Three of the Most VIP Books I Always Recommend (And They’re Free to You!)

It was quite a long time ago that I stopped counting all the books that I’ve read (or, for whatever reason, only partially read), but probably like most of you reading this post now, along the way a select few have stood out as especially profound, insightful, memorable or useful.

There is, of course, the Bible, the most-read and most influential book ever written. I try to read at least one chapter of one of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments every morning. That’s not a boast, it’s a product of the reality that, as the formerly blind man explains at John 9:25, “once I was blind, but now I see.”

On the political side of things, there are so many that shaped my understanding of government and politics. “Suicide of the West” by James Burnham, which I read at the age of 14 in 1964, probably ranks at the top in this category, though “Modern Times” by Paul Johnson, “The Basic Symbols of the American Political Tradition” by Willmoor Kendall and George Carey, and “The Federalist Papers” by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison aka “Publius” are right up there as well. Oh and let’s not forget Shelby Foote’s masterpiece, “The Civil War: A Narrative,” and, analogously, Thucydides’ “The History of the Peloponnesian War.”

There is also Piero Taruffi’s “The Technique of Motor Racing,” which greatly influenced my understanding of the active relationship between driver, race car and track back in my days racing a Formula Ford. But that’s a topic for another day.

That said, the following three are books I find myself recommending most often, especially to people who are not followers of Jesus Christ but who have engaged in conversation (s) with me and are willing to pursue their questions further.

“More Than A Carpenter” by Josh and Sean McDowell is the most succinct and accessible summary I’ve found anywhere of the evidence for the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after His crucifixion.

Some of the chapter headings will give you a sample of what’s ahead if you take up my offer here for a free copy: “What Makes Jesus So Different,” “Lord, Liar or Lunatic,” “Who Would Die For a Lie?” “Isn’t There Some Other Way,” and “He Changed My Life.”

I go way back to my undergraduate years at Oklahoma State University (1968-1972) where Josh came to speak every year, always to crowds of 2,000 or more students. Sean McDowell, Josh’s son, is a Professor at Biola University. The apple did not fall far from the tree in their case.

Then there is “What Time Is Purple?” by Tom Hammond. This is a mere 43 pages long (so I guess it’s really more of a monograph that’s been bound in book-form) is a challenging, delightful discussion of some of the essential reasons God – omnipotent, omnipresent and omni-competent – must exist.

Hammond also explains why many of the questions posed by atheism, from a logical perspective, make about as much sense as the one posed by the title of his work. Here’s a small sample of how Hammond does it:

“I know what you’re thinking. Well, actually I don’t but I suspect you are thinking. I also suspect that whatever you’re thinking, you’re thinking those thoughts are real, possessing at least some degree of value and meaning. But if so, that raises several questions.”

Finally, there is “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel. I may be a bit biased about this one because, like Strobel, I’ve devoted major portions of my adult life to working as a journalist, including a number of fruitful years as an investigative reporter and editor.

Strobel was an atheist early in his life and career, and when his wife converted to Christianity, he set out on a journey to disprove the faith. This book documents how his investigation took him from rejecting all religion to knowing that Jesus Christ is exactly what He claimed to be, God Incarnate and the only way to Heaven.

Through HillFaith, I have a bunch of new copies of all three of these excellent books and I will gladly send you a copy of one, two or three of them at no charge. I don’t even charge you for shipping or postage. Is that a good deal or what?

Just email me at mark.tapscott@hillfaith.org with your snail-mail address information and I will get your book(s) on its way to you ASAP.

Then, after you read it/them, regardless whether your comments will be negative or positive, I encourage you to return to this post and share your views in the comments. Let’s get a conversation going and have some thoughtful fun!

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