This post lists Mark Dever’s recommended books on ministry, church history, theology, apologetics, ecclesiology, evangelism, missions, theology, biography, and more for the building of the church to the glory of Christ.
The goal of this post to honor a man who has inspired and encouraged many, all the while pointing to great books that grow faith promote faithfulness in ministry.
Scroll to the bottom for helpful audio/video resources that make this post a little more enjoyable (at least for the book nerd).
A short biography of Mark Dever from Wikipedia :
Mark E. Dever (born August 28, 1960) is the senior pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and the president of 9Marks (formerly known as the Center for Church Reform), a Christian ministry he co-founded “in an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America.” He is known as a Calvinist preacher.
A brief word on free books and multiple versions/editions:
Some of the books listed below may be found and read for free online (mainly the older ones, and in multiple formats) if you Google the title. You may also want to check our massive list of free Kindle books , Desiring God , or Monergism for more free options (pdf, .mobi, or .epub). Other times when multiple versions are available, we link to the Amazon search page to show options.
Mark Dever’s Christian Classics Curriculum
The following reading list was created for The Gospel Coalition, a fellowship of Gospel-centered evangelical churches in North America. The readings listed here are some of the key texts which have shaped the movement and its current leaders, and offer an historical sense and context to the current movement, particularly in North America. It hardly assumes to be universal, representative, or global in its sampling of church history.
Download PDF of the list below
January (Early Church):
February (Augustine):
March (Martin Luther):
April (John Calvin):
Year One: Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion , Volume One
Year Two: Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion , Volume Two
Year Three: Bernard Cottret, Calvin: A Biography and Theodore Beza, The Life of John Calvin
Year Four: Read through various passages in his many commentaries on Genesis, Psalms, Romans, Galatians, Philippians, or your other favorite books of the Bible.
May (Richard Sibbes and Richard Baxter):
Year One: Sibbes, The Bruised Reed and Sibbes, The Glorious Feast of the Gospel
Year Two: Baxter, The Reformed Pastor , and Baxter, The Practical Works
Year Three: Sibbes, The Spiritual Man‘s Aim and Sibbes, A Glance of Heaven
Year Four: Sibbes, The Saint’s Comforts, and Sibbes, Salvation Applied
June (John Bunyan and John Owen):
Year One: Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress and Kelly M. Kapic and Justin Taylor, eds., Communion with the Triune God (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2007).
Year Two: Kapic and Taylor, eds., Overcoming Sin and Temptation: Three Classic Works by John Owen (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2006).
Year Three: Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and Owen, Death of Death in the Death of Christ
Year Four: Owen, The Doctrine of Justification by Faith
July (Jonathan Edwards):
Year One: Iain H. Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography (Banner of Truth, 1996), George M. Marsden, Jonathan Edwards: A Life (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004).
Year Two: Edwards, Freedom of the Will and Edwards, Charity and Its Fruits
Year Three: Edwards, Religious Affections and John Piper, God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (With the Complete Text of “The End for Which God Created the World”) (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1998).
Year Four: Wilson H. Kimnach, Kenneth P. Minkema, and Douglas A. Sweeney, The Sermons of Jonathan Edwards: A Reader (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999), and Edwards,Resolutions.
August (Charles H. Spurgeon):
September (B. B. Warfield):
October (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones):
November (C. S. Lewis and Blaise Pascal):
December (Contemporary Authors):
Books read by many interns at Capitol Hill Baptist Church (source )
When People are Big and God is Small , Ed Welch
Humility , C.J. Mahaney
Theology of the Reformers , Timothy George
The Unquenchable Flame , Michael Reeves
What Is a Healthy Church? , Mark Dever
What Is a Healthy Church Member , Thabiti Anyabwile
A Display of God’s Glory (booklet) , Mark Dever
By Whose Authority? (booklet) , Mark Dever (free PDF )
The Reformation of the Church , Iain Murray
The Christian Ministry , Charles Bridges
Polity , Mark Dever ed.
