Recommended Reading

• Leighton Ford, 'Transforming Leadership'
  A book for leaders, by leaders, about the greatest leader of them all. In this powerful book, Ford calls Christians to be transformational leaders. Executives, pastors, managers, professionals will all benefit from this book.
• R.T. Kendall, 'Meekness & Majesty'
  Based on Philippians 2:5-11, R.T. Kendall helps us to understand how to be more like Jesus, and gives us the desire to do so.
• Richard Templar, 'The Rules of Life' (Second Edition)
  The Rules of Life are the guiding principles that will help you get more out of life, shrug off adversity more easily and generally be a happier, calmer, more fulfilled person. You’ll feel the benefits, and so will everyone around you.

Leadership:

• Craig Groeschell, 'It, How Churches and Leaders can get it and keep it'
  The power of vision and culture within team is presented in both a humourous and practical way.
• Wayne Cordero, 'Leading on Empty'
  From Cordero’s own experience he warns leaders of the danger of running on empty and what to do when we find ourselves in need of re-filling.
• Harold Myra & Marshall Shelley, 'The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham'
  This outstanding book highlights the immense leadership skills that Billy Graham honed over half a century of ministry… a must read.
• Eugene, H. Peterson, 'Under the Unpredictable Plant'
  Peterson in his own unique way issues a challenging call to ego centric leadership that there’s something deeper and better.

Theology:

• Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart, 'How to Read the Bible for all its Worth'
  A brilliant tool for helping anyone serious about studying the bible to get to grips with vital principles of interpretation.
• Ann Spangler & Lois Tverberg, 'Sitting at the feet of Rabbi Jesus'
  A delicious book, which builds on the Jewishness of Jesus and the first-century world and through understanding culture, helps us to better understand His words.
• N.T. Wright, 'The Challenge of Jesus'
  One of the foremost theologians of our day makes the case for Jesus.
• Kenneth E. Bailey, 'Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes'
  This brilliant book brings together the genius of Bailey’s theological pedigree and his cultural awareness... one of the best books in my library.

Christian Life:

• Brennan Manning, 'The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus'
  This is an immense book written by a man who has experienced relentless tenderness. If this book doesn’t move you... you’re dead!
• Brennan Manning, 'The Wisdom of Tenderness'
  Manning’s grasp of God’s grace borders on the offensive… challenging our sense of justice and self-righteousness. It’s worth the journey.
• Brennan Manning, 'Ruthless Trust'
  Manning seeks to take us beyond the boundaries of our self-reliance into a world of reckless abandon. Beautiful!
• Michael Frost, 'Exiles – Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture'
  An excellent book challenging the church to understand its world and its mission.
• Rob Bell, 'Sex God'
  A great book for a generation looking for wisdom in an age of selfish license. Some of Bell’s insights are magnificent.

Secular mainstream:

• Stephen R. Covey, 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People'
  This international best-seller is a must read for anyone serious about living an effective life... whatever the context.
• Jim Collins, 'Built to Last'
  This book does what it says on the tin. Collins examines the principles that have enabled companies to stand the test of time.
• Jim Collins, 'Good to Great'
  Collins explores why some good companies go on to become great ones.
• Jim Collins, 'How the Mighty Fall'
  This book explores three simple truths – decline can be avoided; decline can be detected and decline can be reversed!
• Malcolm Gladwell, 'The Tipping Point'
  This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand group dynamics and the factors that create tipping points of change.
• Malcolm Gladwell, 'Blink'
  The art of thinking without thinking highlights Gladwell’s ability to look at the issues of life and give some incredible insights.
• Malcolm Gladwell, 'Outliers'
  A fantastic book that challenges conventional wisdom on why successful people are successful.
• Trevor Waldock, 'To Plant a Walnut Tree'
  This book will challenge every leader to the core of exploring the truth that there is something greater than leadership – legacy!

