Pastor Brad’s Bookshelf

A well-known and often-quoted statement on reading says, “Leaders are readers, and readers are leaders.” That’s one of the reasons why I have always been an avid reader. You can usually find me with several books that I am working my way through at the same time. I primarily read for fun, personal growth, and to equip me to be a more effective and efficient pastor and preacher. On this page, I will share with you the books that I am currently reading. Occasionally I might even share a simple review. I hope this page encourages you to read more and, as a result, become a better leader.

 

December 2024

“The Five Talents That Really Matter: How Great Leaders Drive Extraordinary Performance” by Barry Conchie & Sarah Dalton

From Amazon.com: “A former Gallup Global Leadership Research and Development leader and the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Strengths-Based Leadership demystifies the aura and complexity surrounding high-performing leaders through original research and interviews with high-performing global leaders.

The leadership space is rife with myths, such as the belief that anyone can be a leader with enough effort or that a leader’s strengths can be their greatest weaknesses. According to Barry Conchie and his business partner Sarah Dalton, these statements are complete BS. The Five Talents That Really Matter dispels the fluff in leadership literature, unveiling the traits and characteristics that truly determine high-performance leadership.

This book serves as a guide, stripping away misconceptions and providing a template against which career-driven managers and leaders can assess and develop their capabilities. The five evidence-based talent dimensions are:

  • Setting Direction:  High-performing leaders guide their organizations through complex situations and articulate the value that so many employees find motivational and engaging.
  • Building Energy:  Driven by a burning work ethic, Talented leaders set an exacting example. They measure progress, and recognize that the most Talented employees beneath them demand their greatest attention and support.
  • Exerting Pressure:  Talented leaders assert a clear point of view and persuasively drive change and improvement, never settling for average outcomes.
  • Increasing Connectivity:  Outstanding leaders prioritize people, establishing effective followership through purposeful and ethical behavior, and demonstrating care and concern for those they lead.
  • Controlling Traffic: High-performing leaders understand their organizations, driving superior performance by establishing protocols and guardrails while showing agility and flexibility when circumstances change.

Through meticulous research, assessment, and testing, Conchie and Dalton have built a database that predicts the talents and behaviors of the most successful leaders.  In this book they present for the first the first time a scientific model that demystifies the aura and complexity surrounding high performing leaders.”

 

November 2024

“The Leader’s Greatest Return: Attracting, Developing, and Multiplying Leaders” by John C. Maxwell.

From Amazon.com: “Dive into a masterclass with world-renowned leadership expert John C. Maxwell as he shares the most important lessons he’s learned about the leadership development process over the last quarter century.

What is the greatest return on a leader’s time? After leaders have invested in their own leadership growth, what is the best way to accomplish their vision and grow their organizations? Develop other leaders! The more leaders an organization has and the better equipped they are to lead, the more successful the organization and its leaders.

In the last twenty-five years, New York Times bestselling author John C. Maxwell has grown from equipping a handful of leaders in one organization to developing millions of business, government, and nonprofit leaders in every country around the world. In this book, Maxwell takes the reader step-by-step through the process of identifying, attracting, empowering, and positioning leaders to create a culture capable of then reproducing and compounding the value of its leaders.

In The Leader’s Greatest Return, you will be instructed on:

  • The Leadership Table – Create a place where people not yet leading at your level can come, be welcomed and try on leadership.
  • The 7 Motivators – Review the seven motivators and discover what motivates each person and then lead him or her accordingly.
  • Team Success – Use the 10-80-10 method to set people up for success and empower them to perform at a high level.
  • Who to Grow as a Leader – Love and value everyone but use the Pareto principle to choose who to grow as a leader.

This is where leaders really experience the compounding value of developing leaders and go to the highest levels of leadership themselves. The Leader’s Greatest Return is perfect for anyone who wants to take the next step in their leadership, build their organization or team today, and create their legacy for tomorrow needs to read.”

 

October 2024

“Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, 2nd Edition: A Wealth of Counsel for Creative and Effective Proclamation” by Michael Duduit, Editor.

From Amazon.com: “The art of preaching is one of the most important acts of ministry. The sermon serves as a transformative force—imparting knowledge, challenging beliefs, and convicting hearts. Recognizing the importance of this sacred task, Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, 2nd Edition equips pastors with invaluable tools and insights, enabling them to prepare and deliver sermons that resonate deeply with their congregations.

In a single volume, editor Michael Duduit compiles the insight, methods, and experience of over fifty celebrated preachers, including R. Albert Mohler, Hershael York, Robert Smith Jr., Bryan Chappell, Jim Shaddix, Tony Merida, Ed Stetzer, and many others.

This handbook covers every aspect of contemporary preaching:

  • The roots of contemporary preaching 
  • ​Contemporary preaching methods, including expository, topical, doctrinal, narrative, and alternative preaching models 
  • Sermon preparation and presentation 
  • Preaching and the biblical text 
  • Preaching as a part of ministry
  • Preaching to the needs of people in contemporary contexts

With its expansive bibliography and topical format, Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, 2nd Edition is designed to be a timeless resource in every pastor’s library. In this book, pastors, teachers, and seminarians will find invaluable insight and comprehensive guidance for the art of preaching.

Contributors: R. Albert Mohler, Nathan Finn, Chuck Fuller, Tyshawn Gardner, Scott Gibson, Chris Rappazini, Robert Smith, Jr., Calvin Miller, Bryan Chapell, Frank Pollard, David S. Dockery, Scott Pace, Hershael York, Lloyd John Ogilvie, Stuart Briscoe, Jeffery Campbell, Ralph Douglas West, Eric Johnson, David Allen, Simon Vibert, Stephen Rummage, Daniel Block, Ken Mathews, Paul House, C. Hassell Bullock, Heath Thomas, Robert Sloan, Sidney Greidanus, Channing Crisler, Scott Hafemann, Richaed Melick, Al Fasol, Jim Shaddix, Don Sunukijian, Michael Quicke, Tony Merida, Jesse Nelson, Clayborn Lea, Mike Glenn, Micah Fries, Ed Stetzer, Kris Barnett, Bryan Carter, James Emery White, Tim McKnight, Charlie Dates, Mike Milton, Rick Blackwood, James Noble, Maurice Watson, Vic Anderson, Timothy Mann, Ben Brammer, Clayton King, and Dennis Phelps.”