2015 was, for Christian publishing (non-fiction), insane. My list of contenders for book of the year is down to 70 selections, the most ever. Now begins the long process of trying evaluate and rank them in some sense of order and priority.
Here’s the list:
- Andrew Wilson and Rachel Wilson, The Life You Never Expected: Thriving While Parenting Special Needs Children (IVP)
- Anthony Thiselton, Systematic Theology (Eerdmans)
- Carl Trueman, Luther on the Christian Life: Cross and Freedom (Crossway)
- Charles Irons, The Righteousness of God: A Lexical Examination of the Covenant-Faithfulness Interpretation (Mohr Siebeck)
- Christopher J.H. Wright, The Message of Lamentations (IVP)
- Daniel Block, Ruth (Zondervan)
- Daniel Strange, Their Rock Is Not Like Our Rock: A Theology of Religions (Zondervan)
- David Barshinger, Jonathan Edwards and the Psalms: A Redemptive-Historical Vision of Scripture (Oxford)
- David Garland, A Theology of Mark’s Gospel (Zondervan)
- David Platt, Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion, Persecution, Orphans and Pornography (Tyndale)
- Don Carson, editor, NIV Zondervan Study Bible (Zondervan)
- Don Whitney, Praying the Bible (Crossway)
- Douglas Wilson, Writers to Read: Nine Names That Belong on Your Bookshelf (Crossway)
- George Guthrie, 2 Corinthians (Baker)
- Gerald Bray, Augustine on the Christian Life: Transformed by the Power of God (Crossway)
- Gerald Hiestand and Todd Wilson, The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision (Zondervan)
- Gloria Furman, The Pastor’s Wife: Strengthened by Grace for a Life of Love (Crossway)
- Gloria Furman and Kathleen Nielson, Word-Filled Women’s Ministry: Loving and Serving the Church (Crossway)
- Iain Duguid, The Song of Songs (IVP)
- Iain Murray, Amy Carmichael: Beauty For Ashes (Banner of Truth)
- James Edwards, The Gospel According to Luke (Eerdmans)
- Jared Wilson, The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto against the Status Quo (Crossway)
- Jared Wilson, The Story of Everything: How You, Your Pets, and the Swiss Alps Fit into God’s Plan for the World (Crossway)
- Jeff Vanderstelt, Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life (Crossway)
- Jefferson Bethke, It’s Not What You Think: Why Christianity Is About So Much More Than Going to Heaven When You Die (Thomas Nelson)
- Joe Rigney, The Things of Earth: Treasuring God by Enjoying His Gifts (Crossway)
- John Bolt, Bavinck on the Christian Life: Following Jesus in Faithful Service (Crossway)
- John Frame, A History of Western Philosophy and Theology (P&R)
- John MacArthur, Parables: The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed Through the Stories Jesus Told (Thomas Nelson)
- Jon Bloom, Things Not Seen: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Trusting God’s Promises (Crossway)
- Joseph Hellerman, Philippians (B&H)
- Justin Holcomb and Lindsey Holcomb, God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies (New Growth)
- Kent Hughes, The Pastor’s Book: A Comprehensive and Practical Guide to Pastoral Ministry (Crossway)
- Kevin DeYoung, What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality (Crossway)
- Kevin DeYoung and Don Clark, The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden (Crossway)
- Leland Ryken, J. I. Packer: An Evangelical Life (Crossway)
- Mark Boda, Zechariah (Eerdmans)
- Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop, The Compelling Community: Where God’s Power Makes a Church Attractive (Crossway)
- Mark Jones, Knowing Christ (Banner of Truth)
- Matt Chandler, The Mingling of Souls: God’s Design for Love, Marriage, Sex, and Redemption (David C. Cook)
- Matthew Harmon, Philippians (Mentor)
- Michael Haykin and Matthew Barrett, Owen on the Christian Life: Living for the Glory of God in Christ (Crossway)
- Murray Harris, John (B&H)
- Os Guinness, Fool’s Talk: Recovering the Art of Christian Persuasion (IVP)
- Owen Strachan and Matthew Hall, editors, Essential Evangelicalism: The Enduring Influence of Carl F. H. Henry (Crossway)
- Owen Strachan, Awakening the Evangelical Mind: An Intellectual History of the Neo-Evangelical Movement (Zondervan)
- Owen Strachan, The Colson Way: Loving Your Neighbor and Living with Faith in a Hostile World (Thomas Nelson)
- Paul Heintzman, Leisure and Spirituality: Biblical, Historical, and Contemporary Perspectives (Baker)
