In case you’re interested, here are my favorite books from previous years:

The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien by John Hendrix

This is an illustrated novel, or perhaps it’s a graphic novel. It’s hard for me to describe it as anything other than beautiful. I’ve long been fascinated with the relationship between C.S. lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I like the story of the two men even more than the stories the two men created. This volume captures that relationship in both word and picture.

While geared for a younger audience, this book is brilliant. It describes the concept of Christian Myth better than any theological, academic tome I’ve ever read. If you ask, “What is a Christian Myth?”, you need to know more about Lewis, Tolkien, and the rest of The Inklings.

This book captured me to such a degree that I completed it one evening and immediately began my rereading the next day. I recently started my third trip through the book. The text is insightful. The artwork is breathtaking. This is Christian art at the highest level.

If this is for kids – call me one big kid.

Oden was one of the twentieth centuries most celebrated theological liberals until a change of heart. This book chronicles his intellectual and spiritual journey away from liberalism through a deep study of the early church and ancient Christianity. He pulls no punches.

I was first introduced to Oden through his book The Transforming Power of Grace, which I find to be the best Arminian explanation of the theological concept of grace. Early in the year I decided that I needed to read more Oden, which opened the floodgates to his work. I started with his memoir and then moved into his pastoral theology, other works of theology, and edited volumes on Ancient Christian Commentary, and Ancient Christian Doctrine.

Oden’s memoir is paired nicely with Roger Olson’s Against Liberalism.

Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, a Prose Rendering: A Text-Faithful Translation by Rebecca Reynolds

The 36,000 lines of poetry which comprise The Faerie Queene are beautiful but incredibly difficult. Three years ago, I helped to fund Rebecca Reynolds’ Kickstarter campaign to turn the poetry into prose and commission artwork for a gorgeous three volume edition. After three years of waiting, the volumes arrived on my doorstep the week of Thanksgiving. The Faerie Queene is now readable but remains beautiful.

I’ve loved my time spent in these three volumes. They are a pleasure to hold and read. The original artwork is gorgeous and the prose rendering of the poetry remains special. The target audience for this work is small – but that small audience is grateful for the time, artistry, and craftsmanship.

The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien Box Set: Three-Volume Box Set by J.R.R. Tolkien

Whoa. This is a work. It is filled with Tolkien’s poetry and it’s many, many revisions. Tolkien did not write, but rather, he wrote and rewrote and rewrote and rewrote and rewrote. This three-volume set gives you all the revisions. On a given poem, you might see two, three, four, or more versions. It can be a bit much, but it is a blessed much.

I’m a big fan of the art of revision. A key part of my preaching style is the time spent editing the sermon down to its best and most concise form. This set of Tolkien’s poetry allows you to see the gears turning in his mind. You can see poems shift in dramatic ways or with a few changed words.

Tolkien fans will not be disappointed.

Pastoral Song: A Farmer’s Journey by James Rebanks

Don’t be confused by the title. This is a book about cows. It is a more crass version of a Wendell Berry essay. How’s that for a teaser?

Rebanks grew up on family land and shares the story about his quest to restore his family’s ancient English farm. As a boy, his grandfather taught him to work the land – whether he wanted to or not. The farm was part of an ancient agricultural landscape filled with crops, meadows, and pastures grazed with livestock. When Rebanks inherited the farm, it was a mere shadow of its former glory. He began the hard work of restoring a place he loves.

This is a book about place. It provides a deep theology of place. We all could benefit from finding a place we love and planting deep roots.

The Genesse Diary by Henri Nouwen

I’ve read a lot of Nouwen but this volume was new to me. It is Nouwen’s journal from seven months spent in a Trappist monastery. Within the pages he wrestles with his sense of calling. Twelve years before he made that life-changing commitment to L’Arche, in 1974, Nouwen spent a season in the Abbey of the Genesee, in Upstate, New York. He started the diary in June and provided the last entry on Christmas Day. As I write on the day after Christmas, I moved by Nouwen’s reflection on Advent:

“Advent does not lead to nervous tension stemming from expectation of something spectacular about to happen. On the contrary, it leads to a growing inner stillness and joy allowing me to realize that he for whom I am waiting has already arrived and speaks to me in the silence of my heart. Just as a mother feels the child grow in her and is not surprised on the day of the birth but joyfully receives the one she learned to know during her waiting, so Jesus can be born in my life slowly and steadily and be received as the one I learned to know while waiting.”

The entire dairy reflects Nouwen’s realization of his love for applause and his need for silence.

Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study of Exposition of Genesis by Allen Ross

I started preaching through the book of Genesis on Sunday nights in 2025. This commentary has been a constant companion. I’ve carried it with me throughout the year, and around the world, as I’ve been diving into the Genesis narrative. Midway through the year, I asked my administrative assistant to fortify the cover for me. It is now battle-tested, laminated, and ready to serve me well in 2026. There is still much more of Genesis to trod!

Ross does a tremendous job of discussing major literary and theological motifs that form the theological narratives. He does the added work to demonstrate how these theological narratives can be developed into expository points. He does not do the work for the preacher but aides the preacher by dividing Genesis into sections, discussing theological ideas in each section, describing structure, synthesizing messages, and providing exegetical outlines.

I don’t recollect a commentary being more beneficial for my preaching than this volume. Pastors preaching Genesis – get it. I have an old hardback copy but paperback reprints can be found (see link above).