Any time that you have spent on my blog (Thank You) and you will see that I love books. In fact, at times I'm still bewildered at my love for books because up until the time of Jesus calling me to Himself, I never enjoyed reading. I did it because I had to, but never really did any reading on my own and outside of the classroom. In fact, before my conversion the only books I had ever come to enjoy were Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Cinderella Man by Jeremy Schaap, and Nothing's Sacred by Lewis Black.

As a new Christian, I learned that I could read quickly and retain the content well. I thoroughly enjoy reading my Bible and journaling my thoughts, prayers, and process. During my infancy of my walk with the Lord I began to ask what other people were reading and I was presented with a few decent books here and there--a few that I wouldn't recommend, but the more I read and ask questions, the more I began to dive deeper into theology and its application as it relates to life today, not merely the study of it.

Today, I thought I would hook you up with the "Fall 16" reading list (in no particular order). These are books that I have either already read this year or books that I will be reading as the end of the year approaches. I have been greatly inspired by many of these books and their authors and am eager to get to the pages of others; hope you enjoy.

1. Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry by Paul David Tripp
I first read this book a few years ago while living in Denton, TX and it simply convicted the crap out of me. Paul Tripp not only gives light to the realities of pastoral ministries, but the temptations that many pastoral leaders battle as a result of the pressure put on them by themselves or others in addition the dangerous places leaders go when they step away from accountability and the preaching of the gospel to themselves.

2. Gospel Eldership: Equipping a New Generation of Servant Leaders by Robert H. Thune
I read this book earlier this summer and absolutely fell in love with it. It was deeply convicting to me as a pastor and leader; journaling and following through with the exercises help me tremendously. Bob Thune essentially breaks down the call to pastoral ministry by providing scriptural references that provide a start to what is to come and then he challenges (or encourages) you by asking questions that force you to evaluate your heart on your life, marriage, and leadership in light of the gospel. I'm not walking through this with several other men and it's been very fruitful.

3. A Theology of Biblical Counseling by Heath Lambert
I stated reading this book a few weeks ago and so far it's a great read because as the title suggest, it's a walk through of counseling from a biblical perspective with sound doctrine. I think many have picked up books on counseling by christian authors and they're essentially self-help books or pockets of good advice absent of the gospel. Lambert makes the argument that counseling is a theology and by expanding on it's biblical implications we can better serve others who are in need.

4. The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson
I will be the first to confess, I am horrible at repenting. By this, I mean, I struggle with setting time aside and actually repentant. When I drop the ball, I aim to quickly resolve the situation but am also genuine about it. However, I am quick to forget about repentance; it's like Catholic guilt--working off my sin which isn't' biblical. This book has helped me dive into the depth that is repentance and how it relates to my relationship with the Lord and as Watson argues is a means of grace.

5. Holiness by J.C. Ryle
I have not started this book yet, but J.C. Ryle is a beast. He was a bishop in Liverpool during the 19th century and into the early 20th century and had a good reputation with the working class. What I have loved about his writing from articles or blurbs is that he's incredibly systematic--by this, I mean that his thoughts are well organized and detailed coupled with truth and grace. I love that in a person because it shows that they're not one or the other. Many who are systematic can be cold and abrupt and many who are only warm and gracious tend to shy away from the truth. J.C. Ryle is a great example of both gifts.

6. Taking God At His Word by Kevin DeYoung
I recently wrote a review on Kevin's book. You can check it out here. In short, it's a great quick read that covers the doctrines of the sufficiency, clarity, authority, and necessity of scripture in a manner that is both simple and practical, but also weighty enough that if you choose to further study these doctrines, he provides sources.

7. Experiencing the Trinity: The Grace of God for the People of God by Joe Thorn
I wrote a review on this book a few months back, you can check it out here. In short, I'm a big fan of Joe Thorn and what I love about his books is that he writes them in the form of a devotion--short and to the point regarding the topic at hand so that you can rest and meditate on what you just read.

8. Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole by Eric Mason
Dr. Mason makes a great point when he says that there isn't enough written about men and the gospel--if there were, the problem with prolonged adolescence would be fixed. I couldn't agree more. Dr. Mason's book is a great exhortation to men who find themselves lost in their adolescence at age 28. In other words, you're not a kid anymore! However, there are some things that we must consider before jumping on some of these "boys who can shave." There is real hurt and struggle-Dr. Mason provides great insight on the gospel as it relates to the whole man.

9. Friend of Sinners: An Approach to Evangelism by Harvey Turner
I do not have the gift of evangelism. I can evangelize, but evangelism is a struggle for me. Harvey Turner's new book is a must have because he is creating what he has told me to be a "gospel ruckus." This book was very challenging to me in light of evangelism to where it challenged me to step out in some areas and also reassured me that I'm doing okay in others. If evangelism is an area where you struggle with, I highly recommend it. Review coming out next month.

10. The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions by Arthur Bennett
Right now, this is my go-to book for prayer and meditation. I love hearing stories of the Puritans and their prayer life; I'm envious because I wish to have a deep life of devotion and prayer. The Valley of Vision is an excellent source for extended prayer and learning on what more to pray on and how to pray.

11. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
I'm currently reading this book and I am loving it. It looks a little intimidating because it's a little thick, but rest assured Donald Whitney keeps you engaged on the importance of Spiritual Disciplines and what they actually are (the reading of God's Word, prayer, etc.). While I haven't finished it, I highly recommend you pick up a copy because it deeply convicting and a helpful reminder of what we as Christians do what we do; it's not random but purposeful.

12. A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission Around the Table by Tim Chester
I haven't started this book yet, but have been wanting to read it for some time. I found it at a Half Price books while in Dallas and immediately picked it up. I have read a few excerpts from the chapters in this books and they've been encouraging, especially for our missional community. Essentially, Chester's argument is that sharing a meal together is not only missional but theological--an important part of Christian fellowship.

13. Morning and Evening by Charles Haddon Spurgeon
C.H. Spurgeon is one of my favorite theologians and as soon as I learned about him, I picked up everything I could. Morning and evening is an absolutely wonderful devotional. It takes you through the entire year and you read an excerpt in the morning and the another in the evening before going to bed. The purpose is to rest, apply, and meditate on the grace of God throughout our life; the daily.

14. Am I Called? The Summons to Pastoral Ministry by Dave Harvey
I wrote a book review on this book several months ago, you can check it out here. This book was one of my favorites on pastoral leadership and ministry. In fact, I had my interns read through it and then submit a response. I think one of the most valuable chapters, to me, comes at the end where Harvey argues that a man waiting for a call is not a man sitting still. I think that's deeply profound especially after he's expanded on the biblical qualifications for men in pastoral leadership/ministry.

15. Kingdom Come by Sam Storms
I just got this book in the mail the other day and I'm pretty excited about it. I'm a big Sam Storms fan and have had the privilege of meeting him a few times and he's absolutely gracious and kind. This book came as a recommendation that I saw on Joe Thorns Facebook page on the eschatology (the end times). In the past, I've held a very simple position on my perspective of eschatology and that is that one day Christ will return. Truthfully, I still hold that that perspective and I also wish to grow a deeper and better understanding of eschatology and I think this book will provide that insight.

16. Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell Moore
Russell Moore is such a great write and a great representative of the Christian Faith. I love his books and there's actually one I've read that isn't mentioned here (maybe another post), but Adopted for Life is one I'm very excited to dive into because my wife and I are passionate about adoption. Our story is that we are not able to have biological kids, but God has provided us with a vibrant and amazing son (Chango) and we look to adopt more kids in our future as our family grows. For me, when I first understood what adoption meant it was like the gospel was even more crystal clear. I think this is going to be a fantastic book on the subject of adoption. My wife and I along with a few other friends are looking to raise awareness on adoption this fall in addition to starting a ministry of adoption in our church early next year.

That's all I have. It's lengthy but I hope it helps! What have you read this year? Any books on your list before the year ends? Comment below!

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