The real story here is not Mickey Mantle’s health but his character. (Nonfiction)
Realism and Hope
If restoration means something for those of us who are part of a restoration tradition, then it’s time to reimagine what we mean by the term.
“Waiting for Eden” by Elliot Ackerman
Efficiency is one of the most underrated characteristics of truly great preaching. How much can I say in very few words? (Fiction)
The Bill of Rights
How does my understanding of myself as an American citizen with these guaranteed rights inform my view of gospel living?
How to Please God
When a biblical writer says something like “this is pleasing to God,” we’d better lean in and take a close look because that sounds important.
“Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
If you are going to read two post-civil rights books on race, there are two short classics that I would recommend. (Nonfiction)
Seeking Awareness of God’s Presence
One of the marks of spiritual growth is a constant sense of God’s abiding presence through the good and the bad in our lives.
Forgive and Remember
When someone who has been hurt in a way that will forever mark their path, telling them to forgive and forget is cruel and unwise.
“The Plot against America” by Philip Roth
Roth takes seriously how nationalism, nativism, race hatred, and fear of the other can turn dangerous and then deadly. (Fiction)
The Spiritual Marathon
I love it, but running hurts. It isn’t fun. It is work. Teaching your body to push harder and faster is exhausting. Dealing with constant low-level soreness is no cake-walk.
Summit: Congregational Leadership Pathway
In the congregational leadership pathway we will take up the critical question: What does the future look like for Churches of Christ?
“Traffic” by Tom Vanderbilt
Any book about traffic will certainly wind up being a book about human nature. A mere scan of the chapter titles would have you scrambling to buy this book. (Nonfiction)
Where Do We Go from Here?
What if there was an alternate path that could lead us beyond sectarianism while still allowing us to hold on to all that is valuable in our heritage?
The Not-So-Cheerful Giver
It does make a person wonder what exactly these brothers did to make the Corinthian church pay up.
“The Corrections” by Jonathan Franzen
It is a long, sprawling family drama, which is actually a straightforward accounting of a dysfunctional family coming together for one last Christmas. (Fiction)
We All Want to Be Seen
If you walk into a pre-K classroom and tell one child you like their socks, within seconds you will have 15 four-year-olds all showing you their socks. We all want to be seen.
A Bigger Tent: The Secret to Church Unity (Part 3)
If we are to be unified in the church, we’ve got to find something bigger to unite around, and the mission of God in the world may be the only thing that fits the bill.
Christians Must Think about Why We Are Good Neighbors
We must be good neighbors if we are to follow the second greatest command: love our neighbor as ourselves.
“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman
This is a book about how people actually think. It helps us to understand how we make decisions in the real world. (Nonfiction)
Doing the Right Thing
In the story of Zacchaeus, we see two clear examples of what it looks like to push back against accepted culture and instead do what is right.