The Challies Reading Challenge: 2018 Recap and the 2019 Plan

Another year is ending — and the 2018 Challies Reading Challenge.  Last year’s year-end post is available here.  The 2019 Challies Christian Reading Challenge is now available, so it’s also time to compile next year’s reading list.

As with last year, I picked from many of the categories but skipping around, and completed more than 26 but fewer than 52 books; the range of 35 to 40 books per year works well.  During the year my actual reading list changed, as new books became available (and other books postponed into next year). So for 2019, my current plan/list is tentative, based again on the availability of books in various formats — Kindle sale deals, free monthly audio books from ChristianAudio.com,  free books from Logos’ free monthly offers, plus several hard-copy books (paperback and hardback) from free used books as well as several I’ve won from ReformedResources (Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals) offers.  I’ve also searched online for possible free books to fit a few of the Challies’ plan reading categories, and included these in my tentative 2019 reading plan.

Here, the links to posts about the books I read in 2018, in chronological order:

• Between Heaven and the Real World: My Story, by Steven Curtis Chapman
• Christianity and Liberalism, by J. Gresham Machen
• The Confessions of St. Augustine and The Works of William Perkins, volume 1
• Twelve Ways Your Phone is Changing You and Running Scared
• Understanding Genesis: How to Analyze, Interpret, and Defend Scripture, by Jason Lisle
• Spurgeon on the Christian Life
• Finding Truth: 5 Principles for Unmasking Atheism, Secularism, and Other God Substitutes, by Nancy Pearcey
• Jonathan Edwards’ Religious Affections
• Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness and Rejection, by Ed Welch
• Understanding the Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews

The 2019 reading list (so far) does not have as many audio books (just four so far – from Sermon Audio, Librivox, and Christian Audio free monthly offers); I may add from classic titles available from Librivox, or any future monthly offers from ChristianAudio.com.  Here, from several categories of the 2019 Challies Christian Reading Challenge, is my 2019 reading plan:

Planned for 2019:

• A Biography: Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More: Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist
• A Book About History: A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent, by Robert W. Merry
• A Book Targeted at The Opposite Gender: Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture (past free audio book; Kindle version available here)
• A Book About Christian Living: R.C. Sproul, God’s Love: How the Infinite God Cares For His Children
• A Book With at least 400 pages: Spurgeon Sermons Volumes (Currently in the 1869 Volume)
• A Book a Friend Recommends (Goodreads friends): Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself, by Joe Thorn 
• A Book About Christian Living: R.C. Sproul, How Can I Develop a Christian Conscience? 
• A Book More than 100 Years Old: Life in Christ Vol 2: Lessons from Our Lord’s Miracles and Parables (Charles  Spurgeon)
• A Book by or about a missionary: Andrew Fuller: I Will Go Down If You Will Hold the Rope
• A Book of your choice: The Good Years: From 1900 to the First World War, by Walter Lord (Kindle deal 99 cents)
• A Commentary on a Book of the Bible: Psalms Volume 1: Psalms 1-41 (An Expositional Commentary), by James Montgomery Boice
• A Book Written by a Puritan: John Flavel, Mystery of Providence (Sermon Audio files)
• A Book by or about a missionary: A Missionary in Manila: (Missionary Stories), by Natalie Velacott
• A Book about theology: Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: God’s Perfecting Presence in Creation, Redemption, and Everyday Life, by Michael Horton
• A Book about Church History: History of the Reformation in the 16^th Century, volume 2, by J.H. Merle D’Aubigne Librivox (free at Librivox)
• A Book of 100 Pages or Less:  Thomas Watson’s Pure in Heart
• A Book of your choice:  Only One Way: Christian Witness in an Age of Inclusion (Best of Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology)
• A Book by C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien: The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
• A Book That Looks Easy to Read: The Most Misused Verses in the Bible, Surprising Ways God’s Word Is Misunderstood, by Eric J. Bargerhuff
• A Memoir or Autobiography: Joni and Ken: An Untold Love Story
• A Book Endorsed by J.I. Packer: The Godly Home, by Richard Baxter
• A Book about Theology: The Kingdom of God: A Baptist Expression of Covenant Theology, by Jeffrey Johnson
• A Book Based on a True Story: To End All Wars, by Ernest Gordon
• A Book Targeted at your gender: Eve in Exile and the Restoration of Femininity
• A Book With a Verb in the Title: On Guard: Preventing and Responding to Child Abuse at Church
• A Book about Church History: The Privilege, Promise, Power & Peril of Doctrinal Preaching, by Tom Nettles
• A Book about Apologetics or Worldview:  A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today’s World
• A Book About Theology: Heaven on Earth: What the Bible Teaches about Life to Come, by Derek Thomas
• A Book about Evangelism: Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, by J.I. Packer
• A Book You Have Read Before: Out of the Silent Planet (C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy volume 1)
• A Christian Novel: Safely Home, by Randy Alcorn
• A Biography of a Christian: Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles H. Spurgeon
• A Book about Science / A Book About Gender or Sexuality: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Ethics and the Beginning of Human Life, by Megan Best
• A Book About Counseling: Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness, by Ed Welch
• A Book About the Bible: Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture, by John Piper (past free Christian audio book; kindle version available here)
• A Book About Suffering: A Place for Weakness: Preparing Yourself for Suffering, by Michael Horton
• A Book About Church History: My Battle Against Hitler: Defiance in the Shadow of the Third Reich (Dietrich von Hildebrand)