We’re all shaped and influenced by the books, films, movies, art and music we enjoy.  This is a sampling of books and films which have shaped my life.  I pass them on here as recommendations to inspire and challenge.  Please keep in mind that the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 commands us to test everything.   Each of these recommendations, so far as I know, contain a mixture of truth.   Some will have more purity than others.  Our job is to sift through the messages, swallow the meat, and spit out the bones.

Books

• Baxter Kruger: The Great Dance delighted my soul with the joy of the Trinity.
• Dallas Willard: The Divine Conspiracy opened to me a revelation of true discipleship and the Kingdom of God
• John Eldridge: Wild at Heart challenged me to live by passion rather than rules.
• E. Stanley Jones: The Unshakable Kingdom and the Unchanging Man refined my vision of the Kingdom of God.
• Francis Schaeffer:  How Then Shall we Live? gave me Biblical eyes to see the world.
• Andrew Murray:  Humility I try to read this every few years just to keep my perspective right.
• A.W. Tozer: The Pursuit of God taught me to follow hard after God for His own sake.
• Skye Jethani: Futureville is a wonderful, imaginative presentation of God’s plan to redeem all things.
• Skye Jethani: With is a brilliant challenge to cast off religious “transactional” models of relating to God, and learning to simply walk WITH Him.
• Brother Lawrence & Frank Laubach, Practicing the Presence is one of the best books I know for bringing me back to the simplicity of  walking with Jesus.
• Victor Hugo: Les Miserables fed my soul with the beauty of grace.
• Bob George: Classic Christianity taught me the beauty of grace.
• Dale Carnegie: How to Win Friends and Influence People equipped me to move beyond my shyness.
• Major Ian Thomas: The Saving Life of Christ taught me about the fullness of Christ and what He accomplished in His death and resurrection.
• John Eldridge & Brent Curtis: The Sacred Romance.  This book changed the way I think about life, suffering, beauty, pain,  and eternity.
• C.S. Lewis: Mere Christianity equipped me to rationally defend my faith.
• Annie Dillard: A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek opened a window to God’s wonder in my soul.
• Charles Colson: How Now Shall we Live? taught me to engage my mind as a Christian.
• Gene Edwards: A Tale of Three Kings was a delightful revelation of how to guard against pride and bitterness.
• Peter Kreeft:  The Journey taught me to ask questions and to seek for the Truth.
• Steve McVey: 52 Lies Told in Church Every Sunday encouraged me to ask questions about my presuppositions.
• Brennan Manning: Abba’s Child lit a flame of God’s passionate love in my soul.
• Henri Nouwen: Out of Solitude gave me perspective on the truly important things in life.
• William P. Young: The Shack freed me to think of the Incarnation in fresh and exciting ways.

• Superman Returns:   An amazing pictures of the “God-man” entering into the human race to redeem it.  Look for images of Jesus, sin, sacrifice, and resurrection.
• Radio: “God chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
• Pirates of the Caribbean: “The blood of a righteous “pirate” redeemed the whole company of dead pirates.”  Will Turner is a Christ figure standing between the “law” (Admiral Norrington) and the sinner (Jack Sparrow)
• The Lord of the Rings:  “Even the smallest person can change the course of history.”
• The Two Towers:  “It takes faithful men and unified armies to defeat the powers of darkness.”
• The Return of the King:  “Every little hobbit, elf, dwarf, and man has a part to play in the cosmic battle for the Kingdom.
• A Knight’s Tale:  Possessing our identity by faith.
• Grand Torino:  Laying down our lives for others.  Making a difference.  Look for the image of Jesus at the end.
• The Gladiator: “Our actions in this life will echo through eternity.”
• The Count of Monte Cristo:  Loss of hope and redemption.  “God still believes in you.”
• The Truman Show:  “The truth will set you free.”
• The Mission:  The beauty and humility of the Kingdom versus the destruction of greed and power.
• Dead Poet’s Society “Seize the day. Live every moment with passion.”
• Simon Birch: “Every life has meaning and purpose.”
• Patch Adams: “Care is more important than cure.”
• Schindler’s List: “One person can make a difference.”
• Braveheart: “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
• The War:  Everything matters.  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
• The Man Without a Face: “The measure of a man is his heart. Suffering produces wisdom.”
• It’s A Wonderful Life: “The sacredness of life.  Every life makes a difference”
• Chariots of Fire  Everything matters.  “Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.”  God takes delight in our gifts!
• Cool Runnings:  The power of faith and teamwork.
• City of Joy: “All that’s not give in lost”.  True joy is found in sacrificing our lives for others.
• Remember the Titans: The beauty of reconciliation and the strength of teamwork.
• The Princess Bride: A parable of Christ (Wesley) and his church (Buttercup).
• Saving Mr Banks: How our stories are beautifully rewritten when we put them into the hands of the Great Storyteller.

Other Great Books

• Shows About Nothing: Thomas Hibbs
• Rediscovering the Kingdom: Miles Monroe
• This Beautiful Mess: Rick McKinley
• The Secret Message of Jesus: Brian McLaren
• Simply Christian: N.T. Wright
• Irresistible Revolution: Shane Claiborne
• Searching for God Knows What: Donald Miller
• Windows of the Soul:  Ken Gire
• How the Irish Saved Civilization:   Thomas Cahill
• Making Sense out of Suffering:  Peter Kreeft
• The Reflective Life:  Ken Gire
• The Journey of Desire:  John Eldridge
• Teaching a Stone to Talk:  Annie Dillard
• Seven Men Who rule the World from the Grave – David Breese
• The Celtic Way of Evangelism – George G. Hunter
• Messy Spirituality – Michael Yacanelli