What Are You Reading these days?

I thought it would be fun to give you an idea of what I’m currently reading. I like the way my friend Mark Arant let us in on his reading list (fun blog by the way – check it out at http://www.metropuritan.blogspot.com/ ) Here’s a pic of all my friends laid out on the table in my office.

Clockwise from the top:
POWER HEALING by John Wimber. Status: Finished
I love the self-effacing manner of this great man of God who I believe history will show has had a monumental effect on the church. He lays out a wonderful overview of Healing ministry in the scripture. Then he gives an utterly practical model (praxis) of how to not only pray for healing, but how to see it happen in one’s church. This is an area that I’m thinking a lot about right now.

THE WORKS OF JOSEPHUS (5 VOL) by… duh. Status: I’ll be reading this the rest of 08.
One of the things that I’ve tried to do through the years is to deliberately read those things that I really SHOULD read, or have read, a little at a time. This is how I read through the Qur’an – about 20 pages a week for a bunch of months. Josephus is one of our most important sources for what we know about the sitz em leben (historical life setting) of Jesus.

THE VAGABOND VIRGINS by Ken Kuhlken. Status: about 30%.
Ken goes to Journey & was kind enough to give me a copy of his latest book. It’s a novel set in San Diego about 20 years ago. So far I love it!

THE SHACK by William P. Young. Status: finished in my last desert time.
You GOT TO READ this book. More later.

CHANGED by Michalene Fredenburg. Status: Finished
I read this whole book in conjunction for prepping last weekends message. This is a VERY IMPORTANT BOOK. I’m going to blog on it this week. I promise!

ALOHA SURF GUIDE by Rusty K Farrell
Rusty has become a friend of mine due to sheer number of people I’ve sent his way for a surf lesson. He’s a great surfer, really nice guy & a great teacher. For my mid-western pals, looking through this book might help when you feel like its been too long since you’ve seen the ocean.

LISTENING TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE by Lois Tverberg & Bruce Okkema . Status: Finshed
This is fun little book that those of you who are doing a lot of teaching might want to buy. It takes various central Hebrew words & phrases & gives a little insight into what they meant. It’s not really a “Theological Dictionary” it’s more devotional in nature.

On Deck:

The Myth of a Christian Nation by Greg Boyd
Based on a series that grew his church from 5000 to about 2500 (I may have the numbers wrong, but lots of folks left over this series). How can you not want to read this? Trevor Ford, a former Fresno homie is now on staff at this church and sent me this book & the sermon series CDs. If I ever write up an “all time favorites” book list, there will be a couple of his books on the list.

The Reason for God by Tim Keller
Tim is one of those really smart pastors. He is the pastor of a growing & very dynamic church right in the heart of Manhattan, that is reaching a lot of people that most of us not only don’t know how to reach but are scared of.

Send The Light by Jon DePriest.
Jon goes to our church & gave me a copy of this book that is a based on his doctoral dissertation. I love reading of God at work & trying to learn how we need to get in line with what He wants to do today. If you think about it, the lion share of the Bible is history.
The Kingdom Triangle by J.P. Moreland (not pictured)
This is actually on the top of the stack. It’s supposedly a groundbreaking book so several of us are reading it. I’ll write on this later.

“So when do you have time to read all this stuff?” Believe it or not, I only set aside 20-30 minutes of non message prep reading per day. I read this tip from John Piper in his book to pastors called, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals (you’re like – “you’re telling me!!!”). Anyway this was one of his tips. He sets aside three 20 minute reading times per day aside from any specific message prep. I do at least one. I’m surprised by how much you can read if you just do a little every day. Sometimes I’ll set aside larger blocks, but mostly this is it.

Can you do maybe 5 minutes per day to read something that will grow your mind or heart?

BTW – Laker v. Spurs tonight! I’ll be praying!