Reading List 2024

My first post of each new year always contains the list of books I read the previous year. If you’d like to see the previous posts, you can do so here: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Mostly I do this for accountability. But I also know a few other book nerds who enjoy these sorts of posts. For what it’s worth, using my Excel spreadsheet it seems my total from 2013–2024 includes 804 books and 209,316 pages. But who’s counting?

I guess I am.

In these posts I typically offer a few myopic comments that, I hope, offer some color to what would otherwise be a boring list. I figure some discussion is better than none, even if I end up ignoring stuff a few people might have considered more important.

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I’ll start by mentioning Harrison Scott Key and his memoirs. I have three of his memoirs on the list, the gateway book being his most recent and seemingly most widely read book, How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told. I have to give a spoiler alert and trigger warning in case you venture to read the book: he writes about his wife’s affair and portrays the agony in vivid, raw descriptions. While I liked the book, I struggled with it for several reasons. The language is a bit rough in some places and pretty sarcastic in other places—even though I understand why both the curse words and sarcasm are authentic to the author and his experience. But the deeper reason I struggled with the book is that it maps too closely with a real-time situation I know about in a church—and even though the book ultimately offers more hope than despair and exalts the importance of real, Christian community, the proximity to reality made it hard to read.

Moving on, a good friend of mine encouraged me to read two Wendell Berry books about the people who belong to the fictitious town of Port William (Hannah Coulter and The Memory of Old Jack). I’d only read Jaber Crow before when we read it for a church book club, but that was almost ten years ago. If time allowed, I’d read all the novels and short stories about the Port William membership, as it’s called. Maybe someday there will be time. (Thank you, Joe, for suggesting these books and the heartfelt discussions of them.)

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There’s been lots of appreciative buzz in my pastor circles about The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt, which is sort of strange that the book is getting this kind of reception among Christian pastors because Haidt is an atheist. But he’s a strange atheist; he’s warm to religion, even evangelical Christianity, in a way that strikes me as both wonderful and odd. In the book, Haidt persuasively argues that two trends are causing massive problems, namely, overparenting in the real world and a lack of parenting and oversight in the online world. These problems manifest themselves in especially disturbing ways among those who became teenagers after 2010 and the advent of the smartphone. At alarming rates, young girls increasingly tend toward depression and suicide, while young boys tend toward porn and passivity. I encourage you to read the book. His common-sense applications in light of these trends seem sensible and wise (for example, no smartphones or social media for people under the age of sixteen). Someday in the not-too-distant future, I believe we’ll view ubiquitous smartphone usage the way we now view smoking on airplanes.

As has been the case a few times in previous years, I wrote several of the books on my reading list. And this year, all the ones on the list written by me are currently unpublished—and maybe always will be. The first unpublished book I’m calling The Author as Abram: Writing to the Land God Will Show Us (A Memoirish Essay to Encourage Christian Writers). In this book I tell the story of how I became a writer, despite the fact that when I was in high school I hated both reading and writing. (It’s one of the reasons I chose mechanical and aerospace engineering as my college major. I figured I wouldn’t have to read as much.) I really love this book project, even though it’s gotten mixed reviews from the handful of people who have seen early drafts. Not sure if I can fix that or if it is anything that necessarily has to be fixed. I’m currently thinking I’ll self-publish it sometime in 2027. That’s highly subject to change. Right now, it sits at 50k words. The second unpublished book on the list that I wrote is Fire Hammer Rain: Reflections on the Life of the Word of God in the Life of the Preacher. Basically this is a diary of what I’m learning and experiencing as a preacher. I hope many years from now I’ll write more about preaching that will be published, so I’m starting to collect thoughts now.

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Toward the end of the year, I started the research phase for my current book project, a book about the return of Christ, so you’ll see some books with that theme toward the bottom of the list. (The lists always go in chronological order of when I read each book, by the way.) The working title is The Last Shall Be First: How the Return of Christ Makes Everything Sad Untrue. My hope is that it will encourage Christians, especially those suffering. The book will be my first traditionally published book. It’s scheduled to be released with Baker Books in the summer of 2026. The first draft of the manuscript is due May 1 of this year, so I’ll be busy finishing that in the spring. Among the books on the topic that I’ve read so far, a clear standout is Chris Davis’s book Bright Hope for Tomorrow: How Anticipating Jesus’ Return Gives Strength for Today. His book is so good. I hope I can write something half as helpful.

One final book I’d love to mention. It’s called Broken but Beautiful: Reflections on the Blessings of the Local Church. This book comes out with Gospel-Centered Discipleship in just a few weeks . . . and I’m the general editor! I’m really happy with it. I’ll say more about the book when it launches, but it’s some of the best writing we had on our website about the local church.

Okay, the end.

Did you have any favorites from last year? Let me know in the comments below.

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Books per Year

Pages per Year

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In order of completion, this year I read . . .

1. The Author as Abram: Writing to the Land God Will Show Us (currently unpublished) by Benjamin Vrbicek (160 pages)

2. Murder Your Darlings by Roy Peter Clark (352 pages)

3. Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic by David Epstein (368 pages)

4. Evangelicals Incorporated: Books and the Business of Religion in America by Daniel Vaca (336 pages)

5. Can Women Be Pastors? (Church Questions) by Greg Gilbert (64 pages)

6. Be True to Yourself by Matt Fuller (192 pages)

7. Male and Female He Created Them: A Study on Gender, Sexuality, & Marriage by Denny Burk, Colin Smothers, and David Closson (136 pages)

8. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown (304 pages)

9. How God Sees Women: The End of Patriarchy by Terran Williams (400 pages)

10. The Blueprint of Grace: Seeing and Submitting to God’s Design for Sanctification by Robert Allen (122 pages)

11. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (288 pages)

12. Bright Hope for Tomorrow: How Anticipating Jesus’ Return Gives Strength for Today by Chris Davis (240 pages)

13. The Bible: Romans to Revelation, Part 6 of 6 by God (300 pages)

14. Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age by Samuel James (208 pages)

15. Why Should I Be Baptized? (Church Questions) by Bobby James (64 pages)

16. How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told by Harrison Scott Key (320 pages)

17. The World’s Largest Man: A Memoir by Harrison Scott Key (368 pages)

18. The Preacher’s Portrait: Five New Testament Word Studies by John Stott (119 pages)

19. Congratulations, Who Are You Again?: A Memoir by Harrison Scott Key (368 pages)

20. The Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy, Part 1 of 6 by God (300 pages)

21. Watership Down by Richard Adams (640 pages)

22. The Art of Stability: How Staying Present Changes Everything by Rusty McKie (155 pages)

23. Leadership and Emotional Sabotage: Resisting the Anxiety That Will Wreck Your Family, Destroy Your Church, and Ruin the World by Joe Rigney (120 pages)

24. Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry (190 pages)

25. Finish Line Leadership: Setting the Pace in Following Jesus by Dave Kraft (224 pages)

26. The Author as Abram: Writing to the Land God Will Show Us (currently unpublished) by Benjamin Vrbicek (160 pages)

27. The Bible: Joshua to Esther, Part 2 of 6 by God (300 pages)

28. The Memory of Old Jack (Port William) by Wendell Berry (176 pages)

29. Reading Genesis by Marilynne Robinson (352 pages)

30. Church Planter: Nine Essentials for Being Faithful and Effective by Tony Merdia (194 pages)

31. The Bible: Psalms to Song of Solomon, Part 3 of 6 by God (300 pages)

32. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover (368 pages)

33. Bright Hope for Tomorrow: How Anticipating Jesus’ Return Gives Strength for Today by Chris Davis (240 pages)

34. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande (304 pages)

35. Reversed Thunder: The Revelation of John and the Praying Imagination by Eugene Peterson (224 pages)

36. Always Longing: Discovering the Joy of Heaven by Stephen R. Morefield (162 pages)

37. Heavenward: How Eternity Can Change Your Life on Earth by Cameron Cole (200 pages)

38. From a High Mountain: 31 Reflections on the Character and Comfort of God by Timothy M. Shorey (157 pages)

39. Are We Living in the Last Days?: Four Views of the Hope We Share about Revelation and Christ’s Return by Bryan Chapell (256 pages)

40. Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today by John Stott (320 pages)

41. The Bible: Isaiah to Malachi, Part 4 of 6 by God (300 pages)

42. Fire Hammer Rain: Reflections on the Life of the Word of God in the Life of the Preacher (unpublished) by Benjamin Vrbicek (150 pages)

43. Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Second Coming of Christ by John Piper (304 pages)

44. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt (400 pages)

45. The Great DeChurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? by Jim Davis, Michael Graham, and Ryan P. Burge (272 pages)

46. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright (352 pages)

47. Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation by Nancy Guthrie (272 pages)

48. The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery by Ross Douthat (224 pages)

49. How Will the World End? by Jeramie Rinne (96 pages)

50. Heaven on Earth: What the Bible Teaches about Life to Come by Derek W. H. Thomas (112 pages)

51. Eternity Changes Everything by Stephen Witmer (128 pages)

52. Not Home Yet: How the Renewal of the Earth Fits into God’s Plan for the World by Ian K. Smith (176 pages)

53. Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality by Nancy R. Pearcey (336 pages)

54. How the Gospel Brings Us All the Way Home by Derek W. H. Thomas (157 pages)

55. The Bible: Matthew to Acts, Part 5 of 6 by God (300 pages)

Reading List 2022

My first post of each new year always contains the list of books I read the previous year (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021). I post the list for personal accountability, not to showboat. Knowing I have to confess my list helps me stay on track.

The total this year comes to 63 books. You can see from glancing at the graphs below how the tonnage relates to other years. I’ll just give you the punch line, though, so you don’t have to spend time figuring it out. This year I read fewer books—significantly fewer—than any year since 2015. I know, I know, for many readers, finishing more than sixty books in one year would feel epic. And when compared to the general population, it is epic. I’ll explain.   

Around seven or eight years ago I started taking reading (and writing) seriously and set the goal of reading over one hundred books a year. I don’t typically make it, but I often get much closer than I did this year.

