1. The Bible – the Bible continues to amaze me that I can’t help but read it everyday and learn more about God and about myself in light of who God is. I think the Bible is the only book that you can devour and read fully accepting every principle and lesson learned as infallible and time tested. Check my blog on what the Bible is basically about to appreciate it more, click here
2. Death by Love by Mark Driscoll – after reading this book while on a mission trip to HongKong – the way I view things that happen in life totally changed. Jesus and the gospel is manifested in all the problems we face and the solution always goes back to what Christ did at the cross. His death at the cross showed us the way. Highly recommend for every pastor and church leader to read this.
3. Getting Naked by Pat Lencioni – VULNERABILITY is my favorite word for the past 3 months. A leader needs to be vulnerable if he wants to gain the trust of his team. Authenticity is not just a buzzword – it is a leadership tool that everybody must know and practice. Check out my vlog on Vulnerability. http://www.youtube.com/user/cluelesschurchtv#p/u/3/UeoxVLvGQIM
4. Religion Saves by Mark Driscoll – I know I am a Driscoll fan. I love how he has made doctrines and theology simple and relevant for the next generation. This book is a compilation of questions asked by his church and he answers every question biblically – pointing them to the answer – Jesus. My interest for Christ-centered preaching is on an all time high. I love Jesus and Jesus is the ultimate hero.
5 and 6. Compelled by Love by Ed Stetzer – after reading this book it has made me love people more the way Christ loves the people. Every Christian must learn to love – unconditonally the way Jesus loved us while we were still sinners. We are called to be missional. This book is a great companion for Ed Stetzer’s book Breaking the Missional Code which I discussed at our School of Campus Ministry. Also a must read.
7. Daddy’s Home by Greg Yorkey – found this old book in my personal library and started reading it because the title got me interested. With two daughters – I need some help on time management and balancing work and family. Got some good pointers from it.
8. Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller – sex, money, fame, power the new god of this age that continually fails and destroy more lives than ever. So why is man continually pursuing and worshipping this gods? How can Christ solve the greatest need of men? What does the Bible say about the gods of this world. Read this compelling book to find out.
9. Linchpin by Seth Godin – might be the last book Seth Godin will publish. Real artists ship. Real artist practice emotional labor. They put drama and life in their work thus making them indispensable. Be the next linchpin and read this. Check out this site for Linch-Pinoys and also this site New Media to help you achieve personal success in your workplace
10. Confident Parenting by Jim Burns – president of Home World and former youth pastor Jim Burns talks about how we can confidently parent our kids by God’s grace. A lot of good advice and principles that are biblically based and effective.
11. The Chris Farley Show – I usually try to read one leisure book every year and this year I chose this one because I am a Chris Farley fan. “Big guy in a little coat”. His life of fame, drugs, recovery and back to drugs is tragic. Stirred up my passion to help those addicted to drugs.
12. Five Temptations of a CEO by Pat Lencioni – a business fable. Simple but so true and applicable for leadership.
Currently reading:
13. Sticky Teams by Larry Osborne – gem of a book with how to handle church staff and elders. Though Larry’s church structure is different from Victory, the principles are timeless. His chapter on 6 things every leadership team needs to know was already worth the investment I shelled out for the book.
14. Doctrine by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Bershears – a book to clarify the major doctrine of the Christian faith. Get this right and change how you live. The doctrine we believe shapes how we live.
15. How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins – reading this book prepares you for the road ahead especially if God is blessing your organization. It is so easy to move in pride. The Bible is pretty clear and blunt – God opposess the proud but gives grace to the humble. This book applies to churches and business altogether. Makes me wonder if Jim Collins is a brother in the faith.