Four Books That Deserve to Be Classics

It seems that books come and go as fast as periodicals. Some books, however, have staying power.

It’s hard to predict which books from the past forty or so years will become classics, but if I had a say, I’d nominate these ones:

Knowing God by J.I. Packer (1973) — “As clowns yearn to play Hamlet,” this book begins, “so I have wanted to write a treatise on God.” Not only is this one of the best opening lines of a book since Calvin’s Institutes, but it sets the scene for a quality book that deserves a regular reading. It’s practical, too. It’s the kind of book I like the most: rich, theological truth brought to life.

No Little People by Francis Schaeffer (1974) — Most of us are aware of our limitations, and conclude that God can’t use us. Schaeffer begs to differ. “With God there are no little people,” he writes. If you read only the fourth chapter of the book, “The Lord’s Work in the Lord’s Way,” you will have gotten your money’s worth from this book.

Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (1984) — The issues in this book are ones I continue to wrestle with today. MacDonald deals with the importance of the inner world, not just the outer one, and issues such as drivenness, busyness, use of time, and rest. This one doesn’t have the gravitas of a classic, but I find its lessons just as helpful today as when I first read it.

The Heart of a Servant Leader by C. John Miller (2004) — While this book was published in 2004, it was written before as a series of letters. I came across this book a few years ago when I was wrestling with what it looks like to apply the gospel to all of life. Miller, more than anyone, has a knack for working the gospel into every crevice of my heart. If you want to see the difference that a radical encounter with grace makes in a person’s heart, you’ll want to read this book.

What would you add to the list?