This article is part of a series of articles where we interview thinkers, pastors, and leaders on influential books.
On My Shelf helps you get to know various writers through a behind-the-scences glimpse into their lives as readers. I talked with Matt Chandler, president of Acts 29 and lead pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, about what’s on his nightstand, books he re-reads, favorite biographies, and more.
What’s on your nightstand right now?
I’m reading A Season on the Brink by John Feinstein and How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind by Thomas Oden.
What are some books you regularly re-read and why?
- Knowing God by J. I. Packer
- Desiring God by John Piper
- The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
The first two books put the immensity of God in front of me. They are like a warm blanket to my soul. Lewis’s Chronicles have always had a deep effect on my emotions. They profoundly stir my affections for God.
What books have most profoundly shaped how you serve and lead others for the sake of the gospel?
The Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges and Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch have helped shape how I lead and serve others.
What biographies or autobiographies have most influenced you and why?
Bonhoeffer and Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas as well as The Last Lion series on Winston Churchill are my favorite biographies. In each of the them there are extreme peaks and valleys wrapped into fights that were worth having and wouldn’t be cheap to win. I need to be reminded of that truth often.
What are your favorite fiction books?
I don’t read a lot of fiction (besides The Chronicles of Narnia). This past year I have devoured Cliff Graham’s Lion of War series on David’s mighty men.
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In Tim Keller’s short ebook, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The Path To True Christian Joy, he explains how to overcome the toxic tendencies of our age一not by diluting biblical truth or denying our differences一but by rooting our identity in Christ.
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