100 books that changed the Church

Christians are people of the book. Throughout Church history, the Bible has always been viewed as God’s word. It stands alone and is uniquely authoritative. No other book compares.

Nevertheless, ever since the invention of the printing press, Christians have taken a keen interest in publishing  not just scripture, but other resources that encourage and provoke us toward greater godliness – whether inspirational biographies, groundbreaking works of theology or practical titles that teach us to pray more fervently, lead more faithfully or love more deeply. 

2026 has been decreed the Year of Reading. It’s come about in part because the National Literacy Trust are concerned that nearly half of UK adults no longer read books for pleasure (maybe we’re too distracted by our smartphones).

Given the profound impact that reading has had on Christians for hundreds, if not thousands of years, it would surely be a travesty if that practice continues to diminish. And so, ahead of World Book Day on 5 March, the Premier Christianity team, in conjunction with publishers, experts and listeners to Premier Christian Radio, has been busy compiling your guide to the most influential Christian books of all time.

100. One Thousand Gifts

Ann Voskamp (Thomas Nelson)

99. Being Disciples

Rowan Williams (SPCK)

98. Boundaries

Dr Henry Cloud and Dr John Townsend (Zondervan)

97. The Lost Message of Jesus

Steve Chalke & Alan Mann (Zondervan)

96. We Need to Talk About Race

Ben Lindsay (SPCK)

This timely challenge to the white majority UK Church sparked plenty of conversation upon its release in 2019. Its significance grew following the death of George Floyd the following year, and Lindsay has since released an updated version for young people too. 

95. Hinds’ Feet on High Places

Hannah Hurnard (Tyndale House)

94. Developing the Leader Within You

John C Maxwell (Thomas Nelson)

Timeless advice for leaders in every sphere. It’s sold more than 1 million copies and helped popularise the idea that “leadership is influence”. One of the most practical books you’ll ever read. 

93. Emotionally Heathy Spirituality

Peter Scazzero (Zondervan)

92. Every Day with Jesus for New Christians

Selwyn Hughes (CWR)

91. Falling Upward

Fr Richard Rohr (SPCK)

The Franciscan priest has found a substantial audience among evangelical Christians. This is one of his best-known titles and argues that a moment of failure or crisis is often necessary to propel you into a second half of life that is more joyful and spiritually fulfilling.

90. Gay Girl, Good God

Jackie Hill Perry (B&H)

89. Gentle and Lowly

Dane C Ortlund (Crossway)

This devotional was a runaway bestseller, especially following the Covid-19 pandemic. US pastor Dane Ortlund draws on scripture and Puritan theology to unpack how Christ’s heart for us sinners is “gentle and lowly”. 

88. Summa Theologiae

Thomas Aquinas (Grapevine)

87. God’s Undertaker: Has science buried God?

John C Lennox (Lion)

86. Good Morning, Holy Spirit

Benny Hinn (Thomas Nelson)

85. Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

Joanna Weaver (Waterbrook Multnomah)

84. Heaven

Randy Alcorn (Tyndale House) 

83. Humility

Andrew Murray (Rickfords Hill Publishing Ltd)

82. I Kissed Dating Goodbye

Joshua Harris (Out of print)

Passed round many a Christian youth group in the 90s, Harris warned that dating could cause irreparable emotional damage. The solution was to embrace courtship, he said. Although wildly popular in its time, it didn’t age well. In 2018, Harris apologised for writing his books and requested his publisher remove them from sale. Further revelations followed as Harris announced he was leaving his wife and deconstructing his Christian faith. 

81. Institutes of the Christian Religion

John Calvin (Banner of Truth)

80. Is God Anti-Gay?

Sam Allberry (The Good Book Co)

79. Jesus and the Disinherited

Howard Thurman (Beacon Press)

78. Jesus Calling

Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson) 

77. Journey into God’s Heart

Jennifer Rees Larcombe (Hodder & Stoughton) 

76. Love Wins

Rob Bell (Out of print) 

This was one of the most controversial books to impact the evangelical world in recent decades. Critics worried the US-based pastor was endorsing universalism (the view that ultimately everyone will be saved). Bell felt he was merely asking questions. 

75. Your Best Life Now

Joel Osteen (Hodder & Stoughton) 

74. More Than a Carpenter

Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell (Tyndale)

73. Morning and Evening

CH Spurgeon (Christian Focus Publications)

72. Paul: A Biography

Tom Wright (SPCK)

If you want to know more about the character of Paul, then look no further than this book. Tom Wright’s knowledge of Paul is second to none. At more than 400 pages, this is not a short read but it’s packed full of information, historical context and really fascinating insights into Paul’s personal life, ministry and his influence over the Church as we know it. There are also helpful maps to help you visualise Paul’s journeys. Over the years, many books have been written about Paul but, with Tom Wright, you really feel as if you’re in the safe hands of an expert guide. It’s not just a great read, but a helpful Bible study tool that really does bring Paul to life in a new way. 

