Whenever I meet up with lead pastors, planters, youth ministers, and other Christians the topic of “What are ya reading?” comes up. I then go into my deer-in-a-head-lights look because I have a horrible memory. It’s not that I DON’T READ. Far from it.
I read like a freak.
If I only read one book a year or even one a month, I might not have such a tough time remembering, but I’m always wading through piles of books. Here are some of the ones that have made it to the top of the pile. Some are newer, others are older. I encourage you to buy, borrow, download or whatever (don’t steal though). Somehow, get these goodies in you.
Like I tell my kids all the time: Leaders are Readers.
Messy: God Likes It That Way by AJ Swoboda
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Other’s Die by Chip & Dan Heath
Practice Resurrection by Eugene H. Peterson
Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman
The Three Signs of a Miserable Job: A Fable for Managers (And Their Employees) by Patrick Lencioni
Move: What 1,000 Churches Reveal about Spiritual Growth by Greg L. Hawkins and Cally Parkinson
Deliberate Simplicity: How the Church Does More by Doing Less by Dave Browning
Sticky Teams: Keeping Your Leadership Team and Staff on the Same Page by Larry Osborne
It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It by Craig Groeschel
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin
In, But Not Of: A Guide to Christian Ambition and the Desire to Influence the World by Hugh Hewitt
Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership by Steven Sample
The Pastor: A Memoir by Eugene H. Peterson
Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion by Wayne Corderio
Making a Meal of It: Rethinking the Theology of the Lord’s Supper by Ben Witherington III
The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk
How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In by Jim Collins
Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald
Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus by Kyle Idleman
Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard