Top 6 Best Christian Books For College Students
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These six books are the absolute best Christian books for college students. Learning more about God and his heart can help you find your faith in yourself and encourage you to find comfort in your faith.
Being a student is hard, and having a reasonable basis in your faith can make a huge difference in your college life. Whether you are at a Christian college or a state or community college, finding the best books to base your thinking on and keeping your head on straight is essential. You will hear a million different views from Christian colleges, Christian friends, Liberal colleges, liberal friends, etc. And you might start to feel unsure of your beliefs anymore. Having resources that can help you see what you believe can make all the difference.
These books are listed in no particular order, but rest assured that this list of books is some of my favorites worldwide!
This post is all about Christian Books for college students!
6 Best Christian Books For College Students
1. The Gospel Comes With A House Key By Rosaria Butterfield
If you are excited about college because of the new community and meeting friends, you will have for a lifetime… Then you will LOVE The Gospel Comes With A House Key By Rosaria Butterfield. This is an excellent book for young adults who want to build a community of people and learn to love others more.
While Rosaria Butterfield has some beliefs I do not subscribe to… I still am in love with this book. The wisdom this book has brought me has made me a better friend and neighbor to those around me. The first time I read this book, I found so much comfort in her lifestyle and God having a divine reason for our life. Her life story contains a lot of changes. When you are in college, life changes quickly. When you are freaking out because you want to change your major for the third time, you will remember how much Butterfield’s life changed and how much God has used her throughout all her changes.
You do not have to subscribe to the gender roles she describes in her book, but taking a lot of her advice when it comes to welcoming others into your life and home will make you feel fulfilled in whatever you do. Surrounding yourself with a group of young people is essential for college.
I learned about this book at my local church when I started talking about how I feel lonely at a huge state college. They told me this was a great book about being a friend and that if you are a friend to others, you will always have a friend when you need one.
In my Bible study, I have brought up this book probably an equal amount to the Bible because it is so easy to digest. With the Bible, there are many ways to interpret any specific passage, but with this book, it is easy to see what she is talking about and how to apply it in your Christian life.
The biggest lesson you will learn about in this book is Radically Ordinary Hospitality. This looks like inviting neighbors over to talk and brewing them a cup of coffee or making lasagna for a friend who needs a meal.
In the Christian faith, we have come to a point of ignoring the deeds and focusing on ourselves and others’ negative actions. This book gives practical advice for treating others and gives you an easy guideline for ways to communicate with yourself and others.
Reconstructing your thinking is a significant part of being a young person, and ensuring that your worldview is based on the Bible is so important. You don’t need to interpret the Bible like those around you, but it is essential to look to God to determine how you should think!
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2. I’d Like You More If You Were More Like Me By John Ortberg
I first learned who John Ortberg was when he came and preached at my local church. His sermon was essentially on this book, and I wanted to look deeper into what he had to say.
John Ortberg was critical of many ultra-conservative or mega-churches, which made me love him as a more progressive Christian. The good news is that he also has some great practical advice for meeting others who are different from you.
A significant part of growing up is meeting and dealing with people different from you. The holy spirit has pushed me personally towards love and meeting people where they are at when it comes to helping others.
Social media has made us believe you should only hang out and take photos with those who look and act like you. But how are you supposed to do good things if you never reach out to those who need it?
This is one of my top Christian books that I recommend to anyone because it is hard to love others when they aren’t like you or don’t believe the same things as you.
I think a big part of Christianity is learning to love people. Taking care of others and showing them love are fundamental parts of being a Christian and showing others the good news.
If you need a book about loving others, this is perfect!
3. Mere Christianity By C.S. Lewis
“Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis is a powerful exploration of the Christian faith, written for both believers and non-believers alike. It originated from a series of BBC radio talks made between 1941 and 1943, during the height of World War II.
The book begins with Lewis’s argument for the existence of God, which is grounded in his observation of a universal moral code that all people seem to understand and feel obligated to follow. This, he posits, suggests the presence of a moral lawgiver and, hence, God.
