Top Ten Books Read in 2025

This is the eighth year that I’ve been writing these posts. This past year was particularly busy and challenging, so I didn’t get to read as much as I had hoped. Let’s just say certain opportunities in my church and priorities in my family took precedence and reading got relegated to the back burner for about six months. The focus of my study this past year centered on three major themes—biblical counseling, secular theory, and creativity (poetry in particular). I hope you enjoy these reflections and find something from my list that you can pick up and read in the new year. Notice, I snuck in an eleventh book.

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Top Ten Books Read in 2024

It’s hard to believe that today is the last day of 2024. It’s been a great year. While our church plant has become independent and continues to grow, I, too, am growing as a pastor. This means that I’m learning to balance shepherding, sermon prep, administration, counseling, fitness, and family life with good reading habits. I’ve added some audiobooks to keep up with my goals. Reading is necessary and formative. Good books are timeless and timely. They engage the mind by interacting with and challenging influential modern assumptions that we unconsciously imbibe on a regular basis. I need good books to awaken me from my slumber and arouse me from my stupor. I need good books to challenge my thinking and sharpen sharpen my skills. I need good books to motivate me to live for the cause of Christ and truth in a world committed to neither.

Here are the top ten books that I enjoyed the most and have had a profound impact on my life and mind—

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