The 10 books I recommend the most …

I’ve read a few thousand books. That’s a good thing since, as a minister and a Christian clinical therapist, I’m routinely asked something like, “Hey, could you recommend a book on …”

For that reason, Scott Free Clinic’s “Self-Help Toolbox” is a free resource providing dozens of reading recommendations on scores of topics, and I’ve posted more than 130 book reviews on this blog.

But there are some books I recommend more consistently than others. I’ll share the top 10 of those here. These aren’t necessarily the “best-selling” or most popular books in their subject category, but they are what I’ve found to be highly insightful, valuable, and/or practical regarding their subject matter.

My current top 10 book recommendations:

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible. This is my top recommendation for every human being. No, it’s not just because you might expect a minister to tell you to read the Bible, it’s because it’s the single most beneficial “book” you can ever read. Even if you’re both a devout Christian and a devout book reader, the Bible should have first priority in all of the reading you do. If you’re reading a single scripture 10 minutes in the morning and spending hours reading other books during the day, you’ve got your reading priorities wrong. It isn’t just that the Bible should be our most valued reading, it should also take first priority among our time given to reading. You can never spend too much time reading and studying scripture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb” has been my number one recommendation for church leaders for a few years now, and is good reading for any Christian. I think it’s an important book because it tackles well the topic of power in the church and in ministry with the kind of biblical insight and sober honesty the topic demands. You can find my original review of the book by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I Am A Follower.” When this book was published in 2012, it immediately became my number one reading recommendation for church leaders specifically, and Christians generally. After “The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb” was published, I moved this to my number two recommendation, where it remains today. Church leaders like to think and say that “leadership is everything” — I disagree. More important than their leadership is their followership of Christ, and this book does an effective job of digging into and delivering that message. You can find my original review of this book here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Radical.” This popular book by pastor David Platt kind of “shook things up” when published in 2011. It’s sad that the idea of living an obedient and faithful Christian life is something considered “radical,” but it is, and Platt does a good job of challenging us to get serious about doing just that. You can find my original review of the book here. I still consider this book to be a “must read” for Christians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Plastic Donuts.” Most Christians avoid like the plague anything having to do with the topic of money and giving. That’s one reason why we’re such poor stewards of what God has blessed us with, and usually give so little. But we’ll never seriously get our followership of Jesus right until we get serious about this issue. In that case, we NEED a good, biblical understanding of the kind of giver God really wants us to be. “Plastic Donuts” is a small book that can fit in the palm of your hand, yet it does a better than average job of helping Christians understand the kind of givers we should be and can be, if only we will. You can find my original review of this book here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“A Dragon Slayer’s Life.” Here is a powerful allegory that just might help you change your life! Yes, it’s a Christian “self-help book” but don’t let that concept scare you. The fact is, we all have “dragons” in our lives, and we all need to slay them. Check out my original review of this book here to learn just how valuable this volume might be to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Body By God.” Among the various “hats” I wear are those of Certified Fitness Professional and Fitness Nutrition Specialist. Years ago, when I was training people in the gym, I adopted the eating philosophy Dr. Ben Lerner includes in this book. For that information alone (and specifically), I continue to recommend this book. You can find my original review of this book here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Good News About Marriage.” This isn’t just a good book, it’s an important book. And Shaunti Feldhahn isn’t just a Christian, Harvard-trained researcher who produces good studies, she provides important research. In this book, she lays out important research that proves the claim that half of all marriages fail is wrong — it’s a long-held myth heavily perpetrated by none other than ministers! But it’s a myth that is harmful to marriage. There really is some good news abut marriage, which you can read about in this book. You can find my original review of this book here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Anxiety & Phobia Wokbook.” Anxiety is a serious, pervasive mental health issue that has been greatly exacerbated by a global pandemic, increased violence, the recent contentious election, and other current events. This is an effective and practical tool “… packed with the most effective skills for assessing and treating anxiety, this evidence-based workbook contains the latest clinical research.” Learn more about it, and order it, from Amazon here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Raving Fans.” This book is for all the business professionals out there. There seems to be a never-ending flow of books about business, but nothing is more important to your business than the quality of customer service you provide. You can fully maximize the growth of your business by providing a quality customer experience. Not just “good” customer service, but customer service that creates “raving fans.” Read more about the book, and order it from Amazon here.

Scotty