It’s once again time for a new reading challenge! As always, our goal with this is to get Christians from all walks of life reading and to stretch us to read widely. We have 12 new categories for you, from theological works to fiction to essays and more, and we hope you discover a wonderful book or genre that you wouldn’t have normally have chosen. Consider doing the challenge with your spouse, a friend, or a church group to provide community and stimulate healthy conversation.
Don’t forget about audiobooks! These can help you read more while you drive or do dishes. And try reading one or two pages at a time you might normally scroll social media. Establish the habit of reading or listening at certain times of day, and you’ll get through 12 books in no time!
Use the hashtag #g3reads to share your choices, your completions, and your favorites throughout the year. As a bonus, post a photo of your completed challenge in 2024 and use the #g3reads hashtag, and you’ll be entered to win a gift certificate to the G3 Store.
Last year thousands and thousands of you participated in the challenge. This has become a favorite amongst the extended G3 Family and our Church Network. We love reading along with all of you and hearing about your finds and favorites in these same categories. Feel free to choose anything you’d like to read in each of these 12 categories, but below you’ll find just a few suggestions to get you started and whet your appetite.1Because a title is suggested here does not mean that G3 endorses every author or every statement in each of these books. Rather, these books are worthy reads that contribute to the larger … Continue reading
2024 G3 Reading ChallengeA Book about a Reformer
- Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther
- For God and His People: Ulrich Zwingli and the Swiss Reformation
- Nine Day Queen of England: Lady Jane Grey
- The River of Grace: A Story of John Calvin
- The Hawk that Dare Not Hunt by Day (Tyndale)
- Morning Star of the Reformation (Wycliffe)
- The Mighty Weakness of John Knox
A Book of Short Stories
- O. Henry short stories
- Guy de Maupassant short stories
- Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (the audiobook read by Juliette Stevenson is wonderful)
- Edgar Allan Poe short stories
- That Distant Land: The Collected Stories by Wendell Berry
- Short stories by P. G. Wodehouse like this Blandings collection
- Leo Tolstoy short stories
- J. R. R. Tolkein short stories (check out the excellent audiobook read by Derek Jacobi)
- Hercule Poirot: The Complete Short Stories
- Flannery O’Connor short stories
- Washington Irving short stories
A Psalter
- Psalms to the Living God (from G3 Press and available as a limited run for pre-order, or simply read through the Psalter section of Psalms and Hymns to the Living God from G3 Press)
- A Metrical Psalter
- A Book of Psalms for Worship
A Mystery or Detective Story
- Miss Marple books by Agatha Christie
- Poirot books by Agatha Christie
- Tommy and Tuppence books by Agatha Christie
- Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Lord Peter books by Dorothy Sayers
- Josephine Tey books (especially Daughter of Time)
- The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
- Georgette Heyer mysteries
- Brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters
A Book on the Holy Spirit
- A Biblical Case for Cessationism from G3 Press, a companion to the excellent Cessationist movie
- The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson
- The New Covenant Ministry of the Holy Spirit
- Perspectives on Pentecost
- Signs of the Apostles
A Book on Productivity, Habits, or Technology
- Do More Better by Tim Challies
- Redeeming Productivity
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Habits of the Household
- Atomic Habits
- The Power of Habit
- How Can I Feel Productive as a Mom? from Reformation Heritage Books
- The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
- The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains
- 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You
A Book by a Speaker at G3 2023
- Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham
- Expository Apologetics by Voddie Baucham
- Fault Lines by Voddie Baucham
- The War on Men by Owen Strachan
- Christianity and Wokeness by Owen Strachan
- Reenchanting Humanity by Owen Strachan
- Preaching and Hearing God’s Word by James Coates from G3 Press
- Why Are You Afraid? by Darrell Harrison and Virgil Walker
- Just Thinking About the State by Darrrell Harrison and Virgil Walker
- Citizens and Exiles by Scott Aniol
- Let the Little Children Come by Scott Aniol
- Musing on God’s Music by Scott Aniol
- The Potter’s Freedom by James White
- The New Calvinism edited by Josh Buice
- The Family at Church by Scott Brown
- One Race, One Blood by Ken Ham
- With the Master on Our Knees by Susan Heck
- A Call to Scripture Memory by Susan Heck
A Book of Essays
- Chesterton’s Gateway: 14 Essays to Get You Hooked on Chesterton (this is one instance where I do not recommend the audiobook)
- In Defense of Sanity: The Best Essays of G. K. Chesterton
- The Story of the Family by G. K. Chesterton (essays on the importance of the family)
- George Orwell essays
- A Dish of Orts: Essays on Life Literature, and Imagination by George MacDonald (this would also work for two categories below)
- A Well of Wonder: Essays on C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the Inklings
- The Godly Family: Essays on the Duties of Parents and Children
- The Arts and the Christian Imagination: Essays on Art, Literature, and Aesthetics (this would work for the literature, art, and music category below as well)
A Classic Children’s Chapter Book You’ve Never Read
- The Chronicles of Narnia (remember to always enter Narnia through the Wardrobe!)
- The Hobbit (the audiobook read by Andy Serkis is excellent)
- Robin Hood by Howard Pyle
- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
- Heidi by Johanna Spyri (many even “unabridged” translations remove the Christian portions)
- Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (the whole series)
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham
- anything by Louisa May Alcott
- Little House on the Prairie books (these audiobooks are excellent)
- one of George MacDonald’s children’s books (see below)
A Book on Literature, Visual Arts, or Music
- Rembrandt Is in the Wind by Russ Ramsey (if you’re concerned about encountering a few images of Christ, I recommend the audiobook)
- On Stories by C. S. Lewis (this would also work for the essay category)
- How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren
- The Liberated Imagination by Leland Ryken
- The Educated Imagination by Northrop Frye
- What to Listen for In Music by Aaron Copeland
- Art and Music: A Student’s Guide by Munson and Drake
- The Gift of Music by Smith and Carlson
- Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers by Patrick Kavanaugh
A Book by George MacDonald
- Sir Gibbie (MacDonald’s most popular novel)
- What’s Mine’s Mine (C. S. Lewis’s favorite)
- Thomas Wingfold, Curate (with all these novels, excepting the children’s books, be sure to look for a translation from the Broad Scots by Michael Phillips or David Jack)
- Salted with Fire (Elisabeth Elliot’s favorite)
- The Princess and the Goblin (also the sequel The Princess and Curdie)~these are two of his children’s books, along with At the Back of the North Wind and The Lost Princess
- Phantastes
- A Dish of Orts (essays)
- Diary of an Old Soul
A Book from the Living Heritage High School Curriculum
Choose anything from this list from the new G3 homeschool curriculum, which ranges from theology to history to literature to science books and more!
2024 G3 Reading Challenge
References
| 1 | Because a title is suggested here does not mean that G3 endorses every author or every statement in each of these books. Rather, these books are worthy reads that contribute to the larger conversation. There are many other worthy titles not included on this list. |
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