Book Recommendations?

[Calt313]

Hello Everyone, I am on a sort of a spiritual 'vision quest'. I've been on this journey for a little over a year now. (If you want to read more, there is a message thread in the introduction section so I won't go into that here. This has been a solitary journey since any friends/teachers/mentors are part of the church that I attended for 40+ years. They don't understand or approve of my decision to leave. As I've been trying to find my way into a deeper, more authentic relationship with God, I have relied mainly on my incredible Christian therapist and a stack of books to guide me. Along with the Bible which I believe is the source of ALL truth, some of the other books that I have read that have been very helpful and eye-opening include: The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Clairborne, The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Sterns, Radical by David Platt, Crazy Love and Letters to the Church by Francis Chan, All In by Mark Batterson, Love Does by Bob Goff, Repenting of Religion by Gregory Boyd and there are probably others I can't recall right now. I'm just wondering if any one has any recommendations of books that have been helpful to you in sorting things out. Thanks!

[agricola]

Your God is Too Small. JB Phillips

Man's Search for Meaning. Viktor Frankl

Constantine's Sword. James Carroll

The Judaisms of Jesus' Followers: An Introduction to Early Christianity in its Jewish Context: Juan Marcos Bejarano-Gutierrez

Lost Christianities - Bart Ehrman (if you read anything by Ehrman, read this one. If you can, read more).

The New Testament in Its World: NT Wright and Michael Bird

Biblical Literalism: a Gentile Heresy: John Shelby Spong

anything by John Shelby Spong.
anything by NT Wright.

Also, anything teresa recommends, and she should have a few.

[Calt313]

Thanks Agricola. I had a couple of those on my radar, but others are unfamiliar. I'll check them out!

[Opie]

I would recommend the following books by N. T. Wright:

Surprised by Scripture

Simply Jesus

Simply Christian

The Day the Revolution Began

[seekingthetruth]

I’m not sure if you come to this website any longer, or where you are in your quest at this time, but just in case you still come here, I wanted to share with you some words of encouragement as you continue.  You remind me so much of myself, I was also on a quest when I left the campbellites back in 2013. I was not really sure in which direction to go in, but I knew that I was not going to give up in my search. I had so many fears, but I knew I wanted to know the LORD in a much deeper way and I knew that somehow I had missed Him.  Now I know that it was the HOLY SPIRIT pushing me forward.  I was reading every thread on this board back then not even knowing what I was searching for. The HOLY SPIRIT would push me to ask questions even though I was very shy at the time. I was not content with where I was spiritually at the time, but I was not going to give up finding the LORD.

My book recommendation is what you already said you were reading, which is GOD's Word.  Since you are seeking GOD, my advice is to focus only on His Word because that is right where you will find Him. I love what Paul told the Athenians in Acts 17:27, "That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us." Years ago, I did not know where to turn so I just started studying GOD's word a lot. I noticed that great things started to happen as I continually sought Him through His word. I would sit down with my heart completely open and with my pen and notebook ready to write down anything He was going to tell me as I studied His Word. One of the verses that the HOLY SPIRIT put on my heart in the beginning of my searching for Him was Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to GOD must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Then the HOLY SPIRIT started to speak to me. It was not an audible voice, but speaking with that “still small voice” within my Spirit. I was not even aware that this could happen! I would begin my study with prayer asking Him to help me to understand His Word, and He would also answer my other prayers as well.

It is really all about seeking, finding, and following JESUS.  Lady, you need to meet the King, King JESUS!  I met Him back in 2016, and He has completely changed my life! 
LORD JESUS, I pray that this person who is seeking You will not give up until she meets you. Amen.

[longdistancerunner]

Some of Shelby Spong's writings are just wrong, just fictional.

My favorite is Ehrman. He has books available in all libraries and a great website, also he has multiple free videos on you tube and his website. He was a fundamentalist who lost faith, he recounts the whole process. He is considered perhaps one of the best historical textual theologians and still works with many fundamentalists on academic projects (and they don't get into arguments).

Paul Fredriksen is also great, you can find her talks on YouTube and they are excellent, but her books are too theologically technical for most to read, she has really interesting ideas.