Best Christian Pastoral Counseling Books of 2025

The updated and expanded edition of Boundaries by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend is a must-read for those who struggle with saying no and setting healthy boundaries in their personal and professional relationships. With over 4 million copies sold, this New York Times bestseller offers timeless principles and practical advice on how to take control of your life and create healthy, biblical boundaries. The book also addresses modern-day challenges such as managing digital life and navigating mutual submission in marriage. Overall, Boundaries is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their relationships and live a more fulfilling life.

Woman Evolve: Break Up with Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life is a New York Times bestseller authored by Sarah Jakes Roberts. It offers life lessons and insights from the story of Eve to help readers become the women God intended them to be. The book focuses on understanding that one's purpose in life evolves and provides guidance on how to break through past mistakes and insecurities to revolutionize one's life. The book has received great reviews, with Publishers Weekly praising the author for delivering a powerful guide to the lessons found in the story of Eve. Overall, Woman Evolve is an inspiring and unique read for those seeking to evolve in their faith and personal growth.

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop is a book that encourages readers to embrace the lost art of lament and find grace in their struggles with grief and suffering. The author offers a biblical perspective on how to honestly wrestle with difficult questions and complaints before God, while also choosing to trust in His never-ending mercies. This book is a must-read for anyone who is hurting, trying to help someone who is, or seeking to lead their church in the practice of lament. It is a well-written, transparent, and refreshing take on an important and often overlooked topic.

Why Am I Like This? by Kobe Campbell is a Christian self-help book that explores the link between trauma and patterns of brokenness in our lives. Drawing from her experience as a seminary-trained, licensed trauma therapist, Campbell provides readers with evidence-based, faith-filled coping skills and resources to help them break cycles, heal from trauma, and restore their faith. The book offers a unique blend of theological insight and therapeutic principles, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to begin their journey of restoration.

Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul in These Turbulent Times by John Eldredge is a Christian inspirational book that offers a path towards genuine recovery and resilience through Jesus himself. The author draws on wisdom from Scripture and Christian tradition, and illustrates throughout with powerful, true stories of grit and survival. Eldredge gives you the tools you need to follow Jesus' path of supernatural resilience so you can reclaim your joy, strengthen your heart, and thrive through the storm. This book is a must-read for those who seek deep wells of freedom and strength through Christ who lives within us.

The Christ Cure is a comprehensive guide for anyone suffering from PTSD, trauma, and tragedy, and their families. Dr. Tim Murphy, a psychologist, Navy veteran, and former Member of Congress, shares his own experience with depression and how he found inspiration in the life and works of the Apostle Paul. The book offers new insights into how trauma affects us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually and provides a unique path of true restoration. The foundation of biblical pillars for healthy treatment makes this book stand out as a valuable guide for those seeking to heal through faith.

The Red Sea Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times by Robert J. Morgan is a Christian devotional book that offers ten strategies for dealing with hard times and discouragements. Through the story of Moses and the Israelites, the author shows readers how to move from fear to faith, even in seemingly impossible situations. The book emphasizes the importance of trusting in God's plan and guidance, even in the midst of difficulties. The updated version of the book includes study questions for readers. Overall, The Red Sea Rules is a helpful and insightful guide for those facing challenging times.

The Thing Beneath the Thing by Steve Carter is a Christian personal growth book that helps readers overcome their hidden pain caused by past wounds through God's grace and love. Carter identifies the potholes in our lives and offers a solution to fill them with spiritual health and wholeness. By discovering our triggers, hideouts, insecurities, narratives, and grace, we can unlock the places where we've buried things and invite healing to operate in new ways. Carter's experience as a pastor, speaker, author, and podcast host adds weight to his words. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for those seeking spiritual growth and healing.

Unwanted by Jay Stringer is a groundbreaking resource that explores the “why” behind self-destructive sexual choices in order to help readers work towards freedom. The book addresses difficult issues with compassionate insight, discussing topics such as trauma, sexual abuse, pornography, and creating healthy relationships. Stringer approaches these sensitive subjects with gentleness and understanding, offering practical guidance rooted in clinical evidence to light the way on a path to wholeness. This book is a perfect resource for those seeking self-help or those working to minister to the sexually broken people around them. Unwanted is a courageous and insightful work that will undoubtedly equip many on the journey to freedom.

Celebrate Recovery Updated Participant's Guide Set, Volumes 1-4: A Recovery Program Based on Eight Principles from the Beatitudes is an essential tool for anyone seeking to move beyond their hurts, habits, and hang-ups. This four-guide set by Pastor John Baker walks readers through the eight recovery principles upon which the 12-step Celebrate Recovery program is built. By working through the lessons and exercises, readers can experience true peace and serenity, restore and develop stronger relationships with others and with God, and find freedom from life's struggles. Overall, this is an excellent resource for those seeking to overcome addiction and improve their spiritual and emotional well-being.