My Top Five Books of 2022

I once heard someone say that the two keys to life are running and reading. Running because when you run a little person on the inside of you tries to convince you to stop or you'll die. If you can learn to defeat that little person, you'll learn not to quit when life gets tough. Reading because billions of people have lived on this earth before you and faced the problems you are now facing. Whatever you're going through, someone has gone through it before and written about it in a book. Will Smith said all that years ago while accepting a Kids' Choice Award. I think he gave some pretty good advice. While I wouldn't go as far saying that running and reading are the "keys to life" I do believe they add great value to your life.

I'm a strong believer that leaders are readers. Even God chose to write His law not just on the hearts of man but also on the pages of a book so that we would be shaped and molded as we read it.

Some advice for anyone wanting to develop a healthy reading routine:

1. Keep a book list that you can add to when you hear about books that interest you. This will help you never go long in between books. The longer you take in between reading, the harder it is to get back into the habit.

2. Don't read your books like you read your Bible. Don't read your Bible like you read your books. I think it's important to keep Bible reading sacred and prioritized. So, if time forces you to choose, always go with God's Word. It's active and sharp, but it is to be meditated on, not just consumed.

3. Only read multiple books at the same time if you've learned to FINISH books. If you have a hard time finishing what you start, SIMPLIFY. Read one and finish it (you'll feel great)!

4. Expand. Read things that challenge you, excite you, and even BORE you (yes you read that right). The things that bore us make us realize just how differently we are wired from other people. Someone spent YEARS of their life writing that boring book because it was that important to them! Reading a book every once in a while that is a little dry develops the TEACHABLE muscle that we all so desperately need. Being teachable means I don't allow someone's ability to teach to be the biggest factor in my ability to learn.

So here are the top five books I read this past year, ranked, with a few honorable mentions at the end:

5. Endurance Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

Why I loved it:

Let me just go ahead and say, I don't read fiction. I have no problem with fiction books, I'm just currently not into it and I'd much rather watch a movie than read a fictional story. However, I love true stories and this true story reads like a fiction because of how unbelievable it is. I had to keep googling questions to make sure this ACTUALLY happened. This book is the account of Ernest Shackleton's attempt at traversing the Antarctic with a crew of 27 men in 1915. It's one you can't put down once you start.

Who would benefit from it:

Every man needs to read this. I will read this with my son when he's older. It's not exclusive to men, however. I think women are just as entertained and enthralled by the story, but there's something inherit in a man to want to believe he could show up in the same way that Shackleton and his men did while staring death in the face. This story not only satisfies our thirst for adventure but it also awakens the desire to be the kind of leader people want to follow. It also just simply makes you grateful to live with the comforts we all enjoy. I had a pretty difficult time complaining about much of anything while reading this book.

Quote from the book:

“No matter what the odds, a man does not pin his last hope for survival on something and then expect that it will fail.”

4. The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren

Why I loved it:

I'm a little ashamed to say I've never read The Purpose Driven Life. It is, after all, the best selling hardcover book of all time. (What a feat!) There's a reason for that. Rick Warren is on another plane when it comes to organization, articulation, and administration. I think God must have emptied out His spiritual gifts bag on Warren before refilling and moving on to the next person. It is astounding how relevant almost every single page of this book is for today after having been written in 1995. Obviously there are things we face today (with the advance of technology) that are omitted, but the most important aspects of leading the local church are all covered in great detail and with great insight.

Who would benefit from it:

Undoubtedly pastors and church leaders are going to benefit the most from this, but I would recommend this even to church members. Obviously this book was relevant for where I'm at in life but I can see it being valuable to most believers. As a believer who belongs to a local church this book will give you an appreciation for how the church operates. Fair warning though, if you read it, fight the urge to shove this book down your pastor's throat! It can be overwhelming for a pastor who has never thought through the things that are outlined in this book.

Quote from the book:

“Every church needs to grow warmer through fellowship, deeper through discipleship, stronger through worship, broader through ministry, and larger through evangelism.”

