Here we are again, winding down another year and looking ahead to a new one. And all my bibliophiles out there know what that means! It’s time for my 2023 book roundup!
By way of intro, I have been keeping track of all my reading in Goodreads. Head over there and follow me to see all my reviews and what I’m currently reading. The past few years I’ve had a reading goal that has increased year-over-year. Since I was focusing on my Seminary work this year, I didn’t really have a set goal even though I put “35” in my Goodreads 2023 challenge. I had read 34, 40, and 45 for the last 3 years, so 35 was really a low-ball number. I ended up reading 43 books this year, so with that, let’s take a look at the highlights!
Best Fiction Book(s)
First, for the fun stuff! After trying previously to get my oldest daughter into reading the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson, we both finally got into it right before Christmas break! She got a head start because she had checked it out from the school library to keep in her desk to read during “down time” in the classroom. When she brought that copy home, I started to catch up to her. It was fun to keep that little completion going, but quite honestly, the book kept our attention so much we just couldn’t put it down!
It’s an awesome story about three siblings, their mother and grandfather who are trying to survive in a world overrun by evil. There are some pretty obvious biblical worldview themes that emerge as the characters grapple with the situation they are in both in the original setting as well as the treacherous path their lives are sent on. In my opinion, it is an epic series like the Lord of the Rings but aimed at the middle grades and with more overt biblical worldview without being obnoxious about it. I’m thankful for a school library that has this complete set and encourages to have a stead diet of good literature (and shout out to our school librarian who also happens to be my Mom!)
Most Thought-Provoking Book
The most thought provoking book goes to Desiring the Kingdom by James K.A. Smith. This was required reading for a course I was taking- Christian Life and Witness at Dallas Seminary. It is the first of a trilogy James Smith wrote to help people think about worldview and culture from a different perspective. Desiring the Kingdom is all about how humans are ultimately not rational beings, but loving beings. God designed us to love. That is part of what it means to be made in the image of God. As such, the curse of sin has redirected our loves so that we no longer love what is good.
Along with this, the world seeks to keep out attention directed at things other than God and His Kingdom. It does this by using our cultural rituals (Smith calls these “liturgies”) to shape our desires. Smith walks the reader through several eye-opening examples of this and then gives them the tools to evaluate the rituals that have had an effect on their own lives. Armed with this information, readers are better equipped to identify these rituals and enact rituals that will act as a type of counter-formational force to better direct their hearts towards the Kingdom.
As I said, this was the most thought-provoking book of the year. Smith said anything’s I knew already but gave me better wording with which to articulate the things I had been observing over the last decade or so serving in youth ministry. The things families, churches and schools do, the rhythms of our schedules and the priorities we make all work together to form he heat of our children. What is most terrifying is that most of this comes as a “default” that has been absorbed through the culture and is not intentional and definitely is not biblical. Expect to see more thoughts in this space moving forward!
Most Surprisingly Helpful Book
The Non-Designer’s Design Book was the most surprising read for me. Again, this was required reading, but I was delightfully surprised at how helpful it was. I don’t do much design work except when necessary for presentations or websites and I’ve found myself doing less of it recently. This book was helpful because it articulated things I already knew and could see in my designs, but gave me the “why” behind it. If you do any design work at all (especially presentations or social media posts!!) this is a great little book to help you design high-quality stuff with only a few weeks to your work.
Best Theology Book
I took Ecclesiology in the Spring semester, and my professor’s book, RetroChristianity, was awesome! One of the phrases I’ve heard through the years (nd even said myself) is that “the methods may change but the message stays the same.” Dr. Svigel provides a good framework for evaluating what methods are free to change and which should never be changed. There is a reason some traditions have stood the test of time, and there are some that have been rejected that should have remained. The whole point is to reclaim the good things that have slipped away over time in the development of the church, and to sure up the foundations for the good that remains while also providing and lens through which we can evaluate future innovations in church methods.
Fun Statistics
I’d love to write a short review on all the books I read this year, but this post is already almost 1,000 words, and I want people to actually read this! So lets just wrap up with some fun stats and then call it a day. And don’t forget to head on over to Goodreads and give me a follow to see the list and follow along with my reading in 2024!
Shortest book: Truth Weaving– 98
Longest book: Biblical Critical Theory– 672
Total pages read: 11,832 (only counting completed books)
Total books read: 43
Nate Deck 