Best Books 2021

We asked church leaders what were the best books they read this year. Here are some of their answers.

KEN HEULITT #1

City of Tranquil Lightby Bo Caldwell

A missionary couple pour out their faith and life in China

#2

The Message of Jeremiah

by Christopher J. H. Wright

A fine pastoral commentary on Jeremiah

#3

Joseph and His Brothers

by Thomas Mann, John Woods translation

A deep and fascinating re-telling of Jacob and Joseph and his brothers. Very rich but demanding fiction.

NANCY TAYLOR #1

7 Ways to Pray

by Amy Boucher Pye

Practical guide to prayer practices with some built-in exercises

#2

Engaging Your Teen's World

by David Eaton & Jeremiah Callahan

Understanding what today's youth are thinking, doing and watching

SUZANNE SHIRLEY #1

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

by Laura Hillenbrand

#2

Another Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity

by Alisa Childers

TAD WILLIAMS #1

One Assembly: Rethinking the Multisite and Multiservice Church Models

by Jonathan Leeman

#2

Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age

by Jay Y. Kim

CHERYCE BERG

After the Last Border: Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America

by Jessica Goudeau

Finally—an honest and heart-wrenching look at what it means to be a refugee, told by an amazing Christian woman who sees each one as created in God's image

DANIKA KING #1

The Aurora Cycle by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

#2

Hamnet

by Maggie O'Farrell

#3

The Wingfeather Saga

by Andrew Peterson

#4

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain

by George Saunders

AMY KRUIS MARK BERG

Gentle and Lowly

by Dane Ortlund

ANDREW NELSON #1

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution

by Carl R. Trueman

#2

Anxious People

by Fredrik Backman

MARK BERG #1

Managing the Professional Services Firm

by Daniel Maister

Excellent, though thick, read.

#2

A Gentleman in Moscow

by Amor Towles

Amazing writer of the English languge

#3

Holiness Day by Day

by Jerry Bridges

Daily devotional with rich content

JEFF OSLUND #1

The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom

by Corrie Ten Boom, John Sherrill , Elizabeth Sherrill

Challenging and inspirational story highlighted by amazing examples of faith and prayer

#2

Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot

by Elisabeth Elliot

The faith filled, disciplined focus on communicating the good news of Jesus from the USA to Ecuador is challenging and encouraging

JEREMY TAYLOR

Sooley by John Grisham

I always feel a bit of trepidation when recommending a fiction book, especially one by a mainstream author. I believe John Grisham is a Christian, and he incorporates a fair amount of Christian world view into his novels, but they are intended for a general audience and do contain some objectionable material. Nevertheless, I think this is an important book because it highlights a very nonfiction humanitarian crisis that continues to unfold in South Sudan, the world's newest country and one that few Americans know much about. Grisham combines tragic real-world events with a fictionalized but still somehow familiar tale of heroism in the sports world to create a very readable, entertaining, and educational novel. This book is not for kids and should be read with caution. But it should be read. While you're reading, pray for the people of South Sudan.