What to read next
by J.I. Packer
J. I. Packer's Knowing God makes the case that knowing about God and actually knowing him are two very different things, and it walks through God's character — his wisdom, love, wrath, and grace — to help believers close that gap in a real, heart-level way. A group that has just spent 14 sessions in this kind of sturdy, doctrine-rich territory tends to be ready either for a book that goes deeper into one facet of God's character, like his holiness or his tenderness, or for something that puts the same theology into a more practical or narrative form. The books below range from shorter, punchier studies to longer companion volumes, so you can match your next pick to how much staying power your group has for close theological reading.
Our Knowing God guide runs 14 sessions with 99 discussion questions.
These are guides from our own catalog, ordered by how much each book shares with Knowing God: subject and themes first, then the kind of group it suits, then the same author. It is an editorial comparison of what the books are about — not a ranking of which is better, and not a claim about what other groups chose.
by R.C. Sproul
Sproul takes one of the attributes Packer surveys — God's holiness — and makes it the whole subject, arguing it is the attribute that defines all the others. It is a shorter study at 9 sessions and 62 questions, so it works well as a more focused follow-up rather than another sweeping survey.
by John Piper
Piper shares Packer's conviction that right thinking about God changes everything, but he turns the lens toward joy, arguing that delighting in God is the very heart of glorifying him. It runs a bit longer, at 13 sessions and 104 questions, and has a more exhortative, personal tone than Packer's measured theology.
by Dane C. Ortlund
Ortlund picks up Packer's underlying question of how knowing God actually changes a person, but narrows it to the mechanics of spiritual growth. It is a more pastoral, less systematic read, and at 11 sessions it is a lighter commitment than Knowing God.
by Dallas Willard
Willard shares Packer's concern that Christians settle for knowing facts about God rather than living in relationship with him, but he applies that concern to everyday discipleship and the kingdom of God rather than to doctrine itself. It is the shortest option here, at 7 sessions and 56 questions, and reads more like a call to action than a theological survey.
by John Bevere
Bevere, like Packer, wants readers to take God's greatness seriously rather than shrinking him down to something manageable, focusing specifically on the fear of the Lord as the foundation of faith. It matches Knowing God almost exactly in length, at 14 sessions and 99 questions, but its tone is more exhortative and less academic.
by Jackie Hill Perry
Jackie Hill Perry shares Packer's belief that a wrong picture of God's character is at the root of most spiritual struggles, here focusing on how a misunderstanding of holiness breeds distrust. At 11 sessions it is somewhat shorter and more conversational than Packer's dense theological chapters.
by C.S. Lewis
Lewis takes a very different form — a satirical set of letters from a demon rather than a theological treatise — but shares Packer's concern with how well or poorly people actually know and love God day to day. It matches Knowing God's length at 14 sessions and 99 questions, though its tone is wry and narrative rather than expository.
by Dane Ortlund
Ortlund's second entry on this list dwells on Christ's heart toward sinners in the same way Packer dwells on God's character as a whole, drawing heavily on Puritan writers for support. It is the longest study here by far, at 22 sessions and 155 questions, so it suits a group ready to settle in for an extended, tender-toned study rather than a brisk one.
Session and question counts checked .