Social media often includes favorites lists that spark a myriad of personalized posts and then die off, only to be revived again a year down the road. It might be favorite movies or TV shows or books.
Yesterday I attended a Calling Lab hosted by a pastor friend where we explored how we were created and how God wanted to use us personally to love the world and live his Kingdom. As I worked through the well-designed steps and arrived at a “big sentence” that basically came to the same conclusions as the purpose statement I’d written more than 30 years ago, I began to consider what shaped me into the person I am. Books have always been the most powerful ways God moves me—the Scriptures, certainly, but also a host of books by fellow travelers on the path to knowing and serving God better.
As we worked through the steps, I jotted down a list of 5 books that I know sent me on the trajectory that has been my life. I encourage you to consider the books (or perhaps movies or podcasts) that have shaped who you are and the things you’re passionate about. Most of list were read more than 30 years ago and yet I still think about them regularly.
In order of having read them, I give you:
1. George Müller of Bristol by A.T. Pierson (1975)— Müller’s faith led him to build 5 orphanages in the 1800s, caring for more than 10,000 orphans. What stuck with me was not only his philanthropy but his belief in the power of specific prayer. He never sought out donations but prayed, trusting God to provide by inspiring others to give. The book shared amazing stories including one of him praying and thanking God at the breakfast table when as yet there was no food for the orphans. As he ended, there was knock on the door—breakfast! Müller challenged me to pray specifically and confidently. I cannot say I have done so to his level of trust, but he inspires me still.
2. What Do You Say to a Hungry World by W. Stanley Mooneyham (1975)—Mooneyham was president of World Vision, and his book rattled my white-bread, middle-class world. It was my first exposure to the complex systems that contribute to poverty in our world. It introduced me to the biblical concept of justice and why Christians should advocate changes to government policies, international treaties, and corporate strategies to enable the whole world to thrive.
3. Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ron Sider (1980)—Sider’s book expanded my understanding of biblical justice and provided practical and sacrificial suggestions on simplifying our lifestyles so we can give more generously. (In 1996 I had the privilege of traveling to Cambridge, England, to work on a study guide for the book’s 20th anniversary. Unfortunately, it didn’t get published.)
4. Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel (1994)—Featuring stunning photography, Material World showcases average-income families from 30 countries around the world with their possessions spread around them in front of their homes. It was fascinating to see how lifestyles differ. It was humbling to hear that the Ethiopian Getu family’s “wish for the future” was for a second set of clothes. It was convicting to consider how much wealth I possess in comparison to the world. I would be thrilled if Menzel was to update this book, with the same families, if possible. (He did produce a companion volume, Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, in 2007.)
5. Live in Grace, Walk in Love by Bob Goff (2019)—The only book from this century, Goff’s book includes 365 simple yet powerful devotionals. They profoundly expanded my awareness of God’s grace in my life and the many ways I can share his grace and love with others. It reminded me that loving in small ways makes a difference. I shared it with Les and he thought it so life-changing, he promoted it to the whole congregation and preached coordinating sermons for the year!
My big sentence (you’ll see why it’s called big!) from the Calling Lab isn’t finalized yet, but this is where it stands right now:
I am created to honor God and help others by leveraging my abilities to:
- encourage others:
- to feel the deep love of God and then live love,
- to serve and live as God designed them,
- to love God’s Word, knowing they can both understand it and live it, and
- to care for the poor and fight for justice;
With a deep passion for:
- God and my relationship with him,
- the Word of God and its relevance,
- the need for justice in our world and the setting right of our physical world, and
- people to know God and live their mission;
In the context of:
- being where my feet are.