10 Books to Start Your Bible Education

So you want a Bible education without the classroom, tuition, and fees. No problem! We’ve got a list of 10 great books to kick off your personal, but in-depth, study.

1) The Moody Bible Commentary

This single-volume commentary is perfect for the beginner Bible student. It is exclusively composed by faculty at Moody Bible Institute, which has been rigorously teaching God’s Word since 1886. Walk through the entire Bible with insights from well-respected professors, learning the historical basics of each book while referencing helpful charts and biographies. The Moody Bible Commentary will help you better understand and apply God’s written revelation to all of life!

2) Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary

As you dig deeper into God’s Word, you may not know the definitions of some of the trickier terminology. That’s why Bible Dictionaries are helpful! Select words straight from your Bible text, and Nelson’s provides helpful definitions, facts, and maps to help further your understanding. Also, Nelson’s comes with a Visual Survey of the Bible, providing easy-to-understand depictions of historical events.

3) NIV Word Study Bible with G/K and Strong’s Numbers

Word Study Bibles give a complete index of a word, listing everywhere it can be found in the Bible. This is helpful when wanting to understand a word or topic in a more holistic way. What makes our version of this Bible unique is that it is packaged with a Strong’s concordance, also providing you with the Greek or Hebrew word and its definition. Prefer a different translation? We have multiple versions of our Strong’s Tagged Bibles!

4) God is Love

What’s the difference between a commentary and a systematic theology? While a commentary goes verse-by-verse, systematic theologies trace and define who God is and who we are throughout the Bible. Bray’s book is great for a beginner because of its conversational nature and structure. Instead of tackling massive theological quandaries, Bray finds different ways to incorporate theological distinctions inside one important topic: God’s love. Nervous about studying theology? Check out #8 in this list!

5) Greg Laurie 15 Volume Collection

Greg Laurie is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA. At age 19 he began his ministry by leading a Bible study of 30 people. Now, Harvest is one of the largest churches in America. This collection contains 15 of Laurie’s books, including Married. Happily., Dealing with Giants, Following Jesus in a Modern World, and more. Bible education isn’t just about academics, but also about spiritual growth and learning to apply God’s Word to your life.

6) Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, Vol I & II

John Calvin was an influential French theologian, pastor and reformer during the Protestant Reformation. In the Biblical-academic world, everyone knows his name. Although reading his Institutes is a challenge, they are some of the most significant Christian theological texts in history. This specific translation preserves the rugged strength and vividness of Calvin’s writing, but also conforms to modern English and renders heavy theological terms in simple language.

7) Apologetics for the Twenty-first Century

Apologetics–making a defense for the faith. Louis Markos walks through the history of Apologetics, following figures such as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Francis Schaeffer, Josh McDowell and more. Then he teaches you how to think logically, making your own arguments for the existence of God, the historical Jesus, and confronting post-modernism.

8) A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology

Theology happens whenever we read, think, hear or say anything about God. This short books gives an introduction to the relevance of theology and the skills, attitudes and spiritual practices needed by those who take up the discipline. As you begin to pursue a Bible education, lay the ground work properly. This book by Kelly Kapic is definitely a great start.

9) Visual Theology

This book is incredibly unique. With beautiful illustrations and flowcharts, you can learn theology easily from your device—but only with the Olive Tree Bible App. We are the only company offering this title in a digital format! For the budding theologian, this is a very helpful tool in wrapping your mind around the complexities of theology. Visit our webpage listing of this product for a chance to look inside!

10) Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith

Not only is this book incredibly informative, it is an enjoyable read. Reeves gives understanding to the most important characteristic of our God: His triune nature. This concept is incredibly difficult (and rather impossible, actually) to wrap our minds around. Yet, it is the crux of what separates our God from other gods–it is what makes salvation possible.

GIVE US YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS

What is one book you would add to our list? Let us know in the comments!