Reading Update...

I'm all over the map these days with my reading as I now try to hit 52 before the end of the year. Yes, this all began a short 12 months ago with a simple goal of reading 26 books. I think I may have raised the bar too high for next year.

Book #47 - No Perfect People Allowed by John Burke
Buy it. Read it. And please talk about it with your church staff/leadership. This book took me forever to get through as I wanted to reflect on it. And at times it completed disappointed me. Not so much the content (it's quality stuff), but the reality that so many churches don't foster an environment where people can come as they are. This book gives me hope of what the church could (and should) be.

Book #48 - Pornified by Pamela Paul
This was not a pretty book. I guess a book about the effects of porn should probably not be "pretty", but this book takes things to a whole new level. I found it to be an articulate work, with a bit too much information, that pushes for something to be done to stop porn from damaging any more relationships or lives. You'll ache as you read some of the stories of how porn has ruined lives. But I'm going to suggest you skip this one just because of the content.

Book #49 - Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell & Don Golden
A typical Rob Bell book with short sentences and even shorter paragraphs. I know lots of people don't like the style, but I can track with it. (I guess I'm a lazy reader.) While I wouldn't say this was one of Bell's best, I would say that it has a few gems, especially later on in the book when he starts to talk about what the church should look like. (Are you seeing a theme in my reading lately?)

Book #50 - Doors Open by Ian Rankin
This was in the "One Week" pile at the library last week so I thought I'd give it a go. It's all about an art theft in Edinburgh that involves multiple groups of people trying to rip each other off. It was a quick read, but I wasn't too thrilled with the ending or the vague epilogue. But it wasn't a bad way to kill a Sunday.