Of all the books I’ve reviewed, which do I recommend the most?

To date, I have posted 81 book reviews here on my blog, “Extraordinary Living.”

Of those books, which do I most recommend?

Well, the top three are …

Hang on just a minute. Let me clarify that these top three pertain only to the reviews I’ve posted here. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re my favorite books of any, or that I don’t recommend books not included among my published reviews. Also, there are other books I’ve posted reviews on that would be close rivals to these three.

But with that said, these three books are a trio that I’ve recommended more than the other books I’ve reviewed. Here we go!

1. “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream” by David Platt. This best-seller became a best-seller for a reason: it is a strong challenge to those professing to be Christians to start living like authentic followers of Christ. That’s why it remains my most recommended reviewed book, because their is a persistent need to challenge the shallow, empty Christianity so many wallow in. This is a good book to get now so that it can challenge you at the start of a new year. You can find my original review of the book here http://go.shr.lc/1zBJ0CI.

2. “I Am A Follower” by Leonard Sweet is a strong rival for my most recommended reviewed book, and continues to be the first book I recommend to leaders who want a recommendation for something to read on the topic of leadership. Sweet understands, unlike so many in church leadership today, that our leadership relies on (and will never surpass) the quality of our followership. If we want to learn about leading in the church, we need to begin with our followership. This is a great book for both leaders and followers alike, and you can find my original review here http://go.shr.lc/1qJgziH.

3. “Plastic Donuts” is accurately summed up in it’s sub-title of “Giving That Delights the Heart of the Father.” This is a little mini-hardback that is refreshingly insightful on the topic of giving. So much so, I recommend churches provide a copy to every member and include it in new member packets. “Plastic Donuts” quickly gets to the heart of the kind of giving that delights God, and that’s something we all need to learn and practice. You can find my original review of this book here http://go.shr.lc/1zBMWTQ.

Let my close by directing you to a book I recently reviewed that I anticipate will become a highly recommended book from me, and that is “A Dragon Slayer’s Life” by John Hendee. This book packs a punch of a self-help message by sharing a powerful allegory that has inspired change in the lives of many people already, and might do the same for you. You can find my original review of this new book here http://go.shr.lc/1HWUxjj.

All of these books would make good reading gifts, and “Plastic Donuts” is probably small enough to fit in a Christmas stocking. But let me encourage you to give yourself the gift of reading these four books. As you do, I think you’ll discover why I recommend them so often.

Scotty