Coming out of blog hibernation my one time a year to post a favorite books of the year list.

Annual disclaimer: I read quite a few books this year, some newly published, some quite old. As always, these aren't necessarily the best books published this year. They aren't even necessarily the "best" books I read this year. They are simply the ones that I found most interesting, entertaining, edifying, enlightening, challenging, and/or simply enjoyable. I would recommend them all, even if I wouldn't agree with everything in all of them (some I read to help me understand perspectives quite different from my own).


Theology

The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing - Jonathan Pennington

• It's pretty rare that I read a book that is paradigm shifting these days. Many of the books I read, even if they are solid and edifying, are simply saying things I've already heard in different ways. This book is the first paradigm-shifting book I've read in a while. I'm still digesting it. Jonathan Pennington was my Greek professor in seminary, and he's spent many years studying the Sermon on the Mount. His take on this familiar text was nothing short of amazing to me. His explanation of how to interpret "blessing" (makarios), what it means that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law, what it means to be "perfect" (teleios)...all things that made Jesus' words come alive to me in a new way that invigorated my faith in many ways. The beautiful vision of life in God's kingdom was challenging, comforting, and hope-giving. I think the long-term effect of this book may end up being quite large as people wrestle with the implications. 

Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels - Richard Hays

• Richard Hays' "figural" reading of the gospels yields immense fruit in this book. Essentially walking through each of the 4 gospels, Hays beautifully shows how the authors were interpreting the OT Scriptures in ways that illuminate who Jesus is in such a rich and wonderful way. While some may not agree with all of his conclusions, his attempt to read the Bible the way the gospel authors did is a great example and a wonderful demonstration of the interconnected-ness of the whole Bible. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and will likely come back to it every so often.

New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ - Tom Schreiner

• My favorite teacher ever walking through the theology of the New Testament. Tom is the clearest and most humble teacher I've ever known, and that's on full display in this book. He's written a theology of Paul, a theology of the NT, and a whole-Bible theology. I'm reading those in reverse order, so I guess Paul is up next.

Covenant and God's Purpose for the World - Tom Schreiner

• This is part of a series of short books on Biblical Theology, and it's my favorite. Tom walks through the covenants as the backbone of the Bible, showing how they are interconnected and tell a unified story of what God is doing. This will likely become my go-to resource for introducing someone to the full scope of Scripture in a condensed form. Clear, precise, pastoral, brilliant.

None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different From Us (And Why That's A Good Thing) - Jen Wilkin

• I've been meaning to read this for a while, and finally got around to it. Jen Wilkin is a fantastic writer, and her ability to articulate big truths about God in understandable and even worshipful ways is so great. In this book, she gives a Tozer-like introduction to some of the attributes of God (10, actually), and I found it incredibly edifying, even though this is aimed at women. I wish every Christian woman would read this book, and I pray many men will as well. Grateful for godly women authors like Wilkin.

Nine Marks of a Healthy Church - Mark Dever

• I have used 9Marks materials for quite a while, but had never actually read through the book that started it all. I had the privilege of teaching a class through this book (along with the DVD series from Ligonier) this year, and I loved it as much as I thought I would. So thankful for Mark Dever and his vision of the local church and how to lead it well.

The Sermons of George Whitefield (2 Volumes) - George Whitefield

• This was a birthday present a couple years ago from my wife, and I finally finished it this year. George Whitefield is my favorite person from Church history, and reading his sermons and imagining his delivering them to thousands of people is amazing, and his heart for the gospel is part of what made me want to be a pastor. This 2-volume set is a treasured part of my library.

The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life: Connecting Christ to Human Experience - Jeremy Pierre