Author Archives: chadzaucha

I have a confession to make.  I am much better at reading books about prayer than I am at actually doing what they teach.  The fact that so many books in this list of 20 have to do with prayer is more of the cry of my heart to grow in this area than in my actual practice.  Old Paths New Power could be considered a companion to Renovation of the Church because it too emphasizes the move away from doing attractional, program-driven ministry.  Old Paths New Power emphasizes the absolute necessity of the power of the Holy Spirit to create a true church, and how prayer is the key to that power.  Too often we depend on programs rather than Holy Spirit power resulting in the fleshly results of apparent success, but an absence of eternal fruitfulness.  For this much needed challenge and corrective, Old Paths New Power makes the cut of 20 “Must Pack” books.

The subtitle of the book is “What Happens When a Seeker Church Discovers Spiritual Formation.”  It is the honest account of the beautiful but painful fallout that occurred when Kent Carlson and Mike Lueken redirected their church from attracting consumers to making disciples.  It is my belief that this is the great need of the American church.  We have succeeded at drawing crowds, but not at making disciples.  So, we cater our programs to keeping consumers happy, rather than fulfilling the Great Commission.   There is the constant pressure to “Feed the Beast.”  Because of the much needed corrective offered in this book, Renovation of the Church makes the list of 20 “Must Pack” books.

When my prayer well seems dry, this book primes the pump.  It makes the cut of 20 “Must Pack” books.

Yes. I still collect baseball cards. My most recent acquisition is this 1957 Jerry Coleman. The focus of my collecting has changed to players who have distinguished themselves by some kind of heroism. Jerry had his baseball career interrupted twice to serve in the military in World War II and in Korea. He is a war hero first and a baseball player second. I lament that our culture has become one that honors celebrities more than heroes. We really need some heroes.

I guess I should say that I would like to pack this book, but I think I loaned it out and it has not come back.   Anybody have it?  Anyway, this is a much shortened version of Grudem’s Systematic Theology, which I have on my Kindle.   What I like about Bible Doctrine is that Grudem has made systematic theology readable, yet it is still quite thorough.  It is a great resource for all Christians.

There was a day when I didn’t like coffee.  Now I love it.  It has become an acquired taste.  I think the same could be said for a book like this one.  The Valley of Vision is a collection of prayers in the Puritan tradition.  No lightweight stuff here.  Every word is weighty.  And beautiful.  These people were serious about their walk and their language communicates that.  This book ministers to deep places in my soul.  It makes the cut of 20 “Must Pack” books.

This one might not seem so inspiring at first glance, but it has truly revolutionized my understanding of how a church is to be structured and led.  The premise is that the model of pastor as CEO of the church is more cultural than biblical.  The church was meant to be led by a team of biblically qualified men–a plurality of elders.  This idea has been such an encouragement to me in ministry.  While a “lead pastor/elder” has some unique responsibility, the burden of leading a church does not rest on his shoulders alone.   God knew what He was doing when He instituted this model for shepherding a church.  So, Biblical Eldership makes the cut of 20 “must pack” books.

It is actually rare that I re-read a book that is not a Bible commentary, but this one is an exception.  It is the story of a small church pastor who learns to depend on the Holy Spirit through prayer.  These are lessons I am still trying to learn.  The gut-level honest stories of struggle and triumph inspire me and give me hope.  I have great appreciation for Jim Cymbala and all that God has done at the Brooklyn Tabernacle.  It makes the cut of 20 “must pack” books.

Well, what did you expect? But the truth is that I LOVE the ESV Study Bible.  The translation is the perfect combination of being literal (word-for-word) and yet readable.  Further, the Study Bible is like having a whole library of biblical resources in one volume:  book intros, study notes, maps, articles, and so much more.  If I am taking only one book with me, this is it, no question.  In addition, the purchase of the hard copy gave me access to all of these resources online as well.  A must-have, must-pack resource.

Packing is always hard for me (how many socks will I really need for a week-long trip?).  When you are packing for a cross-country relocation, the stakes are even higher.  Add to that the magnitude of a pastor’s library and there are some tough decisions to be made: Which of these books do I really need?  Which of them will I really use again?  Which will I really miss if I don’t take them?  The situation makes for a unique opportunity to evaluate which books I truly appreciate and why.  So, for the next few weeks I want to share with you at least 20 books that I feel are “must pack” to make the trek to Michigan.  Maybe some of them you will want to check out for yourself.