What I've Been Reading Lately

Over the last year I have read a number of books that have had a significant impact on my life. It’s been a while since I’ve recommended or reviewed any books, so here are a few that have been on my reading list.

The Barbarian Way: Unleash the Untamed Faith Within by Erwin McManus

While many people have questioned my sanity for choices I’ve made in life, I still often feel I play it too safe. Christ calls us to a life of radical obedience that often requires substantial risk, but provides significant eternal rewards and a fulfilling life. The Barbarian Way is a short read that will challenge you to unleash a radical life of faith. DANGER: If nominal Christrianity is the norm in your community, it will definitely offend and may even cause you to consider unreasonable courses of action.

Give and Take:Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam M. Grant 

The best book on being a giving person I have ever read, hands down. It provides great wisdom on being a good steward of your time, skills, emotions and resources as you aspire to be a giver. It also delves into the subject of why those who consistently take “seem” to always get ahead.  Give and Take is well thought out and well researched. This book, while not written as a Christian book, contains more depth on the subject of the gift of giving than any teaching in the Church I have ever heard.  It has definitely been a milestone book in my personal development.
 

 
 

Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue by Edwin H. Friedman

When we enter a family, a church or an organization we bring all of our past and experiences, as well of those of our family, into the new community. Generation to Generation is a deeply insightful book that will help you develop yourself personally while breaking certain negative generational patterns. If you are a leader, pastor, counselor or just a friend of someone who is seeking help, this book is invaluable in helping you walk through the process. Not just treating symptoms, or identifying problems, but helping someone become healthy as an individual. It is also for helping families and churches develop a healthy culture of self-differentiation and encouraging each member to be responsible for his or her own self.

A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix by Edwin H. Friedman

As an extension of Generation to Generation, this book looks at the anxiety of todays society and its effects on our families, churches and organizations. This clarion call for personal strength encourages leaders to live a countercultural and self-differentiated life that can bring about true change in whatever sphere of influence you may have.

CAUTION: These books by Friedman are written at a textbook academic level, not for inspirational light reading.
 

How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen

I’ve always struggled with the demands of being successful. What my heart has really always longed for was to be significant. How Will You Measure Your Life? provided a heartfelt way of measuring life by what truly matters to me as a person. Cast off societal and cultural demands and live life according to what is important to you.

The Way of The Wild Heart : A Map for The Masculine Journey by John Eldredge

Micah and I are reading through this book together. I recommend this book for dads and moms of teenage boys (It’s a great book just for dad too!) The book gives a perspective on the different stages of a developing man through the stories of the Eldredge family and their journeys into manhood. If you are like me it has been a sobering and challenging task to be responsible for fathering a young man. The Way of the Wild at Heart has truly helped me map out the process of helping a young boy move towards godly manhood through the right balance of hard work and adventure.

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy Keller

The title says it all and doesn’t need much explanation.  This was my introduction to Tim Keller as an author and I was pleasantly surprised. Keller provides depth and biblical insight that is often missing in many Christian books. He addresses sensitive topics without all the guilt, hype or sensationlism.