Pastor Andrew's Best Books of 2024
December 19, 2024
Dear CPC Family,
It’s that time of year again! One reason I love December and Christmas is the many “favorite books of 2024” lists. For the past few years I’ve set a goal to read 52 books each year, one per week. But please don’t be impressed. I have never reached this goal. Sometimes I have failed to even get halfway there. This year, however, I am only 9 books away. To make it across the finish line, I’ll be the one madly turning the pages of some shorter books in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day!
Christians are book people. We build our lives and our faith on one God-breathed Book and we give thanks for other books that help us grow. So, in no particular order, here are 10 books. Eight of them I finished in 2024. One of them is currently underway. The last one is a book I’m looking forward to in 2025. I hope you enjoy and, more importantly, I hope you take up and read!
Princeton Seminary, vol. 1, David Calhoun: All I can say is that this early history (1812 through the Civil War) of Princeton Seminary—one of the most important places in American Presbyterian history—is riveting, inspiring, and devotional. You’ll meet great heroes of the faith like Ashbel Greene, Samuel Miller, and Archibald Alexander. And you’ll encounter the kind of Presbyterianism that we aim for at CPC: biblically faithful, theologically rooted, warm-hearted, and missions minded.
3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family, Patrick Lencioni: Do you ever feel overwhelmed as a family? It can feel impossible to juggle the competing demands, the full schedules, and the hope that what we’re doing with our families matters for eternity and glorifies God. If you’ve ever felt this way, you should read this book by a management consultant and family man who wants to see families thrive amid busyness.
The Surprising Genius of Jesus, Peter Williams: It might sound obvious to describe Jesus as a great teacher. Obviously he is much more than just a teacher! But read this book and you’ll see in a new way that Jesus was a really great teacher. This short book focuses mainly on the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) and shows the nuances, the (incredible) Old Testament references, and the storytelling skill of Jesus that helps to unlock this portion of the Bible.
How to Read a Book: Advice for Christian Readers, Andy Naselli: If you want to read more books or just read books better, this could really help. Naselli is a seminary professor who has learned the art of reading well. But the practical tips he shares can benefit anyone. There’s another book of the same name, How to Read a Book, by Mortimer Adler. I’m sure that one is also helpful. This book, however, is unique for its focus on helping Christian readers.
American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company, Bryce Hoffman: In the mid-2000s, Ford Motor Company was on the wrong track. Alan Mulally came aboard as the CEO with a bold plan to revitalize a great American company. And then the global financial crisis of 2007-2008 hit. This books tells the riveting story of Mulally and his transformational leadership that saved Ford, even without the federal bailout their competitors lobbied to receive. If you lead in any capacity, there are lessons to learn from this book.
On Great Fields, Ronald White: This biography recounts the life of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a college professor, Civil War hero (at Little Round Top during the battle of Gettysburg), and later college president and governor of Maine. What comes through clearly in this book is that Chamberlain, for all of his flaws (and there were a few), was a devoted Christian who memorized the Westminster Shorter Catechism in his youth and, by all accounts, remained a faithful believer to his dying day. He is a real American hero worth celebrating!
How to Know a Person, David Brooks: A New York Times columnist whose books I’ve appreciated for many years, David Brooks recently became a Christian (which he quietly alludes to in this book). It’s not a self-help book but it will help you to think clearly about knowing and loving the people around you.
Theo of Golden, Allen Levi: This self-published novel (usually never a good sign for a novel to be self-published—but this is an exception!) spread by word of mouth. I heard about it on a podcast, ordered the book, couldn’t put it down, and passed it on to my wife, who also couldn’t put it down. It tells the story of a mysterious visitor to a small southern town who is quickly woven into many lives through his practical generosity, gracious demeanor, and genuine love. But, really, just read it. You won’t regret it.
One Book in Progress:
The Person of Christ, John Owen: While not for the faint of heart, John Owen’s deep dive into the scriptural teaching on Jesus Christ will blow your mind with biblical insight and warm your heart with devotion to our Lord. Just chip away by reading 10 pages a day and you’ll be amazed at what you learn!
One Book for 2025:
Holiness, J.C. Ryle. I’ve read sections of this book before and have long loved J.C. Ryle, an evangelical and reformed Anglican bishop in the 19th century. But this book comes up so often when people I greatly respect name the books that most influenced them that it’s really time to read the whole thing.
Tolle Lege!
In the Father's Love,
Pastor Andrew