Book Tag

Pernell book tagged me. If you don't know what a book tag is, it's the Internet version of a chain letter. I have to answer the question and pass this on to five other friends. If I don't, Pernell will experience sewage problems or something, so I had better do this.

Number of Books I Own:

Just shy of two thousand and growing - I'm running out of bookshelves

The Last Book I Bought:

The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders - Sure I need to read it but I was also thinking of giving it to Stephen Harper

The Last Book I Read:

Post-Rapture Radio by Russell Rathburn, a quirky little book with some fantastic insights

Books That Mean a Lot to Me:

These are not the deepest or most scholarly books I have read, but they have all made an impact.

1. Rebuilding Your Broken World by Gordon MacDonald - This book was written by a pastor who had an affair, someone I admired early in my ministry. This book opened came at a formative time in my life and made me a lot more realistic about weakness and a lot more appreciative of grace.

2. Building the Bridge as You Walk on It by Patrick Quinn - On choosing deep change over slow death.

3. Soul Salsa by Len Sweet - This was just a really fun book with some fantastic quotes and a good emphasis on orthopraxy.

4. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott - Anne is too vulgar for some but I enjoy reading her thoughts on writing and on life.

5. Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol - A challenging book on poverty and social justice.

6. The Present Future by Reggie McNeal - How to de-convert from churchianity.

7. The Church in Emerging Culture ed. by Len Sweet - I loved the interaction between the contributors. More books should be written in this format.

8. Unfreezing Moves by Bill Easum- Helping a church move beyond growth or even health to join Jesus on the mission field.

9. The Art of Pastoring by David Hansen - The subtitle says it all: "Ministry without all the answers." Eugene Peterson says, "This is the freshest and most honest book on pastoral work you're ever likely to come upon." I agree.

I'd list more but I have to stop sometime

Tag 5 More:

1. Charlene Dash

2. Ed De Freitas

3. Bene Diction

4. Rachel Cunliffe

5. Rev. Mike

and because it's hard to stop

6. Andrew Hamilton

7. Mark D. Roberts

Comments

[Jim]

Thanks for posting books that have influenced you. As a self-confessed book junkie, I love to see what others are reading. I recently inherited an entire personal library that belonged to a now retired preacher. My bookshelves are full and I have stacks of books on the floor in almost every room. You can imagine how much this thrills my wife! Looking forward to viewing the selections of everyone you tag!

[Bene Diction]

That was fun Darryl, I don't think it's about being more literary, it's probably about being more easily influenced, too easy to please, or unable to come to a clear conclusion. Thanks for including me.:^)

[Reverend Mike's House of Homil]

Ex Libris MoiWho'da thunk there'd be such interest in my library. However, having been tagged, not once, but twice with the "book meme" that is making the rounds, and lacking anything else about which to post since I've vented my spleen about...