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Top recommended books from our staff
Friends, are you ready for 2023? We’ve been reflecting on 2022 and gearing up for the year to come. Below are 12 of the top recommended books from our staff. The topics range from theology, to spiritual formation, leadership, and even sociological. We hope these resources will help you as you prepare for another faithful year in ministry!
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High
by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Rob McMillan, Al Switzler & Emily Gregory
Crucial Conversations is a fantastic common-sense roadmap for talking about tough topics with clarity and care. As Watermark’s senior communications director, Caitlin Van Wagoner knows the importance of understanding, navigating, and de-escalating conversations when emotions are high.
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World
by Paul E. Miller
Instead of just extolling the value of prayer, A Praying Life is full of practical tools and ideas for deepening your prayer life. Jeff Ward, Watermark’s external focus director, appreciates how it addresses many of the obstacles that keep us from prayer.
Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell
by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg & Alan Eagle
There’s a lot to learn from modern-day success stories like Apple’s Steve Jobs and Google’s Eric Schmidt, but if you’re a leader, there’s arguably more to learn from the man who mentored them. Part biography and part management handbook, Trillion Dollar Coach gleans leadership lessons from the life of the late businessman Bill Campbell.
On the Incarnation
by Athanasius
Avoid recency bias on your bookcase by throwing in a theologian who has been dead for 1900 years. This short classic comes recommended from both Watermark teaching pastor John Elmore and equipping pastor Oren Martin, who reads it every advent season to remind himself of the wonder and implications of the incarnation. As a bonus, since it’s in the public domain, you can read it online for free.
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness
by Timothy Keller
If you still haven’t gotten around to reading this bestseller, set aside an hour or so to explore what true humility looks like—not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less. John Elmore is so obsessed with this book, he’s given away hundreds of copies. At a grand total of 48 pages, it’s easy to squeeze into a busy schedule.
The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business
by Patrick Lencioni
The importance of goal-setting, teamwork, and communication shouldn‘t surprise anyone, but The Advantage casts a compelling vision of the power of a healthy team. Recommended by Watermark executive pastor John Cox, it’s big in scope and packed with solid principles every leader should know.
Think Again: Relief from the Burden of Introspection
by Jared Mellinger
Easy to comprehend but theologically dense, Think Again explores the difference between healthy introspection and relentless self-absorption. Mellinger, a pastor, speaks from his own experience about redirecting our focus to God’s grandeur and the life-giving gospel of Christ.
Why Revival Tarries
by Leonard Ravenhill
Recommended by John Elmore and written in 1959, this intense challenge to comfortable Christianity dares the church to quit trying to appeal to crowds and return to what matters: trusting and obeying God no matter the cost.
The Pilgrim’s Progress
by John Bunyan
Our senior pastor Blake Holmes cites this Puritan classic as his favorite book. A simple allegory that illustrates the Christian journey, it’s relatable and memorable, invaluable for explaining spiritual development both as a leader and as a follower. There’s a reason it remains one of the most published and well-read Christian books of all time.
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
by Alfred Lansing
What does a disastrous 1914 South Pole expedition have to do with church leadership? More than you might think, according to John McGee, senior director of Watermark Resources. Following British explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew, it’s both an epic survival story and an incredible real-life case study on rallying a team in the face of unimaginable hardship.
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry
by Ruth Haley Barton
It’s sadly common for ministers of the gospel to attempt to pour into others while allowing their own relationships with God to dry up. Exploring the spiritual discipline of contemplation, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership is a gentle reminder to lead ourselves well before attempting to lead others.
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
by Carl Trueman
Instead of simply criticizing modern self-expression and identity-focused worldviews, this epic traces the philosophical changes over the last several hundred years that got us to this point. Expect some heady concepts presented with ease and clarity.