Anna Hockley, category and campaign manager, Eden.co.uk

71. Reading While Black

Esau McCaulley (IVP Academic)

70. Revelations of Divine Love

Julian of Norwich (SPCK)

69. Secrets of a Prayer Warrior

Derek Prince (Chosen Books)

68. Woman, Thou Art Loosed

TD Jakes (Destiny Image) 

67. Wild at Heart

John Eldredge (Thomas Nelson)

66. Strength to Love

Martin Luther King Jr (Beacon Press)

65. The Sixty Minute Series

Rob Parsons (Hodder & Stoughton) 

64. Tarry Awhile

Selina Stone (SPCK)

I love how this book reframes Lent not just as a season of waiting, but as a journey of healing. It draws heavily on the spiritual wisdom of Black people of faith, particularly the Pentecostal practice of tarrying. It explores waiting on God as something shared, intentional and deeply formative. While the book is rooted in Lent, it is one you can return to throughout the year and is also relevant across Church traditions. For me, it was the first time that I read a book on faith and spirituality that didn’t just feel familiar but felt like home. Selena is such an important theological voice in our generation, and this book truly is a gift.

Shani Akilah, books editor, Premier Christianity 

63. Surprised by Hope

Tom Wright (SPCK)

This is quintessential Tom Wright. The theologian is convinced Christians need to stop focusing so heavily on life after death and instead recover a more biblical view of the kingdom of God coming on earth as it is in heaven.

62. The Biography of Hudson Taylor

Dr and Mrs Howard Taylor (Authentic)

61. Unstoppable

Christine Caine (Zondervan)

60. The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

Teresa of Ávila (Penguin Classics)

59. The Life You’ve Always Wanted

John Ortberg (Zondervan)

58. Celebration of Discipline

Richard Foster (Hodder & Stoughton) 

A classic which guides readers through spiritual practices including prayer, meditation, fasting and solitude. 

57. The Practice of the Presence of God

Brother Lawrence (Hodder & Stoughton) 

56. The Vicar of Baghdad

Canon Andrew White (Lion)

55. The Pursuit of God

AW Tozer (Bethany House) 

54. Through Gates of Splendour

Elisabeth Elliot (Authentic) 

53. Unlocking the Bible

David Pawson (Collins)

52. Confessions

Augustine of Hippo (Penguin Classics) 

51. Total Forgiveness

RT Kendall (Hodder & Stoughton) 

50. Systematic Theology

Wayne Grudem (IVP)

49. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus

Nabeel Qureshi (Zondervan)

48. Redeeming Love

Francine Rivers (Lion)

A novel set during the American Gold Rush era that retells of the biblical story of Hosea. 

Literary critics and readers alike have continued to heap praise upon it since publication in 1991. Redeeming Love has sold millions of copies, been translated into 28 different languages and continues to hold a top spot on the Christian bestsellers list. 

47. Questions of Life

Nicky Gumbel (Hodder & Stoughton) 

46. Power Evangelism

John Wimber (Hodder & Stoughton)

John Wimber’s Power Evangelism was the first Christian book that I ever read. I was 13 years old, and my youth leaders bought it for me as a baptism gift, shortly after I became a Christian. It was the early 90s, the height of the charismatic renewal in the UK, and it really set the tone for what I could expect a life with Christ to be like; wild, alive, vibrant and exciting. Wimber expected that our experience of God today would – and could – match that described in the Bible. It is a truth that I am glad I learned early on in my faith journey, and one that I have carried with me ever since.

Emma Fowle, deputy editor, Premier Christianity

45. Orthodoxy

GK Chesterton (Penguin Classics) 

44. My Upmost for His Highest

Oswald Chambers (Hodder & Stoughton)

43. Dominion

Tom Holland (Hodder & Stoughton) 

Christianity has transformed the West and given us a sense of morality which non-believers often take for granted. That’s the claim at the heart of Holland’s remarkably influential book. His arguments were later revoiced in a more popular and accessible form by the evangelist Glen Scrivener in The Air We Breathe. 

42. 3:16 The Numbers of Hope

Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson)

41. What’s So Amazing About Grace?

Philip Yancey (Zondervan)

40. The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, Christian Speaker, Aged 45 3/4

Adrian Plass (Zondervan)

Without doubt the funniest book on this list. First inspired by Sue Townsend’s Adrian Mole series, Plass presents a fictional, satirical journal chronicling the awkward, everyday life of a slightly eccentric, ordinary Christian. Jesus said even a tiny amount of faith could move mountains, so why can’t Plass move a paperclip? And if you don’t get that reference, it’s time to order yourself a copy! 

39. The Normal Christian Life

Watchman Nee (CLC Publications) 

38. The Grace Outpouring

Roy Godwin and Dave Roberts (David C Cook) 

37. The Case for Christ

Lee Strobel (Zondervan) 

36. Joni

Joni Eareckson Tada (Zondervan)

35. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes

Kenneth Bailey (SPCK)

34. The Cross of Christ

John Stott (IVP)

In his magisterial bestseller, John Stott unpacks the significance of Christ’s cross and answers common objections to his view of the atonement. 

