What I’m Reading

Leadership is essential to the progress of the kingdom of God.

And reading is essential to leading.

I used to read serially, that is, I wouldn’t start a new book until I finished the one I was reading. Not smart.

One of the secrets to reading quickly is reading with interest. When you read many books at once, it’s easier to pick up one you are interested in and make progress. You can always come back later to a book when your interest is piqued again on that subject.

With that in mind, here’s what’s currently on my bedside table–or more likely–on my iPad. Continue reading “What I’m Reading”

Book Review: Plan B by Pete Wilson

In his first book, Plan B, Nashville pastor, Pete Wilson, takes a swing at the always formidable problem of pain. Though it is his first time at bat, with Plan B, Wilson hits a home run.

In a voice that is both entertaining and reassuring, Wilson weaves his personal narrative together with Biblical examples to form a compelling basis for trusting in God in the midst of the personal pain and setbacks.

As the book’s title suggests, Wilson presents the problem of pain as the failure of life to go as we plan, that is, according to Plan A. That reality, unavoidable in a corrupt and fallen world, places us all at one time or another facing Plan B.

Wilson’s insight is born out of a confluence of his experience as a pastor and his knowledge of the Bible. He needn’t reason to a solution for the problem of pain because the credibility of his answers are supported by the authenticity of his experience and the authority of the Biblical examples he provides. Continue reading “Book Review: Plan B by Pete Wilson”

5 Best Books I Read in 2010

I’ve had a goal over the last several years to read 50 books per year. Last year I fell woefully short at 27.

Nevertheless, here is my list of the top 5 books I read in 2010, in no particular order:

1. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller

Donald Miller of Blue Like Jazz fame has produced another winner. Million Miles is a book about how to live a meaningful life, a life that is an interesting worthy story. Miller takes the elements of what makes a good book and suggests, quite convincingly, they are the same things that make for a meaningful Christian life.

Continue reading “5 Best Books I Read in 2010”

What I’m Reading For Byzantium Trip

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In a few weeks I leave for a trip to Byzantium.  Of course it’s not called that anymore.  It’s current handle is Istanbul, and as was discussed in a recent blog post, it was heart of Christendom for 1,123 years.

We will begin with 3 days in Istanbul, along with one day in Cappadocia, before starting a Black Sea cruise that includes a stop in Ephesus before ending in Athens.

I’ve wanted to do this trip for years, and in preparation for it (and the blogging I plan on doing during the trip) I’ve been reading about the Byzantine Empire.  Here’s what I’ve recently read and/or am current reading in preparation for the trip:

  1. A Short History of Byzantium, John Julius Norwich
  2. The Secret History, Procopius
  3. Justinian’s Flea, William Rosen
  4. Istanbul: The Imperial City, John Freely
  5. The Later Roman Empire, Ammianus Marcellinus
  6. Theodosius: The Empire At Bay, Stephen Williams & Gerard Friell
  7. Constantine and Eusebius, Timothy D. Barnes
  8. The Alexiad, Anna Komnene

For those looking for a good introduction to the Byzantine Empire, I strongly recommend Norwich’s book.  It’s well-written and tells the fascinating story of Christianity’s first experiment in empire in a way both engaging and interesting.  This book is actually an abridged version of Norwich’s three volume treatise on Byzantium.

As the kingdom of God expands and Christians are elevated to positions of authority they will be foolish not to learn from the curriculum provided us by the past.  The Byzantine Empire provides a rich course.  GS