“Oh, Look at the Shiny New Book!

For the past several years I have been building my library collection. (You see some of it here, at least how it looks in mind). As a seminary student I expect to spend a good deal of time reading over the next few years. I do not mind, I enjoy reading. Actually, I think I do mind, I like reading what and when I, and not someone else, wants. (I did a post on things not actually being about me recently. I guess I should go read it). Here are some books that I have added to a growing list of what I "need" to read.

Must Reads: Books I want to constantly and consistently read:

• The Bible – NET translation
  


• The Bible – NASB translation
  

I like working with two versions of the bible, as I study passages I find it enhances and deepens the study. These are my two favorite. I truly believe you need to be in the Word everyday and I try to do that.

First Reads: Books I want to read in no apparent order if I can find the time (Have you ever seen the class reading lists from a seminary course?):

• Who Moved the Stone? – Frank Morison
  


• Systematic Theology - Lewis Sperry Chafer (yes, all 8 volumes)
  


• Spurgeon's Sermons –Spurgeon (yes, all 10 volumes)
  


• Calvin's Commentaries – Calvin (yes, all 22 volumes)
  


• The Way of the Heart - Henri Nouwen
  


• Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God – J I Packer
  


• They Like Jesus But Not The Church: Insights from Emerging Generations - Dan Kimball
  


• Halftime Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance – Bob Buford
  


• The Sky Is Falling: Leaders Lost in Transition - Alan J. Roxburgh
  


• Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference - Matthew Emerzian
  



• Five Views on Sanctification - Hoekema/McQuilkin/ Walvoord
  


• The Canon of Scripture – Bruce (This one is recommended, not required reading in one of my upcoming courses, so I will probably read it, one way or another)
  

These are books that have been recommended either by someone I know or someone I read. I want to get to these when the seminary reading load is at a lull, if and when that occurs.

Should Reads: Books I have bought in the past and haven't had a chance to read but know I should:

• This is an embarrassing list.
  
• I have a shelf of books, probably two dozen or so, that I bought with every intention of reading but then another book came along that I got interested in first. (Oh, look at the shiny new book; I think I need to read it). Sometimes I bought them in a small cluster, like they were grapes instead of books. I cannot begin to tell you the perils of a Barnes & Noble gift card in the hands of a budding bibliophile. (Oh, look. A store full of shiny books!)
  


• There are too many books to list out. It includes people like Packer, Sproul, Walvoord, Begg, Van Til, Bruce, Lutzer, MacArthur to name a few. And that does not include the Spurgeon, Calvin and Chafer volumes I mentioned above.
  


• I am a mess, literary (or is it literally?) speaking.
  
  

Need Reads: Books I want to reread if I can find the time (After I get through seminary reads, "First Reads" and "Should Reads" above):

• The Way of the Shepherd – Leman/Pentak
  


• Life Together – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
  


• The Cost of Discipleship – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
  


• The Imitation of Christ- Thomas a Kempis
  


• The Confessions – St. Augustine ( I have this in a free audio book, thanks to a great blog; Boomer in the Pew.)
  


• The Pursuit of God – A W Tozer
  


• Romans – Martin Luther
  

These are books I read that I really enjoyed, or think I did but didn't understand them well enough to be sure. On second thought, I might have to look at this category along with the Must Read. (After all, I did name it Need Read).

As you can see, I am going to be busy for a while. This list is not all inclusive or all encompassing, it will probably grow daily. My life in general is not chaotic; it is actually quite calm most of the time. It is just that I cannot seem to keep up with my reading. It says something about me, but I have too much reading to do to research on what that is. I just think I should spend some time praying over need; what I need, how I define need, what are really the necessities of life. Every book I have picked up along the way and have not read I have felt the need to read. Need is not a good word to use in this context. I have work to do.

I am sure you could all recommend truly interesting, informative and entertaining books. I do not think I want you too, because the list has already taken on hydra-like qualities. (Oh, look at the shiny new book).