Recently, I have been paying much closer attention to my personal spiritual formation than before. That’s not to say that my personal spiritual growth has not been a priority before. It has. It’s just that I have been more aware and more intentional about it than previously in my life.

Perhaps that is because I’m getting older. Or perhaps it has been sparked by some classes I have taken that focus on leadership from a self-awareness and spiritual formation perspective. Either way, I have been pursuing this more and more, and have spent much time in several good books that have helped.

One of those books is A Soul’s House, by J. K. Jones. Jones labels this book as “A Primer for Spiritual Formation,” and it is that, but even more, it is a “conversation” with another book on spiritual formation that has had a profound impact on Jones’ life. Evelyn Underhill wrote The House of the Soul, and this provides the basis for Jones’ discussion.

While I have not read Underhill’s book (it’s on my list), I found that Jones quotes her extensively and helps his readers gain some perspective into Underhill’s insights and his own responses and perspective. I find that very helpful.

Sometimes, it’s valuable to set aside the contemporary and take in something classic and time honored. Sometimes, we need to go back and see what those who have come before us have learned, and what they have to share with us.

Brother Lawrence was a 17th-century French Carmelite monk who is best known for his spiritual writings and his practice of living in constant awareness of God’s presence. A simple man, Brother Lawrence served most of his life in the kitchen of a monastery near Paris. What set him apart was his unwavering commitment to practicing the presence of God in his daily life. He believed that anyone could experience a deep and constant communion with God, not just through formal prayers and rituals, but in the midst of ordinary, everyday tasks. Brother Lawrence’s simple and practical approach to spirituality resonated with many, and a friend compiled his teachings and his letters into a small book after his death, called The Practice Of The Presence Of God.

This book is quick and easy to read, although you should take it slow. It may be simple, but is also incredibly profound, and filled with insights and wisdom on how to cultivate a continuous awareness of God’s presence in every aspect of life. I first read this little book in 2000, but recently pulled it out to read it again. There are a few things that stood out to me.

Most of the time, I think I have a pretty wide range of reading topics. But occasionally, I am reminded of how limited my range can be, and I find myself reading a book that I would never have even imagined I’d pursue. Let me explain.

I am currently working towards a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry in Strategic Leadership. So far, my classes have introduced me to reading material that would probably have come to my attention eventually. But there has been a book or two that I doubt I would have found if not for a professor recommending it or a class requiring it. That is the case with The Mission of God, by Christopher J. H. Wright.

The Bible is a narrative, telling the story of humanity and our relationship with God. In that overarching narrative, there are several threads that run through the pages of Scripture: sin and redemption, our need for a Savior in Jesus Christ, God’s glory, and judgment, just to name a few. And another is the theme of “mission.” What Wright proposes, however, is not simply that the Bible contains a basis for mission, but that there is a missional basis for the Bible. That seems a minor issue of semantics, but the difference is enormous, and holds some significant implications for humanity, and our role as Christians, partnering with God in his plan of redemption.

One of my top interests for most of my ministry career has been the topic of leadership. Very early in my ministry, I was introduced to John Maxwell’s leadership materials, and I was instantly hooked. I devoured everything I could find that he had written, and I still purchase his books as they come out. (I’m sure I’ll be posting a review soon about his most recent release, The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication.)

Since then, I have found several other authors whose leadership material has encouraged my life and ministry, and has helped me grow. One such resource is Lead, by Paul David Tripp. This is a book that was required for one of my classes in Ozark Christian College’s graduate studies program. But as I read it for class, I realized that it would be an incredible tool and resource for ministry in a variety of ways.

Tripp’s book covers twelve principles that he has pulled out of Scripture and found to be necessary for leadership in the church. This is a direct response to the growing crisis of leaders leaving ministry in increasing numbers over the past few years. While there may be a variety of reasons for this, one of the problems Tripp sees is that leaders in the church have lost sight of what it means to lead from a biblical perspective. So many of the resources out there — as excellent as they are — approach leadership from a corporate perspective. But a corporate leadership style doesn’t always fit into a church setting. In fact, a case could be made for the fact that such a leadership approach rarely fits a church scenario.

