- The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self – Carl F. Trueman
- It has been since the early summer, but this book helped put into philosophical and practical terms where I find myself. This cultural moment so to speak. The book highlights the intellectual ideas and histories that have led us to our current moment. For me his conclusion was extremely compelling.
2) A Burning in My Bones – Winn Collier
- Eugene Peterson is one of my heroes. This autobiography is beautiful, painful, sincere, and rousing. Left feeling the deeper longings of the soul that Peterson articulates so well in his writing, a deep yearning to be a saint. To live a life of love. To become like Christ. This book will inspire you.
3) Live No Lies – John Mark Comer
- I have listened and followed John Mark for about 4 years now. His teaching and dialogue with Mark Sayers on This Cultural Moment captivated me. Practicing the Way (his website of teaching and resources) has helped my own spiritual journey. This book has informed my teaching and thinking about the Devil, the Flesh, and the World. I have often thought that pastors in the more progressive secular cities I should listen to as they see the cultural myths and lies on offer more clearly in extreme form. But those same lies on offer in Portland are on offer here in Small-Town Missouri. I am grateful for greater awareness of the enemies of my soul and the resistance Jesus is calling me to.
4) The Second Mountain – David Brooks
- This book surprised me. I enjoy reading David Brooks, but was not expecting the deep engagement with spiritual formation authors. He paints a compelling picture that the “good life” is one of maximal commitment, a deep giving of oneself to something. He highlights our cultural moment well and inspires a different way. I found myself motivated to more firmly commit to a place, to a vocation, to my beliefs, to my family.
5) Alexandria – Paul Kingsnorth
- Paul Kingsnorth is one of my favorite authors alive today. He feels like a British more hip Wendell Berry haha. This novel captures some of Kingsnorth’s favorite themes and left me in tears and hopeful. It is creative, strange, and quite novel.
6) Pilgrim at Tinker Creek – Annie Dillard
- My first foray into Dillard’s work, magical. Her powers of attention are incredible. I honestly was overwhelmed by the level of detail, but was moved to worship and tears multiple times as she spoke about the most ordinary sights. I love an author that can genuinely see and invites you to see beyond the veil of distracted and glazed-over sight to the deep enchanted nature of the world.
7) How (Not) To Be Secular – James K. A. Smith
- I make it a practice to read everything that James K.A. Smith writes. This book puts, for me at least, into usable categories and terms the overwhelming work of Charles Taylor. This book was great to read before I read The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self as well. If you are interested in pursuing deep transformation, you have to know where you are. This book outlined for me one take on the cognitive and intellectual ethos I exist in.
8) Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist – Paul Kingsnorth
- A collection of essays challenging the progress notion and our techonological totalitarianism – all written before COVID. It is an interesting collection and full of beautiful writing.
9) When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
- A beautifully written tragic memoir of a full life. Paul’s story is full of beauty, meaning, joy in the the midst of tragedy, loss, and death. This book and the one above reminded me of the powerful questions death confronts us with, and we avoid, until we can’t.
10) Emotionally Healthy Discipleship – Pete Scazzero
- This book is still working on me. It is the kind of discipleship I need to change deeply. It is the kind of pastor I want to be. The ind of culture I am hoping to create as I lead a church and my own family. His basic thesis has stayed the same through the years, “You can’t be spiritually mature, if you are emotionally immature.” One of the more challenging books you will read if you engage it honestly.
11) Bonus: Being Mortal – Atul Gawande
- This book will leave you angry, sad, and hopeful for what could change. A heartbreaking look at the state of life in general in America, mainly by looking at the context of medicine and end of life. What really does matter in the end? I was reminded of the beauty of life and how to steward it all the way to its inevitable end, death.
Of course, I read Wendell Berry most of the year, but it was mostly rereading. Jayber Crow is still top book ever. The Unsettling of America is still the book I think about most often.
Fiction Series I loved – Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson
My reading took a big hit this year with the addition of our second child and a big garden. Totally worth it.
To Be Human 