33. Who Switched the Price Tags

Tony Campolo (Out of print)

32. The Crucifixion

Fleming Rutledge (Eerdmans) 

31. Unapologetic

Francis Spufford (Faber & Faber)

The book that memorably described sin as “The Human Propensity to F*** Things Up (HPtFtU)”. Spufford, a critically acclaimed mainstream novelist, makes a convincing and compelling case for why Christianity makes “surprising emotional sense”. 

30. This Present Darkness

Frank Peretti (Out of print)

29. The Left Behind Series (Tyndale) 

28. The Reason for God

Timothy Keller (Hodder & Stoughton) 

As a pastor in New York City, Tim Keller was often ministering to people who didn’t believe in God at all. He wrote this book in an attempt to tackle the most common objections to Christian faith. Tough questions such as: “How can a good God allow suffering?” are tackled clearly, biblically, with great wisdom and care. I was enormously built up in my faith as I read this. If you want to deepen your own faith, or are looking for a book to give to someone who does not share your Christian beliefs, I would wholeheartedly recommend it. Keller later wrote a kind of prequel called Making Sense of God which is equally profound.

Sam Hailes, editor, Premier Christianity

27. The Power of a Praying Wife

Stormie Omartian (Harvest House)

26. The Imitation of Christ

Thomas à Kempis (Penguin Classics) 

25. The Divine Conspiracy

Dallas Willard (William Collins)

24. The 5 Love Languages

Dr Gary Chapman (Moody) 

One of the few titles on this list to enjoy as much praise outside the Church as inside it, Dr Gary Chapman’s classic has helped countless couples understand the (often different) ways individuals show and receive love through acts of service, words of affirmation, physical touch, quality time and receiving gifts. The original title has spawned countless spin offs too. See the 5 Love Languages of God, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace and The 5 Love Languages of Children. 

23. No Compromise

Keith Green (Thomas Nelson)

22. Knowing God

J.I. Packer (Hodder & Stoughton) 

21. I Dared to Call Him Father

Bilquis Sheikh (Chosen) 

20. Desiring God

John Piper (Crossway) 

19. Crazy Love

Francis Chan (David C Cook)

18. Chasing the Dragon

Jackie Pullinger (Hodder & Stoughton) 

17. The Heavenly Man

Brother Yun (Monarch) 

16. The Return of the Prodigal Son

Henri Nouwen (Darton Longman and Todd)

15. The Purpose Driven Life

Rick Warren (Zondervan) 

14. The Screwtape Letters

CS Lewis (Collins) 

13. The Lord of the Rings

JRR Tolkien (Harper Collins) 

12. The Cost of Discipleship

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (SCM Press) 

11. God on Mute

Pete Greig (David C Cook)

How do you run a worldwide prayer movement while dealing with the fact that your biggest and most fervent prayer – for the healing of your wife’s seizures following a brain tumour – goes unanswered? This was the inspiration for Pete Greig’s honest and deeply helpful book on what to do when God goes silent. 

10. Run Baby Run

Nicky Cruz with Jamie Buckingham (Hodder & Stoughton) 

9. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

John Mark Comer (Hodder & Stoughton) 

8. The Pilgrim’s Progress

John Bunyan (Oxford Classics)

7. The Chronicles of Narnia 

CS Lewis (William Collins)

6. The Shack

William P Young (Windblown Media)

5. The Battlefield of the Mind

Joyce Meyer (Hodder & Stoughton)

Published in 1995, this is a New York Times bestseller that has sold more than 7 million copies. Meyer teaches Christians how to change their life by changing their mind.

4. Mere Christianity

CS Lewis (William Collins)

Originating from a series of BBC radio talks to provide hope and moral clarity to a war-torn Britain during the second world war, this has since become the most classic of apologetics texts.

3. God’s Smuggler

Brother Andrew (Hodder & Stoughton)

The autobiography of Brother Andrew, a Dutch missionary who used his VW Beetle to smuggle Bibles behind the Iron Curtain in the 1950s. Later, he founded Open Doors International, which continues to support persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries.

2. The Cross and the Switchblade

David Wilkerson (Zondervan)

The compelling true story of pastor David Wilkerson’s 1958 mission to New York City to minister to violent street gangs – which resulted in the conversion of gang leader Nicky Cruz and the founding of the Teen Challenge addiction recovery programme.

1. The Hiding Place

Corrie Ten Boom (Hodder & Stoughton) 

Together with her family, Corrie Ten Boom rescued more than 800 Jews and Dutch resistance workers from the Nazis during the second world war. She was eventually arrested and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp but says her strong Christian faith sustained her. Truly inspirational.

Do you have a story to share about a book which has shaped your own faith? Or do you think we’ve missed an important title? Email the editor and we’ll publish your feedback next month