3. Model Man by Larry Stockstill

Why I loved it:

Full disclosure, I may have ranked this so highly because I spent twelve sessions over the course of four months sitting under this author's teaching. I had the opportunity to attend Larry Stockstill's Master Class called Pastor's University where he touched on some of the material in this book. Apart from that experience, I believe this still to be one of the most practical books I've read for how men should live their lives. It's written so simply and yet the stories and principles keep you gripped. The average reader could read through this in a few days. It also comes with small group materials and resources as well.

Who would benefit from it:

Every guy, in every stage of life. If you are a small group leader or lead other men in any way, this could be great content for you to share. I would also highly recommend Pastor's University for every Pastor. Find out more information here.

Quote from the book:

"Many men today are running on adrenaline and not anointing."

2. The Intentional Father by Jon Tyson

Why I loved it:

This book was in a dog fight for number one. I think the only reason it didn't win is because of how narrow its target audience is. I started listening to Jon Tyson's sermons years ago on podcasts. He's a native Australian pastoring a church plant in the Big Apple. The intentionality he has given to bringing his son into manhood is mind-blowing. When I first started reading this book I thought I was reading this about nine years too early, as Davis is only two years old. The book really zeroes in on the pre-teen through young adult years. I quickly realized though that if I want to implement anything remotely close to this for my son, I had better begin planning NOW. This book does a beautiful job of capturing the mandate we have as fathers to bring our sons into manhood in an intentional, healthy, and spiritual manner.

Who would benefit from it:

Sorry ladies, I seem to be leaving you out with this list. (It's not intentional, I promise!) The Intentional Father is very specific to fathers of boys. Even though Jon Tyson has a daughter as well, this book is really tailored to the journey a father is responsible to invite his son into. I really hope he will give us another book on the way he has raised his daughter as well, which from what I've gathered, is also very unique and counter-cultural.

Quote from the book:

"My son began to get a vision of actually living skillfully as a man because-and here's the real breakthrough-confidence comes from competence."

1. God Has a Name by John Mark Comer

Why I loved it:

First of all, John Mark Comer is probably my current favorite author. My wife had been telling me for a year or so that I needed to read him because she felt like his approach to life, God, and ministry were similar to my own. After reading a couple of his books I take that as a high compliment. His writing style is very casual and succinct and yet the ideas and concepts he tackles are deeply moving. This particular book focuses on the lens through which we see God and how it affects our relationship with Him. He makes very complex Hebrew language and customs simple enough for the average believer to understand. There may be a page or two that leave you scratching your head but for the most part you will walk away from this book having a better understanding of the God we serve. I loved this book so much that it inspired a sermon series I did back in September called "Introducing God." You can find that here.

Who would benefit from it:

EVERYONE. Believer and unbeliever alike, this is a book you should put on your reading list. If you struggle to understand God's ways or the Bible's language, this carries particular significance for you.

Quote from the book:

“Here’s how you know if you’ve created God in your own image: He agrees with you on everything.”

Honorable Mentions:

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

Another great read from the #1 author on my list. If you struggle to rest and you don't currently practice the sabbath in some way, you need this book. If neither of those things apply to you, you need this book.

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

While this book is about what it means to be a man, I believe it's a great read for ladies who want to understand how men are wired. I plan to read his "Captivated" book which he wrote with his wife all about women. I came late to the "Wild At Heart" fan club, but I'm glad I got there. Beautifully written. If "God Has A Name" helped me to understand God better, this book helped me understand ME better.

Extreme Ownership by Jocko Wilnick

This book has made the rounds on a lot of lists, podcasts, and youtube videos and for good reason. If you desire to be a great leader, not only does this book need to be on your shelf, but the principle it introduces needs to be in your repertoire.

Feel free to share your top books with me so I can add some to my list for 2023!

I got the idea for this week's blog from my good friends Will & Cameron Vines who are also avid readers and publish their best reads of the year on their YouTube channel here!