What books do you need to read in 2014?

As we entered the new year a host of blog writers shared their top reads of 2013.  Regular readers of this blog know that I was among those who shared such a list.  I enjoy reading those lists because they often expose me to books I did not know was written.  After reading one such list I bought three of the books on the list for my Kindle.

My hope is you are a reader, and that you have a list of books you're planning to read this year.  The reason I hope that is because few things will shape you and your ministry more than the books you read.  As I've written before, leaders are readers, and if you read this blog you are likely a leader.

While I will select some books to read on a whim, much of my reading is intentional.  Many of the books I choose are books that speak to specific topics I might be interested in.  When I was a pastor I spent each summer preaching through a book of the Bible, so at the start of the year I would buy various commentaries and other study helps that focused on the biblical book I had chosen to preach through that year and begin to read them.  One year I decided to focus my devotional reading on books written by apologists so I purchased several books of that genre.  Because so much of my interest is in the areas of bivocational ministry and leadership I look for books on those topics to read.  This year I plan to re-read a number of books in my library I found to be great reads because I know I can learn even more from those books by re-reading them.

I would recommend you develop an intentional reading plan if you do not already have one.  What goals have you set for your church, your personal life, and your family?  Do you need to read some books to acquire the knowledge you'll need to achieve that goal?  Is there a hobby you're interested in pursuing but aren't sure what all it might entail?  A good book or two could be a great help.  Are there some theological issues you struggle with?  Reading can help you find the answers to those challenges.  Maybe you need to develop some new knowledge or skills to advance in your job.  Instead of wishing you had that knowledge or those skills begin to study to acquire them and go after that promotion.

Let me share what I've read so far this year and why.

The Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow by Mark Miller is an excellent book on developing as a leader.  He points out in his easy-to-read book that the most important leadership tool we have is our heart.  When we have the heart of a leader we will find that people want to follow us.  As I stated above, one of my primary focuses is on leadership so I try to read several books on that subject each year.  The next such book I plan to read is Hacking Leadership: The 11 Gaps Every Business Needs to Close and the Secrets to Closing Them Quickly by Mike Myatt.  I will begin this book this week.

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions is written by Gregory Koukl.  This is one of the books that I discovered from one of the "favorite reads" post by another blogger.  Koukl is an apologist who provides his readers with clear and effective ways to address the questions and concerns people have about Christianity.  I believe this book will help me be a more effective evangelist.

A few weeks ago I purchased a box of books at an auction, and in the box found a copy of Payne Hollow: Life on the Fringe of Society by Harlan Hubbard.  Harlan and his wife Anna started out as shantyboaters on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers before finding a spot on the river known as Payne Hollow.  This spot was just a few miles down river from where I live.  In the early 1950s they built a house there and lived a simple life largely self-sufficient from the conveniences of the modern world.  I seem to remember seeing them once or twice when they came into town to purchase the few things they could not provide for themselves.  Hubbard was a very well-known artist in this area, and his paintings today sells very well.  They often hosted college students, professors, and others who wanted to know more about their lives, and I have spoken with some who had visited them in their home.  I've wanted to read about his life for some time, and when I found the book in that box I knew now was the time.  It was such a fascinating read of a man and woman who determined to live a simple life that I completed the book in two days.

For my devotional reading right now I am re-reading The Cross of Christ by John R. W. Stott.  I first read this book in the late 1980s or early 1990s and felt led to re-read it now.  It has not disappointed.  After one has been a Christian for some time and hears (and preaches) so many sermons related to the cross of Jesus Christ it becomes easy to lose some of the awe and appreciation for all that it means.  Much of my devotional reading this year will be theological books that have some real substance to them, and this has been a great start to that reading.

As you can see, I have reasons for selecting most of the books I read, and I encourage you to also become intentional about your reading.  Your reading will shape you in so many ways so read well this year.