint pink and a strain--a pain--to read. OR red letters tend to be bright orange-y and migraine triggers. Either way--my head is feeling pained by the experience. I have noticed that the larger the print, the more tolerate I am of red letters in some way. So if you give me a giant font--say 18 points--the red letter isn't such a big deal. Two I think the whole Word of God is the Word of God. Red letters don't make a verse super-special-extra important.

I love that it is light weight. It is a convenient size to carry about and read wherever. But it is also a nice size for reading in bed.

I love that the font is a reasonable size. It is not a large print Bible--that is it is not advertised as such. But it is larger than many being published these days. In some ways I miss "the good old days" when Bibles were printed in fonts and font sizes that eyes could read comfortably. It is sad--tragic--that "large print" bibles being printed today have what was once normal font. To get a truly large print Bible, you have go GIANT or SUPER GIANT.

The paper-thickness isn't perfectly-perfect, but it is better than most being published today. I think the single column helps in some ways.

Most of all I love that it is the King James Version. I did not grow up reading the King James Version. In fact, I was at least thirty before I picked one up and read it. But once I started reading the King James, it was LOVE. I am not King James Only. I'm not. I don't think people who read the King James are more holy than those that read other translations. I don't think it is the only true translation that is true to the inspired originals.  I just happen to love, love, love, LOVE it and by choice I reread it often.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

2019 Cloud of Witnesses Reading Challenge (Sign up)


If my math is to be trusted this will be my SEVENTH year I'll be hosting the Cloud of Witnesses Reading Challenge. I hope you'll join me! I welcome back former participants! And I hope to see some new participants as well this year! I'd love to show you that reading "from the Cloud" isn't intimidating and scary. The dates for the challenge are January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019.

The title of this reading challenge comes from Hebrews 12:1-2, which reads "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (KJV) If the KJV isn't quite for you,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV)

For an author to qualify for this reading challenge, they must be among "the cloud of witnesses".... in other words, they must be dead. (They must also be Christian.)
The following list is NOT comprehensive by any means. It is just a small sampling of authors that count towards the challenge. 

  • Norman Geisler (1932-2019)
  • David Powlison (1949-2019)
  • Warren Wiersbe (1929-1919)
  • R.C. Sproul (1939-2017)
  • Mike Ovey (1958-2017)
  • Nabeel Qureshi (1983-2017)
  • Jerry Bridges (1929-2016)
  • Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015)
  • Brennan Manning (1934-2013)
  • John Stott (1921-2011)
  • D. James Kennedy (1930-2007)
  • James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000)
  • Paul E. Little (1928-1975)
  • Phillip Keller (1920-1997)
  • Bilquis Sheikh (1912-1997)
  • John Oswald Sanders (1902-1992)
  • Loraine Boettner (1901-1990)
  • J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988)
  • Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984)
  • Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983)
  • Catherine Marshall (1914-1983)
  • Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981)
  • L.E. Maxwell (1895-1984)
  • William Barclay (1907-1978)
  • Watchman Nee (1903-1972)
  • C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)
  • A.W. Tozer (1897-1963)
  • Dorothy Sayers (1893-1957)
  • A.W. Pink (1886-1952)
  • Peter Marshall (1902-1949)
  • John Gresham Machen (1881-1937)
  • Charles Sheldon (1857-1946)
  • Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)
  • G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945)
  • Geerhardus Vos (1862-1949)
  • G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
  • R.A. Torrey (1856-1928)
  • B.B. Warfield (1851-1921)
  • Hudson Taylor (1832-1905)
  • Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)
  • A.B. Simpson (1843-1919)
  • Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)
  • E.M. Bounds (1835-1913)
  • Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
  • Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920)
  • Alexander Whyte (1836-1921)
  • Egerton Ryerson Young (1840-1909)
  • J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)
  • Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899)
  • John Ross Macduff (1818-1895)
  • Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)
  • Charles Hodge (1797-1878)
  • George Muller (1805-1898)
  • Thomas Guthrie (1803-1873)
  • J.W. Alexander (1804-1859)
  • Charles Bridges (1794-1869)
  • William Wilberforce (1759-1833)
  • John Newton (1725-1807)
  • Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
  • David Brainerd (1718-1747)
  • George Whitfield (1714-1770)
  • John Wesley (1703-1791)
  • William Law (1686-1761)
  • Thomas Manton (1620-1677)
  • Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
  • John Owen (1616-1683)
  • John Bunyan (1628-1688)
  • Stephen Charnock (1628-1680)
  • John Flavel (1627-1691)
  • Thomas Watson (1620-1686)
  • Matthew Henry (1662-1714)
  • Richard Sibbes (1577-1635)
  • Martin Luther (1483-1546)
  • John Calvin (1509-1564)
  • Brother Lawrence (1605-1691)
  • Thomas Watson (1620-1686)
  • Thomas Manton (1620-1677)
  • Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471)
  • Saint Augustine (354-430)

So what "counts" for this challenge? Well, the goal is to get you acquainted with different authors. So any reading material will count: no matter the length. It can be an article of a few pages; an individual sermon or a collection of sermons; it can be a book of quotes by that person; it can be a biography or autobiography about the person; you might find full-length books available online, or individual sermons online. And of course it doesn't matter if it's a book-book, e-book, or audiobook.

So how do I find books? Some authors will still be in print. Others won't be. Plenty of qualifying books can be found at Amazon for Kindle or Barnes & Noble for Nooks. Plenty can be read online or downloaded as pdfs. 

A great place to begin might be Free Grace Broadcaster. They've got subject-themed newsletters with articles by various authors. Topics include "The Work of Christ," "Worship," "Heaven," "The Resurrection." I also recommend Christian Classics Ethereal Library

So how many books are required? 

If you're completely new to christian nonfiction (christian living, theology, bible commentaries, bible studies, etc.) then I'd like to challenge you to read ONE or TWO books. If your first attempt is too tough, or proving not-for-you, try again. Don't assume that just because one author isn't working for you, that no author will. 

If christian nonfiction is something you're comfortable reading, I'd like to challenge you to read four to six books for this challenge. 

Sign up for the challenge by leaving a comment on the blog. 


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible