Books play an important role in a leader’s life. Charlie Jones famously said, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”
I don’t think I’d go THAT far, but reading and learning certainly are important!
Tim Keller once said, “Christianity is a thinking man’s religion.” It doesn’t ask us to blindly believe in something for which there is no evidence or truth. It requires us to engage our minds. There is so much emphasis on the mind in the New Testament.
We are to:
- Love God with all our mind (Matt 22:37).
- Set our mind on the Spirit (Rom 8:6)
- Be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom 12:2)
- Be mature in our thinking (1 Cor 14:20, Phil 3:15)
- Think about what is true, honorable, etc. (Phil 4:8)
- Set our minds on things above, not on earth (Col 3:2)
- Have a humble mind (Phil 2:5, 1 Pet 3:8)
Reading is a great way to engage the mind. Of course, the Bible is the ONE book that shapes your mind and thinking toward the Lord. Every leader ought to have a plan for the daily intake of the Bible.
On top of that, good books help shape and sharpen my thinking and development.
Put it into Practice:
I’m always trying to read a mixture of 4 major types of books: Spiritual Life, Theology, Leadership, and Biography.
This is what I’m reading this summer:
**Note: You can get any of these books on Amazon by clicking on the link or the picture. In fact, if you do I earn a small commission. I use that to pay the fee to host this website!
Pleasing God by R.C. Sproul
I’ve been trying to learn when pleasing God turns into performance. I want to challenge myself and others towards obedience without having man-made standards.
Reappearing Church by Mark Sayers
This book has been highly recommended. Mark Sayers is a genius studier of culture and worldwide trends. He’s also a pastor. This book is imagining what could happen to the Church in the coming days.
The Second Evangelical Awakening by J. Edwin Orr
This is one of the history/biography books I chose. I’ve been wanting to focus on my prayer life this summer and know that was a big part of this revival in history.
The Soul Winner by Charles Spurgeon
I can’t remember how I came across this one. I read somewhere about being leery of new evangelism strategies. I figured it might be good to read about some old ones!
From Megachurch to Multiplication by Chris Gallanos
I’ve wanted to learn about multiplying movements and imagining how a local church could do that. This one actually tried it! It’s the story of a church in Lubbock that changed their strategy.
The Possibility of Prayer by John Starke
I picked this book to keep with the theme of developing a prayer life. It’s supposed to talk about prayer in the midst of the pressure of productivity.
Called to Lead by John MacArthur
I love MacArthur books because I know he is going to take the topic to the Scriptures. This is a leadership book looking through the life of the Apostle Paul.
One of the things I love about being on staff with StuMo is our staff development track. Every 3 years we go through a different series of books and resources to train our staff. We meet every week to discuss what God is teaching us. In the fall and spring, it is heavy on theology and leadership. In the summers we try to focus on personal issues and ministry skills. Having been to seminary I can say that our development track is on par with what someone would learn in seminary!
Here is what our staff will be reading together this summer.
A Ready Defense by Josh McDowell
We are specifically focusing on religious cults and how their theology twists and distorts the gospel. It will help us to identify false gospels and better witness to students.
In This Generation by Todd Ahrend
This is a missions book outlining the impact college students have made on the Great Commission throughout history.
The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
We want our staff to have an eternal perspective when it comes to finances. This book will challenge us to be good stewards of the resources God entrusts to us.
What are you reading this summer?
Pick one of these and read along with me! I’d love to hear about it!
