A topic that not only is difficult to work through in your own life, but also very difficult to write on is “INTEGRITY.”  I am giving a brief selection of titles, but clearly looking at the words of Jesus Christ is the best place to start.

Introductory Books on Integrity

The Red Letters: The Sayings and Teachings of Jesus by Timothy J. Beals  I have personally found this an eye-opening little book.  Not only does it focus your attention on the words of Christ, it also breaks them down into two sections 1) The Sayings of Jesus, and 2) The Teachings of Jesus.  This “carry-a-long” book helps one get a sense of the words of Christ in a more personal way.  It also allows one to grapple with the integrity of Christ in his humanness and his divinity. I highly recommend this book for devotional use.

A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, by William Law  It was Quaker Author and Teacher, Richard Foster, who introduced me to William Law’s classic.  It is in reading the pages of this book that one will begin to touch on the keys to a life of Integrity.  Law’s work is fresh and vivid, as he illustrates the holy Christian life as one lived wholly for God. Law’s thoughts on prayer, personal holiness and service to the poor will resonate with many contemporary readers. At times you have to remind yourself that this book was written in the 1700’s.

Especially for Kids (Truth-Telling/Integrity)

Doug Dennis and the Flyaway Fib, by Darren Farrell  If you were in church this past Sunday you heard Pastor Bob give a children’s message based on this book.  This is an excellent way to introduce the topic of “truth-telling.’  For those familiar with the VeggieTales, it may remind you of “Larryboy and the Fib from Outer Space” – another excellent choice in video form.

Going Deeper with Integrity

The Day America Told the Truth, by James Patteson & Peter Kim  This is the result of a national survey on private morals.  This look at America’s deepest secrets reveals shocking confessions by Americans about their views on sex, crime, punishment, rape, the death penalty, and more.  You may remember it being a topic of discussion on the Oprah Winfrey Show.  The studies that began with this book continue since it’s original release in 1992.  The study was a factor in Gallop and Barna giving so much attention to morals and beliefs in America.  It may be out of date, but it did begin a revolution of sorts in the statistic business and helps us get a picture of who we really are.  Such a definitive study has not been attempted since.  This is a good one to borrow from the library.

Following Jesus without Embarrassing God, by Tony Campolo  Looking for balance in your life without getting over zealous or “holier than thou”? With candor and insight, Tony Campolo passionately hits on hot button issues that impact the Christian life, including how to: protect yourself from technology without becoming Amish; have a devotional life without becoming a monk, and figure out the will of God without hearing voices from Heaven.  This may be a challenging book for some and if anything will help you begin processing many of the issues related to integrity.  After tackling this book challenge yourself with Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren’s book, “Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel“.