From a few different categories, here are the best books I read in 2024.

Apologetics: Bridge Building Apologetics by Lindsey Medenwaldt was a thoughtful, non-overwhelming book with lots of practical advice. It includes a great chapter on prayer. She has a slightly Charismatic understanding of the Holy Spirit, but not without much good that I would happily affirm. This would be a good book to read and implement with friends.

Government: Over Ruled: The Human Toll of Too Much Law by Supreme Court Justice, Neil Gorsuch, and Janie Nitze was depressing, and stunning in the level of evidence for the thesis. I learned a lot and think there are implications for church as well as civil government.

Communication: I’m trying to shore up some weak areas by following the advice of Matt Abrahams in Speak Faster, Talk Smarter. I look forward to seeing how much I progress in 2025.

Leadership: The Manager’s Handbook: Five Simple Steps to Build a Team, Stay Focused, Make Better Decisions, and Crush Your Competition by David Dodson. I don’t have any competition to crush, but that really isn’t the content or animus of this excellent book.

Special Topics in Ministry: Domestic Abuse I’ll mention two. Ready Refuge: A Cross-Denominational Guide for Church Leaders on Intimate Partner Violence by Hannah Fordice and When Home Hurts by Jeremy Pierre and Greg Wilson.

Biblical Studies: I basically took a masterclass from J. P. Fokkelman last year by slowly working through all the examples in Reading Biblical Narrative: An Introductory Guide. That was a very profitable exercise!

Citizenship: We can’t keep our written rights unless we keep our unwritten responsibilities. In helping to prepare my son for adulthood, he and I discussed our way through The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens by Richard Haass.

Preaching: I read several good books in this category, one was John Currie’s The Pastor as Leader: Principles and Practices for Connecting Preaching and Leadership. The sub-title accurately describes the unique contribution of this book.

Theology: None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God by Matthew Barrett. The forward by Fred Sanders is also very good.

Priorities: An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus' Rhythms of Work and Rest by Alan Fadling was a re-read. I’ll probably read it again this year.

Fiction: The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell was the best fiction book I read in 2024 because it was the only fiction book I read in 2024. Still, I did enjoy it and continue to think about the story from time to time. What fiction should I read in 2025? Recommendations on the shorter-side, please.

Happy New Year!