There’s not necessarily one reason why my total finished so low. But I could sum up the reasons in the phrase “intentional sacrifice”; I chose to do other things. I have a large family, and as my older children tend to stay up later at night, so do my wife and I, which means I get up less early. I helped coach sports at my children’s school, which means I can’t pad my reading total by hammering audiobooks while I work out. Right there I lost more than a dozen books. Also, life at our church was super full. We had several staff transitions and geared up to plant a church. All good stuff, right? But it meant I rarely read books at work.

The same sentiment about sacrifice applies to my writing. Not only have I not read fewer books in seven years, but I’ve also probably never written less. I used to write forty blog posts and a dozen guest posts each year, while also tinkering, if not finishing, a book project. This year I wrote a mere half dozen blog posts, a half dozen guest posts, and didn’t do much more than tinker with a book.

I love my part-time job as the managing editor for Gospel-Centered Discipleship. I get to edit and oversee the publication of over 150 articles a year, coach staff writers and editors, and work on our book projects. It’s wonderful to get paid to do something I would do as a hobby. But this work garbles up precious free time that I have in the mornings for writing.

But for all the sadness of sacrificing words read and words written, I know I’m making the right decision. Books to read and books to write will still be there, Lord willing, when children are not.

One final comment. In last year’s recap, I noted that I wanted to read the Bible using my English Standard Version Study Bible and that I also wanted to read all the introductions to each book as I went through the Bible. By God’s grace, I did. That added 66 extra days of reading or over two months’ worth of mornings. This meant I had to read an extra chapter or two each day to finish in a year. The sacrifice was a good one. Even as a pastor, I must keep reminding myself of whether Hosea wrote to the northern kingdom of Israel or the southern kingdom of Judah and why that context matters.

If you have a favorite book from the previous year, please let me know in the comments. I’m always looking for great books to read, fiction or non-fiction.

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Books Read, 2013–2022

Pages Read, 2013–2022

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In order of completion, this year I read . . .

1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (160 pages)

2. Confessions of a Pastor: Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God by Craig Groeschel (224 pages)

3. Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson (272 pages)

4. The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life by Marion Roach Smith (128 pages)

5. Love Me Anyway: How God’s Perfect Love Fills Our Deepest Longing by Jared C. Wilson (256 pages)

6. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (479 pages)

7. The Bible: Romans to Revelation, Part 6 of 6 by God (300 pages)

8. The Givenness of Things: Essays by Marilynne Robinson (304 pages)

9. Storycraft, Second Edition: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) by Jack Hart (286 pages)

10. The Subversive Copy Editor, Second Edition: Advice from Chicago by Carol Fisher Saller (200 pages)

11. The God of the Garden: Thoughts on Creation, Culture, and the Kingdom by Andrew Peterson (224 pages)

12. Economical Writing, Third Edition: Thirty-Five Rules for Clear and Persuasive Prose by Deirdre Nansen McCloskey (76 pages)

13. A Separate Peace by John Knowles (204 pages)

14. The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr (256 pages)

15. The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home by Russell Moore (320 pages)

16. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller (176 pages)

17. Wordcraft: The Complete Guide to Clear, Powerful Writing by Jack Hart (282 pages)

18. But the Blood: A Novel Based on the True Story of America’s Bloodiest County Seat Battle by Stephen R. Morefield (209 pages)

19. The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World by Brett McCracken (192 pages)

20. The Kingdom of Christ: The New Evangelical Perspective by Russell Moore (320 pages)

21. The Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy, Part 1 of 6 by God (300 pages)

22. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams (226 pages)

23. Surprised by Jesus: Subversive Grace in the Four Gospels by Dane Ortlund (144 pages)

24. The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis (176 pages)

25. The Best Punctuation Book, Period: A Comprehensive Guide for Every Writer, Editor, Student, and Businessperson by June Casagrande (256 pages)

26. The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism by Carl F. H. Henry, Foreword by Russell Moore (112 pages)

27. The Death of the Artist: How Creators Are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech by William Deresiewicz (368 pages)

28. Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches by Russell Moore (256 pages)

29. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (448 pages)

30. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins (400 pages)

31. Always Longing: Discovering the Joy of Heaven by Stephen R. Morefield (162 pages)

32. The Bible: Joshua to Esther, Part 2 of 6 by God (300 pages)

33. The Liars’ Club: A Memoir by Mary Karr (352 pages)

34. Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ by Russell Moore (208 pages)

35. Ecclesiastes and the Search for Meaning in an Upside-Down World by Russell L. Meek (80 pages)

36. The Unwavering Pastor: Leading the Church with Grace in Divisive Times by Jonathan K. Dodson (160 pages)

37. Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel by Russell Moore (240 pages)

38. The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear without Losing Your Soul by Russell Moore (304 pages)

39. The Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amore Towles (592 pages)

40. The Bible: Psalms to Song of Solomon, Part 3 of 6 by God (300 pages)

41. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society by Eugene Peterson (216 pages)

42. Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (352 pages)

43. Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World by Anthony Doerr (224 pages)

44. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (531 pages)

45. Boundaries for Leaders: Results, Relationships, and Being Ridiculously in Charge by Henry Cloud (272 pages)

46. The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr (256 pages)

47. Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God by Tim Challies (224 pages)

48. The Possibility of Prayer: Finding Stillness with God in a Restless World by John Starke (200 pages)

49. 1984 by George Orwell (328 pages)

50. But the Blood: A Novel Based on the True Story of America’s Bloodiest County Seat Battle (Audiobook) by Stephen R. Morefield (209 pages)

51. The Secret Place of Thunder: Trading Our Need to Be Noticed for a Hidden Life with Christ by John Starke (192 pages)

52. God, Technology, and the Christian Life by Tony Reinke (320 pages)

53. The Bible: Isaiah to Malachi, Part 4 of 6 by God (300 pages)

54. Primed to Plant: Overlooked Requirements of Church Planting by Dwight Bernier (168 pages)

55. Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work by Eugene Peterson (251 pages)

56. Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story) by Daniel Nayeri (368 pages)

57. Leading Change by John P. Kotter (208 pages)

58. American Gods: A Novel by Neil Gaiman (560 pages)

59. Memory Wall: Stories by Anthony Doerr (256 pages)

60. About Grace: A Novel by Anthony Doerr (432 pages)

61. Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz (224 pages)

62. The Bible: Matthew to Acts, Part 5 of 6 by God (300 pages)

Reading List 2021

My first post of each new year always contains the list of books I read the previous year (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020). I post the list for personal accountability, not to showboat. Knowing I have to confess my list helps me stay on track.

The total this year comes to 93 books. You can see from glancing at the graphs below how the tonnage relates to other years. I’d love to include a massive, annotated write-up about my discoveries, but this year I think I’ll let my “no comment” be the comment. It just takes too much time to write a post like that.

If I were to comment, I’d tell you I read every Fredrik Backman book and his darker books tended to be too dark for me but I simultaneously seemed to like them better than the lighter ones.

And I’d tell you that I read about four or five books in 2021 from author-friends that will be published by traditional publishers in 2022. It’s always fun to root for friends. I even wrote the forward for a book coming out in May with Christian Focus.

I’d also tell you that in these annual posts I often flag that I attempt to read the Bible cover to cover each year. I made it again this year and did it in The Message version. I know, I know—gasp. The reasons for this shift were several, but riding the cultural fad wasn’t one of them. I missed it by like fifteen years. The Message version of the Old Testament historical books and prophets sang melodies I’d never noticed before—in a good way—but places like the Psalms and other poetry had too many pop cliches, in my opinion. This year I’m going back to my ESV Study Bible, with the goal of reading the “book introductions” as I go along.

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Okay, okay, I have to stop with all the comments. Just call me on the phone if you want to talk about them.

Here’s one update that might interest you and has little to do with reading lists. Now that I finished writing and submitting several articles this fall and winter to other websites, I’m returning to a book project I began last summer on my sabbatical. I’m calling the book Author as Abram: Writing to the Land He Will Show Us (A Memoirish Essay to Encourage Christian Authors). I probably have 40 pages of the 160 or so written.

Speaking of articles and books and sabbaticals, may I make a request? If you didn’t pick up a copy of my book that I compiled during my sabbatical called Shepherd and Sheep: Essays on Loving and Leading in a Local Church, I’d love for you to do so. The book has some of my best writing collected in one place. The feedback on the book has been—how shall I say this?—small but meaningful.

And if you had a favorite book from your recent reading lists, please let me know in the comments. I’m always on the hunt.

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Books Read, 2013–2021

Pages Read, 2013–2021

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In order of completion, this year I read . . .