- Paul Nyquist, Prepare: Living Your Faith in an Increasingly Hostile Culture (Moody)
- Paul Tripp, Awe: Why It Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do (Crossway)
- Peter Leithart, Traces of the Trinity: Signs of God in Creation and Human Experience (Brazos)
- Philip Zaleski and Carol Zaleski, The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
- Randy Alcorn, Happiness (Tyndale)
- Richard Bauckham, Gospel of Glory: Major Themes in Johannine Theology (Baker)
- Richard Lints, Identity and Idolatry: The Image of God and Its Inversion (IVP)
- Richard Longenecker, The Epistle to the Romans (Eerdmans)
- Rico Tice, Honest Evangelism (The Good Book Company)
- Rod Dreher, How Dante Can Save Your Life: The Life-Changing Wisdom of History’s Greatest Poem (Regan Arts)
- Rosaria Butterfield, Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ (Crown & Covenant)
- Russ Ramsey, Behold the King of Glory: A Narrative of the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Crossway)
- Russell Moore, Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel (B&H)
- Sam Storms, editor, ESV Men’s Devotional Bible (Crossway)
- Sam Storms, Packer on the Christian Life: Knowing God in Christ, Walking by the Spirit (Crossway)
- Scott Sauls, Jesus Outside the Lines: A Way Forward for Those Who Are Tired of Taking Sides (Tyndale House)
- Thabiti Anyabwile, Reviving the Black Church: New Life for a Sacred Institution (B&H)
- Thomas Kidd and Barry Hankins, Baptists in America: A History (Oxford)
- Thomas Oden, A Change of Heart: A Personal and Theological Memoir (IVP)
- Thomas Schreiner, Commentary on Hebrews (Holman)
- Thomas Schreiner, Faith Alone—The Doctrine of Justification: What the Reformers Taught and Why It Still Matters (Zondervan)
- Tim Keller, Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism (Viking)
- Todd Billings, Rejoicing in Lament: Wrestling with Incurable Cancer and Life in Christ (Brazos)
- Trillia Newbell, Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves (Moody)
Tell me in the comments: What’s your book of the year 2015?
Tony Reinke 
While I’ve read a few from your list, of the 30 books I’ve read this year, Joe Rigney’s The Things of Earth hits home for this millennial who grew up on war-time living. A great horizontal compliment to Desiring God’s vertical focus.
Always enjoy your “Best Books of…” posts, thanks for sharing great insights, Tony!
I appreciate your humility, but 1) The Joy Project has to be on this list and 2) it would probably be my pick right now. Grateful!
Hahaha! Thank you, man, I appreciate it.
In my opinion, Dreher’s book, How Dante Can Save Your Life is the best book of 2015.
Since you won’t nominate #JNXL I will… great book!
I think Reformation Heritage’s publication of the works of William Perkins (volumes 1 and 2 released in 2015) is significant for those who follow Puritan theology. Also, Mark Jones’ Knowing Christ should likely be a contender for book of the year.
Rejoicing in Christ by Michael Reeves has been the most encouraging to me. Thanks for the great list. We are blessed.
Haha! Thanks brother, I appreciate it.
Have to say, even though you can’t put it on the list – Newton on the Christian Life has been my hands down favorite book of the year. My congregation is probably getting tired of hearing all the quotes from it! Thanks for powerfully summarizing the truths that Newton gained from Scripture and his own experience.
Rejoicing in Christ by Michael Reeves was my favorite thus far but I’m halfway through Ryken’s biography on J.I. Packer and it will be at the top of my list by year’s end.
Rhyne Putman’s “In Defense of Doctrine: Evangelicalism, Theology, and Scripture,” Anthony Thiselton’s “Systematic Theology,” and Stanley Hauerwas’s “The Work of Theology.”
The Things of Earth by Joe Rigney is hands down my favorite and most impactful book of 2015. Such a liberating read, absolutely loved it and will likely refer back to it regularly and re-read often.
I vote for “God Made All of Me”
# 1 – “God made all of me” by the Holcomb duo. What an immensely important book! Timely, thoughtful, and Biblical.
God Made All of Me should definitely be in the to 10!
My wife and I really appreciate the great resource to help us equip our daughters. We read through the book last night and both girls were really engaged. It’s a REALLY helpful tool.
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