Pastors' Picks: for New Believers

Revs. Grotenhuis and Spotts have carefully selected these books and articles to help you grow in your newfound faith. Rather than marching straight down the list, we suggest working through the first title in each category, then the second, and so forth, so that you become rounded.

*Titles available to borrow from the church library are marked (L).

Introductions to Faith & Discipleship

  • Knowing God by J. I. Packer
     

sanctification & Discipleship

  • A Simple Way to Pray by Martin Luther. "No book has done more to revolutionize my personal prayer life than this little book by Martin Luther. I would recommend it for every Christian’s library." — R. C. Sproul

Christian Classics

  • The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther. "The Bondage of the Will is Martin Luther’s finest theological writing. Few works more convincingly tell us of man’s depravity and need for God’s sovereign grace." — R. C. Sproul
  • The Death of Death in the Death of Christ — by John Owen. "The best work on particular redemption, which emphasizes that Christ died for His people alone" — R. C. Sproul
  • The Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett. "The puritans were a praying people, and this book is a collection of some of their excellent prayers. I find The Valley of Vision to be a great aid for devotions." — R. C. Sproul

Biographies

  • Here I Stand by Roland Bainton — "Roland Bainton’s biography of Martin Luther is an inspiring summary of the life of the great reformer. This book will challenge you to stand firm for Christ." — R. C. Sproul

Systematic Theology

  • Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin, trans. Robert White

SALVATION

  • Assured by God by Burk Parsons — "I would like every believer to read Assured by God, a helpful collection of essays on the assurance of salvation." — R. C. Sproul. Learn More

Rev. Michael Spotts

Pastor Michael has been involved in ministry for over ten years. Before his ordination at Phoenix URC, he participated in foreign missions (Australia, Russia). He holds an Assoc. in Biblical Studies (2004) and an M.Div (WSCAL, 2016). 

Prior to ministry, he owned a commercial photography business for ten years. He still enjoys shooting landscape photos.