As I thought about the books that have most benefited me, I realized there were too many to condense into a single post. But there are books on certain issues that could be collected and categorized.
Which immediately made me think of the books I've read on homosexuality, a hot-topic issue I've done a fair amount of reading on this year. Here are 5 books that have very much benefited me.
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield -- This book blew my mind (in the very best possible way, of course). Rosaria Butterfield describes her conversion as a "train wreck," going from a passionate lesbian to a child of God. As a past English professor, she is a masterful writer and tells her story with so much clarity and vulnerability. I found this profoundly helpful in challenging some of my faulty assumptions and confirming foundational convictions.
Openness Unhindered by Rosaria Butterfield -- This was Dr. Butterfield's second book, just as helpful (if not more so) than Secret Thoughts. This book covers more than just homosexuality - identity, community, repentance, sexual orientation. I highly recommend it.
Is God Anti-Gay? by Sam Allberry -- Allberry's book is short and slim, but it's an excellent introduction to the Bible's basic teaching on homosexuality. Structured in a question-answer format, this little volume is extremely readable and biblically reliable. I appreciated it a lot.
What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung -- This was one of the first books on homosexuality I ever read, and it was instrumental in helping me articulate my convictions in light of what the Bible actually teaches. I reviewed this book last August.
We Cannot Be Silent by Albert Mohler -- A more recent read, I just finished this book about two months ago. This was an utterly fascinating book on the history of the homosexual movement, the ideology behind the homosexual agenda, and what it means for Christians today. If you're wondering how the past has shaped the present, this is the book for you.
What books on homosexuality have you found most beneficial?