Recommendations
As I write more and research more, I find that I continue to fall back onto several recurring resources to help guide others “take that first step” into deeper studies. These are mostly books, but there are also websites, “influencers,” and networks that have elevated my study and understanding. I am also not dogmatic in my beliefs and some of these recommendations push against my personal beliefs in some areas, but I am not the authority, and they make relevant points in other ways.
Therefore, I hope you find use in these books, networks, publishers, individuals, and websites.
Last updated (01 February 2025)
Books
2000 Years of Christ’s Power by Nick Needham
This is a 5 volume set, each detailing a different era for the Christian faith. It is a large survey of Church history with details of key individuals throughout. It should serve as a great starting point for any study into Church History and gives a good survey of God’s faithfulness and the continuation of a single church, despite critiques of having been largely splintered.
Scribes and Scripture by John D. Meade and Peter J. Gurry
See my review here. Otherwise, it details through 3 sections the trust in manuscripts, the canonicity of Scripture, and the translation process. There could be more to speak on each of the subjects, but the book builds a good foundation and answers some key points of skepticism.
The Doctrine on Which the Church Stands or Falls by Matthew Barrett (Editor)
The entirety of the Protestant position rests on the doctrine of justification by faith alone and it is in this massive work of 912 pages that the entire doctrine can be explored over 26 contributing essays. The doctrine is then examined from the perspectives of history, Scripture, theology, and pastoral or application. The completeness of this book fully explains the pillar from which many churches are stemmed from.
The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers by Abner Chou
I had to read this book twice to both understand it and appreciate it. For those who live by the concept of Sola Scriptura, Dr. Chou shows how Scripture is built upon Scripture through the intentional writings of the Biblical authors. Therefore, we are able to understand the intertextuality and cross-referencing of Scripture better. The book does not give a deep dive into every example, but shows how the process and concept were accomplished so that we readers can approach Scripture with an eye for the details that expound on the larger meaning that the authors intended for us to understand.
Backgrounds of Early Christianity by Everett Ferguson
Though this is more of a textbook, I have found myself referring to it more often as of late because of the constant misunderstandings or assumptions that people have of the ancient world. The film industry has only contributed to these misconceptions, and it is important that we have a proper idea of what culture, economy, language, and education would have looked like during First Century Judea and Rome and how Scripture speaks to a real-time with real people.
Networks
G3 Ministries serves to help the local churches by equipping, encouraging, and educating them. This is done through conferences and workshops. Additionally, their articles approach a slew of topics that I find myself consuming frequently. The diversity of their network brings balanced concepts and perspectives to their writings. For those searching for a new church, there also is a “Church Finder” for those looking for like-minded congregations.
Founders Ministries serve to bring about a recovery of the gospel and reformation to the local church. Unlike many other ministries, this one operates from the perspective of the Particular Baptist, where an affirmation of the Second London Baptist Confession is highlighted. While the range of diversity is not like others, the scholarship is still high and the podcast, The Sword and The Trowel, is extremely informative on today’s issues.
Ligonier Ministries serves to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God. Despite having reformed roots, this ministry still provides information outside of the reformed traditions, however, everything is still bound by the Doctrines of Grace. Ligonier is a great resource in their articles and their publications.
Probably the most widely used resource by many Christians when diving into various moments of apologetics, Got Questions serves to provide biblical, applicable, and timely answers to spiritually related questions. As this ministry is supported by Protestant denominations of all ranges, the answers are a good starting point for any question. While I often refer to them, I also recognize that the anonymity of their authors leads to personal skepticism about how definitive or authoritative their responses are. Such as some responses may be polemic against Preterists while others are written from a Post-Millennial position. Therefore, the articles themselves are not necessarily congruent with each other, though each article is helpful in pointing to a mostly majority (currently) view.
While not explicitly a ministry, Monergism is an online database that holds a large collection of written works, particularly the Puritans. Especially useful is that it is all available for free. One of my papers looking at Puritan Theology was almost exclusively pulled from authors located on this site.
Being a section of Phoenix Seminary and fairly new, this institute is focused on building an understanding and appreciation of Scripture’s history. The articles provided are often sections of written books or journals that provide a glimpse into the world of textual criticism and build an assurance of the reliability of the Bible.
Individuals
Honest Youth Pastor (Michael Moore)
A staple of YouTube. His sermon reviews are gold as he dives into exegetical discussions as well as a look into nuances of how individuals speak and preach. Recently he has started a series called “Making a Minister” which seeks to find out how and why individuals preach the way they do. His Instagram also has transitioned from memes to theological discussions that are still beneficial to learn from.
Primarily followed on Instagram. As a teacher and apologist, I find his work on textual criticism and historical research to be beneficial in a fuller understanding of how Christianity and the Scriptures have progressed over time. Note: Recently, Wesley had appeared on Joe Rogan Podcast and his popularity has skyrocketed. This new fame has him being pulled in various directions, but his resources are still outstanding and useful.
Christ is the Cure (Nick Campbell)
Probably my favorite individual to reference via Instagram. He takes a very balanced look at theological positions, particularly from the lens of history, and provides the orthodox perspective or a broader picture of how the topic was approached. His statements then are not definitive, but informative.
Inspiring Philosophy (Michael Jones)
This is a newer follow by me on Instagram. However, I am mostly seeing second-hand work as he is mostly on YouTube and making responses on TikTok. His work in apologetics is direct and makes logical and reasonable arguments against many of the false notions and ideas that are rampant on social media. Though I don’t agree with all of his beliefs or conclusions Theologically, I am not the authority on these subjects and his research will elevate one’s knowledge of the matter as either a support or a challenge. Regardless, his short response videos are indispensable.
Red Pen Logic (Tim Barnett)
Following him on Instagram, his use of social media posts and his red pen dissects misconceptions that sound correct to a secular culture but are incorrect based on theological understandings. As short-form media is becoming more prevalent and modern cultural sentiment has generated a culture of “deconstruction” and confusion that he seeks to address through critical thinking and Scripture.