I’m at the North American Christian Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. The NACC asked me to teach a seminar on what leaders are reading. Soooo, here’s my list . . .
In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. The big idea behind Batterson’s book is this: “What if the life you really want, and the future God wants for you, is hiding right now in your biggest problems, your worst failures . . . your greatest fears? “Mark makes the case that God is waiting for people to overcome their biggest problems, allow God to use their worst failures, face their greatest fears. And if we do . . . let the adventure begin!
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt. In his book, Levitt argues that many apparent mysteries of everyday life don’t need to be so mysterious: they could be illuminated and made even more fascinating by asking the right questions and drawing connections. For example, Levitt traces the drop in violent crime rates to a drop in violent criminals and, digging further, to the Roe v. Wade decision that preempted the existence of some people who would be born to poverty and hardship. (Hmmmm.) Elsewhere, by analyzing data gathered from inner-city Chicago drug-dealing gangs, Levitt outlines a corporate structure much like McDonald’s, where the top bosses make great money while scores of underlings make something below minimum wage. (Ineteresting.) And in a section that may alarm or relieve worried parents, Levitt argues that parenting methods don’t really matter much and that a backyard swimming pool is much more dangerous than a gun. (Fascinating read.)
Sex God by Rob Bell. SEX GOD is the title of Rob Bell’s second book. His first book, “Velvet Elvis,” is one of my favorite books of all time. If you haven’t read it, it is a MUST READ. SEX GOD is about a lot more than sex. I tried to find favorite quotes to share with you, but the chapter titles themselves say enough.
Chapter one: God wears lipstick.
Chapter four: Leather, whips, and fruit.
Chapter nine: Whoopee forever.
SEX GOD is raw, transparent and will draw you closer to the heart of God (The One who invented IT).
Confessions Of A Reformission Rev by Mark Driscoll. This is the story of the birth and growth of one of America’s most innovative churches–Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington. Mars Hill is one of America’s fastest growing churches located in one of America’s toughest mission fields. It’s also the story of the growth of a pastor, the mistakes he’s made along the way, and God’s grace and work in spite of those mistakes. With a good bit of sarcasm and some laugh out loud humor, Mark exposes both himself and the church he leads to help all of us become better Jesus followers and church leaders.
Too Small To Ignore by Wess Stafford. Wess is one of the most amazing leaders I have ever encountered. Too Small gives us fascinating insights into how God has developed him as a leader as well as casting a blazing light on the Biblical mandate that we MUST care for children. This is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ for every emerging church leader!
The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman. Friedman is not so much a futurist, which he is sometimes called, as a presentist. His aim in The World Is Flat, is not to give you a speculative preview of the wonders that are sure to come in your lifetime, but rather to get you caught up on the wonders that are already here. The world isn’t going to be flat, it is flat, which gives Friedman’s narrative much of its urgency.
What Friedman means by “flat” is “connected”: the lowering of trade and political barriers and the exponential technical advances of the digital revolution that have made it possible to do business, or almost anything else, including ministry, instantaneously with billions of other people across the planet. Definitely food for thought.
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling. Okay this one hasn’t even been released yet. At 12:01 A.M. on July 21st more than 20 million copies of Rowling’s new book will flood the market. If you want to stay relevant to contemporary culture you need to at least know why the Potter books are making such a global impact. AND, you might just become a Hogwart’s fan yourself.
Made To Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. This is a book every communicator must read. The Heath brothers have done extensive research to discover what makes certain ideas and messages “sticky.” As much as many of us leaders would love to believe that people actually are remembering what we’re saying, the vast majority of what we say is lost before people even leave our presence. Ouch! Made To Stick at least gives us a fighting chance to get the most important message the hearing it deserves.
So what books do you recommend?
Hmmmm….
