With the help of gracious publishers my book reading can stay two or three months ahead of scheduled book launches. This gives me the margin I need to schedule author interviews early and ultimately to complete my books of the year list by around Halloween. For me it also means that by the time Christmas rolls around I’m usually a half-dozen books into the New Year of forthcoming titles.

So I find it helpful, at the turn of the new year, to inventory the forthcoming titles we can expect to see in the spring and to write out a preliminary list of all the books that catch my eye. I have never published this list before, but I will this year. To be clear: These are not books I’m endorsing or advocating for, simply titles that have caught my attention and will be given more time in the months ahead.

As I expected, the non-fiction Christian market in 2017 is going to be strong! So here we go. The 50 55 60 66 77 titles that catch my attention.

• Alastair Roberts, Heirs Together: A Theology of the Sexes (November).
• Albert Mohler, Exalting Jesus in Hebrews, CCEC (March).
• Andreas Köstenberger, Commentary on 1-2 Timothy and Titus, BTCP (May).
• Andy Naselli, How to Understand and Apply the New Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology (March). See DeRouchie.
• Ashley Null and John W. Yates III, Reformation Anglicanism, Volume 1: A Vision for Today’s Global Communion (February).
• Augustine and Sarah Ruden, translator, Confessions (June).
• Ben Witherington, Isaiah Old and New: Exegesis, Intertextuality, and Hermeneutics (February).
• Ben Witherington, A Week in the Fall of Jerusalem (August).
• Brandon Crowe, The Last Adam: A Theology of the Obedient Life of Jesus in the Gospels (January).
• Brian Tabb, Suffering in Ancient Worldview: Luke, Seneca and 4 Maccabees in Dialogue (April).
• Carl Trueman, Grace Alone—Salvation as a Gift of God: What the Reformers Taught . . . and Why It Still Matters (April).
• Collin Hansen, editor, The New City Catechism Devotional: God’s Truth for Our Hearts and Minds (April).
• Courtney Reissig, Glory in the Ordinary: Why Your Work in the Home Matters to God (April).
• Crossway, ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible (July).
• Daniel Timmer, Nahum: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible, ZECOT (May).
• David Garner, Sons in the Son: The Riches and Reach of Adoption in Christ (January).
• David Murray, Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture (March).
• David Peterson, Commentary on Romans, BTCP (August).
• David Powlison, How Does Sanctification Work? (May).
• Don Collett, Hosea, T&T Clark International Theological Commentary (February).
• Erik Raymond, Chasing Contentment: Trusting God in a Discontented Age (March).
• Erin Straza, Comfort Detox: Finding Freedom from Habits that Bind You (February).
• Frances FitzGerald, The Evangelicals: The Struggle to Shape America (April).
• Fred Sanders and Scott R. Swain (eds.) Retrieving Eternal Generation (November).
• Gloria Furman, Alive in Him: How Being Embraced by the Love of Christ Changes Everything (March).
• Gregory Koukl, The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between (January).
• Hans Boersma, Scripture as Real Presence: Sacramental Exegesis in the Early Church (March).
• Jack Alexander, The God Guarantee: Finding Freedom from the Fear of Not Having Enough (August).
• Jaquelle Crowe, This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years (April).
• Jared Wilson, The Imperfect Disciple: Grace for People Who Can’t Get Their Act Together (May).
• Jarvis Williams and Kevin Jones, Removing the Stain of Racism from the Southern Baptist Convention: Diverse African American and White Perspectives (June).
• Jason DeRouchie, How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology (March). See Naselli.
• Jen Pollock Michel, Keeping Place: Reflections on the Meaning of Home (May).
• Jennie Allen, Nothing to Prove: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard (January).
• Jim Hamilton, Work and Our Labor in the Lord, SSBT (January).
• Joe Rigney, Lewis on the Christian Life (Jan. 2018).
• Joe Thorn, The Heart of the Church: The Gospel’s History, Message, and Meaning (March).
• Joe Thorn, The Character of the Church: The Marks of God’s Obedient People (March).
• Joe Thorn, The Life of the Church: The Table, Pulpit, and Square (March).
• Joel Barker, Joel: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible, ZECOT (May).
• Joel Beeke, Family Worship Bible Guide (January).
• John Anthony McGuckin, The Path of Christianity: The First Thousand Years (May).
• John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (January).
• John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Paul: Embracing the Good News at the Heart of Paul’s Teachings (April).
• John Piper, Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture (April).
• John Piper, The Collected Works of John Piper, 13-volume set (March).
• Jonathan Griffiths, Preaching in the New Testament, NSBT (March).
• Jonathan Pennington, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing: A Theological Commentary (June).
• Josh Larsen, Movies Are Prayers: How Films Voice Our Deepest Longings (June).
• Karl Barth, The Epistle to the Ephesians (April).
• Kelly Kapic, Embodied Hope: A Theological Meditation on Pain and Suffering (June).
• Lydia Brownback, Finding God in My Loneliness (February).
• Lyndal Roper, Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet (March).
• Makoto Fujimura, Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life (February).
• Mark Boda, The Heartbeat of Old Testament Theology: Three Creedal Expressions (April).
• Mark Jones, God Is: A Devotional Guide to the Attributes of God (June).
• Mark Jones, Faith. Hope. Love.: The Christ-Centered Way to Grow in Grace (October).
• Mark Mattes, Martin Luther’s Theology of Beauty: A Reappraisal (August).
• Marshall Segal, Not Yet Married: The Pursuit of Joy in Singleness and Dating (June).
• Matthew Barrett (editor), Reformation Theology: A Systematic Summary (March).
• Michelle DeRusha, Katharina and Martin Luther: The Radical Marriage of a Runaway Nun and a Renegade Monk (January).
• Oliver O’Donovan, Entering into Rest: Ethics as Theology (April).
• Peter Gentry, How to Read and Understand the Biblical Prophets (June).
• Peter Leithart, Revelation 1-11, T&T Clark International Theological Commentary (April).
• Peter Leithart, Revelation 12-22, T&T Clark International Theological Commentary (April).
• Peter Marshall, Heretics and Believers: A History of the English Reformation (June).
• Peter Rasor and Theodore Cabal, Controversy of the Ages: Why Christians Should Not Divide Over the Age of the Earth (April)
• Ray Van Neste, editor, Reformation 500: How the Greatest Revival Since Pentecost Continues to Shape the World Today (March).
• Richard Muller, Divine Will and Human Choice: Freedom, Contingency, and Necessity in Early Modern Reformed Thought (May).
• Russ Ramsey, Struck: One Christian’s Reflections on Encountering Death (March).
• Sam Storms, Practicing the Power: Welcoming the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Your Life (February).
• Sarah Ruden, The Face of Water: A Translator on Beauty and Meaning in the Bible (March).
• Sarah Walton and Kristen Wetherell, Hope When It Hurts: Biblical Reflections to Help You Grasp God’s Purpose in Your Suffering (April).
• Stephen Wellum, Christ Alone—The Uniqueness of Jesus as Savior: What the Reformers Taught . . . and Why It Still Matters (April).
• Tommy Kidd, Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father (May).
• Trevin Wax, This Is Our Time: Everyday Myths in Light of the Gospel (March).
• Trip Lee, Incredibly Normal: The Shocking Truth About Who You Really Are (November).
• Wendy Alsup, Is the Bible Good for Women?: Seeking Clarity and Confidence Through a Jesus-Centered Understanding of Scripture (March).
• William Edgar, Created and Creating: A Biblical Theology of Culture (January).

