Here is a list of ten books I have read last year that made quite an impact in my life.
Designed to Lead by Eric Geiger.
Areally helpful book on leadership development. Changed how we did ministry this year for Victory Greenhills focusing on building leaders for the world. Through this book, we have redesigned our leadership development and our outreach initiatives.
2. Sticky Leaders: The Secret to Lasting Change and Innovation.
In relation to Designed to Lead, we had to make some changes and innovation. This book by Larry Osborne helped us make some tough changes and how to implement it.
3. Effective Intercultural Communication by Scott Moreau
My professor in Wheaton in Intercultural communication, Dr. Scott Moreau in this book gives us practical steps on how to be effective in intercultural communication because we live in a diverse society. This also changed my attitude about other cultures being slower in criticizing and seeing things in their perspective – though it will still be a long road ahead for me to traverse.
Another convicting book on being a cross-cultural Christian. This is a great book resource for those who are going on short-term and long-term missions. It changes your attitude towards different culture. My take home is that I don’t know anything when it comes to another culture and I have to be a student of the culture I am trying to reach.
5. Jesus the King by Tim Keller
I’ve been blogging about the book of Mark after reading this book by Tim Keller. The book of Mark will never be the same for me again. Tim Keller has a way of making the Scripture come alive and relevant to where we are. I highly recommend this book as a study resource for the book of Mark.
6. Multiplication Challenge by Steve Murrell
My favorite leadership book of the year not just because of its content because I have seen this applied in our movement. Pastor Steve writes another winner with this book helping us go back to the basics of leadership development and igniting our passion to multiply ourselves in leadership.
My only basketball book of the year. Read this during the break and was surprised to come out learning leadership principles in this book through the life of Lebron James. I don’t like Lebron though he is the most talented player in the NBA now and reading this book made me not want to be like Lebron James.
8. The Day the Revolution Began by NT Wright
Disturbing yet good. You love to like it and there are pages where you seem like you don’t like it. Maybe that’s NT Wright style. But what impacted me about this book is how the message of God’s kingdom is revolutionary and transformative. Changed how I see the gospel with this book! Don’t fully agree with Wright but still a challenging book!
9. The Homiletical Plot by Eugene Lowry
Our required reading when Professor Dave Ward of Asbury came to Manila. No doubt one of the best books on homiletics. Preaching is an art and this book confirms it. Was wondering if Andy Stanley got some of his preaching concepts from this book with the similarity of the Lowry Loop and his ME_WE_GOD_YOU_WE structure. Would say this has more depth than Stanley’s communicating for a change and is more preacher leaning.
10. Eat this Book by Eugene Peterson
Never used the message version before reading this book but after all the readings on intercultural communication and then reading this book, I appreciate Peterson’s heart to make the Bible understandable to our culture today. Might be hard for people who are dogmatic about Bible translations but Peterson imparted his love for the word and his pastoral heart in this book. Again, would not agree completely with this book due to some cultural differences but at the same time, changed by reading this book.
I have been meditating on the Scripture more after reading this!
BONUS:
11. Reimagining Evangelism by Rick Richardson
Our Wheaton professor Rick Richardson wrote this book for a new generation of evangelist who wants to reach a postmodern / post-Christian audience. Definitely a good read for pastors and leaders.
One response to “Ten Books that Changed Me in 2017”
Thank you for sharing Ptr Dennis. One book the that changed my perspective about sharing the gospel is from Carl Medearis’s “Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism”.