The best books I've read recently that were published in either 2023 or 2024 are Gone for Good and Picking Up the Pieces There are more than enough books about what is wrong with American church. Countless volumes describe what once was through near endless statistical considerations of the decline or through in-depth exploration of one of the many elements of the decline or of factors that have contributed to decline. A much smaller body of literature begins by stating the Read More …
Books
14th Annual Top 10 Books of the Year (#2096)
Welcome to the 14th annual So What Faith’s Top 10 Books of the Year. This year I read 90 books published in 2023. The top ten are listed below in alphabetical order by author’s last name: Top Two The two books on this year’s top ten that had the greatest impact on me are Both of these books were not only well written, but also intersect with my current ministry. As the CEO of White Rock Center of Hope poverty alleviation is central to my work. And, I've spent more than Read More …
5 Star Books Published in 2023 (#2094)
Welcome to the fifth annual edition of So What Faith’s 5 Star Books of the Year! This list is comprised of books rated 5 or 5+ on a scale of 1 to 5. To be eligible the book must have been published in 2023 and I must have read it during the year. This year, just 15.5% of all books rated received a rating of 5 or 5+ to earn this honor (in prior years the percentage has ranged from 15% to 17%). Past Years Be sure to check out prior lists Best of the Best Stay tuned! So Read More …
Great New Books – December 2023 (#2092)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. Unicorns William Vanderbloemen is the Founder & CEO of Vanderbloemen - an executive search firm that has provided comprehensive search services for over 2,500 roles in ministry and non-profit leadership. Leveraging data from more than 30,000 long form interviews that comprised those searches, Vanderbloemen explores the 12 habits he and his team have discovered sets the best leaders apart from all others. Read More …
Great New Books – November 2023 (#2086)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5+) Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other by Amy Butler (The Dial Press, 2023)(4.5) Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God Into a Hopeful Future by Dwight Zscheile, Michael Binder, and Tessa Pinkstaff (Fortress Press, 2023)(4.5) Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen (Penguin Books, 3rd edition, Read More …
Great New Books – October 2023 (#2082)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (4.5) The Injustice of Place: Uncovering the Legacy of Poverty in America by Kathryn J. Edin, H. Luke Shaefer, and Timothy J. Nelson (Mariner Books, 2023)(4.5) Life After God: Finding Faith When You Can't Believe Anymore by Mark Feldmeir (Westminster John Knox Press, 2023)(4.5) Afro-Christian Convention: The Fifth Stream of the United Church of Christ edited by Yvonne. V Delk (Pilgrim Press, 2023)(4.0) The Evangelical Read More …
Great New Books – September 2023 (#2077)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5.0) Positive Communication for Leaders: Proven Strategies for Inspiring Unity and Effecting Change by Julien C. Mirivel and Alexander Lyon (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023)(4.5) Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul: How to Change the World in Quiet Ways by Dorcas Cheng-Tozun (Broadleaf Books, 2023)(4.5) On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to be Good by Elise Loehnen (Dial Press, Read More …
Great New Books – August 2023 (#2072)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5.0) Only Work Sundays: A Laidback Guide to Doing Less while Helping Your Church Thrive by Liz Miller (Pilgrim Press, 2023)(4.5) King: A Life by Jonathan Eig (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023)(4.5) The Word Made Fresh: Preaching God's Love for Every Body by George A. Mason (Front Edge Publishing, 2023)*4.5) The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams by Seth Godin (Portfolio / Penguin, 2023)(4.0) Walking With Read More …
Great New Books – July 2023 (#2065)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5+) Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents - and What That Means for America's Future by Jean M. Twenge (Atria Books, 2023)(5.0) The Poverty Paradox: Understanding Economic Hardship Amid American Prosperity by Mark Robert Rank (Oxford University Press, 2023)(4.5) Christ Among the Classes: The Rich, the Poor, and the Mission of the Church by Al Tizon (Orbis Books, Read More …
Great New Books – June 2023 (#2051)
The best new books I’ve read in the last 30 days are listed below. (5.0) The Everyday Advocate: Living Out Your Calling to Social Justice by Ross Murray (Fortress Press, 2023)(4.5) Jesus Sophia: Returning to Woman Wisdom in the Bible, Practice and Prayer by Sally Douglas (Cascade Books, 2023)(4.5) The Other Evangelicals: A Story of Liberal, Black, Progressive, Feminist, and Gay Christians by Isaac B. Sharp (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2023)(4.5) A Front Porch for All People by John Edgar Read More …