And as a result, church leaders are leaving the church. What Tripp does is take a look at some deeper insights and values, some biblical principles of leadership, and shows how they were meant to be implemented into leading the body of Christ in a way that impacts the Kingdom of God in lasting ways.

Almost thirty years ago, I graduated from Ozark Christian College with an undergraduate degree in Theology, focusing on the New Testament. After three decades, I have decided to return to school and pursue a graduate degree. I had been thinking of this for a while, but when Ozark announced a new Graduate Studies program, I decided it was time. So I enrolled, and am currently in my second term pursuing a Master’s Degree in Strategic Leadership.

Going back to school has been a challenge, for sure. But it has also been a blessing in many different ways. One such blessing is the books I have been exposed to, some that are required for a course, and others that have come through the recommendation of a class or a professor.

Terry Linhart’s book, The Self-Aware Leader, is a required book for a class I am in this semester, called Self-Awareness and the Christian Leader. While it is a relatively quick and easy book to read, and flows smoothly, it’s best to slow down and take it in very deliberately. This book has the potential to be a foundational resource for making sure I stay grounded as a leader.

Often, we go through life somewhat oblivious to certain aspects of our personal or spiritual life; some are more unaware than others. But we all have blind spots, and if we want to grow as a leader — or even as a Christian — we need to identify these trouble areas, and take steps to eliminate them or improve in spite of them.

Linhart covers a wide spectrum of potential trouble areas. From conflict to pressures, from sin and temptation to emotional and relational problems, he addresses many of the areas that people — especially leaders, and especially church leaders — can struggle with. And when you are moving in the right direction… you find joy. Linhart says, “I am convinced that at the intersection of maturity, Christ-centeredness, and contentedness, we find joy. Its presence or absence is telling. When we are joyful, we have no anxiety, fear, need for control, and anger. When there is joy, there is freedom and confidence. … When joy is present, maturity and spiritual depth are right behind” (p. 105).

Sometimes I look at my life and it seems like I should still be my younger self. Have you ever felt that way? A few days ago, it hit me that the 1980s — a time in my life where I moved from childhood into my teenage years — began four decades ago. Four decades! Where has the time gone?

And when I look at all that has changed in that time, one of the biggest things I notice is the generational differences that stand out. I am right in the middle of the Gen X generation. My kids are in what many call Gen Z. In between the two are the Millennials. And frankly, there are some pretty big differences between all three of those groups, and even more when you add in the Boomer generation that was before me.

Now throw all of that mix into the church. How do you accomplish the mission we were called to when so many different groups of people see life so differently? That’s the focus of Faith For Exiles, by David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock. This book takes a look at how we can continue to help people follow Jesus from generation to generation.

The premise of the book is pretty simple: In my generation, and even more so in the generation of my parents, church was a pretty significant force in most parts of our culture. But that has changed. More and more, these younger generations seem to be more aptly described as exiles.

The concept of exile is a common theme throughout the Bible. The nation of Israel found themselves in exile in Egypt, and then later in Assyria and in Babylon. They had to learn to live in a foreign land, learn to maintain their faith in a foreign culture, and learn how to manage to pass that on to the next generations, who were more deeply rooted in foreign thinking. As Christians, Peter calls us exiles as well.

Today could be compared to a digital Babylon, and Millennials and Gen Z’ers live right in the middle of it. To continue to do church like we’ve always done it is increasingly ineffective, and unless we find new ways to engage discipleship in younger generations, we may see many of those people walking away from Jesus.

So how do we help the church adjust to such new thinking… exile thinking? How do we help new generations of believers grasp a hold of Jesus and follow him? How do we help these newer generations thrive in their faith and discipleship?

Based on more than fifteen years of research by the Barna Group, Faith For Exiles is revealing and timely. We would do well to pay attention to what is ahead for the church, and watch how Jesus continues to sustain and grow his church, even though it my be completely different from anything we’ve ever experienced.

Faith For Exiles may be the most important book you read this year. But don’t just read it, look for ways to engage with it, and with people of a generation different than yours, and watch how you grow together as disciples. Pick up a copy on Amazon and read it. You’ll be challenged, to be sure. But you’ll be encouraged too.