Throughout the book, Lewis emphasizes that Christianity is not merely a set of beliefs but a way of life that requires self-sacrifice and dedication. However, in return, one receives the joy of knowing Christ personally and participating in the divine life.
All Christian students should read this book, whether in school or not. It is filled with biblical truths! While this isn’t a new book, it is a classic that I would encourage anyone trying to dive deeper in their faith to read.
A solid foundation throughout college can make you feel much more confident in who you are and your beliefs. I have had experiences where people think that Christianity is a cult and I am brainwashed, but then others aren’t Christians but believe that I am a good person, and that is all that matters.
When college students stick with their faith, they will probably be Christian for the rest of their lives, but if they lose their faith in college, they might never return. This is not to scare you! I think college is the perfect time to decide what and why you believe it. Don’t just blindly believe others or follow the faith of your parents. Read this book and see if it resonates with you!
4. Brave and Beloved By Meredith Storrs
“Brave and Beloved: A Bible Study for Women Exploring the Wisdom and Diversity of Women in the Bible” by Meredith Storrs is a transformative and comprehensive 20-lesson Bible study. This book surveys 30 key women from the Bible, ranging from more widely recognized figures such as Eve and Ruth to less frequently studied ones like Deborah and Jael.
The book offers fresh insights into God’s design for womanhood and how it embraces women from all walks of life. The author, Meredith Storrs, illuminates the wisdom and diversity found among these biblical women, highlighting their bravery, resilience, faith, and complexity. Each lesson is designed to equip readers with a deeper understanding of the role of women in biblical history and their relevance today.
In addition to the biblical studies, the book offers practical tips on getting the most out of the study. It encourages active engagement with the text, reflection on the lessons learned, and application of those lessons to the reader’s life.
This book is fantastic for learning about gender roles and creating a strong foundation of beliefs.
5. Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers By Dane C. Ortlund
In college, you will meet a million different people, and if you grow up as a Christian in even a relatively conservative congregation, you will want to figure out how to love those around you. Showing God’s love in this time of change is the best way to make people feel not alone.
Gentle and Lowly is all about understanding Jesus’ heart and incorporating Him into your heart.
The book begins with examining Matthew 11:29, where Jesus describes himself as “gentle and lowly in heart.” Ortlund unpacks this self-description, arguing that it reveals the very core of Christ’s character. He suggests that Jesus’s heart is gentle and humble and deeply moved by our struggles and infirmities.
In your college years, you are going to go through changes every day. You are deciding what to do for the rest of your life! Being gentle and meek can bring more peace into your life.
Put your faith in Jesus and know He is gentle and lowly and will not put you through something you cannot handle. It might seem hectic at the moment, but knowing that He is on your side and who He is better is so comforting when everything seems to change every second.
Being gentle and lowly is the key to having peace.
6. The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason
This final book is so powerful when it comes to your finances. How you deal with money in your college years will determine how you handle it for the rest of your life. This is a good book for learning about investing and how to do it in a Godly way. God did not put you on this earth to spend or save all of your money. You should use everything God has given you towards good works and helping others.
This modern classic is about personal finance and tells a story about a man who owned his own home, increased his ability to earn money, and invested wisely. The book encourages readers to start their journey to financial independence as early as possible and nourish it regularly, likening wealth creation to growing a tree from a seed.
Set in the Middle East, this classic book has excellent applications for everyone since it is timeless.
If you are looking for the perfect book after high school to base your financial future on, then you need this book. Even non-Christians recommend this book because it is a short book and it answers big questions in a short amount of time.
Such a little book has encouraged me to find multiple income streams and invest as young as possible. I started investing at 18, and I have almost 20k saved up for retirement at 22 (lots of it coming from dividends and interest). These tips work and can help you to save money during your academic life.
There may be ways to save money in college by finding financial aid, getting free trials, and saving as much as possible. Start investing now and you will be doing an excellent job and be ahead of most of those around you.
This post was all about Christian books for college students!
If you are looking for Christian books for college students, I hope this was helpful! These are my all-time favorite books for Christian books for college students, and that is for good reason!
