Books
NIV Life Application Study Bible
Published by Zondervan
Most ministries at Calvary preach out of the NIV translation, and if I were to give every middle schooler and high schooler a Bible, it would be this one. You can find a variety of colors and leather styles online to fit the individual!
New Morning Mercies for Teens
Written by Paul David Tripp
“This is an absolute joy to read. We often say at Calvary “God’s People Delight in God’s Word”, and this devotional has helped me, and many others, rekindle that excitement in days of apathy. These daily gospel-centered readings are an awesome way for new believers or seasoned saints to remind themselves of the life-changing mercy found in Christ.”
– Connor Johnson, Middle School Pastor
10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity
Written by Rebecca McLaughlin
McLaughlin’s NYT best seller is of a similar title, and this edition is reworked for teens to have a rich understanding of common questions they might have about how Christianity/the Bible speaks about science, women, racism, etc.
The Case for Christ Student Edition: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
written by Lee Strobel & Jane Vogel
Another apologetics recommendation for students who want to know that Christianity is not only beautiful and soul-thrilling, but logical and reasonable.
Mere Christianity
written by C.S. Lewis
Mere Christianity explores the core beliefs of Christianity by providing an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith. A brilliant collection, Mere Christianity remains strikingly fresh for the modern reader and at the same time confirms C. S. Lewis’s reputation as one of the leading writer and thinkers of our age.
Gentle and Lowly: the Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers
written by Dane Ortlund
Christians know what Jesus Christ has done – but who is he? What is his deepest heart for his people, weary and faltering on their journey toward heaven? Jesus said he is “gentle and lowly in heart.” This book reflects on these words, opening up a neglected yet central truth about who he is for sinners and sufferers today.
Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth
written by Richard J. Foster
Hailed by many as the best modern book on Christian living, Celebration of Discipline explores the “classic Disciplines,” or central spiritual practices, of the Christian faith. Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual formation and growth can be found.
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
written by Timothy Keller
Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics, and even ardent believers, have about religion. Using literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and potent reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one. To true believers he offers a solid platform on which to stand their ground against the backlash to religion created by the Age of Skepticism. And to skeptics, atheists, and agnostics, he provides a challenging argument for pursuing the reason for God.
Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God
written by Claude V. King, Henry T. Blackaby, and Richard Blackaby
When you open this book, you’ll find that you aren’t just reading. No, you are being remade, reoriented, restored from the frustration of what you may have known as stale religion. Captured not by a concept but by your Creator, reborn in relationship.
Other resources
The Bible Project
YouTube Channel
What started as a project to make simple and clear visual summaries of every book of the Bible has flourished into a vast array of resources. Students across the world are blessed by their videos, so check out their YouTube channel!