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (384 pages)

2. Sabbaticals: “How-To” Take a Break from Ministry before Ministry Breaks You by Rusty McKie (122 pages)

3. Echo Island by Jared C. Wilson (272 pages)

4. Catching Fire (The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins (391 pages)

5. Five Masculine Instincts: A Guide to Becoming a Better Man by Chase Replogle (208 pages)

6. Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World by Benjamin Vrbicek and John Beeson (181 pages)

7. Mocking Jay (The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins (391 pages)

8. A Subversive Gospel: Flannery O’Connor and the Reimagining of Beauty, Goodness, and Truth by Michael Mears Bruner (260 pages)

9. The Unbelievable Gospel: Say Something Worth Believing by Jonathan K. Dodson (240 pages)

10. Win the Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help You Stress Less & Accomplish More by Mark Batterson (256 pages)

11. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: A Hunger Games Novel by Suzanne Collins (528 pages)

12. Here in Spirit: Knowing the Spirit Who Creates, Sustains, and Transforms Everything by Jonathan K. Dodson (160 pages)

13. The Bible: Romans to Revelation, Part 6 of 6 by God (300 pages)

14. Ecclesiastes and the Search for Meaning in an Upside-Down World by Russell L. Meek (80 pages)

15. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance (272 pages)

16. What Editors Do: The Art, Craft, and Business of Book by Peter Ginna (320 pages)

17. To Be Continued: The Unstoppable Mission of Jesus by Tony Merida, Christy Britton, and Amy Tyson (261 pages)

18. The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher (272 pages)

19. Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher (256 pages)

20. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (176 pages)

21. The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman (432 pages)

22. Fail: Finding Hope and Grace in the Midst of Ministry Failure by J.R. Briggs (208 pages)

23. Our Good Crisis: Overcoming Moral Chaos with the Beatitudes by Jonathan K. Dodson (192 pages)

24. The Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy, Part 1 of 6 by God (300 pages)

25. Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Church by Ivan Mesa (139 pages)

26. Over The River: The Story of Joshua (Kaleidoscope Kids’ Bibles) by Chris Ammen (115 pages)

27. Gilead: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson (247 pages)

28. The Secular Creed: Engaging Five Contemporary Claims by Rebecca McLaughlin (125 pages)

29. Before the Lord, Before the Church: “How-To” Plan a Child Dedication by Jared Kennedy (108 pages)

30. How to Reach the West Again: Six Essential Elements of a Missionary Encounter by Timothy Keller (60 pages)

31. Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell Moore (256 pages)

32. The Mission of the Body of Christ (Retelling the Story Series) by Russ Ramsey (256 pages)

33. Hiroshima by John Hersey (160 pages)

34. Home: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson (336 pages)

35. Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life by Douglas Wilson (124 pages)

36. With Those Who Weep: A Theology of Tears by S.A. Morrison (122 pages)

37. Lilia: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson (272 pages)

38. Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction by Jack Hart (280 pages)

39. Copyediting and Proofreading for Dummies by Suzanne Gilad (384 pages)

40. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (531 pages)

41. The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear without Losing Your Soul by Russell Moore (304 pages)

42. Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World by Anthony Doerr (224 pages)

43. Shepherd and Sheep: Essays on Loving and Leading in a Local Church by Benjamin Vrbicek (160 pages)

44. The Bible: Joshua to Esther, Part 2 of 6 by God (300 pages)

45. Talking Back to Purity Culture: Rediscovering Faithful Christian Sexuality by Rachel Joy Welcher (216 pages)

46. Charitable Writing: Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words by Richard Hughes Gibson, James Edward Beitler III (248 pages)

47. Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey (304 pages)

48. Housekeeping: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson (352 pages)

49. Seven Questions about Heaven by Stephen R. Morefield (144 pages)

50. Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan K. Dodson (176 pages)

51. The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcom Gladwell (256 pages)

52. Humble Roots: How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul by Hannah Anderson (208 pages)

53. All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment by Hannah Anderson (224 pages)

54. The Writer’s Diet: A Guide to Fit Prose by Helen Sword (88 pages)

55. Men and Women in the Church by Kevin DeYoung (176 pages)

56. Jack: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson (320 pages)

57. #Blessed: Intentional Gratitude in a World that Celebrates Self Everything by Laura Pyne (152 pages)

58. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson (397 pages)

59. The Bible: Psalms to Song of Solomon, Part 3 of 6 by God (300 pages)

60. Wordcraft: The Complete Guide to Clear, Powerful Writing by Jack Hart (282 pages)

61. Becoming by Michelle Obama (448 pages)

62. From Everlasting to Everlasting: Every Believer’s Biography by Will Dobbie (208 pages)

63. Letters and Life: On Being a Writer, On Being a Christian by Bret Lott (192 pages)

64. Pastors and Their Critics: A Guide to Coping with Criticism in the Ministry by Joel R. Beeke (192 pages)

65. A Promised Land by Barack Obama (768 pages)

66. Before We Get Started: A Practical Memoir of the Writer’s Life by Bret Lott (224 pages)

67. Woke-Free Church: For the Deliverance of the Body of Christ from Social Justice Captivity by Jeff Kliewer (165 pages)

68. Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez (384 pages)

69. The Art of War: Complete Text of Sun Tzu’s Classics, Military Strategy History, Ancient Chinese Military Strategist by Sun Tzu (137 pages)

70. When I Was a Child I Read Books: Essays by Marilynne Robinson (224 pages)

71. The New Journalism by Tom Wolfe (120 pages) [I only read the long, historical background and not the anthology part]

72. Anxious People: A Novel by Fredrik Backman (352 pages)

73. Us Against You: A Novel (Beartown Series) by Fredrik Backman (448 pages)

74. Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing by Andy Crouch (192 pages)

75. The Bible: Isaiah to Malachi, Part 4 of 6 by God (300 pages)

76. Deacons by Ben Bechtel (150 pages)

77. Britt-Marie Was Here: A Novel by Fredrik Backman (336 pages)

78. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mysteries) by Agatha Christie (304 pages)

79. Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential by Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman (160 pages)

80. The Art of Pastoring: Ministry Without All the Answers by David Hansen (224 pages)

81. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry: A Novel by Fredrik Backman (384 pages)

82. The Deal of a Lifetime: A Novella by Fredrik Backman (96 pages)

83. Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel by Anthony Doerr (640 pages)

84. Things My Son Needs to Know about the World by Fredrik Backman (208 pages)

85. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (304 pages)

86. When Prayer Is a Struggle by Kevin Halloran (160 pages)

87. And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer: A Novella by Fredrik Backman (96 pages)

88. Lament for a Father: The Journey to Understanding and Forgiveness by Marvin Olasky (112 pages)

89. The Weary World Rejoices: Daily Devotions for Advent by Megan Hill (127 pages)

90. Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands by Jen Wilkin (176 pages)

91. The Ten Commandments: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them by Kevin DeYoung (208 pages)

92. Art and the Bible by Francis A. Schaeffer (95 pages)

93. The Bible: Matthew to Acts, Part 5 of 6 by God (300 pages)

Reading List 2020

My first post of each new year always contains the list of books I read the previous year (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019). I do it for personal accountability, not to showboat; knowing I have to post my list helps me stay on track.

My reading intake increased this year from last year, while my writing output decreased a bit. And that was fine with me, even intentional. I read 92 books and over 24,000 pages.

In an unexpected highlight, a new reader to my blog scoured my list of books from past years and noticed something: no books by pastor John MacArthur. This was not intentional. It just sort of happened, or sorta did not happen as it were. So my new friend made use of the rarely used “donate” button buried on my About page and gave me $100 to buy some books. Among the new books, I grabbed two recent ones by MacArthur, including a complete commentary on the Bible, which I now consult each time I prepare a sermon. Why can’t y’all be more like this guy?

You’ll see on the list Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, a beast of a novel. Amazon tells me the book is 1,168 pages! I assume that’s right. I listened to the audiobook, which I had to rent from the library three separate times to finish because the audiobook is sixty-three hours long! And get this—each time I rented the book, I had to go back on the waitlist for three or four months. Yet, despite the long gaps between rentals, each time I reengage the plot, the book still felt surprisingly fresh, which I assume is a testament to the quality of the book and the magnetic pull of the characters.

I didn’t love every aspect of Atlas Shrugged, though. Just to name a few frustrations, the multiple love interests toward Dagny (and her reciprocation) annoyed me; the stark black-and-white, good-and-evil contrast of most characters felt unrealistic; and the final soliloquy by the mysterious John Gault is more becoming to a non-fiction book. Still, the book seemed to me, dare I say it, contemporary and relevant.

One other goofy detail about Atlas Shrugged. Later in the year I also listened to the audiobook of The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brendan Manning, which was read by the same popular voice actor, Scott Brick. The commonality of the reader, coupled with such diametrically opposed themes—“salvation by man’s hard work” vs. “salvation by God’s grace”—made for a viscerally jarring listening experience. I kept mumbling to myself, “This is so strange,” but no one was sharing earbuds with me to commiserate.

I’m not sure how closely anyone looks at my lists, but you’ll notice that Analog Church appears on the list three times. That’s not a mistake. I did actually read it three times. I read the book twice as I prepared a book review for 9Marks. I believe a reviewer should truly understand a book before commenting on it publicly. But 9Marks requested I make some overhauls to the first draft of my review, so I reread the book again before resubmitting. The time commitment was not ideal, but sometimes that’s how a writing project goes. Getting it right counts more than getting it published.

I enjoyed my first book of the year far more than I expected, the autobiography Open by Andre Agassi. At a pastor’s conference in 2019 I heard James K.A. Smith mention the book in an offhand comment, commending it as one of the best memoirs of all time (or something like that). Smith’s recommendation didn’t disappoint. It’s hard for me to fathom the level of transparency Agassi has with his readers. Open really is a fitting title.

I also enjoyed two Crossway books by two female authors: Jen Oshman’s Enough About Me and Glenna Marshall’s Everyday Faithfulness. In the category of Christian ministry, I thought Gospel-Driven Church (Crossway, 2019) was classic Jared C. Wilson: thoughtful and punchy, winsome and gospel-y. The sequel comes out this year in March, which I’m looking forward to reading.

This year I reread two books about writing, as well as a half-dozen new ones. Both Stephen King’s On Writing and William Zinsser’s On Writing Well taught me more the second time around than the first. Andrew Peterson’s Adorning the Dark was a new read, but it will certainly be a book to reread in the coming years. Kudos to Peterson and B&H for publishing the book without a single endorsement. It didn’t need them. Would that we all had such confidence in our work. This fall I also began reading the words of Flannery O’Connor (five books) and words written about her (one book completed and another in the works). I expect this Flannery fascination to continue next year and maybe longer.

My favorite book of the year, outside of the Bible, was once again my beloved World War II novel All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. If Doerr and I were stranded on the proverbial desert island with Marie-Laure Werner, Volkheimer, Reinhold von Rumpel, and a makeshift radio, we wouldn’t get bored. Each year when I begin the book afresh, the immediacy of the present tense verbs in the opening lines (and throughout the book) take me to a happy place: “At dusk they pour from the sky. They blow across the ramparts, turn cartwheels over rooftops, flutter into the ravines between houses. Entire streets swirl with them, flashing white against the cobbles. Urgent message to the inhabitants of this town, they say. Depart immediately to open country.” (Pour, not poured. Blow, not blew. Turn, not turned. Flutter, not fluttered. Swirl, not swirled. And so on for 450 lovely pages.)

