I absolutely believe that leaders are learners and while there are tons of ways to learn, reading books is a must for everyone who wants to grow. I listen to a ton of podcasts and I enjoy learning through other mediums as well, but it’s hard to replace the excellent content you can get from books.

Whether you opt for the hard copy, an ebook, or the audio version, these last few weeks of summer can be a great time to dig in and read more to help you grow. Below, I’ve suggested a few books you can use to make your own reading list. If you’re a prolific reader like I wish I was, maybe you’ll read all the ones you haven’t ready already. However, if you’re like me, maybe you’ll choose three to six.

I suggested three books for each category and I tried to include a classic as well as a fairly new book in each category. If you’re looking for more suggestions, I always look at what Jon Acuff and Jeff Henderson have read. In addition, I asked a bunch of ministry leaders for their favorite books and compiled them into a large list here.

What books are you reading this summer? Comment below and share!

Strategy

4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, Jim Huling
The Unstuck Church by Tony Morgan
Seven Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley

Leadership

The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willinick
The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner

Soul Care

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster, Richard Rohan

Faith

The Imperfect Disciple by Jared C. Wilson
Goliath Must Fall by Louie Giglio
What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey

Family

The Myth of Balance by Frank Bealer
Your Best Us by Ted Lowe
The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni
Tough Stuff Parenting by Paul Basden, Jim Johnson