Photo Courtesy of Hacking Christianity
MacBook Air
Like some pastors, I have the privilege of money set-aside for continuing education and books to better my preaching, teaching, blogging, and personal devotions. I had $100 left in that end-of-year money, so I loaded up ye ol’ Kindle with 10 new books. I know lots of people don’t like to read digital books, but it works for both my workflow and my ability to search for things when I think of them in the future. I’ll get to these sometime in 2015, though I’ve got plenty ahead of them in my reading list from 2014…2013…eek!
In case you are interested, my purchase list below was drawn from book suggestions by my smart friends and colleagues, as well as recommendations by websites in my Feedly. I cannot attest to the goodness of these books as I just purchased them, but I (mostly) trust the judgments of those I know and read in their areas of specialty, and it looks like an eclectic list.
General Christianity
- Connected Toward Communion: The Church and Social Communication in the Digital Age by Daniella Zsupan-Jerome
- Apprenticeship with Jesus: Learning to Live Like the Master by Gary W. Moon, Dallas Willard
- Dangerous Passions, Deadly Sins: Learning from the Psychology of Ancient Monks by Dennis Okholm
- Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life by James Martin
- Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible through Palestinian Eyes by Mitri Raheb
Society & Culture
- The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
- Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America by Linda Tirado
- Sticking Points: How to Get 4 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come Apart by Haydn Shaw, Stephen M. R. Covey
United Methodism
- We Shall Not Be Moved: Methodists Debate Race, Gender, and Homosexuality by Jane Ellen Nickell
- Denominationalism Illustrated and Explained by Russell E. Richey
Total was just over $100. What do you want to read this year?
The Rev. Jeremy Smith serves as minister of discipleship at First United Methodist Church in Portland, Ore. He blogs at Hacking Christianity.