Before turning you loose on the list, let me add just a few housekeeping notes. Yes, I “count” reading my own books but only once for every ten times I read them; it really does take forever to write a book. In fact, I just finished recording the audiobook for Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World. Look for that to release in the late winter.

Speaking of audiobooks, I read twenty-five audiobooks this year, which helps pad the numbers and lets me shoehorn extra books into my life—especially novels, which I often listen to as I exercise. Next, just as some people write in their Twitter bios about their retweets, I’ll say that reading a book does not equal endorsement of a book. For example, this fall I listened to The Subtle Art of . . .  What can I say? I was in the mood to see what all the fuss was about. Finally, as I’ve pointed out in other years, I count reading the Bible as six normal-sized books rather than one massive book; breaking it up helps me keep pace from year to year.

Let me know in the comments your favorite book from last year, and if we overlapped at all in our reading, especially in the unlikely event you listened to Atlas Shrugged and The Ragamuffin Gospel in that order. So strange.

Books Read, 2013–2020

Pages Read, 2013–2020

*   *   *

1. Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi (400 pages)

2. Gospel-Driven Church: Uniting Church Growth Dreams with the Metrics of Grace by Jared C. Wilson (240 pages)

3. The Gospel According to Satan: Eight Lies about God that Sound Like the Truth by Jared C. Wilson (224 pages)

4. Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren (184 pages)

5. Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age by Tony Reinke (160 pages)

6. The Bible: Romans to Revelation, Part 6 of 6 by God (300 pages)

7. Leading with Love by Alexander Strauch (208 pages)

8. Tracing the Thread: Examining the Story of Self for Lasting Change by Christy Rood (210 pages)

9. Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop (224 pages)

10. Proverbs: A 12-Week Study by Lynda Brownback (96 pages)

11. The Abiding Cycle: Knowing God by Experience through Obedience by Glen Whatley (140 pages)

12. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (544 pages)

13. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (368 pages)

14. Living & Active Vol. 1: Scripture Through the Lives of Luther, Calvin, And Knox by Stephen R. Morefield (105 pages)

15. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis (176 pages)

16. Epic: An Around-the-World Journey through Christian History by Tim Challies (176 pages)

17. Learn how to become a blogger: An EASY step by step guide to starting your own blog by Matthew Arnold (118 pages)

18. Make Money from Blogging: How to Start A Blog While Raising A Family (Make Money from Home) by Sally Miller (123 pages)

19. God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (With the Complete Text of The End for Which God Created the World) by John Piper and Jonathan Edwards (272 pages)

20. The United States v. You: A Practical Guide to the Court-Martial Process for Military Members and their Families by R. Davis Younts (113 pages)

21. Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt (288 pages)

22. Enough about Me: Find Lasting Joy in the Age of Self by Jen Oshman (176 pages)

23. The Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy, Part 1 of 6 by God (300 pages)

24. Blogging for Dummies by Amy Lupold Bair (432 pages)

25. How to Blog for Profit: Without Selling Your Soul by Ruth Soukup (229 pages)

26. Influence: Building a Platform that Elevates Jesus (Not Me) by Kate Motaung and Shannon Popkin (168 pages)

27. Coronavirus and Christ by John Piper (112 pages)

28. The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis (176 pages)

29. Trade Craft, issues about blogging (6 issues) by Various (200 pages)

30. The Ten Commandments: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them by Kevin DeYoung (208 pages)

31. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard (304 pages)

32. The Commonwealth v. You: A practical guide to the Pennsylvania Criminal Justice System for those facing charges by R. Davis Younts (121 pages)

33. Jesus Driven Ministry by Ajith Fernando (256 pages)

34. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard (124 pages)

35. Tons of blog posts about blogging by Various (350 pages)

36. The Lord’s Prayer by R.C. Sproul (129 pages)

37. The Lord’s Prayer by Thomas Watson (332 pages)

38. Extreme Ownership (How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win) by Jocko Willink (384 pages)

39. Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making by Andrew Peterson (224 pages)

40. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson (409 pages)

41. The Bible: Joshua to Esther, Part 2 of 6 by God (300 pages)

42. On Writing (A Memoir of the Craft (Reissue)) by Stephen King (320 pages)

43. Everyday Faithfulness: The Beauty of Ordinary Perseverance in a Demanding World (The Gospel Coalition) by Glenna Marshall (176 pages)

44. A Solider of the Great War by Mark Helprin (880 pages)

45. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (1,168 pages)

46. Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World by Benjamin Vrbicek and John Beeson (181 pages)

47. Placed for a Purpose: A Simple and Sustainable Vision for Loving Your Next-Door Neighbors by Chris McKinney and Elizabeth McKinney (143 pages)

48. The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield (432 pages)

49. Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age by Jay Y. Kim (216 pages)

50. Stand Firm: Living in a Post-Christian Culture by John MacArthur (152 pages)

51. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (224 pages)

52. Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age by Jay Y. Kim (216 pages)

53. Beartown: A Novel by Fredrik Backman (432 pages)

54. The Bible: Psalms to Song of Solomon, Part 3 of 6 by God (300 pages)

55. Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age by Jay Y. Kim (216 pages)

56. World-Class Assistant: Hiring, Training and Leveraging an Executive Assistant by Michael Hyatt (176 pages)

57. The Truth about Us: The Very Good News about How Very Bad We Are by Brant Hansen (208 pages)

58. On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser (336 pages)

59. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover (352 pages)

60. You’re a Miracle (and a Pain in the Ass): Embracing the Emotions, Habits, and Mystery That Make You You by Mike McHargue (240 pages)

61. Finding God in the Waves: How I Lost My Faith and Found It Again Through Science by Mike McHargue (304 pages)

62. Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane C. Ortlund (224 pages)

63. The Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity (Cruciform Quick) by Michael J. Kruger (58 pages)

64. Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (176 pages)

65. The Subtle Art of Not… : A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson (224 pages)

66. When People Are Big and God is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man by Edward T. Welch (252 pages)

67. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (384 pages)

68. How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in a Divided Age by Jonathan Leeman (272 pages)

69. Dear Edward: A Novel by Ann Napolitano (352 pages)

70. Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt (256 pages)

71. Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World by Benjamin Vrbicek and John Beeson (181 pages)

72. 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing by Tony Reinke (224 pages)

73. Writing for Life and Ministry: A Practical Guide to the Writing Process for Teachers and Preachers by Brandon J. O’Brien (128 pages)

74. The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O’Connor by Jonathan Rogers (208 pages)

75. The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning (272 pages)

76. The Bible: Isaiah to Malachi, Part 4 of 6 by God (300 pages)

77. A Little Book for New Preachers: Why and How to Study Homiletics by Matthew D. Kim (128 pages)

78. Essays of EB White by E. B. White (380 pages)

79. Missions by the Book: How Theology and Missions Walk Together (Yet Unpublished) by Chad Vegas and Alex Kocman (224 pages)

80. The Song of Solomon: An Invitation to Intimacy by Douglas Sean O’Donnell (192 pages)

81. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: A Novel by Kim Michele Richardson (322 pages)

82. Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O’Connor (256 pages)

83. Wise Blood: A Novel by Flannery O’Connor (256 pages)

84. God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s Love as the Gift of Himself by John Piper (192 pages)

85. The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ by Raymond C. Ortlund Jr. (144 pages)

86. The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor (256 pages)

87. A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor (288 pages)

88. The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications by Amy Einsohn (200 pages)

89. The Subversive Copy Editor, Second Edition: Advice from Chicago (or, How to Negotiate Good Relationships with Your Writers, Your Colleagues, and Yourself) by Carol Fisher Saller (576 pages)

90. The Bible: Matthew to Acts, Part 5 of 6 by God (300 pages)

91. Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers (248 pages)

92. Everything that Rises Must Converge by Flannery O’Connor (288 pages)

Reading List 2018

My first post of each new year always contains the list of books I read the previous year (2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017). I do it for personal accountability. Knowing I have to post my list helps me stay on track.

The goal in previous years had been to read 1 book per week, but this year I tried to up it to 2 per week.

I didn’t make it. I only read 87, with 17 of them being audiobooks. I was on my 2-per-week pace until the fall. Because of other projects, my time for extra reading all but disappeared.

My favorite books were The Imperfect Pastor by Zack Eswine, which was a re-read for me, and The Art of Rest by Adam Mabry, which I wrote a review of here.

One surprising change this year is that I had the privilege of reading almost 20 books before they were published, with 15 of them being books I did design work on (for example, all the “How-To” books with Sojourn Network). That was fun, and the tiny bit of extra income got reinvested right back into my own writing projects, mostly in editing and cover design.

Speaking of my own projects, when counting up the number of books, you’ll see below that I counted the reading of my own soon-to-be-published books a few times. I felt this was at least sort of legit because I probably read them 5 more times than I’m taking credit for reading them! Editing and proofreading is—apparently—demanding work!

Because of all the extra writing, design work, and helping a friend with his seminary coursework, much of my reading was dictated to me this year. I’m hoping next year I’ll have more time to explore things I’m interested in, such as the dozen Eugene Peterson books I recently bought and hope to work through slowly this spring.

Let me know in the comments what was your favorite book of the year.

