These are intended to be middle-level introductory books rather than more academic ones - and so for church workers, trainees and elders rather than the minister who should be reading to a greater depth too. They are not provided to put pressure that they must all be read within a couple of years, but more to highlight key books it would be good to read at some time and that can be accessed when needed to help in ministry.
Conviction:
1. Reformed theology - What is reformed theology - Sproul
2. Biblical theology - God's big picture, Roberts
3. OT theology book by book - The Faith of Israel, Dumbrell
4. NT theology book by book - New Testament Theology, Morris
5. Systematic theology – Systematic theology, Grudem
6. Evidence – the Case for Christ, Strobel
7. Objections - the reason for God, Keller
8. Church - Centre Church, Keller
9. Culture - Mission of God, Boot
10. Secularism – How not to be secular, Smith
11. Ethics - New Issues facing Christians today, Stott
12. Sexuality and gender - Love thy body, Pearcy
13. Work - Every good endeavour, Keller
14. Suffering - How long O Lord, Carson
15. Independency - Independency, ed. Stevens
16. Church history - Church history in plain language, Shelley
Character:
17. Commitment - Don't waste your life, Piper
18. Disciplines - Spiritual disciplines of the Christian life, Whitney
19. Prayer - A praying life, Miller
20. Godliness - The practice of Godliness, Bridges
21. Bonhoeffer (biography), Eric Metaxas
22. A chance to die (a biography of Amy Charmichael), Elizabeth Elliot
Competence:
23. Time management - Time for everything, Fuller
24. Eldership – The shepherd leader, Witmer
25. Ministry - The trellis and the vine, Marshall and Payne
26. Bible reading – Digging deeper, Beynon
27. Preaching - Speaking God's words, Adam
28. Leading worship - Worship in Spirit and Truth, Frame
29. Pastoral Care - Instruments in the redeemer hands, Tripp
30. Tackling sin - You can change, Chester
31. Leadership - Wisdom in leadership, Hamilton
32. Evangelism - Everyday church, Timmis and Chester
33. Apologetics – Bridgebuilding, Alistair McGrath
34. Bible study - Growth Groups, Marshall
35. One to one - One to one, DeWitt
36. Youth - Gospel centred youth ministry, Cole and Nelson
37. Women - Word-Filled Women's Ministry, Furman and Nielson
38. Parenting - Parenting against the tide, Benton
39. Family - Gospel centred family, Chester and Moll
40. Marriage - Married for God, Ash
Computer software:
1 The one I use is Logos bible software. You can have it on your PC, tablet and phone, and the amount of resources it can access means you can do a lot of cross-referencing within it. You can download the basic software for free and then pay to add modern Bible translations (I predominantly use the NIV and the NASB as a more literal version – Greek too if you are up to it), and reference books (there are an innumerable amount and the various IVP dictionaries in particular are worth looking at, but key would be the New Bible Commentary and the New Bible Dictionary).
2 E-Sword is an extremely good and free Bible software package that you can have on your PC or as an app on tablet or phone.
Some more historical reading:
A theology reader, Ed. Alistair McGrath
A history of western philosophy and theology, Frame
Early Christian writings: The apostolic fathers, ed. Louth
Confessions (autobiography), Augustine
Ecclesiastical history of the English People, Bede
Calvin's Institutes, John Calvin
Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, Brooks
Concerning the end for which God created the World, Jonathan Edwards
Lectures to my students, CH Spurgeon
The inspiration and authority of the Bible, BB Warfield
The cost of discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Essentials: A liberal-evangelical dialogue, Edwards and Stott
Three Views on Eastern Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism, ed. Packer and Stamoolis
Roman Catholic Theology and Practice, Gregg Allison
The kingdom of the cults, Walter Martin
Amazing Grace (a biography of William Wilberforce), Eric Metaxas
Susanna Wesley (biography), Arnold Dallimore
The Apocrypha