2017 Reading

2017 Reading

Every year I try to read more and read better. A few years back, Jon Acuff started the #EmptyShelf project, with folks sharing their reading each year by adding books to a…(wait for it)…empty shelf. So here are the books I’ve read in 2017 so far, and a quick review. Hopefully find some great books to read.

2017 Reading

Imagine Heaven by John Burke
I first heard about this book from a series Carey Nieuwhof preached at Connexus Church. I recommended the series to a friend who had some questions about death and ended up listening to all 6 sermons in one day! I picked up the book the next day and read it in 2 days. John wrote a fantastic book about near death experiences and what we can correlate them to in scripture. This is a fascinating and fantastic read. Some folks might be a little highbrow over the entire concept, but I highly recommend the book AND preached series. You can find John Burke’s resources to preach the series here.

Deep Work
Cal Newport wrote a fantastic piece for anyone who practices thought work and needs to find the time to work better. This whole idea started off with a few conversations with my friend Isaac and went deeper on an episode of Productive Pastor. It took a longer time for me to read, but I kept find myself soaking and wanting to go deeper and deeper.

What Is The Bible
A few years ago, Rob Bell was castigated, called a heretic, and left his church. This is his first book since the controversial Love Wins, and it is fantastic. I picked it up on a whim, I heard about the book listening to an episode of Robcast. I was curious as to what it would be like and what Rob’s ministry looks like right now. I was only a few chapters in when I realized how good this book was. It is 97% not-controversial. If you love his style of exegesis and story-telling, pick it up.

Resources for better reading

Do you want to read better? Here are some resources on reading and keeping up with your reading.

Why You Need To Build A Trello Reading List – Blog Post

How To Read For Maximum Effectiveness – Productive Pastor 26

Previous Years Reading Lists

2014 reading

2015 reading plan 

2015 reading (#fail) 

My 5 Favorite Reads of 2016

My 5 Favorite Reads of 2016

My 5 Favorite Reads of 2016

I like to read. I like to read casually, I like to read intentionally. I have lists of books I want to read…and I will also stumble across something and put everything else absolutely down.

So I wanted to make a list of my favorite reads of 2016.  Each book is wildly different and somewhat totally unrelated. If you are looking for more books to read in 2017, I don’t think any of these will disappoint.

My 5 Favorite Reads of 2016

 

– Tools of Titans | Tim Ferriss

I’ve read this 700+ page book in the last week. It didn’t come out until December, but I went through it super quick. Besides the few chapters of the research into psychedelics , I didn’t find a single bit of content unrelated to me life. Ferries is a noted (let’s just say THE noted) lifehacker. He compiled this book from his guests off the award winning podcast he hosts and produces. Every 4-5 page chapter is sharing the best window from countless practitioners around the world.

 

– Center Church | Tim Keller

I read this book slowly in the beginning of the year. I need to read it again. Actually, I will probably always be flipping through this book. I was excited to see they have sectioned portions of it out into easier to carry copies since Center Church looks and thumps like an Algebra textbook.

Keller’s thesis is that God has a distinct theological vision for each city, and the role of the Church is finding her place, conversations, neighborhoods and other points of intersection with this message. It is a clarion call to gospel uniqueness.

 

– American Buffalo | Steven Rinella

Rinella is an outdoorsman, hunter, chef, writer and television personality. I’m a big fan of his show Meateater. If I pointed anyone who isn’t a fan of meat/hunting to someone to help them understand…it would be Steven Rinella.

American Buffalo is both the story of a once in a lifetime hunt and the story of the animal known as the Buffalo. Going back and forth, we see into the depths of the hunters quest but also how we almost lost this gracious animal. Anyone should read this.

 

– Socio-Rhetorical Commentary Series | Eerdmans press (primarily Ben Witherington III)

A few years back I stumbled into a volume of this scripture commentary. It was handy and I thought I might need to add it to my normal list when I am hunting for new biblical study resources. Over the last year I have been buying up the whole set. I studied under several of the authors, but that didn’t really affect my interest.

For anyone who wants to understand the world, customs, behaviors and sociological contructs behind the New Testament, any of these volumes would be handy. I actually do find myself reading them cover to cover.

 

– The Life of A.W.Tozer in Pursuit of God | James L Snyder

I love a good biography. And I love A.W. Tozer. I recommend Pursuit of God constantly to folks. I’ve always been on the lookout for a decent biography of Tozer and I have found it. I don’t think I have ever read a book faster than this one. It was a great look into the life of someone who has influenced so many people.

I’m excited about 2017 reading and how I am going to learn. I haven’t done the #emptyshelf project in a few years and I am going to focus more on it this year. If you are looking at a way to be strategic about your reading, check out my post on using Trello for reading lists.