But there are some tomes for which hold a special place in Christian people's own personal walk with Christ, and each person can only speak of that indepth experience having read and digested a particular book.
For mine, one special book which has helped me over all these years in Christian ministry is Simon Phipps' book titled 'God on Monday', published in 1965 and now out-of-print.
This was a book highlighted in his theological training years for prospective Industrial Chaplains. Simon Phipps was an industrial chaplain in England and reflects upon 'being Christian' within the market place and derived a philosophy of being a Christian on 'Monday'.
Two powerful examples he gave as insights:
The first example related to a manager and a shop steward who were both Christians and who came to an equitable agreement over the wages and conditions being sought. The problem was that the manager's 'board' and the shop steward's 'workers' rejected out-of-hand the compromised agreements.
Being a Christian was not enough to achieve what these two men had thought was fair and reasonable. They each had others to whom they were responsible, moreover their livelihoods depended upon it.
The second example related to a young minister in Germany who had been appointed as an industrial chaplain. A many years senior industrial chaplain asked him why he was so excited. The young minister exclaimed, 'I'm taking God into industry'.
To this, the older and wiser gentleman quietly noted, 'That will be very interesting for God'.
Phipps explained that making a profit is survival. It is imperative. If an employer is losing money, then he cannot pay the workers, who would then in turn be unable to feed and house their families.
The Trade Union movement try to ensure workers' needs are taken into reasonable consideration, to avoid exploitation. On top of this system, the elected politicians maintain and create laws that enables this process to flow. Industrial tribunals exist when the parties refuse to agree. 'God on Monday' looks at the micro situation.
Another example in our every day lives are the locally elected Shire Councillors. They experience first hand those regulations that often do not function at all well for the community. More so, they live next door, their kids are in the same school, they shop in local supermarkets, and attends Chambers of Commerce and Rotary, worships in local congregations, and the like.
Shire Councillors who follow the Lord Jesus Christ, have what Phipps refers to as 'God on Monday' bewildering complexities in decision making. Solomon would blush. Decisions are often between the least inconvenient to local residents or the lesser of two evils.
Our democracy is astonishing, there are many willing to subject their reputations to the local neighbourhood, to wider political scrutiny and acrimony associated with local government.
It is to this grass roots level at 'God on Monday' reflects, in that it helps the theologian to review those real life complexities where imperfect decisions in an imperfect world, and where adverse advice if provided for every-which-way.