GCG Resources
External Resources
Here are some highly recommended online resources for Christian growth and training:
One Minute Apologetics – Christian leaders share answers to common questions about Christianity in under 60 seconds.
Free online courses from the Gospel Coalition – an extensive list of free course on theology and life.
BiblicalTraining.org – a listing of free online courses, from new Christian to seminary level, on a wide range of topics.
Online Essays from the Gospel Coalition – an extensive listing of essays on a whole range of topics.
Free online commentaries on each book of the Bible from the Gospel Coalition – a great way to dig deeper into a particular book or section of Scripture.
The Bible Project – an extensive listing of excellent short videos helping to explain each book of the Bible, as well as numerous themes through the Scriptures. You could start with the ‘Explore the Bible’ list of videos.
Crosslands Training – Crosslands are highly recommended for gospel training. You can work through a module, a whole learning track of modules on a common theme, right through to a theological degree.
The rest of this page contains links to resources (such as video, audio, and books) that we recommend to help members of Grace Church Gateshead grow as Christians. For simplicity they are grouped into three categories; head, heart, and hands. Make sure you use resources from all three categories, as the Christian life is about following Jesus in everything; what we think and know (head); our character and emotions (heart), and how we live/what we do (hands). We also have a couple of sections at the end on the family and Christian classics.
Page Links
Please note that although we heartily recommend everything below, we do not necessarily agree 100% with them on everything; the views of authors and speakers below do not necessarily represent the views of Grace Church Gateshead.
Resources marked (L) are recommended for people interested in church leadership.
Above all, please make sure you are following a good plan for daily Bible reading. For help with daily Bible reading, read this excellent article, and then pick a Bible reading plan (including options for mobile or podcast) that suits you here.
Head
52 Stories of the Bible – A great teaching series through the Bible’s story. Audio.
Foundations – Foundations of living and growing as a Christian. Audio.
New City Catechism – A great way to learn the basics of the Christian faith. Website/app.
How to Study Your Bible – Tools for studying the Bible. Audio.
Christian Beliefs: 20 Basics Every Christian Should Know – A great little book on twenty core Christian doctrines, showing where in the Bible each one is taught. Book.
God’s Big Picture – short, simple introduction to how the whole Bible fits together. Book.
Knowing God – Who is God and what is He like? A classic book on the doctrine of God. Book.
Church History: A Crash Course for the Curious – This is an excellent, easy to understand introduction to church history, from the early church to the 21st Century. Book.
Systematic Theology -This is a thick book on Christian doctrine, but very readable and highly recommended. Book.
Christian Apologetics – Bible college/seminary level course on defending the Christian faith. Audio.
Finding the Right Hills to Die On – a short, readable book helping Christians to think through when to divide over differences, and when not to.
History of Philosophy and Christian Thought – Bible college/seminary level course on philosophy and Christian thought through the ages. Audio.
Church History – Bible college/seminary level course on church history from the early church to the present. Audio.
Old Testament Theology – Bible college/seminary level course on the Old Testament. Audio.
New Testament Theology – Bible college/ seminary level course on the New Testament. Audio.
Biblical theology – Bible college/seminary level course on the Bible as a whole. Audio.
Theology Refresh podcast – this podcast from Desiring God ministries regularly features excellent interviews on theological topics. Podcast.
Authors on the line podcast – this podcast from Desiring God ministries interviews Christian authors on recent books and topics. Podcast.
Everyday Church (L) – How everyday Christians can (and must) be on mission in their everyday lives. Book.
9 Marks of a Healthy Church (L) – Another readable book on the marks of a healthy church. Book.
Church planter (L) – A short, readable book on the character, gifts, and mission of a church planter. Book.
Centre Church (L) – An in-depth book about constructing a ministry philosophy that is theologically rigorous, shaped by the gospel, and accessible to the church’s culture. Book.
Biblical Eldership (L) – An excellend study of what the Bible teaches about being a pastor/elder. Book.
Biblical Eldership (L) – a short audio series on the qualifications and function of elders/pastors. Audio.
Heart
Gentle and Lowly: the Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers – an excellent book helping us to reflect on the ‘gentle and lowly’ heart of Jesus.
Depression: Looking up from the Stubborn Darkness – one of the best books available to help Christians navigate depression. Book.
Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who Suffer from Depression – short, wise book full of comfort and hope. Book.
Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest – excellent and accessible book addressing fear, anxiety, and worry. Book.
Good and Angry: Letting go of Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness – a thorough and challenging gospel-centred look at anger. Book.
Sensing Jesus – profoundly helpful book about what it means to follow Jesus as a human being. Book.
The Imperfect Pastor (L) – discovering joy in limitations through a daily apprenticeship to Jesus. Book.
The Treasure Principle – a short, joyful book on the joy of Biblical giving and storing up treasure in heaven. Book.
