Do you like to read? I bet it’s safe to assume you do or you wouldn’t be reading a blog post about reading more books!
A question I’m frequently asked is…”Have you read any good books lately?”
It’s a question I find myself asking my friends as well. With millions of books being published and self-published each year we need a filter. In fact, one of the ways I pick which books to read is because a trusted friend recommended it.
My hope is that this list will save you time and point you to wisdom for your journey.
The interesting thing about any book list is that they are a snap shot in time. The list is specific to the individual and the season they are in. It’s also dependent upon what else they’ve read on a particular topic. If they’ve read a lot on a subject, they might not be easily impressed and vice versa.
The books listed below are books that felt fresh and I thought about them long after I read them. And that is my primary definition of a good book…I still think about it.
This year I read 42 books which was 12 more than last year. Below are the ones that I thought were the best. The first 3 should be on your must read list.
Bullies and Saints. As soon as I read this book I started recommending it to everyone. I liked it so much I read every other book the author wrote. (He had another winner on this list.) It’s a fresh book about church history. Christian history has both…bullies and saints. People are just as complicated then as we are now. People have blind spots no matter what century they live in. He doesn’t pull any punches and addresses some of the more darker moments in church history. He also puts them in their proper perspective. The last 3 chapters are mind blowing. If you still believe in the Dark Ages you should read this book.
From Strength to Strength. I must have been living under a rock for the first half of this year, because I hadn’t heard of this book until a successful attorney recommended it to me. We were having breakfast and talking about the second half of life. If you are over 40 you need to read this immediately. It should be required reading on your 40th birthday. Your mind and your body are changing as you age and so should your focus. You can move from Strength to Strength in your second half of life.
A Week in the Life of Ephesus. If you want to understand the background of the Greco-Roman world of the New Testament- this is for you. It put so many pieces together for me in a fresh way. It’s written as a historical narrative filling in the details from history, archeology, and the New Testament with a little imagination. It has side bars to help explain the context even more. The book is short and left me wanting more. You’ll understand how emperor worship and pagan gods factored in every day life and how this impacted early Christians. Did you know early Christians were considered atheist by their fellow citizens? I loved this book so much I also read A Week in the Life of Corinth. It was equally helpful, but the Ephesus one was better in my opinion.
Factfulness. It seems everywhere you turn there is more bad news. It seems we aren’t making any progress in any meaningful area. But that simply isn’t the case. Lots of things are getting better. I know you are skeptical, but this book will change your mind. Countries are being lifted out of poverty. Things are not as bad as you’ve been told. Your professor’s data set is over 30 years old. The author also gives us 4 classifications of socio-economic status that’s more helpful than just developed and developing countries.
When To Walk Away. Is it ever okay to walk away from someone? As Christians we struggle with this idea of walking away from people…it sounds so unlike Jesus. But what is truly shocking is the number of times Jesus walked away from people or let them walk away from Him (think the Rich Young Ruler). Some people aren’t just unhealthy they have a murderous spirit. They want to destroy your family, your business, and your reputation. Know anyone with a murderous spirit? The chapter on divorce was powerful. How do you know when it’s okay to walk away? Read the book.
Delete That. You’ve probably seen some of his videos on social media. My wife and I even went and saw his comedy tour when he came to town a couple of years ago. It was great! Until he wasn’t. This book was raw and authentic. It wasn’t filled with excuses just his story. Social media made him and then broke him, but not in the ways you might think. A powerful and funny read. If you’re on social media you should read it.
Parenting. Full of practical wisdom that has come to define Andy Stanley. The chapter about keeping your draw bridge down is solid gold.
The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission. This was another winner from John Dickson. When you think of being a missionary what comes to mind? What if your view is too narrow? As a follower of Jesus, we are all commanded to share our faith. He explores the many practical ways to do just that and you don’t have to be an extrovert or a door to door salesman.
Gay Girl, Good God. I love stories of radical life change through the transforming power of Jesus Christ. God did just that with Jackie.
Why Forgive? Has someone hurt you in the past? Do you find it impossible to forgive? You’ll hear story after story of how people chose to forgive the impossible. It may just be the best book on forgiveness. There will come a time when you’ll be faced with the choice of forgiveness or vengeance.
Autopsy of a Deceased Church. Why do some churches die and some seem to thrive? If you love your church you should read this book. I had our staff read it so that we can be on the look out for the signs of sickness that lead to death. The “book” is super short and has 12 things you can do to get your church healthy. I loved the prayers at the end of each chapter.
Managing Leadership Anxiety. If you’ve ever lead anything you know the heavy weight of making decisions that impact people. Some decisions seem to have no clear winners which is why it landed on your desk. If it was easy someone else would have already made the decision. How do you manage your anxiety and the people that you leads anxiety?
Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart. An incredibly sad title, but filled with short bits of wisdom around topics that aren’t normally addressed.
BONUS READS:
All My Knotted-Up Life. I can’t think of a person that has done more to help women know and love God’s Word than Beth Moore. Her Bible studies have been completed in just about every church in America. My wife loves all of her studies. A fantastic autobiography about one of the most influential women in the church today.
Effortless. A very practical book with some wisdom I think about often. For example…don’t do more than what you can recover from in a day.
Canoeing the Mountains. Following the example of Lewis & Clark the author offers helpful wisdom on navigating change, especially when you’ve never been to the destination yourself.
The Anxiety Toolkit. It seems like everyone is struggling with anxiety today. She offers solid solutions for the most anxious generation.
