Just Read!
Followers of Jesus are, by nature, influential. That’s both a joyful responsibility and a cautious burden for many Christ-followers. One way to make sure you are influencing positively is to read.
This year, we have embarked on a year-long, chronological read through the Bible. If you are a little late to the process, don’t be discouraged. Start now as though today is January 1, and read on! God’s word is the groundwork for our lives. Before we read anything else, we need to start with a great foundation. Where better to begin than the Bible?! Click here for the 2008 reading plan.
Bill Hybels, founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, says that one way people of influence stay motivated is to simply “read good books.” While there are hundreds of outstanding books out there, books that have influenced us a great deal here at Rolling Hills, here are a few of the ones we believe you will find as resourceful, uplifting, and challenging for you as your journey unfolds.
One note to mention…while these books have been great resources for us, our recommendation of them here does not necessarily mean we “endorse” them cover to cover. Learners learn from everything, even from things with which they disagree (even for all the right reasons). Read and learn, but be discerning in what you determine to be truth. These books drip with the opinions of men and women, many of whom are passionate followers of God, but they are not meant to replace or refute the truth of God’s word.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
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| Celebration of Discipline | The Life You’ve Always Wanted |
| Richard Foster | John Ortberg |
| Buy it | Buy it |
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| Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible | |
| Dietrich Bonhoeffer | |
| Buy it | |
DISCIPLESHIP
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| What’s So Amazing About Grace? | The Signature of Jesus |
| Philip Yancey | Brennan Manning |
| Buy it | Buy it |
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| The Divine Conspiracy | |
| Dallas Willard | |
| Buy it | |
OWNING YOUR FAITH
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| Mere Christianity | The Case for Christ |
| C.S. Lewis | Lee Strobel |
| Buy it | Buy it |
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| Passionate Conviction | |
| N.T. Wright, et al. | |
| Buy it | |
BIBLICAL COMMENTARY
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The New Testament for Everyone Series, 14 Volumes |
The NIV Application Commentary, New Testament Set, 20 Volumes |
| Tom Wright | Terry Muck, ed. |
| Buy it | Buy it |
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| The Bible Exposition Commentary, 6 Volumes | |
| Warren Wiersbe | |
| Buy it | |
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
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| Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger | The Bottom Billion |
| Ronald Sider | Paul Collier |
| Buy it | Buy it |
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| The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade | |
| Victor Malarek | |
| Buy it | |
RELATIONSHIPS AND MARRIAGE
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| Sacred Marriage | Why Marriages Succeed or Fail |
| Gary Thomas | John Gottman |
| Buy it | Buy it |
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| Sex God | |
| Rob Bell | |
| Buy it | |
PARENTING
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Revolutionary Parenting: What the Research Shows Really Works |
Family Driven Faith |
| George Barna | Voddie Baucham |
| Buy it | Buy it |
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| Parenting with Kingdom Purpose | |
| Ken Hemphill & Richard Ross | |
| Buy it | |
LEADERSHIP
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| Spiritual Leadership | Tough Choices |
| Henry & Richard Blackaby | Carly Fiorina |
| Buy it | Buy it |
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| The Leadership Challenge | |
| James Kouzes & Barry Posner | |
| Buy it | |
