Life + Faith

Tag: Theology

  • My Top Books of 2025

    At the end of each year I provide a list of what I consider to be the best books I’ve read for the past 12 months. Here is this year’s contribution.

    I find reading a pastime that helps me focus, engage, and get away from other things in life. Whether I’m reading another Michael Connolly novel, dipping into a commentary for preaching preparation, or reading about an aspect of leadership and pastoral ministry, I find myself ticking through books throughout the year. Some of these are in audio form, but to be honest, I just find the feel of paper and taking the time to slow down with pages in front of me more relaxing and helpful.

    This year I’ve read quite solidly. I continue to have a novel on the go all the time, and have concentrated my Christian reading on things I’ve needed to prepare for at church and spiritual habits I’d like to grow in. Reading about systems, productivity, and making the most of my time has also been something that has continued this year.

    Below is a list of all the books I gave 5 stars to on Goodreads. I think everyone should read them. They are in no particular order, but I might be more enthusiastic about one or two over the rest. Enjoy.

    Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy J. Keller

    Ok, so if I have to have a favourite for the year then this would be it.

    Prayer, and the inspiration to pray, and the realisation for the need to pray has been growing in me for some time. This book puts words and theology around how great prayer really is. The ability to come to God, to speak to Him, and to have an ongoing relationship with Him, is a powerful part of being a Christian. Keller gives great background to prayer, the need for it and more of it, and guidance in how we might come to God in different circumstances. A great read.

    Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

    I reckon this is one of the best time management books around. Rather than simply teaching habits and strategies Burkeman makes us realise that these ‘hacks’ won’t actually help us accomplish the kind of life we want to live. Instead, Burkeman is realistic, and highlights that we should be embracing our limitations and constraints in life and time in order to live meaningfully within them. It’s a thought-provoking book, and he’s helpful to listen to via podcast too. Instead of striving for tweaks to life so that we might hit our goals and to-do-lists every so often, it’s about thinking about life in more depth and with deeper purpose. 

    Shepherding the Shepherd: Devotions for a Pastor’s Soul by Lee Eclov

    I was handed two volumes of these devotionals a little over a year ago. I have found them so helpful. Each Sunday morning as I do my final preparations for our Sunday morning service I am usually reading a page or two of these. Eclov writes for the pastor, and each one is really encouraging as we think about the role we have to play in the body of Christ. He doesn’t miss in challenge either, reminding us of the unique, joyful, perseverance required as shepherds. Originally written during the COVID years at Christianity Today, they would be a good gift for any pastor.

    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

    These were fun little mystery stories from the classic hand of Arthur Conan Doyle. Old school in language, great characters and plot lines with Sherlock Holmes. Just a good classic read.

    The Work of The Pastor by William T. Still

    I’d never come across William Still before reading this book. He happens to be a 20th century minister of a church in Scotland and had a strong expository preaching ministry. Again, like Begg’s preaching book above, I found this a helpful volume as I stepped up into the senior leadership role. 

    This is part biography, part war stories, and part ministry tips. It’s not a long book, it’s full of examples that relate to anyone who has been in ministry for a while, and it provides insights to the work from a Scottish perspective. I was encouraged and inspired in parts as it reminded me of the main focus of pastoral ministry.

    Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome by R. Kent and Barbara Hughes

    Are you picking up a theme and what I’ve appreciated reading yet?

    This is another one of those books to help pastors. This tackles the various way our hearts and minds might deviate from what God has called us to be faithful with. It’s a relatively old book now, given the way there has been much more recent work written about sustainable ministry. However, it really is full of gold for the pastor. It’s a reminder of who we are in Christ, and what faithfulness to the task looks like. It’s biblically grounded, encouraging and challenging. Remember, it’s not about numbers it’s about faithfulness.

    Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who Suffer from Depression by Zack Eswine

    If you are ever in a flat spot, suffer depression, or a melancholic mind, then pick up this book and be encouraged. Spurgeon, the greatest and most prolific preacher in the world suffered from depression, and no doubt anxiety and other ailments as well. It’s surprising to many. But throughout his ministry he was cast down by all sorts of pressures, worries, and depressive thoughts. Yet, God still used him so greatly, and praise God for that.

    I was taken by this book and have now read it two or three times. It was of supreme encouragement to me. And whenever I hit a depressive spot in life and ministry I go here. Eswine writes well, using plenty of Spurgeon himself to frame how we might think of discipleship and depression. It was so good I ended up turning some of the ideas of this book into a sermon and a previous book review post.

    Your Old Testament Sermon Needs to Get Saved: A Handbook for Preaching Christ from the Old Testament by David M. King

    I had never preached an Old Testament narrative series before this year. I needed help. This was one of many good books out there on how to do so. We kicked off a series on the Life of Abraham, from Genesis 12-25 around July this year. In the lead up I knew I needed to get myself acquainted with the text and also with how to preach through such stories.

    This book, as you can probably tell from the title, speaks about the Old Testament and their stories through New Testament eyes. That is, we recognise that Christ is the central character of the Bible, Old Testament and New. In three parts, the why, how and what of preaching Christ from the Old Testament, King provides some good guidance in how to approach preaching with a Christology focus. The book is now dotted with annotations and dog-ears. And, perhaps the biggest rap of all is to say that the congregation benefitted from me reading this book and others like it.

    Ancient Wisdom for the Care of Souls: Learning the Art of Pastoral Ministry from the Church Fathers by Coleman M. Ford and Shawn J. Wilhite

    This is a great book that looks at the teachings and practices of the Church Fathers in relation to pastoral ministry. It looks at the virtues and spiritual life of the pastor, the theological vision of the pastor, and the ministry of the pastor through the lens of various Fathers. Each chapter, of which there are ten, highlights one of the early church leaders, gives a short bio on them, and then their ministry focus and its application for ministry today. I found it a refreshing way to think about pastoral ministry while also doing a little church history on the way through.

    Lead Smart: How to Build and Lead Highly Productive Teams and Smart Work: How to Increase Productivity, Achieve Balance and Reduce Stress by Dermot Crowley

    Both of these books got big ticks from me. Crowley is an Irish-Australian and so easy to read and listen to. I say listen to, as well, because after reading his three book series that these two come under I hunted down all sorts of podcasts and YouTube videos where he was interviewed about his ideas.

    I began with Lead Smart, wanting to improve and gain help in leadership, particularly around leading teams. And then I moved onto his other work, which include Smart Work, and this gives a good foundation for systematic productive work. These are the kinds of books I enjoy and soak up really, so it’s not surprise these two made the list.

    Zeal without Burnout by Christopher Ash

    This is a short book, and it’s full of impact. Anyone in ministry should really read this. Ash reminds us that we are finite and fragile. Through scripture and personal experiences he highlights the importance of sustainable ministry. As Ash addresses the risk of burnout he offers practical, wise, and compassionate advice that is grounded in God. I reckon I’ve read this a few times now. In different seasons it has had more impact. In the last little while it named things I hadn’t realised I was doing or experiencing before, and it has made me more self-aware of my experiences over the two years. 

    This now makes it 11 years where I’ve published my favourite books of the year. If you’re keen enough you can go back and have a read of previous years here: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, 2022, 2024. 

    My Top Books: Yearly Series
    2014
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    2019
    2020
    2021
    2022
    2024
    2025 (this post)

  • In Memoriam: JI Packer

    It was about 10 days ago that I heard of the passing of JI Packer. What came to mind when I heard this news, as oddly as this may sound, were pleasant and appreciative memories for someone who has had an impact on my faith–from my view of the Bible, my view of theology, and in many ways, my view of God. 

    In Memorandum_ JI Packer

    There are greater people than I who can outline the 93 years of Packer’s life. There have been different tributes from various scholars, pastors, and theologians in many major Christian publications over the past week. 

    My first introduction to Packer, that I can remember, was reading his book ‘Among God’s Giants’ (an early version of ‘A Quest for Godliness’). It was a book that outlined puritan history and gave mini-biographies of a number of significant puritan pastors and theologians. In my records, because I’m that kind of guy, I can tell you that I finished reading that book on the 5th of February 2007. 

    Only a few months later I finished reading (1st May 2007, for those who are interested) the book he is most known for, ‘Knowing God’. What I remember is that this book had a profound effect on me. In my notes on this book I wrote a one sentence summary saying, “Orthodox theology focussing on the Calvinistic doctrines, and making them clear.” Seems apt. But it is also a book I have gone back to again and again. There is a sense of refreshment when reading Knowing God. Not only is it dripping with biblical truth, it is written in such a clear and concise way. 

    When I first read Packer I was doing Christian mission work in a small village in the mountains of the Middle East. I was teaching students and connecting with people who were culturally, ethnically, and linguistically different to me in so many ways. It’s a time I remember fondly, it was a challenge and an adventure. But it was also the place where I experienced the most growth as a believer that I can remember. More than my upbringing as a pastor’s kid, more than my theological degree at college, and more than serving in the local church. And so it was here with Packer, and many other great Christian books, that I found my place theologically. I may have been walking with Jesus for nearly 10 years by this point but it felt like this was the first time I was hearing the gospel and amazing truths of the God I worship. I mean, just listen to how he speaks of the grace of God!

    “In the New Testament, grace means God’s love in action toward people who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending his only Son to the cross to descend into hell so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into heaven.”

    And then perhaps a word for today in waiting upon the Lord,

    “‘Wait on the Lord’ is a constant refrain in the Psalms, and it is a necessary word, for God often keeps us waiting. He is not in such a hurry as we are, and it is not his way to give more light on the future than we need for action in the present, or to guide us more than one step at a time. When in doubt, do nothing, but continue to wait on God. When action is needed, light will come.”

    And the whole book is like this…

    What Packer brought through his books, particularly Knowing God, was a new sense of clarity and appreciation for the works and person of God. Not only was I reading about the God of the universe and with a God who I could have a relationship and commune with each and every day. 

    Today I have at least a dozen of JI Packer books, most of which I’ve read. Each time I dip into any of his works I am struck again by the irresistible clarity in which he writes about God and the thorough practicality of the doctrine he explains. 

    While I may never have met Packer in person, the amount he has written and the numerous sermons you can now find online, is a wealth and treasure trove for any believer. If you’ve never read anything of his then I would highly recommend doing so. 

    Packer has invariably influenced many people, the word over, but he has also influenced me–personally. His impact on my life and faith, on my character and the way I follow Christ is something personal. This week I’ll go have a look over a few of his books I’ve got sitting on my shelves, perhaps dip into another one I haven’t read and see what he says. Whatever the case, it will be impactful, it will ooze Christ’s centrality, and it will point me towards greater worship of God. 

    All this to say, Packer will have been enjoying the presence of his God this past week, and that the God he has known through veiled eyes will now be known in person and greater clarity than ever.

  • Published: The God of The Last Dance

    I had a couple of reflections about The Last Dance, the greatest sports documentary ever. I managed to form these thoughts into coherent words in an article for TGCA.

    You can read the article here.

    “In reflecting upon this series, I’ve been struck by how relatable it has been to faith. While there is no mention of God himself, there is allusion to the worship and wonder of God through what occurs on the wooden court. It would be a stretch to suggest there is a theology of ‘The Last Dance’, but it definitely contains traces of the God who creates things of glory and wonder—things like Jordan himself in the 1980s and 1990s.”

    Other writings can be found here.

  • Published: A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry by Michael McGarry

    A friend of mine from the USA, Mike McGarry, recently published this great book, A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry. It’s an excellent read, and a much needed contribution on the theological foundations for youth ministry.

    I reviewed the book and had the review published at TGCA. You can read the whole thing here.

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    You can find my review of A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry here.

     

  • Published: Theological Reflection In Training For Youth Ministry

    It was only a little over a week ago I wrote about the impact my Master of Divinity studies had on my training for youth ministry. I outlined four points about how my theological education has prepared and impacted my role as a youth and young adult pastor. However, there was really a fifth point. And that fifth point became a whole post, recently published on Tim Gough’s Youth Work Hacks as a follow-up piece. 

    In this post I flesh out how the theological education I received has helped in applying theologically reflective practice into the ministry. This means, looking out for where God seems to be moving and asking the question of what He is doing amongst the local believers. Sometimes this may sound foreign to people, particularly in youth ministry, because it’s not taught or explored very often. But, I think it is actually the most important of the five points across the two articles.

    “Theological reflection, the idea of being able to reflect on our experiences in life and ministry through the lens of faith, can often go missing in youth ministry. It takes effort to stop, think, and articulate what God might be doing within our own lives, let alone through the ministry we might be involved in. We can find ourselves more focused on ‘doing the program’, or ‘getting the task done’, than taking the time to reflect on the ways God seems to be working in our midst.”

    You can read the whole thing here.

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