*   *   *

Books per Year

1. Selected Blog Posts on the Topic of Pornography (55,000 Words), Part 1 by Various (200 pages)

2. Selected Blog Posts on the Topic of Pornography (55,000 Words), Part 2 by Various (200 pages)

3. White Fang by Jack London (160 pages)

4. Life in the Wild: Fighting for Faith in a Fallen World by Dan DeWitt (128 pages)

5. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson (480 pages)

6. Real Artists Don’t Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age by Jeff Goins (240 pages)

7. Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem by Kevin DeYoung (128 pages)

8. The Bible: Romans to Revelation, Part 6 of 6 by God (300 pages)

9. Father Fiction: Chapters for a Fatherless Generation by Donald Miller (2224 pages)

10. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson (448 pages)

11. On Pastoring: A Short Guide to Living, Leading, and Ministering as a Pastor by H. B. Charles Jr. (208 pages)

12. Thunderstruck by Erik Larson (480 pages)

13. On Preaching: Personal & Pastoral Insights for the Preparation & Practice of Preaching by H. B. Charles Jr. (160 pages)

14. The Pastor’s Ministry: Biblical Priorities for Faithful Shepherds by Brian Croft (192 pages)

15. 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke (224 pages)

16. The Pastor’s Family: Shepherding Your Family through the Challenges of Pastoral Ministry by Brian and Cara Croft (171 pages)

17. Struck: One Christian’s Reflections on Encountering Death by Russ Ramsey (176 pages)

18. Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield (206 pages)

19. Charting the Course: How-To Navigate the Legal Side of a Church Plant by Tim Beltz (112 pages)

20. Journals about blogging (3 issues) by ConvertKit (120 pages)

21. Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture by David Murray (208 pages)

22. Gaining By Losing: Why the Future Belongs to Churches that Send by J.D. Greear (256 pages)

23. Chasing Contentment: Trusting God in a Discontented Age by Erik Raymond (176 pages)

24. The Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy, Part 1 of 6 by God (300 pages)

25. Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind by Erwin Raphael McManus (352 pages)

26. Book Launch Blueprint: The Step-by-Step Guide to a Bestselling Launch by Tim Grahl (76 pages)

27. Ephesians For You: For reading, for feeding, for leading (God’s Word for You) by Richard Coekin (224 pages)

28. Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry, Updated and Expanded Edition by John Piper (320 pages)

29. Redemptive Participation: A “How-To” Guide for Pastors in Culture by Mike Cosper (104 pages)

30. The Art of Rest by Adam Mabry (144 pages)

31. Gospel Fluency: Speaking the Truths of Jesus into the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt (224 pages)

32. Fierce Grace: 30 Days With King David by Stephen R. Morefield (212 pages)

33. Eating You Way Through Luke’s Gospel by Robert J. Karris (112 pages)

34. Supernatural Power for Everyday People: Experiencing God’s Extraordinary Spirit in Your Ordinary Life by Jared C. Wilson (224 pages)

35. The Preacher’s Catechism by Lewis Allan (224 pages)

36. Why Pray? by John F. DeVries (240 pages)

37. Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt (256 pages)

38. Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc. by Skye Jethani (224 pages)

39. The Solace of Water: A Novel by Elizabeth Byler Younts (368 pages)

40. Family Ministry (Gospel-Centered Discipleship) by Greg Gibson and Patrick Weikle (128 pages)

41. The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Anchor (256 pages)

42. Before the Lord, Before the Church: “How-To” Plan a Child Dedication by Jared Kennedy (108 pages)

43. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny by Robin Sharma (198 pages)

44. A Peculiar Glory: How the Christian Scriptures Reveal Their Complete Truthfulness by John Piper (304 pages)

45. The Nightingale: A Novel by Kristen Hannah (608 pages)

46. Healthy Plurality = Durable Church: “How-To” Build and Maintain a Healthy Plurality of Elders by Dave Harvey (108 pages)

47. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by F. F. Bruce (149 pages)

48. Finding a Pastor: A Handbook for Ministerial Search Committees by Joel Hathaway (128 pages)

49. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss (416 pages)

50. The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper (176 pages)

51. The Bible: Joshua to Esther, Part 2 of 6 by God (300 pages)

52. Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir... Of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron (257 pages)

53. Walk with Me: Learning to Love and Follow Jesus by Jenny McGill (303 pages)

54. Reading the Bible Supernaturally: Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God in Scripture by John Piper (432 pages)

55. John Piper: The Making of a Christian Hedonist (a PhD Dissertation) by Justin Taylor (311 pages)

56. Sabbaticals: “How-To” Take a Break from Ministry before Ministry Breaks You by Rusty McKie (122 pages)

57. Expository Exultation: Christian Preaching as Worship by John Piper (336 pages)

58. Don’t Just Send a Resume: How to Find the Right Job in a Local Church by Benjamin Vrbicek (204 pages)

59. Struggle Against Porn: 29 Diagnostic Tests for Your Head and Heart by Benjamin Vrbicek (171 pages)

60. Leading from Your Strengths: Building Close-Knit Ministry Teams by Eric Tooker, John Trent, Rodney Cox (112 pages)

61. The Lemming Dilemma: Living with Purpose, Leading with Vision by David Hutchens (68 pages)

62. A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel by Amor Towles (480 pages)

63. The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus by Zack Eswine (272 pages)

64. Grounded in the Faith: A Guide for New Disciples Based on the Apostles’ Creed by Todd A. Scacewater (62 pages)

65. Leadership through Relationship: “How-To” Develop Leaders in the Local Church by Kevin Galloway (106 pages)

66. Raised By Grace: A Family Discipleship Guide by Michael R. Morefield (73 pages)

67. The Bible: Psalms to Song of Solomon, Part 3 of 6 by God (300 pages)

68. The Life of Pi by Yann Martel (326 pages)

69. Who is Jesus by Greg Gilbert (144 pages)

70. The Cross and Christian Ministry: Leadership Lessons from 1 Corinthians by D. A. Carson (160 pages)

71. The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God’s Mercy by Timothy Keller (272 pages)

72. Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer by J. Oswald Sanders (256 pages)

73. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (128 pages)

74. The Elements of Style by William Strunk (86 pages)

75. Struggle Against Porn: 29 Diagnostic Tests for Your Head and Heart by Benjamin Vrbicek (171 pages)

76. The Writer’s Diet: A Guide to Fit Prose by Helen Sword (88 pages)

77. The Hospitality Commands: Building Loving Christian Community: Building Bridges to Friends and Neighbors by Alexander Strauch (64 pages)

78. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (224 pages)

79. Studies in Words by C.S. Lewis (352 pages)

80. Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons by Tim Russert (320 pages)

81. The Pastor and Pornography (9Marks Journal, Fall 2018) by 9Marks (88 pages)

82. The Art of Rest by Adam Mabry (144 pages)

83. The Bible: Isaiah to Malachi, Part 4 of 6 by God (300 pages)

84. 1 Peter for You by Juan Sanchez (192 pages)

85. Don’t Just Send a Resume: How to Find the Right Job in a Local Church by Benjamin Vrbicek (204 pages)

86. Struggle Against Porn: 29 Diagnostic Tests for Your Head and Heart by Benjamin Vrbicek (171 pages)

87. The Bible: Matthew to Acts, Part 5 of 6 by God (300 pages)

Reading List 2017

My first post of the year is the list of books I read the previous year (2014,  2015, and 2016). I’m not doing this to rub it in your face. I do it for personal accountability. I have a goal of reading at least one book a week, and knowing I must write about it helps me get there.

This year I greatly exceeded that goal, reaching 104 books (see graph below for stats from other years). The two main reasons for all the reading was the extra research for book projects and the enjoyable experience of reading (almost) every Jared Wilson book.

Speaking of Wilson, my favorite of his was The Pastor’s Justification. It’s a gospel-feast served by a master chef. My over-all favorite book, though, was Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel by Ray Ortlund. It’s one of those books, that if I had let myself, I might have underlined more sentences than I didn’t. 

As for novels, I read 16 this year, including rereading All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Dorr, which was even better the second time around. For 2 years in a row, it was my favorite novel. I also thought The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (published 2003) deserves an honorable mention; the book touches father-son issues with all the gentleness of a taser.

Another highlight of the year, although not explicitly of reading but closely related to it, was watching The Return of the King, the third of The Lord of the Rings movies. I watched it at an amphitheater in Philly. Members of The Philadelphia Orchestra played the music score. It would be hard to overstate how amazing it was to watch the movie while a live orchestra played. I read and discussed all three LOTR books (and The Hobbit) this year with a great friend, and he bought the tickets as a gift.

Just in case you look closely at the list, let me flag two aspects of goofiness.

First, I counted the Bible as 6 separate books, even though I firmly believe it’s one book and one story. But counting it this way helped me keep better track of how I was moving along. I didn’t use the ESV Reader’s Bible, but that is where I got the idea.

Second, I included two yet-to-be-published books I wrote. That’s a little goofy, I know. But since I read them each nearly 10 times during the editing process, I figured counting each once was (mostly) legit.

Let me know in the comments what was your favorite book of the year.

*     *     *

Books Read, 2013-17

Pages Read, 2013-17

Miscellaneous Christian Non-fiction

1. Church Buildings: A Strategic Guide to Design, Renovation, and Construction by Katie Burch (160 pages)
2. Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel by Ray Ortlund (128 pages)
3. Friend of Sinners: An Approach to Evangelism by Harvey Turner (144 pages)
4. The Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto against the Status Quo by Jared C. Wilson (240 pages)
5. The Whole Message of the Bible in 16 Words by Chris Bruno (160 pages)
6. The Bible: Romans to Revelation, Part 6 of 6 by God (300 pages)
7. Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines by David Mathis (240 pages)
8. A Vision for Preaching: Understanding the Heart of Pastoral Ministry by Abraham Kuruvilla (224 pages)
9. Your Jesus Is Too Safe: Outgrowing a Drive-Thru, Feel-Good Savior by Jared C. Wilson (288 pages)
10. Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Loyd-Jones (224 pages)
11. 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke (224 pages)
12. For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy by Alexander Schmemann (151 pages)
13. Living in the Light: Money, Sex, and Power by John Piper (144 pages)
14. Gospel Wakefullness by Jared C. Wilson (224 pages)
15. The Storytelling God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Parables by Jared C. Wilson (192 pages)
16. The Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy, Part 1 of 6 by God (300 pages)
17. The Story of Everything: How You, Your Pets, and the Swiss Alps Fit into God’s Plan for the World by Jared C. Wilson (240 pages)
18. The Imperfect Disciple: Grace for People Who Can’t Get Their Act Together by Jared C. Wilson (240 pages)
19. The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place by Andy Crouch (224 pages)
20. None Like Him by Jen Wilkin (176 pages)
21. The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross by Arthur Walkington Pink (142 pages)
22. The Pastor’s Justification by Jared C. Wilson (192 pages)
23. Not Yet Married: The Pursuit of Joy in Singleness and Dating by Marshall Segal (208 pages)
24. Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing by Andy Crouch (192 pages)
25. The Bible: Joshua to Esther, Part 2 of 6 by God (300 pages)
26. The Pastor’s Wife: Strengthened by Grace for a Life of Love by Gloria Furman (160 pages)
27. The Joy Project: A True Story of Inescapable Happiness by Tony Reinke (148 pages)
28. Five Points: Towards a Deeper Experience of God’s Grace by John Piper (96 pages)
29. Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul (187 pages)
30. What Is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics by R.C. Sproul (272 pages)
31. The Wonder-Working God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Miracles by Jared C. Wilson (192 pages)
32. Chosen for Life: The Case for Divine Election by Sam Storms (240 pages)
33. Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical by Timothy Keller (336 pages)
34. The Bible: Psalms to Song of Solomon, Part 3 of 6 by God (300 pages)
35. Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God by Paul Copan (256 pages)
36. How Does Sanctification Work? by David Powlison (128 pages)
37. Humility: True Greatness by C. J. Mahaney (176 pages)
38. America’s Pastor: Billy Graham and the Shaping of a Nation by Grant Wacker (448 pages)
39. Sojourn Network Ebooks (four of them) by Various (160 pages)
40. The Joy Project: A True Story of Inescapable Happiness by Tony Reinke (148 pages)
41. The Bible: Isaiah to Malachi, Part 4 of 6 by God (300 pages)
42. Unparalleled: How Christianity’s Uniqueness Makes It Compelling by Jared C. Wilson (240 pages)
43. Gospel Deeps: Reveling in the Excellencies of Jesus by Jared C. Wilson (208 pages)
44. Galatians for You: For Reading, for Feeding, for Leading (God’s Word for You) by Timothy Keller (208 pages)
45. Blessed Are the Misfits: Great News for Believers who are Introverts, Spiritual Strugglers, or Just Feel Like They’re Missing Something by Brant Hansen (256 pages)
46. Church History 101: The Highlights of Twenty Centuries by Sinclair B. Ferguson, Joel Beeke, Michael A. G. Haykin (112 pages)
47. Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff (208 pages)
48. The Bible: Matthew to Acts, Part 5 of 6 by God (300 pages)
49. Come, Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional by Paul David Trip (160 pages)

Miscellaneous Non-fiction

1. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance (272 pages)
2. Spunk and Bite: A Writer’s Guide to Punchier, More Engaging Language and Style by Arthur Plotnik (272 pages)
3. Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley (320 pages)
4. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson (447 pages)
5. Just My Type: A Book About Fonts by Simon Garfield (384 pages)

Books about the Job-Search Process

1. Effective Long-Rang Strategic Planning in Churches: Mitigating Crises, Seizing Opportunities, and Executing Leadership Transitions for God’s Glory DMin Diss., (Westminster Theological Seminary, 2016) by William "Tucker" York (313 pages)
2. Effective Staffing for Vital Churches: The Essential Guide to Finding and Keeping the Right People by Bill Easum and Bill Tenny-Brittian (176 pages)
3. Pastoral Moves | 9Marks Journal (Jan-Feb 2011) by Various (46 pages)
4. Looking for a New Pastor: 10 Questions Every Church Should Ask by Frank S. Page (176 pages)
5. In Search of a Leader: The Complete Search Committee Guidebook by Robert W. Dingman (262 pages)
6. Pastors in Transition: Why Clergy Leave Local Church Ministry (Pulpit and Pew) by Dean R. Hodge and Jacqueline E. Wenger (271 pages)
7. Discerning Your Call to Ministry: How to Know For Sure and What to Do About It by Jason K. Allen (160 pages)
8. Am I Called?: The Summons to Pastoral Ministry by Dave Harvey (224 pages)
9. Don’t Just Send a Resume: How to Find the Right Job in a Local Church by Benjamin Vrbicek (212 pages)

Books about Sexuality

1. Closing the Window: Steps to Living Porn Free by Tim Chester (151 pages)
2. Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction by Gary Wilson (200 pages)
3. Divine Sex: A Compelling Vision for Christian Relationships in a Hypersexualized Age by Jonathan Grant (256 pages)
4. Pornified: How Pornography Is Damaging Our Lives, Our Relationships, and Our Families by Pamela Paul (320 pages)
5. The Porn Phenomenon: The Impact of Pornography in the Digital Age by Barna and Josh McDowell (160 pages)
6. The Gospel & Pornography (Gospel For Life) by Russell D. Moore and Andrew T. Walker (128 pages)
7. The Social Costs of Pornography: A Statement of Findings and Recommendations by The Witherspoon Institute (61 pages)
8. Just One Click: Christians, Pornography, and the Lure of Cybersex by Robert J. Baird and Ronald L. VanderBeck (240 pages)
9. Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave: Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel (Resources for Changing Lives) by Edward T. Welch (320 pages)
10. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield (154 pages)
11. Pastoring Singles | 9Marks Journal (Spring 2017) by Various (58 pages)
12. Sex and Money: Pleasures That Leave You Empty and Grace That Satisfies by Paul David Tripp (224 pages)
13. Making All Things New: Restoring Joy to the Sexually Broken by David Powlison (128 pages)
14. Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity by Robert Jensen (200 pages)
15. False Intimacy: Understanding the Struggle of Sexual Addiction by Harry Schaumburg (256 pages)
16. The Art of Turning by Kevin DeYoung (42 pages)
17. The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness by Kevin DeYoung (160 pages)
18. What Does The Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung (160 pages)
19. What is the Meaning of Sex? by Denny Burk (272 pages)
20. Over Coming Sin and Temptation: Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers (1 of 3 books) by John Owen (155 pages)
21. Over Coming Sin and Temptation: Of Temptation, The Nature and the Power of It (2 of 3 books) by John Owen (155 pages)
22. Mere Sexuality: Rediscovering the Christian Vision of Sexuality by Todd Wilson (192 pages)
23. Over Coming Sin and Temptation: Indwelling Sin (3 of 3 books) by John Owen (155 pages)
24. Struggle Against Porn: 40 Diagnostic Tests for Your Head and Heart by Benjamin Vrbicek (160 pages)

Novels

1. Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy (368 pages)
2. Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings: Book 1) by J.R.R. Tolkien (432 pages)
3. Dead Low Tide: A Novel by Brett Lot (256 pages)
4. The Twin Towers (Lord of the Rings: Book 2) by J.R.R. Tolkien (352 pages)
5. Tales of the Resistance by David and Karen Mains (110 pages)
6. The Return of the King (Lord of the Rings: Book 3) by J.R.R. Tolkien (432 pages)
7. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (337 pages)
8. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (300 pages)
9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (400 pages)
10. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (771 pages)
11. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (287 pages)
12. Otherworld: A Novel by Jared C. Wilson (386 pages)
13. About Grace: A Novel by Anthony Doerr (432 pages)
14. The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (272 pages)
15. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (624 pages)
16. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (531 pages)

Let me know in the comments what was your favorite book of the year.

Reading List 2016

For the last four years, I’ve had two primary reading goals. First, read the Bible each year. Second, read at least 52 books, or about 1 per week. I’ve never made this second goal, but I continue to post my results at the end of the year to keep me motivated to try. (If you like, you can see the lists from 2014 and 2015.)

And last year, I fell short on both accounts. Bummer.

This year, however, I made it, and in the process, I read 86 books! I’m pretty happy about this because I only read 34 in 2013; 50 in 2014; and 51 in 2015. For any fellow nerds out there, this year’s total page count was 19,525, which corresponds to an average of 368 pages per week and 227 pages per book.

A few things to note. First, my total number was so high, partly because many of the books were short (26 of them were under 150 pages), and partly because I did a ton of research for a book I’m writing. It’s a book to help pastors in the job search process (another 26 books fell into this category).

Second, I read more novels than ever before (21), as well as a few memoirs. I think I’ll try to keep this up; I’m enjoying it. Several were audio books, which I listened to while exercising.

Finally, my two favorite books were The Imperfect Pastor by Zack Eswine and the novel All the Light We Cannot See. I absolutely loved both.

Oh, one more thing. I read the book I co-authored (More People to Love) about 10 times, but I’m not counting that one! Nor am I counting The Cat and the Hat or Pinkalicious, which I read to my kids at least a dozen times! ;-)

Again, this post is largely for personal accountability, but if you’d like to see the books I read, below I sorted them into four categories.

In the comments, feel free to let me know if you read any of these, and if so, if you had any favorites.

*     *     *

Miscellaneous Christian Non-fiction

1. Do More Better: A Practical Guide to Productivity by Tim Challies (120 pages)
2. Rules for Reformers by Douglas Wilson (288 pages)
3. Unbreakable: What the Son of God Said About the Word of God by Andrew Wilson (80 pages)
4. Sexual Detox: A Guide for Guys Who Are Sick of Porn by Tim Challies (108 pages)
5. Who Am I?: Identity in Christ by Jeff Bridges (108 pages)
6. Contend: Defending the Faith in a Fallen World by Aaron Armstrong (110 pages)
7. Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller (256 pages)
8. Montgomery: A White Preacher’s Memoir by Robert S. Graetz (132 pages)
9. The Bible by God (2000 pages)
10. How to Walk into Church by Tony Payne (64 pages)
11. Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward by Nabeel Qureshi (176 pages)
12. Your Best Life Now: Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential by Joel Osteen (310 pages)
13. Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan (220 pages)
14. Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue by Matthew C. Mitchell (192 pages)
15. Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel by Kate Bowler (352 pages)
16. The Mingling of Souls: God’s Design for Love, Marriage, Sex, and Redemption by Matt Chandler and Jared C. Wilson (224 pages)
17. Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better by Brant Hansen (214 pages)
18. Anger: Taming a Powerful Emotion by Robert D. Jones (224 pages)
19. Uprooting Anger: Biblical Help for a Common Problem by Gary Chapman (208 pages)
20. Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians by J. A. Medders and Brandon D. Smith (148 pages)
21. Why Pastors Quit: Examining Why Pastors Quit and What We Can Do About It by Bo Lane (110 pages)
22. A Christ-Centered Wedding: Rejoicing in the Gospel on Your Big Day by Catherine Parks, Linda Strode (256 pages)
23. Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism by Drew G. I. Hart (198 pages)
24. Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace by Heath Lambert (176 pages)
25. How to Survive the Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith, and Politics at the End of the World by Robert Joustra and Alissa Wilkinson (208 pages)
26. Surfing for God: Discovering the Divine Desire Beneath Sexual Struggle by Michael John Cusick (224 pages)
27. Every Man’s Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time by Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker, and Mike Yorkey (336 pages)
28. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp (240 pages)
29. Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is): Sexual Purity in a Lust-Saturated World by Joshua Harris (192 pages)
30. Gospel Deeps: Reveling in the Excellencies of Jesus by Jared C. Wilson (208 pages)
31. Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ by Timothy Keller (160 pages)
32. Thank You for the Book of Mormon: A Christians Friend’s Response by Carl L George (128 pages)
33. The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus by Zack Eswine (272 pages)

