Also in the On My Shelf series: Tom Schreiner, Trillia Newbell, Jen Wilkin, Gloria Furman, Joe Carter, Timothy George, Tim Keller, Bryan Chapell, Lauren Chandler, Mike Cosper, Russell Moore, Jared Wilson, Kathy Keller, J. D. Greear, Kevin DeYoung, Kathleen Nielson, Thabiti Anyabwile, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Collin Hansen, Fred Sanders, Rosaria Butterfield, Nancy Guthrie, and Matt Chandler.
On My Shelf helps you get to know various writers through a behind-the-scences glimpse into their lives as readers. I spoke with Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, about what’s on his nightstand, books he re-reads, biographies that have shaped him, and more.
What’s on your nightstand right now?
Well the first thing to say is there are more books on it than I’m getting to! They include: Preaching by Tim Keller [20 quotes | interview | review]; God’s Love Compels Us by D. A. Carson; Defending Substitution by Simon Gathercole [review]; The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield [review]; The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and George Whitefield by Thomas Kidd [review].
What are you learning about life and following Jesus?
Life is a precious gift that is all too fleeting. It is, as James 4:14 says, a mist, a vapor. We must not waste it.
Jesus is more wonderful than I ever imagined when I trusted him as a 10 year old. His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, patience, wisdom, kindness, power, and faithfulness grows sweeter and more precious with each passing year. He’s a great and awesome Savior, Lord, and King. What a joy and honor it is to know him and serve him.
What are some books you regularly re-read and why?
The list is not long, which is probably an indictment on me. Having said that, I regularly revisit Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders; The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper; How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer; Expect Great Things: Mission Quotes that Inform and Inspire by Marvin Newell; and Radical by David Platt.
What books have most profoundly shaped how you serve and lead others for the sake of the gospel?
Spiritual Leadership by Oswald Sanders, Good to Great by Jim Collins, and Spurgeon on Leadership by Larry Michael have all greatly influenced me. I’ve also been significantly affected by the wisdom of Proverbs, the example and teachings of Jesus in the Gospels, and the instruction of Paul in the Pastoral Epistles.
What books have most helped you teach others about Jesus?
The Gospels. That answer isn’t intended to be trite or cute. It’s simply the truth in my life.
What biographies or autobiographies have most influenced you and why?
- To The Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson
- Bill Wallace of China
- Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot
- The Life and Diary of David Brainerd
- To Die is Gain: The Triumph of John and Betty Stam
- Mountain Rain: A Biography of James Fraser
- Delighting in Her Heavenly Bridegroom: The Memoirs of Harriet Newell
All of these books concern the lives of missionaries and have profoundly shaped the way I look at life and ministry. They have also shaped how I seek to lead Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in being a Great Commission seminary.
Download your free Christmas playlist by TGC editor Brett McCracken!
It’s that time of year, when the world falls in love—with Christmas music! If you’re ready to immerse yourself in the sounds of the season, we’ve got a brand-new playlist for you. The Gospel Coalition’s free 2025 Christmas playlist is full of joyful, festive, and nostalgic songs to help you celebrate the sweetness of this sacred season.
The 75 songs on this playlist are all recordings from at least 20 years ago—most of them from further back in the 1950s and 1960s. Each song has been thoughtfully selected by TGC Arts & Culture Editor Brett McCracken to cultivate a fun but meaningful mix of vintage Christmas vibes.
To start listening to this free resource, simply click below to receive your link to the private playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.
