Total Christ Resources

A General Introduction to the Total Christ, Five Mark Vision:

• On the Total Christ Thesis and Five Mark Vision by Preston Graham Jr.

• A Total Christ Inspired New Members Seminar (taken from CPC NH '20) by Preston Graham

The Five Marks:

1.  Gospel Centered ("High Gospel" / Covenant Word)

• Transforming Grace, by Jerry Bridges
• Putting Amazing Back into Grace, by Michael Horton
• The Gospel Driven Life, by Michael Horton
• The Gospel as Center, Ed. by Tim Keller and D. A. Carson
• The Centrality of the Gospel, by Tim Keller
• Gospel Centered Ministry, by Tim Keller and D. A. Carson
• The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, by Tim Keller
• A Case for Gospel Centered and Ecclesial Ethics, by Preston Graham, Jr.
• From Fear to Freedom, by Rose Marie Miller
• The Prodigal God, by Tim Keller
• Spiritual Depression, by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
• Part 1 and 2, The Center Church, by Tim Keller
• “Introductory Essay” to John Owen’s Death of Death in the Death of Christ, by J.I. Packer
• “The Gospel of Paul and the Gospel of the Kingdom", in God’s Power to Save, ed. Chris Green
• The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, by Lesslie Newbigin
• Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal, by Richard F. Lovelace
• The Gospel in Life Study Guide, by Tim Keller

2.  Missional ("High Ecclesia" / Temple Presence)

Missional, High Church Theology:

• Lesslie Newbigin’s Missional Ecclesiology Explored, by Preston Graham, Jr.
• Is the Church an Essential Element of the Gospel? An Answer from Christology Applied!, by Preston Graham Jr.
• The Church of Christ, Vol. 1 & 2, by James Bannerman
• Royal Priesthood, by T. F. Torrance (especially Chapter 2, “The Function of the Body of Christ”)
• The Church, by Edmund Clowney
• People and Place, by Michael Horton
• The Church of God as an Essential Element of the Gospel, by Stuart Robinson

Missional, High Church Practice:

• Center Church, by Timothy Keller
• The Missional Church, by Tim Keller
• A Participational Spirituality of Conversion, by Preston Graham, Jr.
• Centrality of the Gospel, Our New Global Culture: Ministry in Urban Centers, by Tim Keller

3.  Confessional (Christ as Prophet)

• Grounded in the Gospel: Building Believers the Old-Fashioned Way, by Gary A Parrett and J.I. Packer
• The Fabric of The Theology, by Richard Lints
• Doctrinal Integrity, by Samuel Miller (esp. Chapter 1, “Arguments in Favor of Creeds,” Chapter 2 Answers for “Objections to Creeds”, “Concluding Remarks”)
• Creed or Chaos?, by Dorothy Sayers (esp. Chapter 3, “The Dogma is the Drama”)
• We Believe: Recovering the Essentials of The Apostles Creed, by Michael Horton (esp. Introduction)
• The Creedal Imperative, by Carl Trueman
• Don’t Call it a Comeback, The Old Faith for a New Day, ed. Kevin DeYoung

4.  Sacramental (Christ as Priest)

• A Sacramental Theology of the Gospel, by Preston Graham, Jr.
• The Mystical Presence, by John Williamson Nevin (esp. Chapter 1,Section 1: “Statement of Doctrine”), Section 2, “Historical Evidence”, Chapter 3, Section 2, “The Mystical Union” and Section 3: “The Lord’s Supper”)
• Short Treatise on the Supper of Our Lord, by John Calvin
• Brooks Holifield, “Mercersburg, Princeton, and the South: The Sacramental Controversy in the Nineteenth Century,” Journal of the Presbyterian Historical Society, 54 (1976)
• Worship, Community and the Triune God of Grace, by James Torrance (esp. Introduction and Chapters 1-3)
• The Nature of Doctrine, by George Lindbeck
• Sociology of Religion, by Peter Berger

5.  Communal (Christ as King)

Community Life:

• Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Ecclesiology and Ethics, by Richard B. Hays
• A Case for Gospel Centered and Ecclesial Ethics, by Preston Graham, Jr.

Shepherding:

• A Priest With No Name, by Preston Graham, Jr.
• The Shepherd Leader, by Timothy Witmer
• Concerning the Care of the Souls and Genuine Pastoral Ministry, by Martin Bucer
• Pastoral Ministry in the Classical Tradition, by Andrew Purves

Empowerment:

• Theirs is the Kingdom, by Robert Lupton
• Toxic Charity, by Robert Lupton
• Compassion, Justice, and the Christian Life, by Robert Lupton
• Let Justice Roll Down, by John Perkins
• With Justice for All, by John Perkins
• Restoring at Risk Communities, Doing it Together, Doing it Right, by John Perkins
• When Helping Hurts, by Brian Fikkert, Steve Corbett, John Perkins
• A Thousand Resurrections, by Maria Garriott
• Words of Revolution, by Tom Skinner