When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.
2 Timothy 4:13
Ahhh, reading!
It has been a very good year, visiting old and new friends that live on the pages of baby-skin soft paper nestled between two protective hardcovers. Reading for me is life-giving and it stretches the soul – – and this year has been no exception. A couple of years ago I decided to suggest a list of books on my blog for my readers to consider that I believe every Christian should read. A number of people reported back that they actually went out and got those books and are grateful for it.
Well, this year I wanted to list some more books that have really sparked my interest and excited my mind this past year. I will list my top ten in order from what touched me the most. I hope this will excite reading in you.
Bon Appetit!
NUMBER ONE: “Pentecost Today?: The Biblical Basis for Understanding Revival.” This summer I was given this book to read on vacation. To be honest, the cover looked quite boring and I really didn’t want to read it. But I was assured that once I got into it I wouldn’t be able to put it down. And so on a hot morning sitting near a pool, I started to read. . . and kept reading. . . and kept reading. I finished the book in three days! I love this book because it deals with things every sincere Christian wonders: (1) How can you know if the Holy Spirit is really affecting your life? (2) How do you know if there is a true revival happening in your church? (3) How do you get more of God? This book is a necessary read for all Christians!
NUMBER TWO: “Fools Talk.” This is an incredible read! Why does it seem so hard to witness to people about Jesus? Because, as this book teaches, most people are disbelieving in a God that doesn’t even exist. So our task is to first help people understand who God actually is and then live lives that attract people to him. Evangelism is more about being compelling than it is winning an argument. Are you compelling? If not, this book will help!
NUMBER THREE: “The Green Letters.” Here is an old classic that I went back to after almost 20 years to reread. I forgot how deep the truth was in here. The Green Letters is meant to make you think and wrestle with how a person really connects with God. It moves past all the religious fluff and gets straight to the meat. How do you know if you are accepted by God? This book will clearly help you understand it!
NUMBER FOUR: “A Peculiar Glory.” This book is about the book, the Bible. Do you really know the Bible? Why do we even have the Bible, where did we get it, how do we know that it is truly the very word of God? A Peculiar Glory is a desperate answer to the massive Biblical ignorance of our times. People no longer know what they once knew about the Bible. As a pastor it is clear, the Bible is the most forgotten book that is a bestseller. This book will help fill the ignorance gap.
NUMBER FIVE: “A Scandalous Freedom.” Do you want to read a dangerous book? Well, this is it! It is dangerous because people are scared of freedom, they want someone to tell them what to do all the time. And Christianity is primarily about being set free – – Christ wants you to follow him alone. But it is easier to follow people, their rules, traditions, opinions, customs and demands. Jesus says to stop it, and this book will help you to stop it!
NUMBER SIX: “Is God a Moral Monster?” Does the Old Testament give you difficulties? Especially the parts that talk about wiping out whole races of people? Or the laws for slavery? Or how some men were polygamous or had concubines? Crazy stuff, I know. So how do you make sense of it? And is the God of the Old Testament different than the God of the New? This book is a necessary read for those who want to give answers to the snarky agnostic or cock-sure atheist. You need to read this book!
NUMBER SEVEN: “Adverse Possession.” Do you like to be scared? And do you think it is possible to be scared by a Christian book? Well, it is possible and this is the book for you! I suggest you turn off the lights in your house, open the door to the basement, and light a candle to read this book – – it will bring it more alive! Rarely will you find a horror book that brings glory to Jesus. This book is a great read about a regular family that encounters a very unwelcome guest into their home. Read it if you have the guts!
NUMBER EIGHT: “Tell No Man.” I love this book! I put it on my list because I am drawn to it. I have read it four times and each time it brings me into a mindset that I find very rare; the main character tries to live his life as if the Bible is actually true. Sounds like a very unique idea, doesn’t it? But this book shows what a person would look like if they actually were bold enough to be bold about Jesus, or courageous enough to be courageous with people about Jesus. The writing is also very different, and it has a way of getting into the wrinkles of your mind.
NUMBER NINE: “On Writing by Stephen King.” I was given this book by some good friends and they said if you ever aspire to write, this book is a great help. I didn’t want to read it at first because I am not sure what a pop-horror writer knows about real writing…you know, like the kind I want to produce (I am so vain!). Well, Stephen King knows a lot! His advice is brilliant, and his experience is second to none. Do you want to write? Read this!
NUMBER TEN: “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” Yes, I am suggesting you read a wicked, witchcraft laced novel about a young wizard named Harry Potter. Before you judge me, I was loaned this book by a fellow minister. One day I came to the office and found this book leaning against my door. I picked it up and started reading. I was enthralled by J. K. Rowling’s writing and world of wizardry that she created. And guess what, after I finished, I didn’t renounce Christ!
BONUS FEATURE: “2185: We are Big Sis.” This is a new dystopian novel like you never read before! This book is written by a fabulous new writer, Tina Semanas, and she is brave enough to tackle the brave new world of feminist domination. Will the world be better with women ruling? Will it be kinder? Or is depravity just as real in the heart of the female as it is in the male? Read this series to find out!
Hope this jump starts some new reading adventures! I find that reading is a chance to explore the minds of people you rarely come across in a normal day. People who actually think and wonder. There is sorry few of them around these days!
