Sunday, May 6, 2007

Books [the top 25]

I read about a book a week.

But Solomon has some interesting things to say about reading books in the last verses of ecclesiastes. [look it up]

Even so books are part of the top 3 ways that God influences me. [the 3 are media, relationships, and experiences {and the Bible is part of media}]

The most influential books I have read are [the short list]

  • 1. Grace awakening by Chuck Swindoll [I didn't understand grace till I read that book...and re-read Galatians]
  • 2. Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning [it taught me that God wasn't surprised about how screwed up I was/am]
  • 3. The purpose driven life [and church] by Rick Warren
  • 4. Unstoppable Force by Irwin Mcmanus [this book is my template for leadership]
  • 5. Prayer by Richard Foster [This book opened up intimacy with God for me like nothing else]
  • 6. Screwtape letters by C S Lewis [helped me to understand how spiritual forces collide in reality]
  • 7. A New kind of christian by Brian McLaren [was the reason I church planted Mosaic]
  • 8. Moments with the Saviour by Ken Gire [showed me the Jesus I always needed and hoped was out there]
  • 9. Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll [Mars-Hill church in Seattle is one of the best churches I have ever seen]
  • 10. Wild at heart by John Eldredge [was the catalyst for some really intense guys small groups called 'fight club' that radically changed all the lives of the guys who attended them]
  • 11. Surprised by the power of the spirit by Jack Deere [helped me understand 'charismatic' as simply a normal part of the christians walk]
  • 12. Spiritual audacity and moral grandeur by Abraham Heschel [taught me what I needed to know to understand early christianity in the context of judaism]
  • 13. The normal christian life by Watchman Nee
  • 14. The cost of discipleship by Dietrick Bonhoeffer [book that forced me to make disciples]
  • 15. Lifestyle evangelism by Joe Aldrich [book that explained liberty in christ to me and how to be myself in telling others about jesus]
  • 16. Your God is Too Safe by Mark Buchanan [enough said]
  • 17. 7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen Covey [even mormons trip over truth sometimes]
  • 18. Travelling mercies by Ann Lamott [made my testimony seem normal]
  • 19. Desiring God by John Piper [coined the term 'christian hedonist' and ya gotta love that]
  • 20. The interior castle and the way of perfection by Tersa of Avila [if I were catholic, she'd be my patron saint]
  • 21. Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur [If you want to know how pastors 'feel' this book will tell you...and it is heartwrenching in places]
  • 22. The divine conspiracy by Dallas Willard [best explaination of how gods kingdom is here RIGHT NOW that I know of]
  • 23. everything written by AW Tozer
  • 24. Visioneering by Andy Stanley [best blueprint to reality book I know of]
  • 25. Aqua Church by Leonard Sweet [best book on churches evolving forward that I am aware of]

you will notice a trend in the books. They boil down to 3 subjects

1. Jesus
2. Spiritual disciplines and formation
3. How to run a church

now i'm wound up...maybe i'll write about movies next

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey dave,
What would you suggest using for a book study with our youth for the summer...thinking about what they may want or need to hear before they leave for college, but would be good for the high school kids to contemplate, as well???

Anonymous said...

by the way..the only reason i am anonymous is because i am a computer junky with nooooo computer smarts...so i figure things out the old fashioned way... keep pushing buttons until something works....
should i leave my name????

 

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