current series resources

In our current series: "God, I have a question" we are looking at some of the big questions people have about God. Given the nature of this series there are a lot of resources out there that are very helpful, and not enough time on a Sunday message to reference them all. So come here every week to look at additional resources that can help you dig deeper in each topic.



Week 1: God, how do I know You exist?


The Reason for God by Tim Keller. Tim Keller was a pastor and author in New York City for many years. This book is his signature work on making an argument for God to a skeptical audience.


Making Sense of God by Tim Keller. This book serves as sort of a prequel to The Reason for God.


Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton. The most famous work by Chesterton, and his philosophical argument for the validity of a Christian worldview.


The Experience of God by David Bentley Hart. Here Heart looks at how different faiths think about God and why the idea of believing in God has value.


Believe by Ross Douthat. Ross Douthat is a Roman Catholic columnist for The New York Times. This book recently released and is his argument for the validity of religious belief and the existence of God.


Is There a Scientific Case for Believing in God? Here Derek Thompson from The Atlantic interviews Ross Douthat on his book Believe, and his personal journey of faith.


The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God by Justin Brierley. Justin Brierly was the host of the podcast Unbelievable! where he hosted conversations between different viewpoints of belief in God. This book was the result of a trend he noticed of belief in God becoming more and more acceptable among secular people.


The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God Podcast. This is a documentary podcast based on the book.


Unbelievable. A conversation podcast from the UK on topics of faith and skepticism.


Week 2: God, does my life have purpose?

Finding Your Way Back To God - Dave And Jon Ferguson. What is the pathway God has for my life? This book walks you through five awakenings that help us figure out what God has in store for us.


The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? - Rick Warren. God has had a plan for our lives before we were even born. What is that purpose? Warren's book has been around for many years and has influenced many lives to figure out their purpose.


Garden City - John Mark Comer. This book is a journey through Scripture on the idea of vocation. It explores the idea of how the work we do relates to our purpose in life.


Every Good Endeavor - Tim Keller. This is Tim Keller's treatise on the theology of work. And how our work can connect to God's mission in the world.


Let Your Life Speak - Parker Palmer. Perhaps the best book on calling and how to listen to what God is doing in our lives in order to help us discern our vocation.


Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl. One of the most influential books in the 20th century around the idea of finding meaning in life. This book explores some of Viktor Frankl's work around the idea of meaning, inspired from his experiences in a concentration camp during WWII.


Storyline - Donald Miller. Donald Miller applies some of Viktor Frankl's principles in order to help people understand the plot of their lives and figure out their calling.


How to Have a Passionate Life - David Brooks. A recent opinion column from David Brooks in the role that passion has in helping us discover our purpose.


Calling Lab - Brian Sanders. By far the best practical resource out there with practical steps that helps a person discern their calling. The online version of the course is free!

Week 5 - God, why don't you answer my prayers?

God On Mute by Pete Greig. Pete is the global leader of the 24/7 Prayer Movement. More than 20 years ago Pete's wife Sammy developed a brain tumor that while operable, left her with sudden epileptic seizures. Pete wrote this book in order to explore a topic he was wrestling with at the time. Why it seems that some times God does not answer our prayers.


How to Write Your Own Psalm of Lament by W. David O. Taylor. David is a theology professor at Fuller Seminary (where Joel went to school!). And he wrote a book on the Psalms called Open and Unafraid. This document is an excerpt from that book and it is an exercise to help us write our own Psalm of Lament.

Week 6 - God, why do faith and science seem to be at odds?

The Language of God - Francis Collins - Collins, a scientist becomes a follower of Jesus through his work in the science world. Read his story and how God used science to bring about his faith.


The Lost World of Genesis One - John H Walton - "In this astute mix of cultural critique and biblical studies, John H. Walton presents and defends twenty propositions supporting a literary and theological understanding of Genesis 1 within the context of the ancient Near Eastern world and unpacks its implications for our modern scientific understanding of origins." Amazon

PS - Walton has a whole series on some of the stories in Genesis.


The Language of God Podcast - Biologos - Inspired by the book of the same title. This podcast from Biologos (the organization started by Francis Collins to explore the connections between faith and science)  interviews scientists and experts on the connections between faith and science.


The Creationists - Ronald Numbers - One of the most comprehensive accounts of the Evolution vs Creationism debate. Written from the perspective of a skeptic.


Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design - J.B. Stump (Editor) - This book is part of the Counterpoints series by Zondervan. It looks at an issue of debate and allows proponents of each view to make their case. Probably the best introduction to the different theories of human origins in Christianity.


American Scientific Affiliation - This is an organization Dr. Moerman mentioned in the interview for people in the scientific field interested in how science interacts with faith.