Strands of Thought

‹ Posts

Reading Lists for Pastors and Leaders

As we read earlier this week, books are important/vital tools for pastors and leaders. I find reviews and surveys very helpful to keep abreast of books that are published, and those that ought to be read.

To that end, I have linked to two surveys of book publications in 2012: Bibles and Bible studies, including the top six books (Van Neste); the best books for preachers to read, including the top ten recommendations (Mohler).

Ray Van Neste, “The 2012 Preaching Survey of Bibles and Bible Study”:

The Year's Top 6 Books in Biblical Studies

  1. Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum, Kingdom Through Covenant: A Biblical Theological Understanding of the Covenants (Wheaton: Crossway).
  2. G.K. Beale, A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic).
  3. Craig Bartholomew and David Beldman, ed. Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God's Address (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans).
  4. Gordon Wenham, Psalms as Torah: Reading Biblical Song Ethically (Grand Rapids: Baker).
  5. Craig Keener, Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, 2 vol. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic).
  6. David Garland, Luke, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan).

R. Albert Mohler, “The 2012 Preaching Survey of the Year’s Best Books for Preachers”:

Ten Books Every Preacher Should Read

  1. Thomas E. Bergler, The Juvenilization of American Christianity (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans).
  2. Gregg R. Allison, Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church (Wheaton: Crossway).
  3. Jonathan T. Pennington, Reading the Gospels Wisely: A Narrative and Theological Introduction (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic).
  4. Graeme Goldsworthy, Christ-Centered Biblical Theology: Hermeneutical Foundations and Principles (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press).
  5. Peter Brown, Through the Eye of a Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome, and the Making of Christianity in the West, 350-550 AD (Princeton University Press).
  6. Charles Murray, Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010 (Crown Forum).
  7. D.A. Carson, The Intolerance of Tolerance (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans).
  8. Ross Douthat, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics (Free Press).
  9. Gerald Bray, God Is Love: A Biblical and Systematic Theology (Wheaton: Crossway).
  10. Michael Reeves, Delighting in the Trinity: an Introduction to the Christian Faith (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press).
Greg Strand

Greg Strand is the EFCA executive director of theology and credentialing, and he also serves on the EFCA Board of Ministerial Standing and Spiritual Heritage Committee. He and his wife, Karen, are members of Northfield EFC in Northfield, Minnesota.

Send a Response

Share your thoughts with the author.