Reading Room

The Martyrdom of Polycarp forms the earliest account of Christian martyrdom outside of the New Testament. The author of Martyrdom of Polycarp is unknown, but it has been attributed to members of the group of early Christian theologians known as the Church Fathers. The letter, sent from the church in Smyrna to another church in Asia Minor at Philomelium, is partly written from the point of view of an eye-witness, recounting the arrest of the elderly Polycarp, the Romans’ attempt to execute him by fire, and subsequent miraculous events. An epistle written by bishop Polycarp to Philippians is also available.

The Didache is the most important book after the New Testament you haven’t most likely read. It was the discipleship training manual of the early Church. Two versions: The Lightfoot version is slightly older. A newer contemporary version is available.

Josephus’ works, particularly The Wars of the Jews and Antiquities of the Jews, are some of the most important historical accounts to come out of the first century AD. The Romano-Jewish historian documented the fall of Jerusalem. This was predicted by the Lord Jesus. In order to understand every prophesy in the New Testament that was to happen “soon”, we need to read Josephus.

The Confessions is an autobiographical work by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. It outlines Augustine’s sinful youth and his conversion to Christianity. According to Henry Chadwick, Confessions will “always rank among the great masterpieces of western literature.”

The Imitation of Christ has brought understanding and comfort to millions of readers in over fifty languages, and provided them with a source of heart-felt personal prayer. These meditations on the life and teachings of Jesus are considered second only to the Bible as a guide and inspiration.

Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The poem concerns the biblical story of the fall of man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Paradise Regained, by blind poet John Milton, is a poem written in “four books”, published in 1671. The basis for this poem is the account of Jesus’ temptation as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. This poem expresses doctrinal and theological truths. It uses various themes, including hunger, reversals, and plainness, in retelling the battle between Satan and Christ.

Pilgrim’s Progress, originally composed in the 17th century, is a spiritual allegory that has delighted readers for over 300 years. It describes and depicts the believer’s life and struggles through clever metaphors and allegories.

Brother Lawrence is known for his devotion and ability to bring God into every aspect of his life. His classic Christian work, Practice of the Presence of God, details how to gain that constant and comforting connection to God. Readers have treasured this short and easy book for centuries because of Lawrence’s honest advice and his obvious passion for spiritual matters.

Christians familiar with the acronym WWJD (what would Jesus do?) will find the genesis of the WWJD movement in the pages of In His Steps. Written by the 19th century pastor, theologian, author, and forerunner of the social gospel movement Charles Sheldon, In His Steps tells the story of Christians who challenge themselves to live as Christ would for a year.

Charles Finney (1792-1875) was an American Presbyterian preacher known for his revival services and extemporaneous preaching. He began to feel many church leaders lacked the “Power From On High”—the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In the first chapters of his book, Finney first explains what “power from on high” means to him. More than just speaking in tongues, the baptism of the Holy Spirit grants Christians the power to live lives of grace and holiness.

Bounds wrote seven classics on prayer:
The Necessity of Prayer;
Prayer and Praying Men;
Purpose in Prayer;
Reality of Prayer;
Weapon of Prayer;
Essentials of Prayer; and
Power Through Prayer

Murry wrote several classics on Christian spirituality:
Master’s Indwelling;
Lord’s Table;
New Life: Words of God for Young Disciples;
School of Obedience;
Absolute Surrender;
True Vine: Meditations for a Month on John 15:1-16;
Waiting On God!
Working For God!
Deeper Christian Life;
Two Covenants;
With Christ in the School of Prayer;

Philip Schaff’s History of the Christian Church in 8 volumes excels at providing an impressive and instructive historical treatment of the Christian church.

Volume I: Apostolic Christianity. A.D. 1-100
Volume II: Ante-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 100-325
Volume III: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 311-600
Volume IV: Mediaeval Christianity. A.D. 590-1073
Volume V: The Middle Ages. A.D. 1049-1294
Volume VI: The Middle Ages. A.D. 1294-1517
Volume VII. Modern Christianity. The German Reformation
Volume VIII: Modern Christianity. The Swiss Reformation

Many consider this exposition of the first few chapters of Romans a Christian classic. In it, Nee defines and describes good Christian living, deriving insights from his reading of Paul’s letter. Nee’s own remarkable life as a Chinese missionary and martyr deepen this message. Given that Western thought and culture formed and informed the great majority of Christian writings, Nee’s Eastern background brings a refreshing diversity to the corpus of commentaries on Romans.

At the young age of fifteen, Sundar Singh received a vision of Christ and converted from his native Sikhism to Christianity. At the Master’s Feet is a remarkable collection of Sundar Singh’s visions from God, organized in a dialogue between the “Disciple” (Sundar Singh) and the “Master” (God).