As a resource to you, pictured above is a portion of my 2018 Summer Reading List.  If you do not have a reading list, I highly recommend each of these books.  They are already making me a more effective leader.  Everyone is different but I continually try to rotate my reading from sports (enjoyment), business (work), Christianity (theology and leadership development), military (high-stress leadership) or some combination of the four.  By rotating between these four topics, I feel it helps keep me rounded as a leader.

Below is a brief synopsis of each and how they could help you as well.  You can click the link to learn more and purchase.

  • The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus’ Path of Power in a Church that Has Abandoned It by Kyle Strobel and Jamin Goggin.  Pastor Jamin Goggin and theology professor Kyle Strobel invite readers on a journey to uncover Jesus’ seemingly contradictory way to power: weakness.  Why do so many rock-star pastors implode under the spotlight? Why do modern-day churches become so entangled in growing their brand that they lose sight of their true purpose? Because, according to Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel, Christians have succumbed to the temptations of power and forgotten Jesus’ seemingly contradictory path to power—first giving it up.  This may be the most important book I read all summer.
  • Hero Maker: Five Essential Practices for Leaders to Multiply Leaders by Dave Ferguson.  Everybody wants to be a hero, but few understand the power of being a hero maker.  In Hero Maker you will learn how to bring real change to your church and community by developing the practical skills to help others reach their leadership potential.  Drawing on five powerful practices found in the ministry of Jesus, Hero Maker presents the key steps of apprenticeship that will build up other leaders and provides strategies for how you can activate gifts, help others take ownership, and develop a simple scorecard for measuring your kingdom-building progress.
  • The Power of a Positive Team: Proven Principles and Practices that Make Great Teams Great by Jon Gordon.  In his follow-up to The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the Worldone of my favorite authors Jon Gordon releases The Power of a Positive Team: Proven Principles and Practices that Make Great Teams Great on June 13th.  Utilizing examples from the writing team who created the hit show Billions, the National Champion Clemson Football team, the World Series contending Los Angeles Dodgers, The Miami Heat and the greatest beach volleyball team of all time to Navy SEAL’s, Marching bands, Southwest Airlines, USC and UVA Tennis, Twitter, Apple and Ford, Jon shares innovative strategies to transform a group of individuals into a united, positive and powerful team.  I can’t wait for this book.
  • There Is More: When the World Says You Can’t, God Says You Can by Brian Houston.  In his latest book, Founder and Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church and author of LIVE LOVE LEAD shows how, with God’s power, you can believe and achieve a life that exceeds every earthly expectation. When you surrender control and follow God’s guidance, you become empowered and equipped to do the impossible, reach higher, and go further than you could have ever imagined–giving Him all the glory.  
  • Finding Favor: God’s Blessings Beyond Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Brian Jones.  Why settle for success when you can have God’s favor? Deep down everyone wants God’s best for their lives―also known as God’s favor. Unfortunately, most of the time we don’t feel “favored” when we’re being “blessed.” It takes perspective to recognize what’s going on. God often uses confusing, painful, and counterintuitive measures to bring us his best in our lives. God is always working for our good, even though we may not recognize it at the time. We want immediate success and easy positive results. God wants long-term transformation. Pastor Brian Jones weaves together stories and Scripture to help readers find God’s favor in their own lives.
  • Your Marriage Today. . .And Tomorrow: Making Your Relationship Matter Now and for Generations to Come by Dr. Crawford and Karen Loritts.  Build a marriage now that your kids will thank you for later.  Your parents’ marital choices have greatly affected your own attitudes and actions in marriage, for better or worse. Your choices will affect your children, and grandchildren, and so on. It’s time to get proactive about your marriage legacy.  Dr. Crawford and Karen Loritts have been married 45 years and have spent the last 30 years speaking on marriage. This book contains their most successful, proven material. Interlaced with personal stories and letters from their four children this book will teach you the biblical and theological foundation for marriage, godly disciplines and habits that will improve your marriage and how to use your marriage to shape future generations
  • The Third Option: Why a Woman Doesn’t Have to Choose between a Career and Family, but Can Actually Have Both and Succeed by Shannon Miles.  BELAY Solutions Co-Founder and CEO Shannon Miles shares how she took a leap of faith to create a flexible career that gives meaning to both her work and her family, and she shows how you too can accomplish the same. Whether you want to be a contractor or freelancer–or change an existing position into a job that meets your needs as well as the company’s–you can work part-time virtually at home or a few days a week on site and still make a living. More importantly, you can live and work on your own terms.
  • Home Run: Learn God’s Game Plan For Life And Leadership by Kevin Myers and Dr. John Maxwell.  For five hard years Christian leader Kevin Myers struggled personally and professionally. But it was during that time that God pointed out where he was going wrong and showed him the biblical pattern for living. It proceeded to transform his life, leadership, ministry, and relationships. During that time John Maxwell also became his mentor. Together, using a baseball diamond as an analogy for following God’s plan for life, Myers and Maxwell provide a clear path forward while helping you keep your priorities in order and your eyes on the prize. What is that pattern?
  • Lead Like A Shepherd: The Secret To Leading Well by Larry Osborne.  Some instruction is timeless. Regardless of the age in which we live, certain instruction carries no expiration on its relevance. Pastor, author, and leadership consultant, Larry Osborne has discovered this to be the case with instruction on how to be a good leader. The best, most practical advice comes from the Bible, and in particular, 1 Peter 5:1-4. It’s in this short passage where leaders are exhorted to shepherd the flock among them.
  • Amplified Leadership: 5 Practices to Establish Influence, Build People, and Impact Others for a Lifetime by Dan Reiland.  There is not a leader I respect more than iconic executive pastor of 12Stone Church.  He has as much wisdom as anyone you will ever meet.  This book documents the leadership development process of one of America’s largest and fastest growing churches.  An absolute must-read!

Finally, my new book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders is now available for purchase.  If you have ever wanted to become the leader God created you to be, this book is for you!  By combining leadership lessons from biblical heroes like Jesus, Daniel and Joseph, along with modern day leaders like Bill Gates, Nick Saban, Kobe Bryant and multiple pastors, Timeless will equip and inspire you.  This book is not to be read alone.  Discussion questions are included in each chapter allowing you to develop those in your circle of influence.  Release date is March 13th.  Click HERE or on the image provided and order your copies TODAY.

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