Though I didn’t quite make my goal of reading 100 books in 2006 (I was 14 short!), I’m going to keep 100 books as my goal in 2007. I plan on writing brief reviews of every book I read this year, so be on the look-out for plenty of book reviews.

As a sneak peek, here are 10 books on my Amazon wish list that I hope to read this year. (Click here to see my 10 favorite reads from 2006.)

Here they are! Out of the 86 books I managed to read (and finish) this year, I have chosen ten that stand out as my favorite reads of 2006. This list differs somewhat from previous years. In 2004, several of the books were either New Testament studies or about developing a Christian worldview. In 2005, three of the books dealt with the Emerging Church. This year, I read more fiction and also began reading some literary classics. That explains the reason for three works of classic fiction on the list.

10. Exodus: Why Americans Are Fleeing Liberal Churches for Conservative Christianity
- Dave Shiflett

Dave Shiflett’s book is a thoroughly engaging look at the dynamic of Christian churches in North America, and why conservative churches are growing while the liberal denominations continue in their state of perpetual hemorrhage. I was so engrossed by this book that I read it in one day.

9. Uncle Tom’s Cabin
- Harriet Beecher Stowe

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book against slavery is deeply moving. Upon its release, it challenged the apathy of slave-owners and those who supported slavery by their reluctance to take a stand against it. Would that Christian writers today learn from Stowe’s example and write such a heartfelt book against the great moral evil of our day: abortion!

8. Why Men Hate Going to Church
- David Murrow

David Murrow gets to the root of the problem of why men hate going to church. His pointing out how Christian services have been “feminized” is scandalous. Nevertheless, I do not agree with the solutions he offers. There’s more that has to be done than simply tweaking Christian worship services so that men will “feel comfortable.” Still, the book makes my Top Ten list because it influenced me greatly this year by helping me begin to see the great problem of how our female-oriented lingo and practice turns men away.

7. Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today
- John Stott

Yes, I know it’s now the 21st century. But John Stott’s book on expository preaching is a classic that should be read even into the 22nd century and beyond. Terrific insight. Great encouragement. The book makes me want to preach!

6. Les Misérables
- Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo’s portrait of France in the 19th century is breathtaking. The sadness of the story is broken by brief, but beautiful glimpses of grace that remain unparalleled in classic literature.

5. Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers
- Christian Smith, Melinda Lundquist Denton

This look at the religious life of American teenagers is both disturbing and promising. The writers’ conclusion is that American teens have a worldview called “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.” The challenge for youth pastors and parents? Overhaul the current youth pastor system in this country and throw out our flawed presuppositions about youth education.

4. Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense
- N.T. Wright

A masterful apologetic for Christianity in our postmodern, post-Christian society. Wright infuses his work with warmth, illustrations, and historical research that make this book one not to be missed. As a side note, this is the only book this year that I read twice!

3. Being the Body
- Charles Colson and Ellen Vaughn

This updated version of Colson’s The Body from the early nineties is better than the original. It is a clarion call for the church to engage the culture and for Christians to understand the importance of the local church.

2. Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be : A Breviary of Sin
- Cornelius Plantinga

The most enjoyable (if that’s possible) book on sin that I’ve ever encountered. Plantinga focuses on the different aspects of sin, the ways evil manifests itself, and how we are all guilty. Prepare to see your need to ask for forgiveness.

1. The Chronicles of Narnia
- C.S. Lewis

Last year’s Narnia movie, as well as my tutoring of middle-school kids this year, led me back to the Narnia series, now conveniently placed into a single volume. Once again, I was amazed by the spiritual depth of Lewis’ fiction, as well as the immense enjoyment I (as an adult) received from reading this series.

I didn’t quite make my goal of reading 100 books this year, but I got close enough. The more you are in school, the more you have to read.  Here are some tips that have helped me read faster.

1. Use a bookmark or your finger.
    Studies show that the split seconds it takes for your eye to find the next line on the page add up and eventually slow you down. By reading with a bookmark going line by line, or with your finger at the start of each line, you can increase your speed.

2. Read the Introduction and Conclusion first.
    This doesn’t work for novels and works of fiction, but it is very helpful if you are tackling an academic book. By knowing where the author is going, you can fly through the material at a much quicker pace.

3. Read blocks, not words.
    Most people who read slowly are still reading word-for-word like a child who learns to read in elementary school. Faster readers are able to take in whole lines at one time. This is easier on the eyes, and it also helps one hurry down a page and still retain all the information.

4. Concentrate.
     Don’t try to do two or three things at once. Turn off the stereo. Turn off the TV. Shut out the noise, and focus on what you are reading. The faster you are able to read, the more you can concentrate. And the more you concentrate, the faster you can read.

5. Read a lot.
    Don’t get out of practice. Always have a book in your hand. Don’t waste the time you spend in the doctor’s waiting room, or stuck in a traffic jam. Have a book handy, and keep the habit alive.

And I have one more (unofficial) tip to add. Learn a new language. For some reason, I began reading much faster in English after I had become completely fluent in Romanian.

1. Christianity Today - It’s the standard for evangelical Christians who want to know what is going on in the wider evangelical world. Sometimes broader than I like… but still very informative and thought-provoking.

2. World Magazine - Terrific analysis of today’s news and culture through the perspective of a Christian worldview. Sometimes World is too much in the Republican party pocket, but the great writers over there know it and try to maintain a critical distance.

3. Christian History & Biography - No better magazine will give you informative looks at Christian history and some of the most interesting people in our history.

4. Modern Reformation - Heavy doctrine, but still a great read. The guys at Modern Reformation have an interesting take on certain aspects of evangelical life.

5. Time - Every Christian should read it, just to know what others are reading. Interesting analysis, even if the magazine does lean left most of the time.

What magazines would you add?

I just finished reading a great article from Christian History about why it is important to learn about our Christian heritage. One of the issues that kept coming up in the article centered on “old books,” and the importance of understanding where we’ve come from and what has been debated and studied in our past.

As a seminary student who hopes to soon be in the pastorate, I’d like to get your take on what “old books” have inspired you, taught you, or have been greatly informative for your Christian walk and your knowledge of Christianity. “Old” means keeping the list limited to books that are older than 50 years.

I already have a short list of books that have profoundly influenced me:

CONFESSIONS by Saint Augustine – quite possibly the first autobiography. A cross between a prayer and a journal.

MERE CHRISTIANITY by C.S. Lewis – to the point, easy to understand, and provocative, fresh takes on old, biblical truths

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST by Thomas a’Kempis – great meditative insights on what it means to live like Jesus

PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD by Brother Lawrence – a devotional classic

What books should I add to this list?