Reading list for the next two weeks...

So... my seminary work for this semester should be wrapped up this week. Basically I've got a couple of little projects to finish and then I'll be done with another semester.

And since I'm wrapping things up here in the office this week and I'll have some 'down' time next week, I was thinking this morning about what I should be reading over the next two weeks.

I think I've arrived at a good mix. Here's what I'm planning to knock out in the next two weeks:

• Purpose Driven Youth Ministry by Doug Fields - This is oldie, but a goodie. I got this book over 10 years ago before I started in Meadville. It has guided my thinking about youth ministry in ways that I'm sure I don't even realize. I've read it about 5 or 6 times, but I thought I'd read it again with fresh eyes heading into a fresh ministry. BTW: This book is currently under revision... and I can't wait to read the new version!!!
• Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis - I got this book (of all 7 books) a couple of years ago for Christmas and I've never read it all the way through. This book might actually push me to get it done in two weeks since it's nearly 800 pages covering all of the Chronicles. I have read individual books... but never the whole collection. This book falls into the "fun read" category.
  
• Jesus Centered Youth Ministry by Rick Lawrence - I started this book last fall... but never finished it. I hate to start things and then not finish them... especially books. So I'm going to knock this one out just so that I can say it's done. It's pretty good... and pretty challenging places... I've just never finished it.
• You Were Made for More by Jim Cymbala - This book was a gift from one of the leaders at FVCC. It has sat on my 'books to be read' shelf for over a year and I thought it was time that it got read. So it's up on the slate for this week or next. It will be a good devotional book to read along with my daily Bible reading.
  

Altogether that should be about 1,500 pages in the next couple of weeks. That should be quite challenging... but do-able... that's only a little more than 100 pages a day. And it should be some refreshing reading heading into a new ministry.

Jim

Book #1... Blue Like Jazz

So, I'm frequently late to the party. But I have an excuse this time.

I just finished reading Donald Miller's "Blue Like Jazz." It was a good read. I had bought it about 2 years and hadn't had a chance to read it because someone who will remain nameless had borrowed it and read it... and not returned it... for so long that I thought I would have to go and buy another copy. But finally it did come back.

Donald is incredibly witty and clever and very enjoyable to read. His thoughts are scattered sometimes, but he always seems to make it back. Good book!!!

This is book #1 for 2008. I am attempting to read 26 books this year... other than the Bible and the books that I am expected to read for class. The next book on my hit list, although it may not be the next in terms of books for 2008 (because "I Am Legend" is a library book waiting for me at home and will likely be quicker read than this one) is "Opie Doesn't Live Here Anymore" by Walt Mueller. I am looking forward to reading/finishing this one. I got it when I was out at Saddleback in September. I read the first couple of chapters on the plane on the way home, but didn't finish it. It was good... but for some reason from time to time I start books that are good... read 50 pages and then quit and start something else. But I'm going to go back to the beginning and start again.

Onward!!

Jim

Reading update...

The Christmas holiday slowed down my holiday reading plan. I began "The Christmas Story" a couple of weeks ago and I just finished it tonight.

But I'm getting back on track. I've got a couple of more weeks before the next semester begins on January 22nd. With brings a fresh load of required reading. So, tonight I began reading "Prince Caspian" from the Chronicles of Narnia (book 4 in preparation for this summer's release).

The book itself is only about 100 pages in my copy. So it won't likely take long. But I thought it would be a fun little holiday reading.

Jim

Blitz read complete!!!

I just finishing flying through this book. It's Authentic Worship by Herbert Batemann.

This is the final book required for my "Biblical Worship for Today" class at Lincoln. I use the term flying because I read this 300 page book is less than 2 days!!! I am required to turn in 5 discussion questions for class on Tuesday.

It was a pretty decent read. A little heady and meaty in places. But overall pretty good. There was a great chapter on the lack of Scripture reading in our congregations today that left me with something to think about. I struggled with Webber's chapter on communion (because I couldn't figure out if he was advocating "Transubstantiation," "Consubstantiation" or something in the middle. My sense is the latter... and the lack of clarity annoyed me.) and the final chapter by Stalltman on multiculturalism in worship (not because I disagree but because he seemed to advocating a rejection of American culture in worship for the inclusion of worship elements that are abrasive for Americans because they are accepted by other cultures more readily).

Overall... it was decent. And again, it left me with somethings to chew on.

Jim

Reading Update: The Kite Runner... 1662 pages

I finished "The Kite Runner" tonight by Khaled Hosseini. It was the first book by Khaled... with "A Thousand Splendid Suns."

Actually, story-wise, "The Kite Runner" was better with a better plot and story wrap up. Overall, it was a really good read and certainly worth the 372 pages...

That takes me totally up to 1662 pages for the summer... about 600-650 pages behind.

Next... "Chronicles of Narnia."

Jim

Reading Update...

I realized this morning that I've failed update on my summer reading schedule of reading 3000 pages. At this point in the summer, I should have read 1,750 pages. This past week, I polished off "Trogan Horse" by Marc Cerasini. It was a pretty good read, but it's hard to read books that deal with pre-season 1 material knowing what happens later.

But it counted for 352 pages... with 372 done...

Bringing the total to 724 pages.


Then...



This morning I wrapped up a book that I've been reading off and on for a while now...

Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis"...

It was a good read. Rob's work is extremely post-modern. But a good read none the less.

It counted for 194 pages...

Bringing the grand total to 918 pages.




As for right now, as for "church reading" I'm between books. As for "personal," I started last night on "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (writer of "The Kite Runner") and knocked off about 70 pages. I'm hoping to wrap it up this weekend (it's 372 and due back to the public library on Tuesday...). So, hopefully I'll have a new update soon...

Jim