Few things have the power to influence our spiritual lives like a good book. Reading isn’t the only process for transformation, yet rare is the case in which a person is consistently growing without meaningful reading being an integral part of their lives. It starts with the Bible. For spiritual growth, we must continually interact with Scripture.
Yet it expands beyond the Bible to well-written, truth-filled, books written by writers who seek to glorify God and assist others. One of the most influential methods for meaningful spiritual growth is reading.
If you desire to experience spiritual growth in 2021, one of the easiest avenues to ensure growth is reading. This is why I have created the 2021 Short Book Challenge. My hope is that some people who have never consistently read and others who have struggled to read in a disciplined way, will take this list of short books and commit to reading one book per month.
In most cases, each book is under 150 pages so if you will commit to just 5 pages a day, you can knock out this list. I have no doubt that 5 pages a day will have a tangible impact on your life. Here’s the list: (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
The Books
January: The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. One of my favorite books of all time and probably my favorite living preacher/pastor.
February: The Pursuit of Man by A.W. Tozer. This is the sequel to a book that was on last year’s list which many people liked.
March: Fearless Families by Kevin A. Thompson. Hey, I know that name.
April: Whiter Than Snow by Paul David Tripp. One of the great spiritual writer’s of our day. This is to meant to introduce you so you might read his other books.
May: The Rock that is Higher by Madeleine L’Engle. The most artistic of the writers on the list. A little longer book, but easily read.
June: Praying the Lord’s Prayer by J.I. Packer. I’m a big believer in regularly praying the Lord’s Prayer, hence, the repeat topic from last year. Packer is great.
July: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This is a Christian classic.
August: The Lost Art of Disciple Making by Leroy Eims. Important book which we need to revisit.
September: One Blood by John M. Perkins. The only book on the list which was suggested by another.
October: In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. The shortest book on the list. Many will remember Nouwen from last year.
November: Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning. A little longer book but an easy read.
December: Preparing for Jesus by Walter Wangerin Jr. This will serve as a good devotion for advent.
The List
Several things stick out about the list.
First, one reason I like this list (and last year’s list) is because it introduces you to great authors. Except for John Perkins, every other author has written multiple books that I have read. When you read a book you really like, find other books by the same author. I love that this list introduces people to new authors.
Second, the list is diverse across generations, theological backgrounds, etc. This means you won’t equally like every book. Yet a book you love, another will endure and book you endure, they will love. But the list is certain to get you out of your normal circle of influence.
Third, yes, I put myself on the list. Wouldn’t you if you wrote a book? Ha. I am excited about my new book coming out in March. It was written before the pandemic, but greatly explains much of what we experienced over the past year.
Join Us
The list is of no use unless you actually read the books. One of the best ways to ensure you read is to establish a bit of accountability. There is a Facebook Group for those dedicated to reading the books. In the group, you can post your favorite quotes, ask questions about the reading, and encourage others to dig in and keep reading. Join the group HERE. By joining, and engaging, you create a better experience for everyone.
My suggestion–if you don’t order the whole list at once, at least order the first three books that way when one month ends you will already be ready for the next.
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