Convictional, Confessional, Cheerful Baptists (Courier Publishing, 2024) by Nate Akin
In an age where we are tempted to either be angry, weak, or arrogant, Convictional, Confessional, Cheerful Baptists argues about the importance of holding to Baptist Confessions and distinctives strongly and with a cheerful disposition. Author Nate Akin, a passionate Baptist, delves into Baptist beliefs and how we can hold them well through the lenses of 1 Corinthians 16:13–14. Rooted in his own personal upbringing as a Baptist and theological studies, Akin articulates the importance of holding to Baptist doctrine through the categories of confession, conviction, courage, compassion, and cheerfulness.
Baptist History for Kids (Courier Publishing, 2025) by Tom Nettles
Welcome to a brief story about Baptists told by Baptist historian Tom Nettles. This is a true story. The people are real and really did the things described here. History is a long story from the creation of the world all the way to the present. No human can know all of history; only God knows that. None can know all the reasons that make things happen. Only God knows that. Ephesians 1:11 teaches, among other things, that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
The Bible, though, is the Word of God and has a lot of history in it. The history it gives us is to show how things got to be the way they are. It doesn’t say everything but enough to give us needed perspective. So it is with this story about the Baptists. It is history and will give briefly some of the stories about how the people called “Baptists” came to be.
Baptists and the Bible (B&H, 1980) by L. Russ Bush and Tom J. Nettles
In 1980, reformation began within the Southern Baptist Convention. Theological liberals had taken over the SBC’s seminaries and were turning out pastors and church leaders who believed the Bible was errant in places and not Spirit-inspired in others. Key to this re-embrace of the orthodox position on Scripture was this book, which showed that the doctrines of biblical inspiration and inerrancy have always been the Baptist way.
This classic work continues to stand the test of time, and Seminary Hill Press at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary published a 40th anniversary edition of this classic in 2020 that may be purchased at: https://seminaryhillpress.com/product/baptists-and-the-bible-hb/.
The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global Movement (B&H, 2015) by Anthony L. Chute, Nathan A. Finn, and Michael A.G. Haykin
The Baptist Story is a narrative history spanning over four centuries of a diverse group of people living among distinct cultures on separate continents while finding their identity in Christ and expressing their faith as Baptists. Baptist historians Anthony Chute, Nathan Finn, and Michael Haykin highlight the Baptist transition from a despised sect to a movement of global influence.
Each chapter includes stories of people who made this history so fascinating. Although the emphasis is on the English-speaking world, The Baptist Story integrates stories of non-English-speaking Baptists, ethnic minorities, women, and minority theological traditions, all within the context of historic, orthodox Christianity.
Baptist Confessions of Faith (Judson Press, 2011) by William L. Lumpkin
Originally published in 1959, updated in 1969, and revised again in 2011, this useful volume contains every important Baptist confession of faith from the forerunners in the early 17th century through the 2000 revision of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Baptist Faith and Message. If you want to study Baptist confessions of faith and read their texts, this is your one source.