Happy New Year! In case you are looking to increase your reading list, allow me to recommend a few of my favorite reads from last year. These are not listed in any particular order.
1. Transforming Discipleship – Greg Ogden
This book was assigned reading for the C.S. Lewis Fellows Program (thanks CSLI!). I’m completely sold by Ogden’s method for discipleship. I have often felt the traditional “small group” model used by most churches is somewhat lacking in producing spiritual growth. Ogden believes transformation and spiritual growth happen best over the long term, through consistent personal relationships. Rather than pursuing growth through “small groups” of 5-12, Ogden has seen the most effective growth in “micro groups” of 2-4. Because there is such a big need for discipleship in our congregations, it is tempting for disciplers and church leaders to be driven by short-term impact, desiring to see everyone “plugged in.” The downfall is that this often reaches many on a surface level, and no one on a deep level. The micro-group approach actually reaches more people, in a more transformational way, over the long run.
Fight every impulse in your being that says ‘We must see results by next month (or even in the next six months).’ Intentionally growing people takes time. You can’t accomplish as much as you like in the short run, but you will be able to see far more than you can imagine in the long run.
2. All Things Wild and Wonderful – Kobie Krüger
Krüger has a delightful sense of humor and infectious wonder for nature. She recounts her years living at Crocodile Bridge in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Much of the book recounts her family’s experience raising a rescued lion. As you can imagine, there were many adventures along the way. This is a fun read if you need something easy, but not quite in the mood for fiction.
I decided I would put up a sign next to the paved path: BEWARE OF THE LION AND THE SNAKE. But this struck me as sounding a little dramatic, so I thought that perhaps BEWARE OF THE FLOWERBED would sound better. But I wasn’t sure.
3. Just Asking – Stuart McAlpine
Just Asking is a book on prayer, specifically asking prayer. McAlpine argues that asking is the essence of prayer, and when we cease asking (even if we continue to pray in worship or thanksgiving) we have lost an essential communion with the Father which reflects a hardness of heart. I know for myself, prayer can feel very complicated, especially when prayers have gone unanswered. McAlpine’s book brings back some of the simplicity of talking with God, encouraging child-like asking, while also addressing the hard topic of unanswered prayer. One insight was particularly helpful to me: McAlpine says all our asking is a response to the Spirit’s request for us to come to him and ask. “Love loves to be asked for what Love loves to give.” Thus, even if our prayers are misguided, we still pray because of the Spirit’s work in our hearts. It is good for us to ask God how he is asking us to pray. Sound complicated? Read the book – McAlpine goes through it better than I can!
When explicit asking ceases, spiritual simplicity goes out the window and fleshly complexity comes through the door of our ‘mature’ prayer rooms.
4. The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life – Jeremy Pierre
This book is not a light read – no surprise since it addresses the workings of the human heart! Pierre breaks down the main dimensions of human experience to beliefs, desires, and commitments. These aspects function dynamically, one leading to another and vice versa. The complex, interactive nature of human hearts is reflective of God’s own triune nature (we are made in his image after all). However, because our hearts have been corrupted by sin, their complex function has turned into complex dysfunction, corrupt at every level. Thus, our hearts have mixed emotions, commitments, and beliefs which we ourselves are hard-pressed to understand. Pierre’s book walks through various angles to help counselors get at the underlying issues of the heart and work towards restoring beliefs, desires, and commitments which worship God.
Only when God is the central object of belief, of desire, and of commitment will all other beliefs, desires and commitments fall into line.
5. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount – Martin Llyod Jones
I began reading this book in 2022, and initially did not anticipate it would work its way up to the top-cut. However, over two years of reading various chapters, I discovered this is a good reference-book for a variety of topics in the Christian life. (This also was a CSLI resource). If you think about it, Jesus covers quite a lot in the Sermon on the Mount, and Llyod-Jones’ commentary has been helpful in expounding a number of topics. I believe this volume is also available in audio format on YouTube.
If you’ve read any of these books, leave a comment and let me know what you thought of them!