Reading is my passion! 

Over the course of 27 years, I’ve read countless number of books on various topics.  I enjoy everything from great Christian “classics” to modern, contemporary literature.  It’s not uncommon for me to have two or three books going at the same time.

Kim (my wife) and I truly enjoy going to the Christian bookstore.  Once inside, we tend to go in different directions.  She starts with new arrivals and then moves to biographies.  After that, she searches for certain authors in the Christian Living section.  Finally, she spends the rest of her time listening to praise and worship music.

I too like to start with the new arrivals but quickly move on to certain sections: Church Growth, Leadership, Discipleship, and Evangelism.  I like “how to” books; those with transferable concepts that can be taught to others.  Teaching is also one of my passions.  I truly enjoy passing along knowledge and wisdom to others; watching them grow and mature.

Our bookshelves at home overflow with books.  Some people even ask us if we are building a library.  What can I say?  We really like to read!

Despite the fact that Kim and my repertoire of literature are different, we both focus in on certain topics together.  These include books on relationships, building community, and contemporary church.  We believe reading keeps us “teachable” and open to fresh ideas.  This includes daily reading of our Bible, which starts out our mornings.

The following is a short list of Christian literature Kim and I highly recommend.  Most are currently on the shelf in Christian bookstores; others you may have to order.  Whether you are going through a “paradigm shift” in Christian transformation or simply need encouragement for tomorrow, these books may help.

Revolution by George Barna
Get Out of the Pit by Beth Moore
The Secret Message of Jesus by Brian McAllen
This Present Future by Reggie McNeal
Where Do We Go from Here? by Ralph W. Neighbor
Be a People Person by John C. Maxwell
Top Performance by Zig Ziglar
The Church in the Workplace by C. Peter Wagner
The Performance Factor: Unlocking the Secrets of Teamwork by Pat MacMillan
Connecting by Larry Crabb

Most of these books were written during the last number of years.  They reflect current thought about church and ministry.  For those of you looking for a specific topic of interest, I might be able to recommend some excellent works. 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007 at 2:22 pm and is filed under Church Growth, Organic Transformation, Team Dynamics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.