My Favorite Books From 2020 That Will Enrich and Strengthen You
After a year like this, every leader is spent. We poured out everything we had for the sake of those who love and lead. And while we’re all eager to turn the page to a new year, most of us are entering with diminished energy, resources, and (quite possibly) hope.
We need to refuel.
With that in mind I offer these books that enriched and strengthened me over the past twelve months. Not all are Christian books, nor were many of them published in 2020.
Some I read for the first time; others were rereads. A few I read multiple times this year.
And as you’ll see, a couple of them made multiple lists.
But in various ways each of these illuminated my thinking, inspired my imagination, and fueled my leadership.
I hope they’ll do the same for you.
I’ve broken the list down by my favorite three books in categories of my choosing.
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Books to Strengthen Your Walk with God
3. Laura Werezak, Attend: Forty Soul Stretches toward God.
This forty-day devotional written by a family friend trains you to look for God in all of life. Immensely practical and quite beautiful.
2. John Starke, The Possibility of Prayer: Finding Stillness with God in a Restless World.
Another friend and fellow NYC pastor offers hope for those who struggle with the practice of prayer—and who doesn’t? Imaginative and compelling.
1. Fleming Rutledge, Three Hours: Sermons for Good Friday.
Seven sermons on the seven words from the cross. Exquisite, powerful. A great read for Holy Week.
Books on Leadership
3. Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom, The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations.
Great perspective on diffusing power and responsibility among leaders in an organization. A forthcoming book by Lance Ford, Rob Wagner, and Alan Hirsch (and forwarded by co-author Ori Brafman), explores the application of these principles for the church. It’s on my radar for 2021
2. Michael Hyatt, The Vision-Driven Leader: 10 Questions to Focus Your Efforts, Energize Your Team, and Scale Your Business.
Perhaps the most immediately helpful book I read this year, especially because of the incredibly simple companion tool, the Vision Scripter.
1. Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, The Age of Overwhelm: Strategies for the Long Haul.
The most important book I read to understand the stress pastors face. Laura is not a pastor; she’s not even a Christian. She runs a non-profit serving people who experience vicarious trauma, that is, those who help people work through their trauma—like ER nurses and justice advocates and clergy. Really helpful perspective, and at times laugh-out-loud funny.
Biographies
3. Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism.
I know, I know: this isn’t precisely a biography. But I had too many history books to list and I couldn’t leave this one off. Fascinating history, especially because of the role of journalism in presidential politics.
2. Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton.
The book that became a Broadway phenomenon and kept this immigrant on the ten dollar bill. Every bit as good as you’ve heard. It would have taken first place if it hadn’t inspired me to read …
1. Ron Chernow, Grant.
A fantastic portrayal of an underestimated leader. Chernow deals honestly with his flaws, but also shows how he was the right person for the jobs he was given. Brilliant.
History
3. William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany.
The political turmoil of 2020 drove me (finally!) to read this masterpiece. If nothing else, it showed me how a democracy can become a dictatorship with just one-third of the vote. That should give us pause, no matter where we are on the political spectrum.
2. Colin Woodard, American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.
A fascinating hypothesis: what if the best way to read American history is not through the usual binary lens, whether Republican vs. Democrat, North vs. South, or Black vs. White? What if the way North America was settled and the settlers themselves established the competing cultures that survive to this day? Woodard may be wrong, but he presents much food for thought.
This would be a helpful book for pastors moving to a different region of the country to shed light on where you are.
1. Richard Rothstein, The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.
This book rebuts Chief Justice John Roberts’ claim that de facto segregation arose from private prejudice or the unintended consequences of economic forces, not from government policy. A devastating argument, with a call to action.
Fiction and Literature
3. Jane Harper, Force of Nature.
I discovered Jane Harper’s books on vacation a few years ago. She is based in Melbourne and sets her stories in Australia. This is her second book (I also read her third this year) and found it intriguing and enjoyable.
2. Louise Penny, Glass Houses.
I’m a little late to the Louise Penny party. I stumbled into this 13th novel in the Inspector Gamache series this summer and loved it. A few months later I read Kingdom of the Blind. Great stories, beautifully told.
1. F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby.
I hadn’t read it before, but since a teacher assigned it to one of my daughters, I thought it was finally time. It was so good I turned around and read it again.
And no, I haven’t seen the movie yet.
Biblical Reflections
3. C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms.
It is what it says it is—reflections, not a commentary. These are the thoughts of a brilliant mind after years of praying the Psalms. Inspiring and insightful.
2. Fleming Rutledge, Three Hours: Sermons for Good Friday.
See above.
1. Gordon Wenham, Psalms as Torah: Reading Biblical Song Ethically.
Another lovely book on the Psalter. Wenham weaves together a history of interpretation with an exposition of how the Psalms teach us to live. I loved every page of it.
Church History
3. John W. Howe and Sam C. Pascoe, Our Anglican Heritage: Can an Ancient Church Be a Church of the Future? (2nd ed).
Written by two American clergymen who responded to the crisis in the Episcopal Church in different ways: one stayed in and one left. Nevertheless they remain committed to the evangelical roots of the Anglican church and express hope for a coming revival.
2. Charles E. Cotherman, To Think Christianly: A History of L’Abri, Regent College, and the Christian Study Center Movement.
A fascinating history of institutions I was not entirely familiar with. Well researched and well written. A good read for those involved in training ministers.
1. Alan Jacobs, The Book of Common Prayer: A Biography.
This delightful book traces the story of what might be the second most influential book in the English language. Its story is the story of theological reformation, division, and movement.
Mission and Evangelism
3. Charles E. Cotherman, To Think Christianly: A History of L’Abri, Regent College, and the Christian Study Center Movement.
See above.
2. Alan Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating Apostolic Movements.
A thoughtful analysis of the western church with a visionary prospect for its future. Hirsch argues that modern theological training prioritizes pastors and teachers to the detriment of apostolic leaders, prophetic voices, and evangelists. He encourages a rediscovery of how all five gifts work together for the growth and health of the church. Imaginative and compelling, even if the specifics need more elaboration.
1. Tim Keller, How to Reach the West Again: Six Essential Elements of a Missionary Encounter.
Tim masterfully exegetes our culture and enjoins Christian leaders to thoughtful missionary engagement with our secularist friends. A free download in ebook and audiobook form.
Harry Potter Books (this time around)
3. The Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
I’m cheating here. I just started reading Book 6 again but can’t put it down. So good.
2. The Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)
Better this time around, maybe because Jim Dale read it to me.
1. The Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read each of these books. This time, however, the ending of The Prisoner of Azkaban brought me to tears.
What were your favorite books of 2020?
Let me know in the comments below.
Happy New Year!