2012
Summer Reading Ideas
Uncategorized | by Pastor Adam Sinnett
We all know summer in Seattle doesn’t start until July 5th, right? The last thing you want to do is look back and wonder what you did with your summer. It’s not too late. So, as an aside from all of the membership stuff we’ll be walking through for the next two months, I thought I’d make a number of reading suggestions – outside the Bible – to feed, encourage and strengthen your soul this summer. These are a number of books I’ve read recently which you’ll find helpful. There’s something here for everyone.
The subtitle of this book says it all, Steps for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus. If you’re new to following Jesus or looking at re-newing your walk with him, this is a helpful, simple, practical book for just that. He takes his points directly from the Bible and is incredibly Gospel-centered. I honestly wish I had this book when I first started following Jesus. It would be ideal to process this book with another person or group.
Despite the title, this is a great book for singles – especially men. It is probably the best pre-pre-marriage (the extra “pre-” is intentional) book available. The first chapter has the best explanation for the modern movement of cohabitation that I’ve ever read. It is very helpful, insightful and filled with the good news of Jesus. Jen and I are just wrapping up walking through this ourselves. Highly recommend.
Admittedly, I have “membership” on the brain, so I had to include something related to our current series. What better time to grow in your own understanding of the church and how we are called by God to be related to it? Harris does a great job of making what can be a challenging subject, very practical, helpful and edifying. You’ll get a lot out of it and, likely, get convicted along the way.
Moore unpacks the nature and reality of temptation by taking a close look at the tempation of Jesus in the wilderness as he began his ministry. Very well done. You wouldn’t want to make this the first book you read on temptation. For that, check out Tap: Defeating Sins that Defeat You, by Yancey Arrington.
This is a must read book for any of you men that feel the call to pastoral leadership at some point in the future. I’ve already inserted this into our eldership process. He ends on a helpful note in a chapter titled, “While you wait.” This is another book I wish was available 15 years ago. I would have benefited from it and trust you will as well.
Here’s something for DCC husbands. I was a little skeptical when I first picked this up, but discovered it to be a very helpful, biblical and practical book. Buzzard compares a religious view of marriage to a gospel view of marriage, while packing the end with a ton of practical advice on cutivating a marriage in which you continually date your wife.
If you really want to geek out this summer – and get your mind blown along the way – read this book. It was originally published, I believe, about 20 years ago. They re-released it earlier this year and I couldn’t be more happy they did. Don’t judge a book by its title. This is easily the best book I have read in the last five years, maybe longer. The primary thrust of the book deals with the rise of pop-culture and its influence on contemporary Christianity.