I have a growing pile of books to read. I’m in the middle of two that are proving helpful as I work as the pastor of a Midwestern church in small-town America. The two on my desk are Stop Dating the Church: Fall in Love with the Family of God by Joshua Harris, and EKG: The Heartbeat of God by Ken Hemphill. Waiting on the shelf are Breakout Churches by Thom Rainer, The Kingdom Focused Church by Gene Mims, Confessions of a Pastor by Craig Groeschel, and The Missional Code by Ed Stetzer & David Putnam. Just when I think I’ll get around to doing some of this “light” reading, friends start dumping new titles and authors my way: from Paul—More Ready than You Realize by Brian McLaren and The Great Giveaway by David Fitch; from Andy—Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. So much reading so little time.

Have you read any of these? Can you give me another take? Recommended, not recommended?