Monday, January 11, 2010

What Should I Read Next?


I am looking for some suggestions on books to read. I am looking at my shelf and there is really nothing there that peaks my interest right now. If you know of any good books related to any of the following topics, please leave a comment on my blog for me.


  • Commentary on Proverbs (Especially first nine chapters)

  • John Grisham Style Fiction

  • Contemporary Church Issues

  • Leadership Related

  • Biography on Abraham Lincoln

  • Book on the implications of God/Faith on the battles/people of the Civil War

Any insights or suggestions would be appreciated! I am also open to hearing about other books that you feel are a "must read" even if it doesn't relate to any of the above mentioned topics.

5 comments:

Ryan Snyder said...

Hi Pastor Tim,

I've got one for ya. The book's name is "From the Flag to the Cross." I found out about it thru the U.S. Christian Commission in Gettysburg (a group who is still doing missions work on the Gettysburg battlefield (www.usccgettysburg.org). Awesome, true stories of History we didn't get in school. Below is an excerpt of what it is about. I've read it as an online book (Google...you can download it as a pdf.)

From the Flag to the Cross
Scenes and Incidents of Christianity in the Civil War
Author: Amos S. Billingsley

The sub-title to this masterpiece is "The conversions, prayers, dying requests, last words, sufferings and deaths of our soldiers, on the battlefield, in hospital, camp and prison and a description of distinguished Christian men and their labors."

Amos Stevens Billingsley was born in 1818, near East Palestine, Columbiana County, OH. He was ordained as a Presbyterian Minister on 10 Jan 1854, and pastored the Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church in Lawrence County until 1857, when he was sent to west as a missionary by the Presbyterian Home Board of Missions. He ministered in the Colorado Gold fields, 1861-62. In 1861 he was elected Chaplain of the Colorado House of Representatives. In 1863, he was assigned as Chaplain of the 101st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He mustered in 9 Jan 1864. He was captured 20 April 1864 at Plymouth, NC, and held captive at Libby Prison in Richmond, VA. He and his wife settled in Statesville, NC, where he pastored at the colored Presbyterian Church. Rev. Billingsley died 12 Oct 1897 in Statesville, NC.

This book is a rivetting account of the work of God in the Civil War. The title of the book, FROM THE FLAG TO THE CROSS, is taken from a letter written from a dying soldier to his brother in which he commends his allegiance to the Flag but urges him to the highest allegiance to the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Enjoy...I know I did.

Pastor Tim said...

Ryan,

Thanks for your recommendation. The book sounds like a great read. This is the cool part about getting recommendations like this as this is a book I most likely would have never found on my own. I will let you know what I think after I read it.

Andy Spade said...

Hi, Tim. I recently finished a book titled "Present Future" by Reggie McNeil. It was very thought-provoking on ways the church needs to change to be on mission in a post-modern world. I know it challenged me to think about how we do church at Grace.

Mim Kegarise said...

Tim, There is a Christian author, whose name is Randy D. Singer who writes in John Grisham fashion. I had discovered him recently at my public library, but I believe our LCS library has at least one of these books as well. Two of his books that I have read and enjoyed are The Justice Game and By Reason of Insanity. Enjoy!

Pastor Tim said...

Thanks to Mim & Andy for their comments and the few others who have emailed me their thoughts on what to read. I love the input as many of these are books and authors that I haven't heard of or read before, so I am excited to continue broadening my scope and finding some new authors to enjoy.