What I am Reading

Ever wonder what your pastor is reading?  On this link, I will give you a snapshot of books that I am currently reading or in some cases, re-reading.  It is an invitation for you to pick up a good book.  Or email me one of your favorite books, pastor@thewellumc.com.

Currently Reading:

Why?   Adam Hamilton.  Where is God during suffering, natural events?  Rethink images of God during these times.

Start with Why:  How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.  Simon Sinek.  A look at successful leadership in corporations.  What makes their success possible?  Good reading.

The Soul of Money:  Transforming Your Relationship With Money and Life.  Lynne Twist.  Discussion about the relationship with personal assets and changing the world.  Will challenge your understanding of stewardship.  She spoke at my son's graduation at Centenary College this year.

Imaginary Jesus. Matt Mikalatos.  Really funny book about a man's search for the real Jesus in the midst of all the fake Jesus created by the world and himself.  Be sure and enjoy the "Eight Ball Jesus".   Written by a Baptist!

Recently Read:

Sacred Rhythms:  Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation.  Ruth Haley Barton.  Look at life's desire for transformation.  Do I desire God?

Journey in the Wilderness   Gilbert Rendle.  Elder's retreat book.  Good book about leadership and organiational efforts of the church. 

The Ministry of Intercession   Andrew Murray.  A freebie on the Kindle.  Good thoughts about interecessory prayer.

Walt Disney's Way.  New Word Press.  Another Kindle freebie.  Interesting perspectives on Walt Disney's successes and failures.

Choose Love  Not Power.   Tony Campolo.  Good book about relationships and Jesus' commandment of love. 

Coming Back Strong  Drew Brees.  Good book for football plans.  Shows the journey of Drew Brees' life.

When Christians Get It Wrong.  Adam Hamilton.  Another culturally relevant discussion about the faith and the church.

My Father's Tears by John Updike.  

Googling God: The Religious Landscape of People in Their 20's and 30's.  Mike Hayes.  A Roman Catholic perspective on reaching younger generations.

 Whisper of River by Ferral Sams.  Wonderful story of a Southern Baptist who was "raised right" meeting another world at college.

Red Letter Chrisitans by Tony Campolo.  He calls it a citizen's guide to faith and politics.  Examines current issues and how faith and politics mix.  A call to the kingdom of God rather than a political party. 

Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White by Adam Hamilton.  Subtitles it thoughts on Religion, Morality, and Politics.  A pastor's perspective on how to keep your faith without dogmatism.  Maybe middle ground is not as bad as some portray it.

A New Kind of Church--A Systems Approach by Dan Dick and Evelyn Burry.  Picked this up at Annual Conference.  Offers the position that the program mega church must move towards an attitude of "spiritual journey and relationships" rather than just activity after activity.  Give a copy of this to your pastor and leadership.  Thought provoking.

Take This Bread by Sarah Miles.  A true story about a woman who comes to understand the Communion Table as the table where the hungry can come and be fed.  Her journey is unique but very interesting.  Writes in the style of Anne LaMonte.

Because of Romek: A Holocaust Survivor's Memoir  by David Faber.  Hard reading of the treatment of human beings during the Holocaust.  His promise to his mother to live got him through the difficult times.

The Signature of Jesus on the Pages of Our Lives by Brennan Manning.  Book about radical discipleship.  He utilizes the Bonhoeffer concept of "cheap grace" to challenge our living discipleship.

Who Will Be Saved? by Bishop William Willimon.  Ever wonder about salvation and what it means?  This book gives you some great theological insights as well as confronts you with the question of  salvation in the Christian faith.  Good United Methodist perspective on salvation.

I am Potential: Eight Lessons on Living, Loving, and Reaching Your Dreams by Patrick Henry Hughes.  Insights to life given by a unique child of God.

Church Unique:  How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture, and Create Movement by Will Mancini.  It is a book written for those wishing to take a different approach to planning.  Good book for clergy and leadership in local churches.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah.   A shocking recollection of boys caught up in war.  I must admit that I forget that children are subjected to inhumanity of humans.   Harsh but eye opening.  You will be tempted to skip over the more gruesome parts of the book.  Do not do this as it will keep you from grasping the whole journey.

Why Men Hate Going To Church  by David Morrow. Have you noticed that there is a shortage of men attending most churches?  David Morrow leads us through some observations that make church more appealing to females than males.  He then offers the question that maybe these observations have some relevance for why some generations are not attending church as well.  

The Shack by William P.  Young.  Turns out to be one of the best books I have read, even though it is fiction.  It leads one into a thoughtful reflection upon the understanding of the nature of God and evil.  The book also teaches a powerful lesson about grief and forgiveness.  Read it with friends and then discuss it. (September book club selection)

Same Kind of Different as Me  Ron Hall & Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent.  A modern-day slave, an international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who bound them together. 

The Return of the Prodigal Son  Henri J. M. Nouwen.  Seeing a poster of Rembrant's The Return of the Prodigal Son sent Henri Nouwen on a long spiritual adventure.  In this book he shares what led him to discover the place within us where God has chosen to dwell. 

Life With God  Richard J. Foster with Kathryn A. Helmers.  A guide to approaching the Bible through the lens of Christian spiritual formation.  Rather than reading the Bible for historical knowledge, literary appreciation, or religious instruction, what if we instead allowed it to transform us? 

Three Cups of Tea  Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.  The story of peace and education in Pakistan.  The difference of one man's life in another world.  A must read for our world.  Slow reading but great ending!

My Daily Prayer Books

These are books I keep by the place where I do my daily prayers.  They have been helpful in my prayer life over the years.

       When You Pray  Reuben R. Job

       A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baille.

          A morning and evening prayer.

     Guide My Feet by Marian Wright Edelman.

          A collection of prayers for the children of the world.

     When You Pray by   Reuben Job