2023 Christian Reading Challenge |

2023 Christian Reading Challenge

on January 15, 2023 by Jami Balmet 0 comments

Woohoo! I am so excited to be finally sharing our 2023 Christian Reading Challenge with you. In today’s podcast episode, we are looking back over our 2022 reading challenge, discussing our favorite books we read, and sharing our new goals for 2023! Listen in.

Listen to the Podcast:

You can find all the links and notes for this episode below!

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

Jason & Jami’s 2022 Reading Goal:

We both set big goals for this year, and neither of us are hitting it! But that’s okay because I feel like we both had great reading years. And that’s really all that matters.

Jason read: 80 books for the year (out of 104 goal)

Jami read: 65 books for the year (out of 104 goal)

Our goals are 104 books again for 2023. But this year we both have some additional reading that we are setting as goals. Listen to the episode to hear.

Jason and Jami’s Top Books Read in 2022:

Bread of Life: Savoring the All-Satisfying Goodness of Jesus through the Art of Bread Making – https://amzn.to/3ZBtpn7
I Will Build My Church – https://amzn.to/3WfEmYO
The Time-Saving Mom: How to Juggle a Lot, Enjoy Your Life, and Accomplish What Matters Most – https://amzn.to/3XAZgTo
Ruler of Kings: Toward a Christian Vision of Government – https://amzn.to/3H98kth
Home Sweet Maison: The French Art of Making a Home – https://amzn.to/3w5JDHH
Little House on the Prairie – https://amzn.to/3kldcCi
Anne of Green Gables – https://amzn.to/3QPzrfZ
The Christ of the Covenants – https://amzn.to/3w8VWTM
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – https://amzn.to/3XB2RR1
The Space Trilogy – https://amzn.to/3XzErYo
The Faithful and the Fallen – https://amzn.to/3XA40bA
The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again – https://amzn.to/3XjLvIP

Books in 2023 we want to read:

Lord of the Rings – https://amzn.to/3XjLPY3
The Silmarillion – https://amzn.to/3izzIXW
The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth – https://amzn.to/3kkawoL
The Fall Of Gondolin – https://amzn.to/3kknTFq
Beren And Lúthien – https://amzn.to/3INMkFt
The Reformation: A History – https://amzn.to/3ZCStu4

Choose your own 2023 reading goal:

We are doing our reading challenge for you guys a bit differently this year. If you want to use last year’s format, you can head over and print it out here. This year we are giving you lots of categories and book suggestions and encouraging you to pick your own goal.

My personal favorite goal to do if you are just starting out is 24 books for the year. This is roughly 2 books per month. And if you look at the typical non-fiction Christian book, it will have about 12 chapters. Read about 1 chapter per day and you can easily read 2 books per month! But it does take focus to hit that.

Book Recommendations Per Category:

Church History Books

Church History in Plain Language – Bruce Shelley – https://amzn.to/3bM2mhN
2000 Years of Christ’s Power – Nick Needham – https://amzn.to/3bRva8C
Introduction to the History of Christianity – Tim Dowley – https://amzn.to/3yJQbMr
The Unquenchable Flame – Michael Reeves – https://amzn.to/3fDizqC
The Reformation – Stephen Nichols – https://amzn.to/3i3AsBZ
Meet the Puritans – Joel Beeke & Randall Pederson – https://amzn.to/34ao4I6
For Us and For Our Salvation – Stephen Nichols – https://amzn.to/34eZ2HS
Evangelicalism Divided – Iain Murray – https://amzn.to/3uhND4z
A Scottish Christian Heritage – Iain Murray – https://amzn.to/3wsPIvW
Epic: An Around-The-World Journey Through Christian History – Tim Challies – https://amzn.to/2SpO5AB
Church History 101 – Sinclair Ferguson – https://amzn.to/3vnO92g
In the Year of Our Lord – Sinclair Ferguson – https://amzn.to/2SpOfYJ

Womanhood Books

Enough about Me: Find Lasting Joy in the Age of Self – Jen Oshman – https://amzn.to/3fhdmWv
Stop Calling Me Beautiful: Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World – Phylicia Masonheimer – https://amzn.to/3ur1fe1
You’re Not Enough (And That’s Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love – Allie Beth Stuckey – https://amzn.to/2Rzp0TL
Glimpses of Grace: Treasuring the Gospel in Your Home – Gloria Furman – https://amzn.to/2QSUm7u
Women’s Ministry in the Local Church – J. Ligon Duncan & Susan Hunt – https://amzn.to/3i3x1ez
Helper By Design – Elyse Fitzpatrick – https://amzn.to/3ur1ENz
Twelve Extraordinary Women – John MacArthur – https://amzn.to/3wvrgdj
Running on Empty – Barbara Bancroft – https://amzn.to/3oKpyCl
Attitudes of a Transformed Heart – Martha Peace – https://amzn.to/2T6Y1z4
Women Living Well – Courtney Joseph – https://amzn.to/3uhJy0f
Spiritual Mothering – Susan Hunt – https://amzn.to/3ul0oLA
Radical Womanhood – Carolyn McCulley – https://amzn.to/3oO6fIs
The Measure of Success – Carolyn McCulley – https://amzn.to/2TfWsPz
True Feelings – Carolyn Mahaney – https://amzn.to/3yASfpP
Girl’s Club – Sally Clarkson – https://amzn.to/2RHvW13
The Legacy of Biblical Womanhood – Susan Hunt – https://amzn.to/34aZhUl
Flourish – Lydia Brownback – https://amzn.to/3hQDeKz
Eve in Exile – Rebekah Merkle – https://amzn.to/34eeSCu