Miscellaneous Non-fiction

1. The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness by Jeff Olson (280 pages)
2. The Rights of the Reader by Daniel Pennac (176 pages)
3. Writing a Winning Non-fiction Book Proposal by Michael Hyatt (32 pages)
4. Hiroshima by John Hersey (160 pages)
5. Voice and Vision: A Guide to Writing History and Other Serious Nonfiction by Stephen J. Pyne (336 pages)
6. Book Launch Blueprint by Tim Grahl (70 pages)
7. Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business of Life by James Kerr (224 pages)

Novels

1. The Owlings: A Worldview Novella (Book I) by D.A. DeWitt (98 pages)
2. My Antonia by Willa Cather (200 pages)
3. The Owlings: A Worldview Novella (Book II) by D.A. DeWitt (142 pages)
4. Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy, I of III) by C.S. Lewis (160 pages)
5. Perelandra (Space Trilogy, II of III) by C.S. Lewis (190 pages)
6. That Hideous Strength (Space Trilogy, III of III) by C.S. Lewis (384 pages)
7. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson (160 pages)
8. A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O’Connor (276 pages)
9. To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee (336 pages)
10. No Masters, Please by Fred Burton (295 pages; yet unpublished novel)
11. Animal Farm by George Orwell (56 pages)
12. 1984 by George Orwell (284 pages)
13. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (288 pages)
14. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (256 pages)
15. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (531 pages)
16. Tales of the Kingdom by David and Karen Mains (94 pages)
17. Go Set a Watchman: A Novel by Harper Lee (288 pages)
18. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (251 pages)
19. Gilead: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson (247 pages)
20. Home: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson (366 pages)
21. Lila: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson (272 pages)

Books about the Job Search Process

1. How to Stay Christian in Seminary by David Mathis and Jonathan Parnell (80 pages)
2. A Change of Pastors ... and How it Affects Change in the Congregation by Loren B. Mead (112 pages)
3. The Minister’s Salary: And Other Challenges in Ministry Finance by Art Rainer (130 pages)
4. How to Hire A-Players: Finding the Top People for Your Team- Even If You Don’t Have a Recruiting Department by Eric Herrenkohl (240 pages)
5. The New Pastor’s Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry by Jason Helopoulos (208 pages)
6. The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search: The Proven Program Used by the World’s Leading Career Services Company by Orville Pierson (288 pages)
7. From M.Div. to Rev.: Making an Effective Transition from Seminary to Pastoral Ministry by J. E. Eubanks (232 pages)
8. Next: Pastoral Succession That Works by William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird (224 pages)
9. Search: The Pastoral Search Committee Handbook by William Vanderbloemen (192 pages)
10. Knock ‘em Dead 2015: The Ultimate Job Search Guide by Martin Yate (384 pages)
11. The Elephant in the Boardroom: Speaking the Unspoken about Pastoral Transitions by Carolyn Weese and J. Russell Crabtree (240 pages)
12. The 2-Hour Job Search: Using Technology to Get the Right Job Faster by Steve Dalton (240 pages)
13. How to Search for a Pastor in Todays Church by Scott K. Delashaw (112 pages)
14. Help We Just Lost Our Pastor! A Step By Step Guide for Pastoral Transitions by Ken Moberg (114 pages)
15. What Is Your Church’s Personality?: Discovering and Developing the Ministry Style of Your Church by Philip D. Douglass (320 pages)
16. When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search: Biblical Principles and Practices to Guide Your Search by Chris Brauns (192 pages)
17. The First 100 Days: A Pastor’s Guide by T. Scott Daniels (176 pages)
18. Side-stepping Landmines: Five Principles for Pastor Search Teams by Joel Rainey (50 pages)
19. Resume 101: A Student and Recent-Grad Guide to Crafting Resumes and Cover Letters that Land Jobs by Quentin J. Schultze (144 pages)
20. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher, William L. Ury, and Bruce Patton (200 pages)
21. College Grad Job Hunter: Insider Techniques and Tactics for Finding A Top-Paying Entry-level Job by Brian D. Krueger (352 pages)
22. Pastor Search Committee Handbook, Revised by Robert L. Sheffield (96 pages)
23. Before You Move: A Guide to Making Transitions in Ministry by John R. Cionca (314 pages)
24. Confirming the Pastoral Call: A Guide to Matching Candidates and Congregations by Joseph L. Umidi (160 pages)
25. The Pastor’s Start-Up Manual: Beginning a New Pastorate by Robert H. Jr. Ramey (140 pages)
26. The Alban Guide to Managing the Pastoral Search Process by John Vonhof (123 pages)

Reading List 2015

For the last three years, I have tracked every book that I’ve read. My goal has been to read 52 a year—about 1 a week. If for no other reason than accountability, I publish the list at the end of the year on my blog. Often, I need this kind of pressure to perform.

So, in 2013, I read 34 books. In 2014, I read 50 (list here). This year, 51!

To be sure, this makes it look like things are trending in the right direction (34 -> 50 -> 51). And in some ways, they are. If you measure 2015 by the total number of pages, however, I’m actually down a bit. Last year I averaged 251 pages a week, whereas this year I only averaged 218, which amounts to approximately 2,000 missing pages.

This leads me to the first of 5 (brief) comments before I share my list.

First, reading a total of 51 books, which is just 1 short of the goal of 52, on the one hand, is not at all a big deal. On the other hand, it actually stings quite a bit. Here’s the reason: if you look at my list, the book that I want to re-read every year didn’t make it—the Bible is missing.

I did, of course, read a lot of the Bible, but on my list I only count “completed” books. As of this morning (12/31/15), I’m in John 20. Thus, I feel as though presenting my list is like displaying a huge puzzle that’s missing the most important piece—a piece that’s exactly 2,000 pages. Next year, by the grace of God, I hope to fix this. Please hold me accountable.

Second, this year I read more novels than ever before in my life. There were 8 that came from our church book club, which I helped lead. Another 3 came from The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. These I read aloud to my family. Both the book club and the family reading time were rich additions to life.

Third, there’s lots of Timothy Keller on the list: 6 books and 12.5% of the total pages, to be exact. He’s such a helpful writer. If you’re not familiar with Keller, his prose is very simple but the ideas are profound.

Fig. 1. 5-week Rolling average of my reading in 2015.

Fourth, as you can see from the chart (above), it looks as though I read the most books in the fall and the least in the late spring. I’m not sure what that tells me, except this: (Next year) after Easter, don’t slow down!

Finally, because people ask (and because it seems this like what bloggers often talk about), my 2 favorite books of the year were What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung (which I talk about here), and The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker. They were very different books, but each is excellent in its own way.

Without further ado, here’s my book list in the order I completed them…

*     *     *

Reading List 2015

1. Is God anti-gay? (Questions Christians Ask) by Sam Allberry (88 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
2. Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality by Wesley Hill (160 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
3. Burning Hearts: Preaching to the Affections by Josh Moody, Robin Weekes (144 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
4. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (200 pages)
5. Evangelical Convictions: A Theological Exposition of the Statement of Faith of the EFCA by EFCA Spiritual Heritage Committee (321 pages)
6. The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn’t Exist by Craig Groeschel (256 pages)
7. A Man After God’s Own Heart: Devoting Your Life to What Really Matters by Jim George (272 pages)
8. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (180 pages)
9. The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg (288 pages)
10. The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness: The Path to True Christian Joy by Timothy Keller (48 pages)
11. Affirming the Apostles’ Creed by J.I. Packer (160 pages)
12. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (112 pages)
13. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis (200 pages)
14. Who is Jesus? by Greg Gilbert (144 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
15. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene (192 pages)
16. What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung (160 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
17. Porn-Again Christian: A Frank Discussion on Pornography and Masturbation by Mark Driscoll (56 pages)
18. The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts by Dale Ralph Davis (160 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
19. Taking God At His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me by Kevin DeYoung (144 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
20. Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will by Kevin DeYoung (144 pages)
21. The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness by Kevin DeYoung (160 pages)
22. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (72 pages)
23. Themelios, An International Journal for Students and Religious Studies (Vol. 40, issue 1; April 2015) by Carson, D.A., and Others (Editors) (196 pages)
24. A Time to Embrace: Same-Sex Relationships in Religion, Law, and Politics, 2nd edition by William Stacy Johnson (390 pages)
25. God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships by Matthew Vines (224 pages)
26. God and the Gay Christian? A Response to Matthew Vines by Albert Mohler, Jr. (Editor) (96 pages)
27. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible by E. Randolph Richards, Brandon J. O’Brien (240 pages)
28. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (267 pages)
29. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller (310 pages)
30. The Old Songs by Fred Burton (220 pages)
31. Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy Keller (256 pages)
32. Judges For You: For Reading, For Feeding, For Leading (God’s Word for You) by Timothy Keller (224 pages)
33. Judges: Such a Great Salvation by Dale Ralph Davis (240 pages)
34. Book Launch: How to Write, Market & Publish Your First Bestseller in Three Months or Less AND Use it to Start and Grow a Six Figure Business by Chandler Bolt (172 pages)
35. 4 (short) eBooks by various authors (100 pages)
36. The Joy Project: A True Story of Inescapable Happiness by Tony Reinke (148 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
37. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker (368 pages)
38. Newton on the Christian Life: To Live Is Christ by Tony Reinke (288 pages) [READ MY REVIEW]
39. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (320 pages)
40. Moving On, Moving Forward: A Guide for Pastors in Transition by Michael J. Anthony, Mick Boersma (304 pages)
41. What Color Is Your Parachute? 2016: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard N. Bolles (368 pages)
42. Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry (384 pages)
43. How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren (426 pages)
44. Galatians for You: For Reading, for Feeding, for Leading by Timothy Keller (208 pages)
45. Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler (272 pages)
46. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (278 pages)
47. The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Timothy Keller (352 pages)
48. Best Wedding Meditations: An Anthology by various authors (71 pages)
49. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (200 pages)
50. Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America’s Greatest Marathon by John Brant (256 pages)
51. Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy by Gary Thomas (304 pages)

