Recently on iPreach, Dale Jenkins and I interviewed Gary Knuckles, who preaches for the Lord’s Church in Briensburg, Kentucky. We talked about books. No surprise this became the longest podcast in iPreach’s short history! If you have not yet heard the show,
click here and enjoy.
Following that podcast, I received an email from my good friend, Wes Hazel. He preaches in Tompkinsville, Kentucky. While we don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like, email is a constant. He is also a book-lover, and he sent me an interesting email. I have taken out some of the personal stuff, but here is the basic “bones” of the email he sent:
Hey Adam
I just listened to your podcast with Gary Knuckles on books. It was very good. I don’t know why, but I feel compelled to send you a list of the top ten books that have inspired and taught me. I would love to see a similar list of yours.
1. The Preciousness of Preaching by Eldred Stephens…I have never read anything more encouraging and inspirational for preachers.
2. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs…WOW…if you have not read it you have to get a copy for Leah
3. It Came From Within by Andy Stanley…You will have practical sermon ideas for months.
4. Hard To Believe by John McArthur…You will think you are sitting at the FHU Lectureship.
5. Every Man’s Battle by Arterburn and Stoeker…Hits you right between the eyes.
6. Winning With People by John Maxwell…People skills will make or break someone.
7. Alive in the Spirit by Jimmy Jividen…We don’t need to be scared of the Holy Spirit.
8. Rock Solid Faith vol 1 and 2 by Bert Thompson.
9. Choosing To Cheat by Andy Stanley…About working too much and neglecting your family
10. Visioneering by Andy Stanley…Based on Nehemiah like your book. I suppose
I really like Stanley.
I thought some of you would like to see another preacher’s “favorites” list. I don’t know if this will go anywhere, but if you would like to send me your top ten, feel free. Do this in one of two ways to have your list on the blog:
1. Post a comment to this article.
If I get several lists, I don’t know if I will post them all, but I’d like to. I may collect some a have a larger post if several come in close together. I think those of us who like books also enjoy seeing what volumes others find interesting and helpful.
Feel free to send those lists in! One rule to this: if you have comments about the books (like Wes did), please keep them very brief. We want this to just be a list, not a running commentary on your library.
Let’s see those top 10’s!
4 Comments
e6eleven
This is rather hard because I am an avid reader, but here is my list of ten books. I tried to pick some books that I thought others would not pick, and also left off some that were mentioned in the previous list, that said here they are (in no particular order):
1.The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell- this is a must read for ministers
2.The Pig that wants to be Eaten by julian Baggini- for the thinker in all of us
3.Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan- simply a classic
4.When Bad Christians Happen to Good People by Dave Burchett- just the title gets you!
5. Justice in the Burbs by Will Samson- a great call to action
6.Raising a Modern-day Knight by Robert Lewis- great for me since I have 3 girls
7. Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson
8. Radical Restoration by F. LaGard Smith
9. Who is My Brother- also by F. LaGard Smith
10. Anything by CS Lewis
Matthew
Thank you to everyone who provided a book list to read. Love seeing these.
blogprophet
cool, gary and I go back 30 years, i will listen to that.
as a bookaholic, i would add
Supremacy of God in Preaching by Piper
Celebration of Discipline by Foster
Dangerous Duty of Delight by Piper (okay, like CS Lewis I would recommend anything by Piper)
How to REad the Bible for All its Worth by Fee and Stuart
Anonymous
Hi Adam,
I appreciate your blog and the good ideas on it. I too am an extensive reader and it is difficult to pick just ten books, but I will try. These books are not listed in any particular order, but are ones I find myself coming back to over and over. Hope its helpful.
1. “Hardeman’s Tabernacle Sermons,” Vol. 1-3, by N.B. Hardeman. I simply devoured these books as a young preacher. I learned as much HOW to preach as what to preach.
2. “Questions and Answers: Open Forum,” Vol. 1-2, by Guy N. Woods. A gold mine of information on many interesting and challenging issues. Anything written by bro. Woods is worth reading.
3. “The Search For The Ancient Order,” Vol. 1-4, by Earl I. West. The definitive treatment of the Restoration Movement by the premiere historian on the subject.
4. “J.D. Tant, Texas Preacher,” and “Nannie Yater Tant: Reminiscences Of A Pioneer Preacher’s Wife” both by Fanning Yater Tant. Biographies that will make you both laugh and cry and show what a priviledge it is to preach the gospel.
5. “Parables In Profile” by Wayne Jackson. Best book I know of on the parables. Like bro. Woods, anything bro. Jackson writes is worth reading.
6. “McGarvey’s Sermons” by J.W. McGarvey. Also his “Original Commentary on Acts.” Brilliant, yet simple sermons from one of the finest scholars in the history of the church.
7. “The Warren-Flew Debate” by Thomas B. Warren and Anthony G.N. Flew. An absolute demolition of atheism by bro. Warren. Sparked my passion for apologetics.
8. “The Case For Christ” by Lee Strobel. A future classic in Christian evidences. Overwhelming case for the resurrection of Christ. Read Strobel’s other three books in “The Case For…” series also.
9. “Charismatic Chaos” by John F. MacArthur, Jr. Classic refutation of pentecostalism. MacArthur is my favorite evangelical writer. Beware of his Calvinism, otherwise his books are outstanding.
10. I’m a big fan of debates, so I want to list some of the ones that have been very helpful to me: “Hardeman-Bogard Debate” by N.B. Hardeman and Ben M. Bogard; “Boswell-Hardeman Discussion on Instrumental Music” by Ira Boswell and N.B. Hardeman (classic defense by bro. Hardeman–the last word on the subject);
“Porter-Tingley Debate” by W. Curtis Porter and Glenn V. Tingley; “Woods-Nunnery Debate” by Guy N. Woods and A.U. Nunnery; “Highers-Bingham Debate” by Alan E. Highers and W. Eural Bingham (absolute demolition of anti-ism); “The Warren-Ballard Debate on the Plan of Salvation” by Thomas B. Warren and L.S. Ballard; “Campbell-Rice Debate” by Alexander Campbell and N.L. Rice; and “Nichols-Weaver Debate” by Gus Nichols and C.J. Weaver.
This list went on a little too long, Adam, and I am sorry about that. Nonetheless, I hope this list is helpful to you and others. Thanks for the chance to respond.
Brotherly,
Travis L. Quertermous
Dexter Church of Christ