Nine Marks of a Healthy Church , Mark Dever
The Deliberate Church , Mark Dever and Paul Alexander
The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love , Jonathan Leeman
The Compelling Community , Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop
Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institution Age , Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever
Going Public , Bobby Jamieson
The Bruised Reed , Richard Sibbes
Believers’ Baptism , Tom Schreiner and Shawn Wright
The Gospel and Personal Evangelism , Mark Dever
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God , J.I. Packer
“Regaining Meaningful Church Membership,” Mark Dever, in Restoring Integrity in Baptist Churches
Worship by the Book , Don Carson
Give Praise to God , edited by Phil Ryken et al (selected chapters)
Engaging with God , David Peterson
Perspectives on Christian Worship: 5 Views , ed. by J Matthew Pinson (selected chapters)
The Church: The Gospel Made Visible , Mark Dever
The Trellis and the Vine , Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
Church Planting Is for Wimps , Mike McKinley
Church Membership , Jonathan Leeman
Church Discipline , Jonathan Leeman
Evangelicalism Divided , Iain Murray
9Marks Book Series (from Crossway and others)
Why these Nine Marks?
Recommended Books on Biblical Theology For Church Members (source )
D. A. Carson, For the Love of God , volumes 1 and 2 (Crossway, 1998, 1999). (Which are free as PDFs here .)
Mark Dever, Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made and Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept (Crossway, 2005, 2006)
Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible (IVP, 1991).
Graeme Goldsworthy, The Goldsworthy Trilogy: Gospel and Kingdom, Gospel and Wisdom, The Gospel in Revelation (Paternoster, 2000)
Graeme Goldsworthy, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching (Eerdmans, 2000)
David E. Holwerda, Jesus & Israel: One Covenant or Two? (Eerdmans, 1995)
Vaughn Roberts, God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible (IVP, 2002)
O. Palmer Robertson, The Christ of the Covenants (P&R, 1980)
O. Palmer Robertson, Understanding the Land of the Bible: A Biblical Theological Guide
Books on Biblical Theology recommended by 9Marks:
T. Desmond Alexander and Brian Rosner eds, New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (IVP, 2000)
David L. Baker, Two Testaments, One Bible , rev’d ed. (IVP, 1991)
Edmund Clowney, Preaching Christ in All of Scripture (Crossway, 2003)
Stephen G. Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty: A Theology of the Hebrew Bible . In New Studies in Biblical Theology , in New Studies in Biblical Theology, edited by D. A. Carson (IVP, 2003)
William J. Dumbrell, Covenant and Creation: A Theology of the Old Testament Covenants , in Biblical and Theological Classics Library. Paternoster Press, 1997.
Geerhardus Vos, Biblical Theology , new ed. (Banner of Truth, 1996)
Geerhardus Vos, “The Idea of Biblical Theology as a Science and as a Theological Discipline,” in Redemptive History and Biblical Interpretation: The Shorter Writings of Geerhardus Vos (P&R, 1980; repr. 2000)
Just about anything in the New Studies in Biblical Theology series edited by D. A. Carson.
Other Favorite Books of Mark Dever: (Source )
More Recommended Books from Mark Dever (sources: 1 , 2 )
APOLOGETICS
BIOGRAPHY
CATECHISMS
CHURCH DISCIPLINE/MEMBERSHIP
CHURCH HISTORY
Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther , Roland Bainton
The Early Church , Henry Chadwick
The Dumb Ox (A Biography of Aquinas) , G.K. Chesterton
George Whitfield (2 vols.) , Arnold Dallimore
Handbook to the History of Christianity , ed. Tim Dowley
Theology of the Reformers , Timothy George
The Democratization of American Christianity , Nathan Hatch
The Waning of the Middle Ages , Johan Huizinga
A History of Christianity in the U.S & Canada , Mark Noll
Quest for Godliness , J.I. Packer
The Church Under Siege , M.A. Smith
DATING
DEVOTIONAL
Augustine, Confessions (Henry Chadwick translation, Oxford World Classics)
Horatius Bonar, Longing for Heaven (Christian Focus)
John Bunyan, Grace Abounding (Anchor)
John Bunyan, Holy War (Christian Focus)
John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress (Penguin)
D.A. Carson, For the Love of God , 2 vols. (Crossway) (or free PDFs )
Jonathan Edwards, Charity and its Fruits (Banner of Truth)
Carolyn Mahaney, Feminine Appeal (Crossway)
Jerry Marcellino, Rediscovering the Lost Treasure of Family Worship (Audobon Press)
J.I. Packer, Knowing God (IVP)
Elizabeth Prentiss, Stepping Heavenwards (Calvary)
J.C. Ryle, Holiness (Baker)
C.H. Spurgeon, Faith’s Checkbook (Whitaker)
C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening (thin ones; Christian Focus)
Donald S. Whitney, How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian? (Navpress)
Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Navpress)
DISCIPLESHIP
EVANGELISM
D.A. Carson, ed., Telling the Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns (Zondervan)
Mark Dever, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (Crossway)
Jonathan Edwards, Works on Revival (including Distinguishing Marks) (Banner of Truth)
Val Grieve, Your Verdict on the Empty Tomb (Paternoster)
Iain Murray, The Invitation System (Banner of Truth)
The Gospel Blimp , Joe Bayly
The Gospel and Personal Evangelism , Mark Dever
Tell The Truth , Will Metzger
Revival and Revivalism , Iain Murray
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God , J.I.Packer
Speaking of Jesus , J.Mack Stiles
Christianity Explained , Michael Bennett
Christianity Explored , Rico Tice, Barry Cooper, and Sam Shammas
LEADERSHIP
MARRIAGE & DIVORCE
MISSIONS
NEW TESTAMENT
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament , Gregory Beale and D.A. Carson, eds.
Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free , F.F. Bruce
Introduction to the New Testament, D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo
Crucifixion , Martin Hengel
Origin of Paul’s Gospel , Seyoon Kim
The Presence of the Future , George Eldon Ladd
A Theology of the New Testament , George Eldon Ladd
Introduction to the New Testament , John Stott
OLD TESTAMENT
PARENTING
PRAYER
PREACHING
STUDY TOOLS
SUFFERING
SYSTEMATICS
THEOLOGY
Cur Deus Homo , Anselm
Reformed Pastor , Richard Baxter
Institutes of the Christian Religion , John Calvin
The Religious Affections , Jonathan Edwards
Pierced for Our Transgressions , Steve Jeffery, Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach
Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures (or download free audio )
Bondage of the Will , Martin Luther
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God , J.I. Packer
Fundamentalism and the Word of God , J.I. Packer
Introduction to John Owen’s Death of Death in the Death of Christ , J.I. Packer
Knowing God , J.I. Packer
Holiness , J.C. Ryle
Exercise for Young Theologians , Helmut Thielicke
Inspiration and Authority of Scripture , B.B. Warfield
F.F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? (Eerdmans)
D.A. Carson, The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God (Crossway)
D.A. Carson, Love in Hard Places (Crossway)
D.A. Carson, Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility (Wipf and Stock)
John Flavel, The Mystery of Providence (Banner of Truth)
Timothy George, Theology of the Reformers (Broadman)
Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel and Kingdom (Paternoster)
Wayne Grudem and John Piper, eds., Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (Crossway)
Martin Hengel, Crucifixion (Fortress)
Carl F.H. Henry, Toward a Recovery of Christian Belief (Crossway)
Robert Letham, The Work of Christ (IVP)
Fred Malone, A String of Pearls Unstrung (Founders)
Leon Morris, The Atonement (IVP)
John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied (Banner of Truth)
Tom Nettles, By His Grace and For His Glory (Founders)
A.W. Pink, The Attributes of God (Baker)
John Piper, Future Grace (Multnomah)
John Piper, God’s Passion for His Glory (Crossway)
John Piper, The Pleasures of God (Multnomah)
John Piper, TULIP: What We Believe about the Five Points of Calvinism (Desiring God)
Ernest Reisinger, What Should We Think of the Carnal Christian? (Banner of Truth)
Thomas Scott, The Articles of the Synod of Dort (Sprinkle)
B.B. Warfield, The Plan of Salvation (Simpson)
David Wells, The Bleeding of the Evangelical Church (Banner of Truth)
David Wells, God in the Wasteland (Eerdmans)
David Wells, Losing our Virtue (Eerdmans)
David Wells, No Place for Truth (Eerdmans)
David Wells, Above All Earthly Pow’rs (Eerdmans)
John Wenham, Christ and the Bible (Baker)
WORSHIP
Mark Dever: creating a reading culture in your church
VIDEO
Take a Tour of Mark Dever’s Study
VIDEO
VIDEO
Mark Dever’s interview with Tim Keller on Life, Ministry, and Books (Parts 1, 2, and 3)
http://media.9marks.org/audio/2014%20Mark%20and%20Keller%201.mp3
http://media.9marks.org/audio/2014%20Mark%20and%20Keller%202.mp3
http://media.9marks.org/audio/2014%20Mark%20and%20Keller%203.mp3
Books and Discipleship: A Conversation across Five Continents (source )
http://media.9marks.org/audio/Books%20and%20Discipleship--A%20Conversation%20over%20Five%20Continents.mp3
Other Links: