In 2020 I have set a personal goal of reading at least 52 books, or one per week. I have divided my books into three categories: Theology/Christian/Seminary books, books on skill (Persuasion, investment, etc.) and wildcard books from any category. My aim is to read at least 30 Theology/Christian/Seminary books, 15 skill books and 7 wildcard books. These are the following books I am reading in January 2020: Though I have a goal of reading one book per week, this month I intended on pushing myself to read double that amount. There will be several weeks throughout the year that I will not have the time, energy or mental clarity to absorb much from a book. My hope is to be ahead of the game a bit, so when those weeks hit I don’t fall too behind on my goal. And who knows! Maybe I’ll keep this pace up all year and finish with 104 books read!
Whosoever Will: A Biblical Critique of Five-Point Calvinism-David Allen & Steve Lemke (Theology)
Whosoever will is a collection of eleven essays which critique five-point calvinism. The book is helpful for learning the non-reformed view of soiteriology from some great thinkers (especially great thinkers among Southern Baptists). While the book is somewhat scholarly by nature, it is recommended for anyone who desires to learn more about the topic.
Evangelism and The Sovereignty of God-J.I. Packer (Theology)
This book offers some deep insights into the tension that exists between evangelism (telling others about who Jesus is, what Jesus did and why it matters) and the sovereignty of God. If God is sovereign, then why should we evangelize? If God commands us to evangelize (He does), then does this imply that God is not sovereign?
Church- A.W. Tozer (Theology)
This book is a collection of 14 of A.W. Tozer’s essays on the church. I ran across the book while browsing at a bookstore and thought reading it might be a good way to spend a few evenings.
Decisional Preaching- Jim Shaddix (Christian/Ministry)
This has been my favorite book to read so far this month. This short work from Jim Shaddix is all about preaching and how to become more intentional at preaching for the purpose of decision. This should not be confused with manipulation, but rather a focused preaching aimed at helping people come to a decision to live for Christ.
Living Fit- Ronnie Floyd (Christian)
In this book, Ronnie Floyd takes the reader through fitness in a holistic manner. This is not a book about excercise or proper eating habits, but rather it is a book about being physically, mentally, and financially fit. The was my least favorite book to read this month (so far), perhaps because my expectations were so high. I found the book repetitive and less helpful in a practical way than I had hoped for.
Why We Get Fat- Gary Taubes (Skill)
This was a good read focused on the reasons why we get fat. The thesis of this book is simple: We don’t get fat because we eat, we eat because we are getting fat. Taubes theory is that as we eat more processed foods, especially flour and sugar, it creates a natural fattening up those who eat it. He uses deep science to prove his case. In short, Taubes recommends a keto diet approach before the keto diet approach became a household diet.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption-Laura Hillenbrand (Wildcard)
This has been one of my favorite reads of the month. The story of Louis Zamperini and his death defying survival of World War II. I’m currently about 40% through the book, so don’t ruin any surprises for me! After I finish the book, I intend on watching the movie based on the book, “Unbroken.”
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy-Thomas Stanley and Willam Danko (Skill)
One of my goals this year is to learn more about investing and investment strategies. I have had this desire for several years, but this year it was recommended that I read four books in particular. This is the second recommended investment book I have read (The First is “The Boglehead’s Guide to Investing” by Taylor Larimore). While the book is dated, it is helpful in many ways. The most helpful lesson I learned from this book is that there is a massive difference between living rich and being wealthy. Most people “live rich”, but have little to no wealth. However, millionaires are the opposite, they lead very average and normal lives while investing heavily via index funds (and diversifying their wealth). I would recommend this book to anyone who is curious about the habits of the wealthy.