I still remember my first encounter with theology.
I was twelve. At that time, my family attended a church with few kids my age. Most Sunday mornings, I found myself the only student in my Sunday school class. My teacher was the pastor’s wife and she poured into me. She discipled me through God’s word, teaching me basics of the Christian faith. It was there that I first learned the Doctrines of Grace. I quickly developed a hunger to learn more. My Sunday school class then turned into a question and answer time as I came each Sunday with questions about the Bible and my teacher helped me search God’s word for the answers.
Since then, I’ve loved to study theology—be it systematic, biblical, or expository. Over the years I’ve accumulated a number of books that help me understand different theological terms and concepts. While the Bible itself is the only infallible rule of faith and practice, and while Scripture is sufficient to teach me all I need to know about salvation and what God requires of me, there are many helpful and useful secondary sources written by godly faithful people. These resources have enriched my faith and broadened my understanding of the gospel.
Some books I open to find a quick definition to a theological term. Others I might consult to get an overall summary of a particular teaching. There are others I go to on a regular basis to help me grow in my understanding of a particular doctrine of the faith. And while there are some books I might go to that focus on one subject, such as ecclesiology or Christology, there are a number of books I use that contain good summaries of Christian doctrines.
For those who are looking for resources for their own studies, here are some of my favorites:
: This book by J.I. Packer covers nearly a hundred different theological truths. Each chapter is just a few pages long and succinctly summarizes theology in an easy to understand way. Examples include: the Trinity, Original Sin, Justification, the sacraments, and more.
: I am a member of a confessional church and what that means is that our church holds to historical confessions and creeds of the church. The main confession our pastors and elders have to subscribe to is the Westminster Confession. It is a summary of the main teachings of the Bible. It summarizes what the Bible teaches about God, the work of Christ, the church, and more. I often refer to the confession and the accompanying catechism both when studying Scripture and in writing about Scripture.
: John Calvin's Institutes is a favorite resource of mine. Sometimes, I just read it devotionally. It's an excellent tool for going deeper in understanding theology. It's also helpful for understanding Reformed Protestantism and how it differs from Catholicism. 
: This is a classic I have used for years. I first read it in college and found Sproul's writing easy to understand. I've even read it to my children in our morning devotions. In 2-3 pages, Sproul explains theological terms and teachings. Every Christian should own this book.
: This is another great book that explains the foundations of Christian teaching. I had to read it for a college class many years ago and have consulted it many times since. 
: This is a classic work on systematic theology. It is not an easy read, but it is still an important and useful work. When I want to understand a theological term in more depth, I consult Berkhof. 
As Christians, we need to know what we believe and why. There are many helpful resources that unpack the Bible’s teachings. What are some of your favorites?
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: In my graduate program, I studied the DSM inside and out. I memorized much of it in preparation for licensure. It's been almost two decades since I started my Master's program and much has changed in our culture and in the church regarding how people view and understand mental illness. Often, in dicussions on mental illness there are varied opinions and beliefs. This book presents a balanced approach, helping the lay-person understand some of the basics of the DSM, psychotropic medications, and a Biblical response to both. The author put into words many of my thoughts on the subject from my experiences working with the mentally ill. If you work or serve in ministry or have had questions about this subject, I highly recommend this book.
: Kelly Kapic is a professor and theologian at Covenant College, my alma mater. But this book isn't an academic treatise on the subject of suffering; rather, it is written by someone who knows suffering personally, particularly physical suffering. It's a book that doesn't try to explain God but rather shows us how to suffer with hope by pointing us to Christ, the one who suffered for us. It encourages honest lament both personally and in the context of community. "If we never lament, then it is legitimate to wonder if we have every truly loved. Biblically we discover that lament is a legitimate, even necessary, form of fellowship with God when we are in a place of pain. The Bible repeatedly affirms lament to be an honest and expected expression of our battle with the brokenness of ourselves and the rest of the world."
: This book is written by an Australian writer who I previously was not acquainted with but she reached out to me and sent me her book. I was intrigued by the title and concept. So many parenting books are based on the author's personal experience and advice on what parenting methods worked for their family, so obviously it will work for you too (insert sarcastic tone of voice). I appreciate Harriet's intention to develop a theology of parenting through God's word. She covers themes in Scripture that help parents see the Big Picture of parenting such as : how God created us and our children, the effect of the Fall both in us and our children, our mutual need for a Savior, God's moral commands, our need for community, etc. She uses these themes from Scripture to tie together a Big Picture for parents on what it looks like to raise our children for God's glory. The tone of the book seems to be for those who are newer to Christianity, but that doesn't mean a seasoned Christian wouldn't benefit from reading it. 
: Envy of Eve is written by a friend of mine, Melissa Kruger. We are going through this book in our women's ministry at church. I don't think there is a single person who doesn't battle with the sin of envy and the subsequent result of such envy, discontentment. This book gets to the heart of the matter and challenges us to find our contentment in Christ.
: This is a missionary biography on Lilias Trotter, missionary to the Arabic people. I had not heard of her until a friend of mine sent me this book as a gift. So far, it is a fascinating look at her life and ministry. Whenever I read a missionary biography, I am challenged in my faith. This book is no exception. 
: I love this book! In fact, it may just displace my other favorite writing books—it's that good. In fact, I'm savoring it, reading a little at a time so I don't finish it too soon! This book provides a peak into Lewis' writing life, his growth as a writer, his habits and practices in writing, his relationship with other writers, and even his reading habits. It also provides writing prompts based on the lessons learned. If you are a writer looking to grow in your writing, you'll love this book too.
