Who’s Reading What? is a monthly feature at Lifeway Pastors. We survey a few pastors, business leaders, theologians, professors, writers, and other culture shapers with these four questions:
What are you currently reading?
Who is the author?
Which genre is it?
Why are you reading it?
No reviews. No summaries. It is a quick list to help expand the borders of your intake.
Enjoy!
Matt Mitchell, pastor of Lanse Evangelical Free Church and author of Resisting Gossip
What: Rejoicing in Lament: Wrestling with Incurable Cancer & Life in Christ
Who: J. Todd Billings
Which: Christian Life/Theology
Why: I want to learn what I can about recovering the lost language of biblical lament. We experience so much suffering in this life, but, as Christians, we often don’t know how to interact with God when we hurt.
Aaron Armstrong, brand manager, The Gospel Project
What: You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit
Who: James K. A. Smith
Which: Christian Living/Spiritual Formation
Why: I’m fascinated by the connection between our desires and our habits. Marketing literature hsa been exploring this relationship for years, so I wanted to read a theological exploration.
What: Action Comics Vol 1: Path to Doom
Who: Dan Jurgens and Patrick Zircher
Which: Superhero adventure/graphic novel
Why: I’ve always loved comic books and different styles of storytelling, and Superman has always been a favorite.
Trillia Newbell, author, conference speaker
What: A Loving Life
Who: Paul A. Miller
Which: Christian/Non-fiction
Why: A friend posted about Miller’s book and it sparked my interest. I was mostly intrigued because of the title and the idea of a living a life focused on loving others. As I’ve gotten into the book, Miller is focused mostly on marriage but has incredible insight into the story of Ruth that applies to all of life.
Todd Wright, lead pastor, Midway Church, Carrollton, GA
What: No Limits
Who: John Maxwell
Which: Leadership/Personal Growth
Why: Personal growth
Jay Sanders, lead pastor, Towaliga Baptist Church, Jackson, GA
What: The Pastor and Counseling
Who: Jeremy Pierre and Deepak Reju
Which: Biblical Counseling
Why: I’m reading this book because I want to be a pastor, not just a preacher. Preaching is central to the role of a pastor but it is not the pastor’s only role. The pastor who cares about faithfully shepherding those under his care will devote himself to learning how to use the Bible as he walks with his people through troubled times. This excellent and practical book helps church leaders do just that.
Sharon Hodde Miller, author
What: A Praying Life
Who: Paul E. Miller
Which: Christian Living
Why: I have only ever heard rave reviews of this book, and it has not disappointed. His thoughts on prayer and cynicism are such a word for our times.
Alan Cross, regional director EIT, Global-Urban Strategist at Montgomery (AL) Baptist Association
What: Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis
Who: Matthew Soerens
Which: Current Events
Why: It’s a timely book about the global refugee crisis and how the church should respond. Now, more than ever, Christians in America need to be equipped to understand how to respond and help relief the suffering of tens of millions displaced peoples around the world. Seeking Refuge is the best resource available for how to do that.
What: Leading Across Boundaries: Creating Collaborative Agencies in a Networked World
Who: Russell M. Linden
Which: Non-Profit/Charitable Organization
Why: It’s helping me better understand how to develop and lead teams for the purpose of collaboration, problem solving, and to accomplish big tasks with many partners. We talk a lot about team leadership, but I have not found many books that so practically address the challenges and opportunities involved in collaboration across domains and organizations as Linen’s work here.
Courtney L. Moore, writer
What: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Who: C. S. Lewis
Which: Fiction/Fantasy
Why: I’m reading it aloud to my 5 year old son. I want him to be exposed to and love good, classic literature especially if it portrays Jesus’ death and resurrection in a story-like form he can understand. C.S. Lewis does this so beautifully in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
What: Christian Worldview: A Student’s Guide
Who: Philip Graham Ryken
Which: Christian Education
Why: It’s required reading at the classical school where I teach.
Marty Duren, executive editor, Lifeway Pastors
What: The Devil’s Delusion
Who: David Berlinski
Which: Philosophy/Science
Why: Because Berlinski, ever the acerbic agnostic, provides a delightful skewering New Atheism’s “scientific pretensions.” It’s my third reading of it.
Feel free to add your What, Who, Which, and Why in the comments.