When Brian and I stopped being the co-pastors of a local college aged ministry we handed the reigns over to William Guice (rhymes with dice) – a friend I wish I made more time for. He’s one of those guys who reads a few dozen books a year…and understands them. But he doesn’t act like it. Do you know what I mean? It’s like all the information goes to his brain, not his head. Refreshing. And tonight he gave me my favorite gift so I like him even more than I already did.
Books.
They’re the only objects I ever want as a gift. Keep your clothes and technology. Give me words. Which I’m sure makes me a geek but…a geek with lots of heavy books lying about for hurling at people who call me names so go ahead, try it.
One book’s called Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus In Contemporary Context
So thanks instead, William.
You know of something I should read? Tell me about it.
Sorry about the ticket by the way.
1)My favorite book and the only book I’ve read more than once. “Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel.
I get to see him speak at Harvest Church (Calif.) Nov 4th.
2) Maybe “The Moody Handbook of Theology” by Paul Ennis
3) “No more Christian nice guy” by Paul Coughlin
4) “Searching for GOD knows what” by Donald Miller
5) “ Mormons answered verse by verse”
by David Reed and John Farkas. This book got me thinking and led me to a question that one of my best friends and a mormon can not answer. I.e.: The priesthoods are by blood according to history. So then Joseph Smith could not have been granted their decident because he isn’t blood. No mormon can answer this and it crumbles the cornerstone of thier religion.
6)”Letters to a young brother” by Hill Harper <– This is obviously by the name more towards a black audiance but this dude is smart and although it looked weird for a bald headed white guy to read this in the airport, I still did.
“The Irresistible Revolution” by Shane Claiborne. Amazing and so intense for me. I want to figure out what it means for me and I want my husban to read it, I want my friends to read it, I want my parents to read it…I WANT THE PRESIDENT AND EVERY MEMBER in ANY POLITICAL CAPACITY to read it. It’s soo good!
Oh and if you were a girl…or maybe even though you’re a boy, Francine Rivers ANYTHING by her is awesome!
The Nature and Character of God by Winkie Pratney. Required reading. I was privileged to go to the same church as Winkie and work at a ministry where he taught. Winkie is a guy who reads 8 books in a week and does reports on all of them (or, at least used to). Plus, he takes notes whenever anyone speaks. Could be me, you, Billy Graham…doesn’t matter. Very real, loves Jesus.
crunchy cons by rod dreher
deep economy by bill mckibben
better off by eric brende
the hippie guide to climbing the corportate ladder and other mountains by skill yowell
that should get you started. i have more and will readily provide when asked.
book number 4 should read ‘by skip yowell’
I echo the recommendations of “Irresistable Revolution” and “Deep Economy”.
Also in the realm of nonviolence books: “What about Hitler?: Wrestling with Jesus’s Call to Nonviolence in an Evil World” by Robert Brimlow. Deep, yet accessible; not afraid to deal with difficult questions and includes meditations/prayers before each chapter that are brutally honest.
“You Too Can Prepare Sushi” by David Omato
Life Changing.
I’m not much of a book reader, so the books I like, you’ve probably already read ^_^
I love books too! My to-be-read pile is really a small room.
Having said that, we read totally different kinds of books. I’m sure my suggestions wouldn’t appeal to you.
Have you read anything by Ravi Zacharias? Frederick Buechner? Philip Yancey? Those are my fave non-fiction folks.
The conspiracy of kindness. I’m in the middle of reading it and it’s pretty great. It’s a simple idea, but one that’s counterintuitive to human nature.
i am america (and so can you!) by stephen colbert
The Least of These by Wes Stafford
(I’m sure you have a copy)
Beth