"Has Christianity Failed You?" by Ravi Zacharias

I have the utmost respect for Ravi Zacharias, as an author, as a speaker, as an apologist, and as a Christian. He quickly cuts to the heart of the matter at hand - right down to where feelings and emotion interact with knowledge and doctrine. He is not afraid of tough topics. So, it is no surprise that he wrote a book such as this one.
Let me say up front: this book is NOT about the times you don't feel like a Christian, or about the times when you wonder why you should care so much or try so hard to be like Christ. For those types of issues, I would more recommend the writings of Philip Yancey - such as "Disappointment with God". No, this book is about the genuine questions about the toughest issues concerning Christianity. What is Christianity? What is a Christian? How can I reconcile the existence of God with the evil and suffering I experience? Why doesn't God answer my prayers?
With his characteristic eloquence, Zacharias presents a solid case for Christianity - it contains paradoxes, yes. There are things that we don't fully understand - of course! That's to be expected really. But Christianity stands up to even the toughest questions, because it is founded upon truth. Paradoxes are not the same as contradictions. Unanswered questions do not mean there is no God to converse with. And prayer DOES have meaning and purpose.
One of the more intriguing sections of the book deals with the issue of sexual purity. Ravi Zacharias tackles the issue of single-ness and the allure of sex outside of marriage. I thought the author did an absolutely masterful job of explaining the purpose of sex in marriage, and how God gives both the gift of sex and the grace for purity. Any single Christians would do well to read and ponder these words.
The chapter on prayer was another excellent section. Really, there were no "bad" sections at all. Some of the points made can be found in other books by Ravi Zacharias, but this book is constructed to flow in a certain manner and to address certain points that are not addressed in his other books. For that reason (among many others), this book deserves to be in the library of every Christian and honest thinker.

"Reasons We Believe: 50 Lines of Evidence that Confirm the Christian Faith" by Nathan Busenitz - Kindle Edition

This short book is a perfect starting point for those who have an interest in Christian apologetics, but do not know where to begin. The author has done some thorough research, and the footnotes will provide the reader with many other fine resources for further study and reading.
I applaud Nathan Busenitz for producing a book that has all of the scholarly work presented in an easily-comprehended manner. Even Christians who do not consider themselves "readers" will find this book to be helpful.
The author states that the book can be read straight through (which I did) or used as a topical reference. There are disadvantages and advantages to both approaches. First, the disadvantage to reading it straight through is that many of the items are repetitive. Some of the same verses and facts are used to back different arguments, so you will read them many times.
In my opinion, the disadvantage to reading it topically is that some of the evidences do not hold so powerfully when they are taken by themselves. For instance, one evidence for Christianity is the lives of the many people who have been changed by the Gospel. While this is true, it is not necessarily important evidence in the search for truth - because an atheist could claim that his or her life was changed when he or she denied the existence of God; or a buddhist could claim the same thing, etc. Therefore, a budding apologist may think this a powerful argument if he just read this chapter individually. However, if one were to debate this line of evidence with an intellectual atheist, one would quickly be silenced and confounded.
The greatest advantage to reading the book straight through is to see the CUMULATIVE evidence for Christianity. When approached this way, all of the evidence mounts up to form an impenetrable wall of facts that the atheist, agnostic, or antagonist may beat their head against but never beat down.
It is always encouraging to see that the Christian faith is built upon fact. That is one good reason for all Christians to study apologetics.
5 out of 5 stars!
Many thanks to Bro. Paul Lowe for loaning me this Kindle edition!

"The God-Hater" by Bill Myers

There are very few novels that have, in my opinion, made such a strong point. Bill Myers paints a crystal-clear picture of the necessity of God's existence. How can you imagine life without a guide for morality? (The Universal Moral Law is one wall atheists cannot break down.... otherwise, society will crumble - which this book illustrates).

In this book, Nicholas, a fierce atheist philosopher, becomes involved in a software experiment that involves the creating of a society with real artificial intelligence. At first, the society always destroys itself (because the programmers only use models that do not include a universal moral law). When Nicholas is brought in (against his will) to solve the problem, he slowly discovers that the "Programmer" must intervene in order to free the digital world from the "curse." By the end of the book, Nicholas understands why Christ came to die - because God as the "Programmer" of reality has intervened to free us from sin. Wow!!!!
So, if you have even a weak interest in apologetics, READ THIS BOOK! If you have friends who are open-minded but agnostic, buy a copy and give it to them. It may be just the push in the right direction that they need.
This book has a fantastically original storyline and transparent characters. If I could, I'd give this book 10 out of 5 stars. You will probably never read a better fictional illustration of Biblical truth.

NOTE: The author also includes some questions for reflection, and he also offers to host a 20 minute question-and-answer session by speakerphone if you have a class or group of 10 or more that study the book!