John MacArthur’s The Book on Leadership would be welcomed by many preachers (Thomas Nelson) and Sex and the Supremacy of Christ edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor (Crossway) offers a mature and urgent reconsideration of sex from a distinctly Christian perspective.

Two other books are worthy of note. Exodus by Dave Shiflett (Sentinel) offers a provocative look at why conservative churches are growing while more liberal churches are in decline. Shiflett, a reporter with considerable experience covering American church life, argues that something big is happening in Americanchurch life, and he offers a fascinating perspective even as he raises a host of controversial issues. Above All Earthly Pow’rs: Christ in a PostmodernWorld by David F. Wells (Eerdmans) represents the third volume of Wells’ massive project of theological and cultural engagement. Wells argues that theemergence of the postmodern mind and the growth of religious pluralism represent “the two motifs which are transforming culture.” Yet, as Wells asserts, “thehistory of the church shows that in every generation there are cultural challenges,in some places hostility against religion, overt persecution, difficulties ofevery kind, and yet generation after generation the Church has joyfully proclaimedthe greatness of Christ and His humility in assuming our flesh, taking uponHim our sin as if it were His own, and in conquering that sin also conqueringboth its consequence of death and the devil. The looming threats of aggressive religions, of hostile government powers, of tribes and nations bound in their opposition to Christ, are no match for the power of God made known in the gospel.”

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Finally, the recent death of Dr. Adrian Rogers, long-time pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, reminds us all that our times are short. Preachers will be encouraged by reading Love Worth Finding: The Life of Adrian Rogers and His Philosophy of Preaching by Joyce Rogers (Broadman and Holman). Adrian Rogers gave himself to the task of preaching with a commitment and power that will be remembered for generations to come.

Even as we consider the past year of publishing and think about books that will be of value to ministry, we must be reminded that the real horizon of our ministry is not next Sunday, but eternity. With that in mind, let us read much — and read well.

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Ten Books Every Preacher Should Read

• The Message of the New Testament by Mark Dever [Crossway]
• The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship by Robert Letham [P&R]
• Sex and the Supremacy of Christ edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor [Crossway]
• Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Centuries on Vocations edited byWilliam C. Placher [Eerdmans]
• Ryken’s Bible Handbook by Leland Ryken, Philip Ryken, and James Wilhoit [Tyndale House]
• Exodus: Why Americans are Fleeing Liberal Churches for Conservative Christianity by Dave Shiflett [Sentinel]
• One Nation Under Therapy: How The Helping Culture is Eroding Self-Reliance by Christina Hoff Sommers and Sally Satel [St. Martin’s Press]
• Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer [Baker Academic/SPCK]
• The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God by George Weigel [Basic Books]
• Above All Earthly Powers: Christ in a Postmodern World by David F. Wells [Eerdmans

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R. Albert Mohler is President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.