The following reading list for seminary preparation represents a selection of basic Bible, theology, and writing works that provide excellent background for the incoming seminary student. These volumes are particularly helpful for those who do not have a Christian college background.
Bible Study
- The New International Version Study Bible.
- Newbigin, Lesslie. A Walk Through the Bible.
Christian Living and Worldview
- Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship.
- Brother Lawrence. The Practice of the Presence of God.
- Carson, Don, and John Woodbridge. Letters Along the Way.
- Forsyth, P. T. The Soul of Prayer.
- Jenkins, Philip. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity.
- Kempis, Thomas. The Imitation of Christ.
- Law, William. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life.
- Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity.
- Nouwen, Henri. The Wounded Healer and Reaching Out.
- Sire, James. The Universe Next Door.
- Tozer, A. W. Knowledge of the Holy.
- Wilberforce, William. Real Christianity.
- Wolters, Albert. Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview.
Theological Education
- Cetuk, Virginia Samuel. What to Expect in Seminary: Theological Education as Spiritual Formation.
- Dykstra, Craig R. Growing in the Life of Faith: Education and Christian Practices.
Theology
- Augustine. Confessions.
- Chesterton, G. K. Orthodoxy.
- Grenz, Stanley J., et al. Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms.
- Demaray, Donald E. Basic Beliefs: An Introductory Guide to Christian Theology.
- Oswalt, John. Called to Be Holy.
- Packer, James I. Knowing God.
- Packer, J. I. and Thomas C. Oden. One Faith.
- Phillips, Timothy, and Dennis Okholm. A Family of Faith: An Introduction to Evangelical Christianity.
- Stott, John. Basic Christianity.
- Thielicke, Helmut. A Little Exercise for Young Theologians.
- VanGemeren, Willem. The Progress of Redemption.
Writing and Research
- Booth, William. The Craft of Research.
- Hacker, Diane. The Pocket Style Manual.
- Turabian, Kate. A Style Manual for Writers.
- Zinsser, William. On Writing Well.