ANNUAL READING RESET
Books That Restore the Pastor's Soul
Every year, as a pastor, I return to these five books. They are not new to me, and I may not find fresh sermon material within their pages. But that's not why I read them. These books are my annual reset—a way to care for the inner man, to brush aside the clutter that inevitably accumulates over time. Any pastor who assumes clutter has not built up is only deceiving himself. These readings inspire faith, encourage humility, and awaken my spiritual appetite for the year ahead.
POWER THROUGH PRAYER
by E.M. Bounds
HOW IT CARES FOR THE SOUL
This book strips away the performance of ministry and brings me back to the engine room of spiritual power. Bounds reminds me that prayerless preaching is powerless preaching. It recalibrates my heart to depend on God rather than on my own eloquence or preparation. Reading this annually confronts me with the question: Am I a man of prayer, or merely a man of words?
E.M. Bounds' classic work pierces through the busyness of pastoral ministry to reveal the indispensable foundation of all effective service—prayer. This book isn't about technique; it's about desperation and dependence. Bounds challenges pastors to see prayer not as one duty among many, but as the very source from which all ministry flows.
HUMILITY
by Andrew Murray
HOW IT CARES FOR THE SOUL
Murray's short but devastating book exposes the pride that so easily creeps into pastoral ministry. It helps me see how subtly I can make ministry about building my kingdom rather than God's. This annual reading is painful but necessary—like spiritual surgery that cuts away the cancer of self-importance and restores me to a posture of servant leadership.
Andrew Murray's penetrating examination of humility serves as a yearly mirror for my soul. In a role where people look to you for wisdom and leadership, the temptation toward pride is constant. Murray doesn't let me hide behind false modesty; he calls me to the radical humility of Christ—a humility that isn't self-deprecation but self-forgetfulness in service to God and others.
WHY REVIVAL TARRIES
by Leonard Ravenhill
HOW IT CARES FOR THE SOUL
Ravenhill's prophetic urgency shakes me from complacency. He refuses to let me settle for "church as usual" or be satisfied with numeric growth without spiritual depth. This book rekindles my hunger for God's manifest presence and reminds me that the world needs more than better programs—it needs an encounter with the living God. It stirs dissatisfaction with the status quo in the best possible way.
Leonard Ravenhill writes with the fire of an Old Testament prophet, lamenting the church's lukewarmness and calling for radical devotion. Reading this book annually keeps me from becoming too comfortable, too programmatic, too content with maintaining rather than advancing. It challenges me to ask the hard questions about spiritual authenticity and whether my ministry is producing true disciples or merely religious consumers.
FRESH WIND, FRESH FIRE
by Jim Cymbala
HOW IT CARES FOR THE SOUL
Cymbala's testimony of God's faithfulness in impossible circumstances restores my faith when I feel overwhelmed by ministry challenges. It reminds me that God delights in using weak vessels and working through prayer-soaked desperation rather than human strength. This book breathes hope into my soul and renews my confidence that God can do immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine.
Jim Cymbala's story of Brooklyn Tabernacle's transformation is a testimony to God's power released through corporate prayer. Reading this each year reminds me that ministry success isn't about strategy or personality—it's about creating space for God to move. When I'm tempted to trust in my own abilities or feel discouraged by circumstances, Cymbala's honest account reorients me toward dependence on God's Spirit.
THE CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE
by David Wilkerson
HOW IT CARES FOR THE SOUL
Wilkerson's radical obedience and compassion for the broken recalibrates my heart toward those society discards. It challenges my comfort zones and reminds me that the gospel is for the desperate, the addicted, and the lost—not just the respectable. This book restores my sense of holy boldness and reminds me that God's love can reach anyone, anywhere, no matter how far they've fallen.
David Wilkerson's account of stepping out in faith to reach gang members in New York City is a powerful reminder of God's heart for the lost and broken. Each year, this book challenges me to examine whether I've become too comfortable in my ministry context, too selective about who deserves my time and compassion. It reawakens my conviction that no one is beyond the reach of God's transforming grace.
CLOSING REFLECTION
These books are not about acquiring new knowledge—they're about remembering who I am and Whose I am. They're about clearing away the debris of another year and returning to the wellspring of authentic ministry: dependence on God, humility before Him, and compassion for those He loves.