Theology Books

Everyone’s a Theologian – RC Sproul – https://amzn.to/2T2l7qz
The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship – Robert Letham – https://amzn.to/3ve6kqZ
Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals – Gavin Ortlund – https://amzn.to/3oIAsbx
Redemption Accomplished and Applied – John Murray – https://amzn.to/34dgXi5
Visual Theology – Tim Challies – https://amzn.to/2REYZlS
Concise Theology – J.I. Packer – https://amzn.to/3498BI7
Fundamentals of the Faith – John MacArthur – https://amzn.to/34cTAoG
Expository Apologetics – Voddie Baucham Jr. – https://amzn.to/3oMxvqv
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine – Wayne Grudem – https://amzn.to/3wyANR7
What We Believe – R.C. Sproul – https://amzn.to/3hNObwk
The Doctrines of Grace – James Montgomery Boice – https://amzn.to/3oJaSDB
Practical Religion – J. C. Ryle – https://amzn.to/347g3Ua
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief – John Frame – https://amzn.to/3oFSV8T
Systematic Theology – Louis Berkhof – https://amzn.to/3bKpFbx
Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth – John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue – https://amzn.to/34bx3J8
The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way – Michael Horton – https://amzn.to/3umZpuF
Reformed Dogmatics (Single Volume Edition): A System of Christian Theology – Geerhardus Vos – https://amzn.to/2SeF90J
A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life – Joel Beeke – https://amzn.to/34b2YcE
Reformation Theology: A Systematic Summary – Matthew Barrett – https://amzn.to/3fDmXG4
What Is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics – RC Sproul – https://amzn.to/3bNEpXq
Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine – Gregg Allison – https://amzn.to/3fE28KP
Systematic Theology – Robert Letham – https://amzn.to/3un4fYR

Manhood Books

God’s Design for Man and Woman – Andreas & Margaret Kostenberger – https://amzn.to/3fICdBo
The Masculine Mandate – Richard D. Phillips – https://amzn.to/3ucomIX
Disciplines of a Godly Man – R. Kent Hughes – https://amzn.to/34aMSzG
A Guide to Biblical Manhood – Randy Stinson – https://amzn.to/2ShpI80
Biblical Manhood – Stuart Scott – https://amzn.to/3viegHK
We Became Men: The Journey into Manhood – Shawn Brower – https://amzn.to/3oOUP75
Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole – Eric Mason – https://amzn.to/2QJPsJL
What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him – Byron Forrest Yawn – https://amzn.to/347q43K
No More Excuses – Tony Evans – https://amzn.to/3fdHUbO
Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer – J. Oswald Chambers – https://amzn.to/3yw9atF
The Conviction to Lead – Albert Mohler – https://amzn.to/3hO832G
The Book on Leadership – John MacArthur – https://amzn.to/3oIIkKi

Marriage Books

100 Ways to Love Your Wife – Matt Jacobson – https://amzn.to/3vf8JSs
100 Ways to Love Your Husband – Lisa Jacobson – https://amzn.to/3fKTBpw
The Five Love Languages – Gary Chapman – https://amzn.to/3yxxJGq
52 Things Wives Need From Their Husbands – Jay Payleitner – https://amzn.to/3vikGGX
52 Things Husbands Need From Their Wives – Jay Payleitner – https://amzn.to/2QJPNMF
The Exemplary Husband – Stuart Scott – https://amzn.to/3fbdbMs
The Excellent Wife – Martha Peace – https://amzn.to/2SiB9MT
What Did You Expect? – Paul David Tripp – https://amzn.to/3oIY2VV
Living in a Godly Marriage – Joel Beeke – https://amzn.to/3fah3x4
Sweethearts for a Lifetime – Wayne and Carol Mack – https://amzn.to/3wssExj
Marriage Matters – Winston Smith – https://amzn.to/3u8tBJP
You and Me Forever – Francis Chan – https://amzn.to/3veuD8m
The Meaning of Marriage – Timothy Keller – https://amzn.to/3fdt98F
When Sinners Say “I Do” – Dave Harvey – https://amzn.to/3oJrs5W
This Momentary Marriage – John Piper – https://amzn.to/2QHlV3m
Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God – CJ Mahaney – https://amzn.to/3wtTsNE
Feminine Appeal – Carolyn Mahaney – https://amzn.to/2T7FsuB
Marriage: 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to Make – Paul David Tripp – https://amzn.to/348f8Tk
Love That Lasts – Gary and Betsy Ricucci – https://amzn.to/3vimO1p
Married for God: Making Your Marriage the Best It Can Be – Christopher Ash – https://amzn.to/3yAxbj2
The Intimate Marriage – RC Sproul – https://amzn.to/3vits82
Strengthening Your Marriage – Wayne Mack – https://amzn.to/3bNX5pI
Helper by Design – Elyse Fitzpatrick – https://amzn.to/3vibaU8
Tying the Knot Tighter – Martha Peace and John Crotts – https://amzn.to/3fd5Hsn