This week’s Five on Friday lists my 5 favorite books of the year. I read a lot of books each year, so it’s hard to narrow the list down to only five books. I also realize that the books I read may not be in most people’s “reading wheelhouse,” but for those few who are interested in the kind of stuff a preacher reads, here you go…
Timothy Keller is an effective Christian apologist and engaging writer. In this book, he addresses many of the objections skeptics have about Christianity. He also challenges the skeptics to truly think through their own positions since many of those positions are logically inconsistent. For the Christian, this offering is a handbook, of sorts, for answering those who are skeptical of the Christian faith, while also providing even more reasons to be confident in the Christian faith and worldview.
From the book description on Amazon: “In this book, award-winning author James K. A. Smith shows that who and what we worship fundamentally shape our hearts. And while we desire to shape culture, we are not often aware of how culture shapes us. We might not realize the ways our hearts are being taught to love rival gods instead of the One for whom we were made. Smith helps readers recognize the formative power of culture and the transformative possibilities of Christian practices. He explains that worship is the “imagination station” that incubates our loves and longings so that our cultural endeavors are indexed toward God and his kingdom. This is why the church and worshiping in a local community of believers should be the hub and heart of Christian formation and discipleship.”
I actually know this author! Chris Altrock is a wonderful preacher who also happens to write encouraging, thought-provoking, and practical books. This book is my favorite of his. In it, Chris makes the case that the Gospel of Christ is not just the news Christians are called to share with others; it is also the model of how we can share it and live it out in the presence of others.
I have been studying the subject of women’s roles in the church for many years now. This book might just be the best resource I have come across in my study. For those of us in churches of Christ, this topic has everything to do with how we interpret the biblical text. And that’s what this book examines by focusing on 1 Timothy 2:9-15.
This book is extremely helpful for anyone who is looking to be more effective and productive. It has become the template for how our ministry staff will operate in 2017 and beyond. If you’re tired of your goals getting swept away by the “whirlwind” of daily activities and busy-ness, then this book will teach you and your organization how to stay focused on your wildly-important goals that must be met.
rusty tugman 