5 Books for Pastors to Read This Summer

As you prepare for summer, here are the top five books you should add to your list of books to read over the next few months.

By Logan Pyron

Around this time of year, one of the tabs that remains open on my internet browser is the one for Airbnb. My wife and I try to find a place within 30 minutes of civilization where we can enjoy time sharing a nice meal, experiencing an excursion or two, and maybe visiting a couple of local coffee spots. We also look for a place with some level of peace. If I have my way (which admittedly doesn’t always happen), we’ll be at a cabin in the mountains, and I’ll get to chisel through the books on my reading list. If you find yourself in a similar boat, aiming to do some reading in the coming months, here are a few books you should add to your list.

A Short Guide to Church by Dean Inserra (B&H Publishing, 2024)

 Dean Inserra makes a claim in this book that every believer should hear. As Inserra regularly reminds his congregation, “Christianity is more than just going to church, but it certainly isn’t less!” Today, church is available through multiple mediums. One can “attend” from anywhere because of the rise of the digital church since the pandemic. You may not be there in person, but at least you can watch online. You’re not part of a group, but at least you’re commenting on the social media page. You may not be hearing the sermon in person, but why bother when you’ve got his sermon and the sermon series all on the Bible app? With all this access, we’ve missed out on what’s imperative to the Christian walk: discipleship, fellowship, and mission. You miss out on much when you’re not there in person.

“With all this access, we've missed out on what’s imperative to the Christian walk: discipleship, fellowship, and mission. You miss out on much when you're not there in person.” — @logan_pyron Share on X

Inserra reminds the reader what church is all about. He offers a call for life in the church; church is a part of God’s design for every believer. Whether you’re a church leader or regular attender looking for ways to communicate the need for the Christian to be a part of the church or someone who might be in need of some gentle reminding, this book is a short, helpful read that will point you back to the local church.

The Pastor as Apologist by Dayton Hartman and Michael McEwen (B&H Publishing, 2024)

Apologetics has moved to the forefront of many conversations within Christendom. With the deconstruction movement and the rise of the next generation of atheists, there’s a growing desire to defend the faith effectively. Many, however, have come to see apologetics as something for the debate stage or the podcast room. It is something for professionals, but this view is not biblical. When Peter calls for believers to provide a defense, he’s not saying you’ve got to develop a platform or get a degree before making a defense.

For Hartman and McEwen, apologetics should start from the pulpit. Pastors often have the first opportunity to introduce Christians to apologetics, discussing issues brought up against the faith and defending against these claims. Pastors can communicate what the Bible teaches and invite their congregations into an apologetic identity that winsomely and gracefully defends the faith.

“Pastors can communicate what the Bible teaches and invite their congregations into an apologetic identity that winsomely and gracefully defends the faith.” — @logan_pyron Share on X

Understanding Spiritual Abuse by Karen Roudkovski (B&H Publishing, 2024)

In the wake of the #MeToo movement that addressed many of the issues of sexual abuse within the church, the conversation opened the door to another unnoticed issue that has plagued evangelicalism: spiritual abuse. Spiritual abuse is misunderstood, though it’s also widespread. The victims of spiritual abuse are often left devastated and find themselves having damaged relationships with themselves, the church, and God.

In Understanding Spiritual Abuse, Karen Roudkovski uses her background as a licensed professional counselor to unpack what we mean by “spiritual abuse,” how to identify it and spiritual abusers, how to address it effectively, and how to start on a path moving forward from it. Even though this is a difficult topic, Roudkovski actively weaves in a message of hope for those who have witnessed or experienced spiritual abuse. This book isn’t something I would consider a “fun” read, but it’s a prevalent discussion in our evangelical circles and deserves our attention as Christians.

Learning to Disagree by John Inazu (Zondervan, 2024)

Cards on the table, I am a nonconfrontational person. We live in a time when emotions are high, arguments are common, and disagreement is rarely pursued charitably. It’s not that I’m afraid to disagree, but I’m reluctant to communicate my thoughts when I feel the natural tide of confrontation rising. 

There’s always the desire to communicate one’s thoughts without feeling bogged down by argumentative responses. Disagreement, in many ways, can open a door to connection. Inazu communicates the heart of the book effectively when he says this book is intended to help us know we “can recognize good faith disagreements without surrendering [our] most held beliefs.” Inazu uses his experiences as a legal expert to point us to a better way of disagreement that allows us to walk away with an appreciation for thoughts that may differ from our own. As we prepare for the political cycle in the fall, this is a book that will help us yearn for understanding in a time when disengagement and confrontation reign supreme.

“Disagreement, in many ways, can open a door to connection.” — @logan_pyron Share on X

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

There are a handful of books that I revisit every couple of years. This is one I’ll be revisiting this summer. A Separate Peace is the book that turned me into a reader. It was a reading assignment I had as a junior in high school. I was given four weeks to read the book, and I finished it in one Sunday afternoon. I couldn’t put it down.

The book captures the tragic friendship of two 16-year-old boys, Gene and Finny, who are attending a boarding school in New Hampshire during World War II. After tragedy strikes Finny, destroying his athletic career, Gene struggles with a guilt and fear that follows him throughout the entirety of the story. Though the drama of the book centers around the internal strife within Gene, World War II is the looming background for the characters attending this preparatory school. It is a book on friendship, secrecy, guilt, jealousy, and brotherly love that if you skipped in high school, I promise your English teacher was onto something when they assigned it to you.

For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.