Rodney Holloman

Like many pastors, I focused most of my reading on the fulfilling demands of preaching and counseling. However, several books were helpful and deserve a spot in the annual end-of-year review.

God, Gift, and Guide: Knowing the Holy Spirit by Gregg Allison was a helpful introductory book from a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His clear writing style is undoubtedly the result of years in the classroom. I wished he had pushed deeper into several areas but found this to be a good resource on a neglected person of the Godhead.

A Tale of Three Kings: A Study in Brokenness by Gene Edwards has been on my “should read” list for quite some time. I regret not having read it much earlier. Using the characters David, Saul, and Absalom, Edwards helps those hurt by other believers and offers a missing dynamic in our view of leadership and hierarchical function. I have begun recommending this as a must-read to everyone starting in ministry, as it can save them so much heartache.

One book I picked based on others’ 2023 lists was A Non-Anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World Will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders by Mark Sayers. I initially felt the book had been oversold to me, so I approached it with a degree of skepticism that soon evaporated. In one sense, it is a modern book on leadership. In another sense, it’s a discussion of culture and worldview. His use of the “gray zone” analogy to describe our current state between the two eras was useful, if not a bit prophetic. If for no other reason than the unique voice he brings to our modern situation, I commend this to your library.

In my never-ending quest to reinvent the wheel (or at least do it more efficiently!), I worked through 8 Hours or Less: Writing faithful sermons faster by Ryan Huguley. A common problem I observed and heard from older men in the ministry is how hard it was to keep their preaching axe sharp. Knowing my proclivity towards “dullness” in preaching, I try to work through several homiletical volumes yearly. Huguley’s book is heavy on the practical without sacrificing careful exegesis. I gleaned several good ideas and tools to add to my workflow.

The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory by Abigail Favale was a fascinating account of the modern gender paradigm and how we arrived there. I had read excerpts and reviews of the book but plowed through it in preparation for our annual theological symposium this past October. Favale is an excellent writer and researcher. While a long review is warranted, this is a necessary book for all those engaging in our culture.

Lee Strobel has been one of my favorite apologetic writers for many years. His 2023 book, Is God Real? Exploring the Ultimate Question of Life, is a modern classic. Writing for a twenty-first-century audience, he addresses common questions and criticisms using up-to-date illustrations and rigorous methodology. It is a valuable tool to read and share with others so that they may seek the Lord.

Finishing out my selections is the newer book The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond by Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett. In his forward, Carl Trueman says “Alisa and Tim help the reader to deconstruct the deconstructionists and thus to respond to them, both with arguments and with love and sensitivity. This is a timely book!” Both Childers and Barnett are widely known for their podcasts and YouTube channels. Childers is also known as a former musician in the ZOEgirl group. With more and more people walking away from their professed faith and the avalanche of celebrity Christians renouncing Christ, these types of resources are urgently needed. The bookends of this work were the most helpful to me as they spent a good portion defining deconstruction and then addressing the remedy we must follow at the end. This book deserves a broad audience. 

While looking back on 2024, my spirit yearns to read and incorporate more of the books available to us in this extraordinary epoch of knowledge. Perhaps you share that longing, and some of the titles I worked through can make your 2025 selections.