This week’s “Confessions of a Christian Ghostwriter” post received good feedback. One email asked if the commercialization of evangelical content has made it more difficult for thoughtful books to be published. I believe it has.
What do you think?
Do you find it harder to find thoughtful books or other resources due to the glut of commoditized resources?
In the thread, list your favorite thoughtful and thought-provoking authors, their books, and what you learn from their work.
{If you know the author to be here on Substack, tag them by using “@” before their name.}
@lorewilbert who wrote A Curious Faith and writes on substack (Sayable) is very thoughtful. Hannah Anderson's book Humble Roots has been a good friend to me in how she invites us to humility.Her book Turning of Days is lovely, too. James K. A. Smith's book How to Inhabit Time expanded my view of how we treat the gift of Time.
Also I am with everyone on the Tozer train. He makes me think so deeply!
While many may be looking for new authors I would encourage folks not to neglect some of those who have gone before: J I Packer, A W Tozer, and Elton Trueblood would be on my short list as would be Francis Schaeffer and Martin Lloyd-Jones.
On the issue of commercialization. There is a big difference between books written for marketing and money than those written for ministry.
I think the hunger for thought-provoking material is on the rise as followers of Jesus seek to go deeper in a world that is increasingly superficial and some of the mainstream content that Christian publishers have produced in the last decade hasn't hit the mark and has stayed surface-level so as to generate sales.
I'm continually reading Nouwen's words, Willard and authors who have sat under his tutelage, Sara Hagerty (I think she's a friend of yours) recent one on The Gift of Limitations is a beauty, as is John Mark Comer's 'Practicing the Way'.
When seeking new reads, I generally find myself running back to the classics instead. However, I have enjoyed, enough to recommend, the work of Leif Enger (Peace Like a River, etc.) and Charles Martin (When Crickets Cry, etc.)...
I am currently working my way through A Quiet Mind to Suffer With by John Andrew Bryant. It is his story of experiencing Christ as he suffers with OCD. It is a very poetic memoir that also gives the reader a glimpse into the mind of one who suffers mental illness. At times it can be repetitive, but every other page or so, I am compelled to stop and contemplate.
Eugene Peterson (especially As Kingfishers Catch Fire), A.W. Tozer, Charles Martin's What If It's True?, Mary DeMuth, Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, Mary Marantz, Providence by John Piper... So many books and so little time.
Bob Allen (@tracingthethread) has just released a new book called Blueprints of Grace and it is such a good example of how to thoughtfully marry theology with pastoral care. Jeremy Writebol (@gcdiscipleship) also comes to mind, his book Pastor, Jesus is Enough was easily one of the best books I read last year.
DCN Garlick is newer to me, but I cannot stop reading or listening to his posts. I found him from Tsh Oxenreider’s Noonday Devil podcast, and my mind and heart were awakened. Having read your The Beauty Chasers book, I think you would appreciate his description of Eros and the pursuit of beauty being what we were created for and that we will only be satisfied when we direct that longing to our infinitely beautiful God.
I've just finished a second read of some sermons, Confronted by Grace, by the late theologian John Webster. They wear their author's theological acumen lightly and display tremendous pastoral sensitivity and understanding of the human condition. Just beginning Marilynne Robinson's Reading Genesis - I love her novels but also her books of essays are really stimulating (each one has to be read slowly but that is far from being a bad thing).
@lorewilbert who wrote A Curious Faith and writes on substack (Sayable) is very thoughtful. Hannah Anderson's book Humble Roots has been a good friend to me in how she invites us to humility.Her book Turning of Days is lovely, too. James K. A. Smith's book How to Inhabit Time expanded my view of how we treat the gift of Time.
Also I am with everyone on the Tozer train. He makes me think so deeply!
While many may be looking for new authors I would encourage folks not to neglect some of those who have gone before: J I Packer, A W Tozer, and Elton Trueblood would be on my short list as would be Francis Schaeffer and Martin Lloyd-Jones.
On the issue of commercialization. There is a big difference between books written for marketing and money than those written for ministry.
I think the hunger for thought-provoking material is on the rise as followers of Jesus seek to go deeper in a world that is increasingly superficial and some of the mainstream content that Christian publishers have produced in the last decade hasn't hit the mark and has stayed surface-level so as to generate sales.
I'm continually reading Nouwen's words, Willard and authors who have sat under his tutelage, Sara Hagerty (I think she's a friend of yours) recent one on The Gift of Limitations is a beauty, as is John Mark Comer's 'Practicing the Way'.
Yes!
When seeking new reads, I generally find myself running back to the classics instead. However, I have enjoyed, enough to recommend, the work of Leif Enger (Peace Like a River, etc.) and Charles Martin (When Crickets Cry, etc.)...
I am currently working my way through A Quiet Mind to Suffer With by John Andrew Bryant. It is his story of experiencing Christ as he suffers with OCD. It is a very poetic memoir that also gives the reader a glimpse into the mind of one who suffers mental illness. At times it can be repetitive, but every other page or so, I am compelled to stop and contemplate.
Rachel Marie Kang is one of my new favorite insightful and poetic authors.
Skye Jethani (especially his book "With"); Strahan Coleman (Beholding); Michael Reeves (Delighting in the Trinity)
Eugene Peterson (especially As Kingfishers Catch Fire), A.W. Tozer, Charles Martin's What If It's True?, Mary DeMuth, Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, Mary Marantz, Providence by John Piper... So many books and so little time.
Bob Allen (@tracingthethread) has just released a new book called Blueprints of Grace and it is such a good example of how to thoughtfully marry theology with pastoral care. Jeremy Writebol (@gcdiscipleship) also comes to mind, his book Pastor, Jesus is Enough was easily one of the best books I read last year.
DCN Garlick is newer to me, but I cannot stop reading or listening to his posts. I found him from Tsh Oxenreider’s Noonday Devil podcast, and my mind and heart were awakened. Having read your The Beauty Chasers book, I think you would appreciate his description of Eros and the pursuit of beauty being what we were created for and that we will only be satisfied when we direct that longing to our infinitely beautiful God.
https://x.com/harrisongarlic1?s=21&t=CZ3RLyP22l9gzupdgmAWhg
I've just finished a second read of some sermons, Confronted by Grace, by the late theologian John Webster. They wear their author's theological acumen lightly and display tremendous pastoral sensitivity and understanding of the human condition. Just beginning Marilynne Robinson's Reading Genesis - I love her novels but also her books of essays are really stimulating (each one has to be read slowly but that is far from being a bad thing).