As I have done for the past few years, just after the New
Year I take stock of the books I have had the privilege of reading in the past
year. My reading generally falls in
three board categories: history and
biography, fiction and Christian books for my life and ministry. What follows is a brief description of the
best Christian books I read this year, as well as a listing of the other books
that did not quite make the “best” list.
Good and Angry:
Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining and Bitterness by David
Powlinson. I have had struggles with
anger and irritation as long I can remember.
Powlinson’s book, written from the perspective of a biblical counselor,
does a great job analyzing the problem of anger. Filled with Scripture, he breaks down what
anger is, why we struggle with it, what is good about it and most importantly,
how our anger can be redeemed and transformed.
Prayer:
Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller. Prayer is something many, perhaps all,
Christians find difficult at times. In
this book, Keller explores what prayer is and why it is so important. The book is filled with great insights and
ideas that can be put into practice to deepen anyone’s life of prayer.
A Theology of
Biblical Counseling by Health Lambert.
I am somewhat surprised to say this, but Lambert’s book is probably the
best book I read this past year. When I
cracked it open, I was anticipating slogging through it in preparation for a
conference where he would be the keynote speaker. What I discovered was a treasure of wisdom
and theological insight, providing a firm foundation for anyone who seeks to
counsel biblically.
Gospel Fluency:
Speaking the Truths of Jesus into the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff
Vanderstelt. Vanderstelt’s books were
recommended to me by a friend. I read
his first book, Saturate, and found it good but somewhat smug in
tone. Gospel Fluency is a much
more humble read, a book that seeks to help us to be fluent in our gospel
understanding so that its truths inhabit everything we do and say.
To the Golden Shore:
The Life of Adoniram Judson by Courtney Anderson. Although it was a bit hard to get into a
first due to the writer’s style, this biography is an incredible portrait of
Judson and his radical commitment to the Lord and the people of
Burma/Myanmar.
God’s Word Alone:
The Authority of Scripture by Matthew Barrett. Probably the second best Christian book I
read this year, God’s Word Alone is part of a series on the 5 Solas of
the Reformation. Barrett does a
masterful job surveying his topic and his chapters on the authority, clarity,
inspiration, inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture were especially good.
The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life: Connecting Christ to Human Experience by
Jeremy Pierre. Another biblical
counseling book, The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life analyzes how our human
hearts respond to the various challenges and circumstances of life. The end of the book is filled with much
practical wisdom on how to address the heart of a person in the midst of their
circumstances.
2000 Years of Christ’s Power, vol. 1, The Age of the
Early Church Fathers by Nick Needham.
Needham’s book is the first volume of a 5 volume set on the history of
the church. It is well-written, easy to
read and does a great job explaining some of the technical, theological
arguments of the day. Probably my
favorite part was his insertion of excerpts from the writings of various church
fathers following each chapter.
2nd
Tier Reads (very good books I would recommend, but just did not make the “best”
list:
A Christian
Leader’s Guide to Leading with Love by Alexander Strauch
The Enemy
Within: Straight Talk about the Power
and Defeat of Sin by Kris Lundgaard
The
Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the
Art of Spiritual Direction by Eugene Peterson
The Book that
made your World: How the Bible Created
the Soul of Western Civilization by Vishal Mangalwadi
When People
are Big and God is Small: Overcoming
Peer Pressure, Codependency and the Fear of Man by Edward T. Welch
4 Chair
Discipling: Growing a Movement of
Disciple-Makers by Dann Spader
Autopsy of a
Deceased Church by Thom Rainer
Engaging with
God: A Biblical Theology of Worship
by David Peterson
George
Whitefield: America’s Spiritual Founding
Father by Thomas S. Kidd
Intended for
Evil: A Survivor's Story of Love, Faith and Courage in the Cambodian
Killing Fields by Les Sillars
1 and 2
Thessalonians by Leon Morris (Word Biblical Themes)
Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday
Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt
Transforming
Your Prayer Life by Bob Beltz
When You
Pray: Making the Lord’s Prayer Your Own
by Philip Graham Ryken
Praying the
Lord’s Prayer by J. I. Packer
Spirit-Empowered
Mission by Arturo Azurdia III
The Imperfect
Disciple: Grace for People who Can’t Get
their Act Together by Jared Wilson
You are What
You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit
by James K. A. Smith
3rd
Tier Reads – good but somewhat disappointing
On Earth as it
is in Heaven by Warren Wiersbe
No comments:
Post a Comment