• Wayne Cordeiro, 'Leading on Empty'
  The following three quotes say it all:
  "A must-read for all leaders" - Bill Hybels, Willow Creek;
  "Sooner or later, we all find ourselves trying to lead on empty. It's a tough place to be. But the wisdom, transparency and godly advice Wayne offers in these pages can spare us the grief. He shows how to keep the tank from running dry - or how to refill it if it's gone empty. If you're in ministry, you need to read this book" - Larry Osborne, North Coast Church, Vista CA;
  "I wish I had read it years ago!" - Andrew Smith, NLT.
• Steve Farrar, 'Finishing Strong'
  It really doesn't matter how we start - it's how we finish that's important. Finishing Strong is all about doing the long haul of life and ministry well. It's about crossing that finishing post - completing the course - going the distance and honouring Jesus all along the way. In this easy-to-read book, Steve Farrar talks about this in three stages:
  1. The Priority of Finishing Strong
  2. The Perils of Finishing Strong
  3. The Prototypes of Finishing Strong

  It really is worth a read!

• Patrick Lencioni, 'The Five Dysfunctions of a Team'
  A fantastic book to help leaders think through the establishment of a vibrant team culture amongst your key leaders.
• Eric Swanson & Rick Rusaw, 'The Externally Focused Church'
  This book teaches effectively on how the church needs to be connecting with society through community projects and then looks at various churches of different sizes and denominational background to see how they are connecting with society and making a difference.
• Eric Swanson & Rick Rusaw, 'The Externally Focused Quest'
  More of the same with excellent examples, stories and teaching on the need for churches to be connected with their communities. This is like Servolution but looking at smaller churches from all different geographical, philosophical and theological backgrounds.
• Andy Stanley, 'Focus on Strategic Leadership'
  Andy Stanley gives seven key strategies for effective strategic leadership in church or business. These are great keys that can help you work more effectively in every way.
• Bill Hybels, 'Courageous leadership'
  A classic leadership book from Hybels full of wisdom and applicable truth for all leaders who are serious about developing prevailing churches.

• Eric Metaxes, 'Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Matyr, Prophet, Spy'
  A challenging read on a pastor and leader who exemplified christian discipleship and did not count the cost.
• Jeff Manion, 'The Land Between'
  A book to encourage in times of transition and upheaval, clearly written from personal experience.
• Stephen Hackney, 'Through My Eyes'
  Stephen is one of our own pastors, here is a diarised account of the heart rending journey of seeing his wife battle with terminal cancer. It asks the hard questions.
• Bill Hybels, 'The Power of a Whisper'
  A significant leader in the church calls for us to be open to God's voice and then have the guts to respond.

• Martin Robinson & Dwight Smith, 'Invading Secular Space'
  This book is well researched and well written. Robinson and Smith really challenge every church leader to rediscover the purpose of the local church.
• Robert Lewis & Wayne Cordeiro, 'Culture Shift'
  Change a church’s culture and everything changes. Lewis and Cordeiro speak as cultural architects bringing a wealth of experience and understanding to each page. This book will teach every leader how to re-engineer the culture of the local church.
• Bill Hybels, 'Axiom – Powerful Leadership Proverbs'
  Bill Hybels packs 30+ years of leadership experience into 76 rapid fire leadership devotionals in just over 200 pages. A must read!
• Bob Roberts Jr, 'Transformation'
  Bob Roberts unpacks one of my favourite themes with passion. This book is about being transformed and in turn transforming communities. Bob is a practitioner. Northwood Church in Dallas has planted more than 100 churches.
• Frank DaMazio, 'The Making of a Leader'
  Every leader should read this book. Written when he was 27 years old as a thesis, Frank’s study of leadership in scripture is a ‘must have book’. I refer to this book regularly and almost all of the 300 pages of material have been quoted somewhere by me during the last 25 years of ministry.

• Alan & Debra Hirsch, 'Untamed - reactivating a missional form of discipleship'
  Discipleship is costly. Are we willing to critique and even challenge much we've been taught for the sake of the kingdom? Jesus did not allow outside culture to hold him captive; instead he established the kingdom of God and turned the world on its head. Jesus was untamed, and he calls his church to be the same.
• C Peter Wagner - 'Church Quake'
• Michael J Quicke - '360-degree leadership'
  Many pastors remain unclear on how to effectively lead their congregations. Professor Michael Quicke notes how the Scriptures themselves reveal transformational leadership through proclamation by preachers. God's preachers, Quicke asserts, are inevitably his leaders.