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Reading List 2014

Reading List 2014

Below is the list of books that I read in 2014. My goal for the last two years was to read 52 books during the year, or about one book a week. As you can see, I didn’t quite make it. I only hit 50 books. (For the nerds out there, the numbers come in at 13,075 total pages, or about 261 pages per week.) But I’m not too bummed; by God’s grace, I got closer than last year (34). Maybe in 2015 it will happen.

Some Disclaimers

As you glance at the list, you might notice a few things (some of them a little goofy), so I might as well point them out. First, I removed the “dates of completion,” but the books are listed in the order that I completed them.

Second, I didn’t count partial books, except for one. I only made it through one-third of The Moral Vision of the New Testament by Richard B. Hays. The book is huge. I took it on vacation in August, and, well, you know how it goes. Maybe someday I’ll come back to it.

Third, you’ll see books from several different categories (some about writing, blogging and publishing; others on preaching, theology, and Christian living; and one biography, and a few novels). I do this for a number of reasons, but one of them is cross training; it’s a healthy thing. Another reason is for continuing education. Oh – and don’t forget – for enjoyment. That’s important too.

A few of my favorites were as follows: In the writing cluster, I enjoyed How to Write Short by Peter Roy Clark (everything he writes is helpful), and Spunk and Bite by Arthur Plotnik (the title is a rift on the famous book by Strunk and White).

As for preaching, I re-read Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chappell and The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper (for like the fourth time). Both are excellent in different ways (Christ-Centered Preaching deals with the theology of preaching but also the mechanics of preaching and the anatomy of a sermon, whereas The Supremacy of God in Preaching focuses on the goals and traits of good preaching with a case study on Jonathan Edwards).

As for theology and Christian living, everything Robert Gagnon has written on homosexuality is helpful, but beware: his treatments tend to be exhaustive, which means they also tend to be quite long. Additionally, the essays in Themelios (written by several authors) were full of riveting scholarship.

In the category of biography and novels, I really enjoyed The Grapes of Wrath and The Pearl, both by John Steinbeck, and Justified Conduct by Linda Vargo (she is working on the sequel; I know because she is letting me help edit it). I also greatly enjoyed Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (you can see my book review here).

Fourth, #42 on the list is The Bible. Yep, I count that one too. Actually, I hope it makes this list every year. This leads to the next comment.

Fifth, where page counts are not obvious, I took my best guess based on an average “words per page” of the typical book. I did this for books like The Bible and Robert Gagnon’s 60,000+ words of email correspondence about the topic of “homosexuality and the Bible,” which I printed and read with great interest. Fascinating stuff – firm at times, but always very pastoral. And these types of “books” lead to the last disclaimer.

Sixth, I’m aware that calling everything on the list a “book” is a stretch. For example, Gagnon’s “published” emails; Themelios is a theological journal published three times a year; and Ramona and Her Father is a children’s book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading out loud with my oldest daughter (we alternated reading pages). But if a man is trying to hit 52 books in one year, he tends to want to count it all.

I Hope to Encourage

More could be said, but I’ll end with this. I’m not sure if this list will encourage or discourage – or maybe some of both.

My strong hope is that it will encourage you to read and learn and grow. And if it does happen to discourage, keep two things in mind: First, I used to hate to read and rarely did it. Second, for two years in a row, I have not hit my target, but I try not to worry about that. The reality is this: whether I read the “right” number of books or not, I made progress. And that was always the goal behind the goal. Maybe your goal in 2015 is only to read one book a month. I say go for it; even if you come up a little short, you’ll make some progress, and learn, and grow, and hopefully enjoy it too.

Reading List 2014

1. Sticky Teams: Keeping Your Leadership Team and Staff on the Same Page by Larry Osborne (225 pages)
2. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni (240 pages)
3. How Can I Change?: Victory in the Struggle Against Sin by C.J. Mahaney and Robin Boisvert (96 pages)
4. Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets You Free by Tullian Tchividjian (208 pages)
5. Words for Readers and Writers: Spirit Pooled Dialogues by Larry Woiwode (240 pages)
6. Preaching with Purpose: The Urgent Task of Homiletics by Jay Adams (162 pages)
7. Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages (revised) by Haddon W. Robinson (256 pages)
8. Speaking To Teenagers: How to Think About, Create, and Deliver Effective Messagesby Doug Fields and Duffy Robbins (256 pages)
9. Justified Conduct by Linda Vargo (394 pages)
10. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (120 pages)
11. I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the Difference by Thom S. Rainer (96 pages)
12. The Pearl by John Steinbeck (90 pages)
13. Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon (2nd Edition) by Bryan Chapell (400 pages)
14. The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper (128 pages)
15. Hearing to Tell: Listening for Gospel Inroads in the Stories of Non-Christians (Doctor of Ministry Dissertation) by Jason Abbott (174 pages)
16. Self-Publishing 101 by Debbie Elicksen (180 pages)
17. How to Write Short: Word Craft for Fast Times by Peter Roy Clark (272 pages)
18. The Indie Author Guide: Self-Publishing Strategies Anyone Can Use by April L. Hamilton (304 pages)
19. Spunk & Bite: A Writer’s Guide to Bold, Contemporary Style by Arthur Plotnik (272 pages)
20. Buzz: Blue-collar Blogging and Publishing for Profit (eBook) by Frank Viola (and others) (99 pages)
21. The Publishing Game: Find an Agent in 30 Days by Fern Reiss (224 pages)
22. The Elephants of Style: A Trunkload of Tips on the Big Issues and Gray Areas of Contemporary American English by Bill Walsh (238 pages)
23. The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono (72 pages) [Click here to read my review]
24. Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life’s Biggest Questions by Timothy Keller (240 pages) [Click here to read my review]
25. How and When to Tell Your Kids About Sex: A Lifelong Approach to Shaping Your Child’s Sexual Character by Stan & Barbra Jones (280 pages)
26. The Grapes of Wrath (50th Anniversary Edition) by John Steinbeck (640 pages)
27. Dude’s Guide to Manhood: Finding True Manliness in a World of Counterfeits by Darrin Patrick (208 pages) [Click here to read my review]
28. The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Text and Hermeneutics by Robert A. J. Gagnon (522 pages)
29. The Bible and Homosexuality: Two Views by Robert A. J. Gagnon & Dan O. Via (128 pages)
30. The Bible and Homosexuality: Two Views_Extra_Material (http://www.robgagnon.net/) by Robert A. J. Gagnon (~160 pages)
31. Robert Gagnon Email Correspondence (http://www.robgagnon.net/) by Robert A. J. Gagnon (~191 pages)
32. Gagnon & Walter Wink interaction (Christian Century, http://www.robgagnon.net/, & Horizons in Biblical Theology) by Robert A. J. Gagnon & Walter Wink (135 pages)
33. What is the Meaning of Sex? by Denny Burk (272 pages) [Click here to read my review]
34. The Author’s DIY Modern Marketing Workbook: Your Step-By-Step Plan to Marketing Social Media, Blogging & Newsletters by Mixtus Media (20 pages)
35. Your Noisetrade Books Strategy: How to Gain Loyal Fans Using Modern Marketing Tools by Jenn & Marcus DePaula (40 pages)
36. The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity by Barnabas Piper (160 pages) [Click here to read my review]
37. Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully: The Power of Poetic Effort in the Work of George Herbert, George Whitefield, and C. S. Lewis (The Swans Are Not Silent) by John Piper (160 pages) [Click here to read my review]
38. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (528 pages) [Click here to read my review]
39. Leviticus (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) by Jay Sklar (336 pages) [Click here to read my review]
40. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: A Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss (240 pages)
41. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott (272 pages)
42. The Bible by God (2,084 pages)
43. Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary (170 pages)
44. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation, A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics (stopped at page 187) by Richard B. Hays (187 pages)
45. Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible by Mark Batterson (200 pages) [Click here to read my review]
46. Future Men: Raising Boys to Fight Giants by Douglas Wilson (199 pages) [Click here to read my review]
47. Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books by Tony Reinke (208 pages)
48. Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper (192 pages) [Click here to read my review]
49. Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy Keller (248 pages)
50. Themelios: An International Journal for Students and Religious Studies (Vol. 39, issue 3; November 2014) by D.A. Carson et al. (221 pages)

[Image]

The Pastor's Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity

By Barnabas Piper

Buy on Amazon

The Man Who Planted Trees

By Jean Giono

Buy on Amazon

What Is the Meaning of Sex?

By Denny Burk

Buy on Amazon

Future Men: Raising Boys to Fight Giants

By Douglas Wilson

Buy on Amazon

The Dude's Guide to Manhood: Finding True Manliness in a World of Counterfeits

By Darrin Patrick

Buy on Amazon

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

By Laura Hillenbrand

Buy on Amazon

The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics

By Robert A. J. Gagnon

Buy on Amazon

Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books

By Tony Reinke

Buy on Amazon

The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible

By Mark Batterson

Buy on Amazon