A Spurgeon Starter Kit
Essential Books to Begin with Spurgeon
I often get asked where people should begin with Charles Spurgeon. It’s a great question because Spurgeon produced a mountain of work. He is best known for his sermons, volumes and volumes of them, which can be daunting. He also wrote over 150 books—again, daunting.
So, a starter kit is a great idea. Here are a few books to get you started.
1. Morning and Evening: Classic Daily Devotional by C. H. Spurgeon
This is Spurgeon’s best-selling work—a classic of Christian spirituality. The entries are short and packed with spiritual insights.
2. Spurgeon: A Life by Alex DiPrima
A new and fantastic biography. Must read. Some may suggest Spurgeon’s autobiography. I don’t recommend starting there because it is lengthy (2 volumes), and it occasionally rambles. But if you want to keep learning about Spurgeon, you gotta read it.
3. Spurgeon on the Christian Life by Michael Reeves
Reeves shows what Spurgeon believed and taught on various aspects of the Christian life. A great overview and introduction.
4. Spurgeon the Pastor: Recovering a Biblical and Theological Vision for Ministry by Geoff Chang
Spurgeon wasn’t only a great preacher; he was also a great pastor. Chang shows us what Spurgeon’s theology and practice in the local church.
5. Lectures to My Students by C. H. Spurgeon
These are Spurgeon’s lectures, which he gave at his Pastors’ College. You’ll get Spurgeon’s teaching on pastoral calling, ministry, depression, and various aspects of preaching.
6. The Risen King by C. H. Spurgeon, ed. J. A. Medders
While this is an Easter devotional, you can read it any time, as it is a survey of the four Gospels. I also hoped this would serve as a gateway to more Spurgeon. I compiled excerpts from Spurgeon’s sermons to feel like a new book from him.
You can buy most of these books at WTS Books.
Be sure to use code MEDDERS for an additional 5% off.
Also two Banner of Truth titles: The Forgotten Spurgeon, and Misery to Majesty.
All of Grace is another wonderful little book. It's the book that introduced me to the gospel. It is clear, and it is concise, and it addresses concerns that many books on the gospel today simply don't address.
For instance, what if my repentance is imperfect - a fly in the ointment, so to speak? Or what if I struggle to feel this or that with respect to what I'm meant to feel about sin and hell or about the gift of eternal life offered to me? What if I'm not grateful enough for Jesus' death on the cross? And so on and so forth.
All of Grace carries the wisdom of the Puritans to light upon the reader.
"Meet me in heaven!" Spurgeon declaims to each of us near the end of the book. And - thanks to the Lord using Spurgeon's All of Grace - I shall, oh, how I shall! And how I shall thank Spurgeon in person!