• Michael Allen and Scott Swain (editors), Christian Dogmatics: Reformed Theology for the Church Catholic (Baker)
• Gerald Bray, The Church: A Theological and Historical Account (Baker)
• Heidi Campbell and Stephen Garner, Networked Theology: Negotiating Faith in Digital Culture (Baker)
• Don Carson (editor), The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures (Eerdmans)
• Tim Challies, Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity (Challies)
• Scott Christensen, What about Free Will?: Reconciling Our Choices with God’s Sovereignty (P&R)
• Andy Crouch, Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing (IVP)
• Bob Cutillo, Pursuing Health in an Anxious Age (Crossway)*
• Carlos Eire, Reformations: The Early Modern World, 1450–1650 (Yale)
• Sinclair Ferguson, The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance — Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters (Crossway)
• Gloria Furman, Missional Motherhood: The Everyday Ministry of Motherhood in the Grand Plan of God (Crossway)
• Crawford Gribben, John Owen and English Puritanism: Experiences of Defeat (Oxford)
• Bruce Gordon, John Calvin’s ‘Institutes of the Christian Religion’: A Biography (Princeton)*
• Grant Gordon, A Great Blessing to Me: John Newton Encounters George Whitefield (Christian Focus)
• Wayne Grudem, “Free Grace” Theology: 5 Ways It Diminishes the Gospel (Crossway)
• Duncan Hamilton, For the Glory: Eric Liddell’s Journey from Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr (Penguin)*
• Tim Keller, Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical (Viking)
• Thomas Kidd, American Colonial History: Clashing Cultures and Faiths (Yale)*
• Alan Kreider, The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire (IVP)*
• Peter Leithart, Delivered from the Elements of the World: Atonement, Justification, Mission (IVP)
• George Marsden, C. S. Lewis’s ‘Mere Christianity’: A Biography (Princeton)*
• David Mathis, Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines (Crossway)
• Jonathan McKee, 52 Ways to Connect with Your Smartphone Obsessed Kid: How to Engage with Kids Who Can’t Seem to Pry Their Eyes from Their Devices! (Shiloh Run)
• Ben Merkle, Ephesians: Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (B&H)
• Alec Motyer, Psalms By the Day: A New Devotional Translation (Christian Focus)
• Andy Naselli and J. D. Crowley, Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ (Crossway)
• Peter O’Brien, God Has Spoken in His Son (IVP)
• John Piper, A Camaraderie of Confidence: The Fruit of Unfailing Faith in the Lives of Charles Spurgeon, George Müller, and Hudson Taylor (Crossway)
• John Piper, A Peculiar Glory: How the Christian Scriptures Reveal Their Complete Truthfulness (Crossway)
• John Piper, Living in the Light: Money, Sex and Power (Good Book Co.)
• Michael Rota, Taking Pascal’s Wager: Faith, Evidence and the Abundant Life (IVP)*
• David Powlison, Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness (New Growth)
• Vern Poythress, Reading the Word of God in the Presence of God: A Handbook for Biblical Interpretation (Crossway)
• Ronald Sider and Ben Lowe, The Future of Our Faith: An Intergenerational Conversation on Critical Issues Facing the Church (Brazos)*
• James K. A. Smith, You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit (Brazos)
• Mitch Stokes, How to Be an Atheist: Why Many Skeptics Aren’t Skeptical Enough  (Crossway)
• Larry Taunton, The Faith of Christopher Hitchens: The Restless Soul of the World’s Most Notorious Atheist (Thomas Nelson)
• Mark Tietjen, Kierkegaard: A Christian Missionary to Christians (IVP)
• Kevin Vanhoozer, Pictures at a Theological Exhibition: Scenes of the Church’s Worship, Witness and Wisdom (IVP)
• Stephen Wellum, God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ (Crossway)
• Jen Wilkin, None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different From Us (And Why That’s a Good Thing) (Crossway)*
• Jared Wilson, Unparalleled: How Christianity’s Uniqueness Makes It Compelling (Baker)