Gospel-centred life – a short book on letting the gospel shape all of life. Book.
Gospel-centred church – a short book on letting the gospel shape church. Book.
When People are Big and God is Small – a readable and challenging book about fear of man (also known as peer pressure, co-dependency, or craving others’ approval) and restoring the fear of God. Book.
Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave – a readable, challenging, book rooted in the Scriptures giving a gospel-centred approach to healing from addictions. Book.
Desiring God -a classic book about finding joy, delight and satisfaction in God. Book.
Prayer, meditation, and fasting – audio series by the author of Desiring God, about enjoying intimacy with God. Audio.
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands – classic book on how broken people can help other broken people to change, through the healing power of the gospel. Book.
How People Change – a deeply Biblical and gospel-centred approach to exposing heart issues and growing as a Christian. Book.
Seeing with New Eyes – a great book on how the Scriptures applied to the heart bring about change and transformation. Book.
Future Grace – a classic book on how faith in the gospel leads to battle against sin and growth in holiness. Book.
Shepherding a Child’s Heart – classic book for parents on shepherding their children. Book.
Gospel-centred Leadership (L) – short book about how the gospel shapes distinctively Christian leadership. Book.
Spiritual Leadership (L) – a classic short book on spiritual leadership. Book.
Dangerous Calling (L) – an insightful and challenging book about some of the particular spiritual dangers of Christian leadership. Book.
Dangerous Calling (L) – three talks given by the author on the above book. Audio.
Dynamics of Spiritual Life (L) – a classic book which surveys the Bible and church history to understand how Christians grow and are renewed, both as individuals and communities. Book.
Total Church training videos: session one, two, three (L) – training videos about how the gospel shapes all that the church does. Video.
Discipleship and gospel-centred pastoral care (Tim Chester): videos one and two (L) – training videos about how the gospel must shape pastoral care and discipleship within church. Video.
Gospel Fluency (L) – a series of excellent talks on what ‘gospel fluency’ is, and how growth as a Christian comes about through gaining fluency in the gospel. Video.
Hands
The World We All Want – an excellent booklet of Bible studies giving an overview of the Bible message. A great resource to read one to one with someone asking questions about Christianity, or wanting to review the basics of the faith. Book.
Disciplines for the Christian Life – a classic book about the ‘Spiritual disciplines’ which help us grow as Christians, no matter what age or stage we are at. Book.
Every Good Endeavour – an accessible book about what the Bible has to say about ‘work’. Book.
Ordering Your Private World – an insightful and challenging book emphasising the need to cultivate one’s ‘inner Spiritual life’, in order to be effective over the long-term in one’s ‘outer life’ in the world. Book.
Margin – a practical book about how to cut out busy-ness in life, and restore health and margin to time, energy, relationships, finances, and so on. Book.
Gospel-Centred Family – a short book showing how the gospel shapes family life. Book.
Gospel-Centred Work – a short book showing how the gospel shapes the way we work. Book.
Questioning Evangelism – a guide to conversational evangelism through learning to ask insightful questions. Book.
Unreached – a thought-provoking book giving guidance for church ministry in socially deprived parts of the UK. Book.
Theology and Practice of Evangelism – Bible college/seminary level course about evangelism. Audio.
Educational Ministry of the church – Bible college/seminary level course about the educational ministry – for both children and adults – within the local church. Audio.
Leading Family Worship – ‘your home is your first church’. Many helpful insights into family worship in this video. Video.
Community (L) – an excellent, practical book about leading and participating in a healthy community group. Book.
Principles of Effective Leadership (L) – Bible college/seminary level course on key principles of leadership. Audio.
Church leadership principles (Larry Osborne): videos one, two, and three (L) – three very practical videos about faithful long-term church leadership. Video.
Introduction to Public Speaking and Preaching (L) – two audio series on preaching by Bryan Chappell. Video.
The Pastor as Prophet (L) – a four part video series by John Piper on preaching. Video.
Family
Gospel-Centred Marriage – a short book showing how the gospel shapes marital life. Book.
Big Truths for Young Hearts – a book to help parents teach theology to their children. Book.
A Neglected Grace – a short and encouraging guide to starting family worship. Book.
Christian Classics
We highly recommend reading classic Christian books written centuries ago. Follow the Christian Classics Reading List developed by Mark Dever and Michael J. Thate.
In addition, these classic works by Puritan pastors are always well worth reading and re-reading:
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, by Jeremiah Burroughs
A Divine Cordial (All Things for Good), by Thomas Watson
The Heart of Christ in Heaven Towards Sinners on Earth, by Thomas Goodwin
Keeping the Heart, by John Flavel
A Lifting up for the Downcast, by William Bridge
By Faith (Sermons on Hebrews 11), by Thomas Manton
The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax, by Richard Sibbes