“Pastor Ray, What Have You Been Reading Lately?”
October 13, 2011
When a friend asked me recently what I’ve been reading, I didn’t have a quick answer because I had to go home and check my iPad. Basically I don’t read anything these days that isn’t in ebook format.
Before I give my list, here are three caveats. First, this isn’t a complete list. These are the books that made an impression on me. Second, I’m still reading some of them. Third, this isn’t a list of only Christian books. It’s a list of books I’ve been reading, some from a Christian viewpoint, some not.
Storm Warning by Billy Graham. The world’s best-known evangelist points to the increasing signs that the Second Coming may be near at hand.
The Gift of Church by Jim Samra. A beautifully written apologetic for what the church can be and should be. Before you give up on the church, read this book.
An Uncommon Union by John Hannah. The history of Dallas Seminary written by a highly-esteemed DTS professor.
The Big Short by Michael Lewis. The story of the great financial collapse of 2007-2008, written by the author of “The Blind Side.” A sobering reminder that when you think something is impossible (i.e., the near-total collapse of the financial markets), you make it more likely that the impossible will actually happen. A good read.
The Fall of the House of Zeus. The rise and fall of one of America’s best-known trial lawyers. Greed knows no political party.
The Deep Things of God by Fred Sanders. The best, most readable, and far and away the most enjoyable book on the Trinity I’ve ever read. You wouldn’t think a book on the Trinity would be fun to read, but this one is.
The Shooting Salvationist by David R. Stokes. I’m just over halfway through this story of how famed fundamentalist preacher J. Frank Norris shot and killed D. E. Chipps during a confrontation in the pastor’s office at the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas in July 1926. The murder trial that followed gripped the nation.
Princes of the Church by W. Robertson Nicoll. A collection of eulogies for some of the greatest British preachers of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Nicoll knew them all and knew how to assess their true impact. The closing lines of his tribute to Spurgeon always stir my soul.
American Insurrection. The story of the deadly riots that accompanied the integration of the University of Mississippi in 1962. Hard to believe this happened in my lifetime.
Radical by David Platt. The surprise best-seller of 2010. Read it and be challenged to the core. Platt doesn’t mess around.
The Radical Disciple by John Stott. This was the final book John Stott wrote before his recent death at the age of 90. In it he briefly sketches out what it means to be a “countercultural Christian” in the 21st century.
God is Not One by Stephen Prothero. The author demolishes the notion that the great religions of the world basically teach the same thing. They don’t. Not even close.
A Thirst for Souls by Dan Crawford. The largely-forgotten story of Percy Crawford, an amazing man who played a key role in the rise of the evangelical movement from the 1930s to the 1950s. Written by his son Dan.
Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln. Cogent advice for public speakers, illustrated with abundant anecdotes, by a former presidential speechwriter.
Concise Theology. Just what its name implies. J. I. Packer covers the spectrum of Christian belief in a series of brief essays.