It’s been a busy month of content to process, so I figured I would post some updates on my recent writings, recordings, reads, and listens.

In the last month, written or recorded:

• The Right Kind of Atheist — A summary review of Larry Taunton’s excellent new book on Christopher Hitchens.
• Gospel Hope for Self-Haters — A phone interview with David Powlison on an often ignored topic (49m audio, transcript).
• Selfies and Polaroids of Intimacy: Andy Warhol and My Smartphone — A study of Warhol, predecessor of the digital age, and inventor of the modern day selfie.
• Discipleship in the Age of the Spectacle — An interview with theologian Kevin Vanhoozer on technology and living by faith in a visual world of CGI and gaming (written).
• Tony Reinke on Writing — An audio interview with Jeff Medders on writing and reading (38m audio).

As my smartphone book wraps up in the next month, my summer reading plan is coming together, a little more heady than normal (but not by much):

• Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time by Joseph Frank
• The House of the Dead/Poor Folk by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome (1 of 3 on Cicero) by Robert Harris
• The Verrine Orations, I: Against Verres, Parts 1-2; Books 1-2 by Marcus Tullius Cicero
• The Verrine Orations, II Against Verres, Part 2; Books 3–5 by Marcus Tullius Cicero

Current reading/writing tunes:

• I Forget Where We Were by Ben Howard (2014)
• Floodplain by Sara Groves (2015)

New Goodreads book reviews (here) for:

• Living in the Light: Money, Sex and Power by John Piper
• Crucifixion by Martin Hengel
• The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross: Their Circumstances and Meaning by Harris, Murray J. Harris
• Good and Angry: Letting Go of Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness by David Powlison
• The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing
• Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
• The Spirituality of Wine by Gisela Kreglinger

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?