I was really moved by “Our Hands are Stained with Blood” by Michael L. Brown. I’ve mentioned that one before. It’s about the Church’s treatment of the Jews throughout history, but it really applies to the Church’s treatment of every other person or people group that does not conform to Its faith, past and present. Brown does a great deal in discussing how to repair the stigmatisms and broken relationships that our own follies have caused. For example, there’s one section where he talks about intercessory repentence…that’s the part where I realized that people have been hurt by the Church, and the Church has done nothing to heal that hurt…but I am part of the Church, and I can heal where I am. It’s where I learned to apologize to and empathize with nonbelievers, even if I didn’t do anything wrong, and in doing so, start healing the wounds left by those who’ve come before me. One of the main themes of this book is that people often reject God, and it has nothing to do with Him and absolutely everything with how we, as Christians, conduct ourselves towards others.
Another good book is “Dear and Glorious Physician” by Taylor Caldwell. It’s a fictionalized account of the life of Luke from childhood. Luke didn’t grow up in a Christian household, and all his life he struggled with the idea of God and the constant suffering of Man that he saw all around him. It kind of reminded me of the book of Habakkuk a little…a man struggling with the nature of God and why bad things happen to good people, from a medical perspective…diseases without cures, etc. In the book, Luke has a lot of anger issues with God and asks the same questions that a lot of people ask today, but it also includes Luke’s conversion and his life-long search to find Jesus, who’s birth he’d heard about.
Good list. One thing that baffles and concerns me is that a lot of leaders I speak to don’t read fiction. Some of them even make a point of saying that they don’t have time for something as frivolous as fiction. For one thing, I think history would show that fiction can be powerful (as Harriet Beecher Stowe).
Greg, I know you read fiction and quite a lot of it. Are any other leaders reading fiction? A lot of people in this world are reading novels. What about it?
Yes, Yes! Give us your personal fiction list!! =D
This year I did: “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Dumas; “The First Men in the Moon” by H.G. Wells, “Madman” by Tracy Groot, “King Arthur & His Knights of the Round Table” by Howard Pyle, “This Present Darnkess” by Frank Peretti, “Dear & Glorious Physician” by Taylor Caldwell, “The Balloon Hoax” by Edgar Allen Poe, and I’m about to engulf myself in “Don Quixote” by Miguel Cervantes. =D
“The Gutter” – Craig Gross
“Spotting The Sacred” – Bruce Main
“The Face” – Dean Koontz
“The Historian” – Elizabeth Kostova
“From Baghdad with Love” – Jay Kopelman
“Dangerous Wonder” -Michael Yaconelli
“Next” – Michael Crighton
And I can’t wait to read “Stripped” and “Jim and Casper Go to Church” – my friend’s going to loan them to me. Hopefully for my plane ride to Ecuador later this month.
-Rick
Hey Marty,
I think a lot of people are reading fiction but are hesitant to admit it. I personally love fiction. I love classics and I love “burn-through” beach reads. Many times it’s fiction that reminds me of why I enjoy reading so much. All work and no play . . .
Hi Rick,
“Stripped” and “Jim and Casper” are sitting on my desk for you!
The Secret – What Great Leaders Know and Do by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller(not to be confused with the other “the Secret” by Rhonda Byrne.
The Blanchard/Miller book can easily be read in one sitting (maybe 90 minutes depending on your reading speed). It’s a leadership book written in story format. It’s principles are simple, yet profound.
If a significant number of us embraced the values and practices suggested in this book, the world around us would certainly change for the better.
I don’t want to steal any thunder from the book – just read it.
A few I’ve read this summer that I highly recommend… “Jim & Casper Go To Church” – guy hires an athiest and they visit a bunch of churches together; very insightful. Anne Lamott is also a favorite – if you’ve never read her before start with “Traveling Mercies.” Be warned…she’s free with the language. Read two contemporary missionary stories. First was “In the Presence of my Enemies” by Gracia Burnham. Amazing story. Also read Steve Saint’s “End of the Spear.” It’s different from the movie, but full of great stuff.