We’re in the Klamath Basin

WCC Library – March 2024
Imagine Meeting the Savior

As we approach Easter, it’s a great time to imagine what it would have been like to walk beside
Jesus like the disciples did. They saw Him do so many amazing things, then they saw Him go to
the cross—and then rise again! Though we weren’t there to see these things happen in person,
the very real events of Jesus’ life are the great story that still impacts every part of our Christian
life. This collection of books, from paraphrases of Scripture, to devotional writings, to dramatic
novelizations, is meant to give you a fresh experience of that story and help you deepen your
relationship with your living Savior and Lord.

The Message New Testament by Eugene Peterson
This paraphrase of the New Testament in modern language is meant not to replace your Bible
translation but to offer a new way to look at familiar stories without the distraction of formal
language, or even verse divisions. Read it as the genuine and personal narrative that it is!
Audiobook: https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/?recording=msg-dolan

The Jesus Trilogy by J. Daniel Small
Written as a legacy gift to his grandchildren, this paraphrase covers the story of Jesus in three
parts: the story of Christ’s ministry (the Gospels), the spread of Jesus’ followers (Acts), and the
culmination of the Lord’s work in the future (Revelation).

Jesus, the One and Only by Beth Moore
This beautiful and tender book invites you to take an intimate look at the events of Jesus’ life
and fall deeply in love with the Son of God, the one and only Lover of your soul, like those who
walked alongside Him in Galilee.

Imagine Meeting Him by Robert Rasmussen
Is Jesus just someone you admire from a distance, never really able to grasp His nearness to you
in your everyday life? This book is sure to inspire you with the amazing reality of Christ’s active
presence and help you draw closer to Him.

The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey
Philip Yancey thought he knew Jesus—he’d been to Sunday school, and even Bible College. Yet
the Jesus he thought he knew wasn’t the ultimately satisfying Jesus he found when he let go of
his preconceived ideas and encountered the incredible God-Man revealed in the Gospels.
Audiobook: Hoopla*

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado
If religion seems empty and you need a reminder of why your faith in Jesus matters in the first
place, maybe it’s time to go back to the culmination of Christ’s life: the cross. Dive back into the
wisdom of this most important moment of all and come away more in awe of the Savior.
Audiobook: Hoopla*

Risen by Angela Hunt
Based on the 2015 film by the same name, this thrilling novel follows Clavius, a Roman tribune
on a desperate quest to find out what really happened that Sunday morning when the body of
Jesus turned up missing. The truth will change his life, and the world, forever.
Audiobook: Hoopla*

Jesus by Walter Wangerin Jr.
Take an imaginative journey through the life of Christ through the eyes of some of those who
knew Him best. This novel focuses on the perspectives of Mary and John, seeing Jesus as a Son
and Friend, but so much more.
Audiobook: Hoopla*

Baby’s First Easter Story by Rachel Elliot
This colorful board book retells six beloved stories about Jesus’ last days, death, resurrection,
and ascension in easy language for parents to read to young children. Each story closes with a
short prayer to engage children in response.

Easter by Fiona French
With text adapted directly from Scripture, this vibrant and reverent book retraces the Lord’s
journey from the Triumphal Entry to the Ascension, all illustrated in a beautiful classic stained
glass style based on real English cathedral windows. A delight for children (and adults)!

*Access the free online Hoopla library and download the app at https://www.hoopladigital.com
(you will need a valid email and library card).

Back to School with the Church Fathers

In the introduction to the modern classic, The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer writes, “Were
Christians today reading such works as those of Augustine or Anselm a book like this would
have no reason for being. But such illuminated masters are known to modern Christians only by
name.” Even the names of many ancient church writers are unfamiliar to most of us, but the
truths they wrote about are still important for us to know. I have chosen to launch our church
library with a collection of books by early church writers so that we might be more familiar with
the foundations of our faith as they have been understood for many hundreds of years.

Picking up a book written 1,600 years ago or more is not an easy task. You must become a
student again, and let Augustine, or Athanasius, or Origen, be your teacher. You will need to
read these books slowly and carefully, realizing that they are nearly as old as the Bible itself,
and so will be quite unlike the modern Christian works you may be used to reading. Come to
them with an open mind, compare them to the truths of Scripture, and seek to understand how
our brothers and sisters in ancient times lived out their faith in Christ. You will find ideas that
are foreign and perhaps incorrect, but remember to approach them with teachability and grace,
and you will find your faith growing stronger in “conversation” with these teachers of the past.

On God and Christ by Gregory of Nazianzus
As you read this collection of five sermons given nearly 1,700 years ago, you will discover
profound teaching on the doctrines of God, Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit. Gregory
of Nazianzus was a passionate preacher who frequently explained the doctrine of the Trinity.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/qHlb7HEqi_c (partial)

On the Holy Trinity by Gregory of Nyssa
In this very short treatise, Gregory offers a cure for the illness of unbelief by addressing several
objections and concerns about the doctrine of the Trinity. He focuses particularly on the Holy
Spirit and why we can be certain of His place in the Godhead and His divine power in our lives.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/JgSJ3OxMc2U

On the Incarnation by Athanasius
Why was it necessary for Jesus to come as a Man? Could God have provided for our salvation in
some other way? What does our Lord’s perfect humanity mean for our Christian lives?
Athanasius explores these important questions and more in this very readable book.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/VLr4CJOAKBE

On the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus
In response to a culture of idolatry and paganism not so different from our own, Irenaeus
recounts the history of God’s work through Christ to give us a new life in the Holy Spirit. Then
and now, he encourages us to stay true to God’s Word and the Gospel.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/KYSq3h_pMA8

Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love by Augustine
This “handbook” of the faith was written to explain the essentials of Christianity to a Roman
layman. It explains with careful reasoning teachings on a variety of topics such as sin, salvation,
forgiveness, and resurrection, and is a helpful introduction to influential Augustinian thought.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/tRnbj4fbcQQ

Sayings of the Desert Fathers by Benedicta Ward (translator)
This collection of proverbs and parables from fourth-century monks sheds light on a prominent
branch of early Christian thought. Though some of it may seem rather foreign to our times, it
gives us an example of dedication to the earnest pursuit of God that can inspire our lives today.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/VqPfr7gLUcQ

On Prayer by Origen
Prayer is a very complex subject, and Origen, a much respected (and much debated) church
father, addresses it with encouragement to keep a spiritual perspective rooted in examples
from Scripture. This work finishes with a detailed commentary on the Lord’s Prayer.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/NX-YEHwFkYw

On Marriage and Family Life by John Chrysostom
Thoughtful advice for married people and parents has always been needed, and Chrysostom, a
prolific writer and speaker in the early church, gives practical wisdom on topics like choosing a
spouse, raising children, and growing in the Lord as a family.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/VXSznF5EZGY (partial)

The Life of Antony and the Letter to Marcellinus by Athanasius
This work might be considered the first spiritual biography, written to give an example of a
person faithfully living for God. Also included in this book is an exposition of the Psalms as a
guide for spiritual prayer.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/CepAIIiALhs (partial)

Confessions by Augustine
The church fathers and “saints” were far from perfect people, and their struggles and victories
have much to teach us. In this autobiographical testimony, Augustine shares his temptations
and failures before his salvation, and the influences that led him to transforming faith in Christ.
Audiobook: https://youtu.be/qHlb7HEqi_c