I had a long comment that wasn't posting. Copying into a thread here:
The Bible: Keep reading the Bible. At some point, read it cover to cover. Get a couple different translations. NIV has a reputation for being kind of retarded. A pastor liked to joke that NIV meant "Needed in Vineyard." I like the NKJV and have repeatedly seen ESV recommended. It's worth having an NIV handy to see where some popular misconceptions are reinforced. A very loose rule of thumb for a good translation: in the OT, the word "gods" should not be translated with scare quotes or to "spirits" or "elders" (see Heiser below). In the NT, "sons" should not be translated "sons and daughters" or "children." Christ inviting us to be sons of God has a specific connotation of princedom: Adam and his descendants were to be God's administration within creation. We are not just children, but princes, sons of the King.
C.S. Lewis: Lewis is probably the easiest to get in to. Mere Christianity is a great place to start, but almost all of his writing is insightful.
Michael Heiser:Unseen Realm is my current kick. I'm trying to get everyone I know to read it. The density of information is incredible. Almost every chapter in that book is a revelation. Here's a seminar he did, but it really only highlights the topics. The book goes into detail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jx1ZtZlcCk
After those three, the rest come in no particular order:
Aquinas: A bit more of a challenging read, but up there with Lewis. I've read (and can recommend) his Compendium.
Jordan Peterson's Genesis Lectures: I found these insightful from a quasi-secular point of view. Keep in mind that the man spent a long time claiming he was a "Christian" who believed in a "life-force" God and as soon as he started to come around to a wilful God, his life fell apart. Still, his read on Cain & Abel in particular floored me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-wWBGo6a2w
Doug Wilson: I don't listen to a lot of his stuff, mostly because I'm not much for podcasts. What I have heard, he appears to be the genuine article. Tellingly, the world hates him for how he lives his belief. Most pastors should cultivate community like he does. https://dougwils.com
Misc.: Kierkeegard's Fear and Trembling: for a book that I ended up skimming in certain sections, it made an impact on me. A beautiful expression of awe at how terrifying the faith of Abraham must have been.
Unraveling the End by John Noe: I strongly recommend not getting caught up in endtimes nonsense. My personal belief is that if we were intended to be knowledgeable about what is to come, God would have seen that it's explicitly laid out. That said, this is an interesting primer on various endtime views.
A lot of what I find insightful is because of my own deficiencies growing up in an American Protestant environment, where Biblical scholarship is rather unheard of. If you don't have the same background, you may not find all of this stuff as mind-blowing as I did.
Good luck out there, brother. Let me know if I can help.
Also, recognize how the modern "church" ritual functions.
Find a church that feels right. No female pastors, no fags. Ideally, the pastor should have a large family and the church should be involved in the community. The music service should be enjoyable and not forced, akward, or prerecorded. The awkwardness of going to a new church doesn't count as "feeling off."
The church service is for music and receiving a surface-level message. Sunday school (or whatever your church calls it) is for learning. It's unfortunately up to you to find out what your church offers that could help you grow. It probably won't be 'in church.' Which is fine, church is your time to praise God. But odds are you won't be taking notes. Realize that going in.
I had a long comment that wasn't posting. Copying into a thread here:
The Bible: Keep reading the Bible. At some point, read it cover to cover. Get a couple different translations. NIV has a reputation for being kind of retarded. A pastor liked to joke that NIV meant "Needed in Vineyard." I like the NKJV and have repeatedly seen ESV recommended. It's worth having an NIV handy to see where some popular misconceptions are reinforced. A very loose rule of thumb for a good translation: in the OT, the word "gods" should not be translated with scare quotes or to "spirits" or "elders" (see Heiser below). In the NT, "sons" should not be translated "sons and daughters" or "children." Christ inviting us to be sons of God has a specific connotation of princedom: Adam and his descendants were to be God's administration within creation. We are not just children, but princes, sons of the King.
C.S. Lewis: Lewis is probably the easiest to get in to. Mere Christianity is a great place to start, but almost all of his writing is insightful.
Michael Heiser: Unseen Realm is my current kick. I'm trying to get everyone I know to read it. The density of information is incredible. Almost every chapter in that book is a revelation. Here's a seminar he did, but it really only highlights the topics. The book goes into detail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jx1ZtZlcCk
After those three, the rest come in no particular order:
Aquinas: A bit more of a challenging read, but up there with Lewis. I've read (and can recommend) his Compendium.
Jordan Peterson's Genesis Lectures: I found these insightful from a quasi-secular point of view. Keep in mind that the man spent a long time claiming he was a "Christian" who believed in a "life-force" God and as soon as he started to come around to a wilful God, his life fell apart. Still, his read on Cain & Abel in particular floored me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-wWBGo6a2w
I haven't watched his Exodus series, but I somehow (((doubt))) it will be as good: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmhG1VdOO49/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Doug Wilson: I don't listen to a lot of his stuff, mostly because I'm not much for podcasts. What I have heard, he appears to be the genuine article. Tellingly, the world hates him for how he lives his belief. Most pastors should cultivate community like he does. https://dougwils.com
Misc.: Kierkeegard's Fear and Trembling: for a book that I ended up skimming in certain sections, it made an impact on me. A beautiful expression of awe at how terrifying the faith of Abraham must have been.
Unraveling the End by John Noe: I strongly recommend not getting caught up in endtimes nonsense. My personal belief is that if we were intended to be knowledgeable about what is to come, God would have seen that it's explicitly laid out. That said, this is an interesting primer on various endtime views.
A lot of what I find insightful is because of my own deficiencies growing up in an American Protestant environment, where Biblical scholarship is rather unheard of. If you don't have the same background, you may not find all of this stuff as mind-blowing as I did.
Good luck out there, brother. Let me know if I can help.
Also, recognize how the modern "church" ritual functions.
Find a church that feels right. No female pastors, no fags. Ideally, the pastor should have a large family and the church should be involved in the community. The music service should be enjoyable and not forced, akward, or prerecorded. The awkwardness of going to a new church doesn't count as "feeling off."
The church service is for music and receiving a surface-level message. Sunday school (or whatever your church calls it) is for learning. It's unfortunately up to you to find out what your church offers that could help you grow. It probably won't be 'in church.' Which is fine, church is your time to praise God. But odds are you won't be taking notes. Realize that going in.