* A Short Method of Prayer by Madame Guyon. This is a 17th Century writing by the Frenchwoman Guyon. Each "chapter" is only about a 1/2 page to a page and a half, and each "chapter" tackles a particular topic or angle of prayer. Each angle is concise, to the point, and very rich. It's a great read.This book is available at the Christian Book Store in Escondido and is inexpensive at around $7. It is part of a larger series of classic books with the same cover (a.k.a. "looks great on your bookshelf when you have a few of them")
* The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. I've really really been liking this book. It has inspired me tremendously. It's challenged the way I approach my personal interaction with the Lord. I want to read it again to have the concepts get deeper into me. He approaches prayer, meditation, study, solitude, simplicity, servanthood...it's very insightful and challenging.The book does come with a necessity to have some sort of understanding of some concepts that he doesn't really address in the book, unfortunately, which is partly the fault of editing/writing, and partly just the reality of not being able to get super specific into every detail of theology when you write on certain topics. If he did, the book would have to be 4 times it's thickness.
This book is available in our bookstore at a discounted price. Our "Manly Men of theMovement" read through this book for their Wednesday morning study.
* Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders. This has long been a favorite of mine. He brings such a great perspective on biblical leadership, the kind that we have been hearing about during our Disciple series. The chapter titles alone are inspiring. As a staff, we went through this book a few years ago (before we were in this building, as a matter of fact). We offer this classic book in our bookstore as well, also at a discounted price. Definitely a "must have" in your personal library.
* Developing the Leader Within You/Around You by John Maxwell. I love these two books. I have been a fan of Maxwell's writings for a very long time. The first time I read "DLWY" I was hooked. He puts into words concepts and principles that are so complex, but simplifies them in great little anecdotes and one liners. I recommend anything by John Maxwell if you are wanting to grow in your own personal leadership, no matter what you do in life (PS, if you didn't know, Maxwell is a pastor, his writings, though written as "secular," are all biblical principals. One of my favorite studies on leadership ever was a study he did where he took all of his principals, applied all of the bible stories and verses that they were taken from, and put it in a 6 part workbook to equip church leaders across the world. We did this as a church back in 2004 I believe.)