Rather than review a book or a blog this week, I want to write about some of the books that impacted my life. Most of them are several decades old, but here goes…
• He Loves Forever by Tom Olbricht. OK, it wasn’t just this book; it was also the fact that I had Dr. Olbricht in class at that time. He taught me to let the Bible itself define which subjects are most important. That may sound obvious, but it was a concept that had a major effect on my understanding of the Bible.
• How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth by Douglas Stuart and Gordon Fee. Again, a book that taught me about how to interpret the Bible. The idea of discerning the different genres within Scripture had a major impact on how I read the Bible.
• Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. I received this as a gift from the first couple for whom I performed a wedding ceremony. I didn’t grow up studying spiritual disciplines like fasting, meditation, etc. Foster’s book opened my eyes to these practices. The chapter on simplicity was also important in my development.
• Language Acquisition Made Practical by Thomas and Elizabeth Brewster. This book not only discussed non-traditional language learning but also introduced the concept of bonding to me. This had a major role in helping me decide to skip going to a language school before going to Argentina. I’ve never regretted that decision.
• Friendship Factor by Alan Loy McGinnis. While I’m still basically a shy person, this book came along at a time when I was learning to interact with others more effectively. It’s a book I read several times during my college years.
These are by no means all of the books that influenced my development over the years. But I think they are books that have had a place of significance in leading me to where I am today.
Feel free to share some of the books that have impacted you.
2 and 3 are brilliant!
I keep meaning to get a copy of 1, but I keep forgetting. Maybe that’ll be my next ILL request.
the first three are in my top 10, maybe top 5, as well
Rubel Shelly, “I Just Want to be a Christian”
Jurgen Moltmann, “Theology of Hope”
Christopher J. H. Wright, “The Mission of God”
oh yeah, i forgot:
NT Wright – What Saint Paul Really Said (started my NPP journey)
CS Lewis – Mere Christianity (kicked my Christianity into gear)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer – The Cost of Discipleship (title says it all)
Dallas Willard – The Divine Conspiracy (started my “missional” journey)
That’s funny Nick, because I normally would put something by NT Wright on the list but forgot as well.
-Rex
“Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper was a great book. It helped me to see the importance of living my life to the glory of God.
“Up Close and Personal: Embracing the Poor” by Harold Shank, Anthony Wood, and Ron Bergeron motivated me to get involved in urban ministry.
“Children Mean the World to God” by Harold Shank gave me great encouragement as my wife and I were going through the adoption process. It helps readers understand the importance of children in God’s sight.
“Wisdom Hunter” by Randall Arthur was a novel about a legalistic and self-righteous preacher who destroyed his family with his insensitivity to their needs. It tells about his loss of faith and the journey back to God and his grace. It told an awesome story.
Thanks guys. Lots of great thoughts… and great books!