I suppose I could just admit that I read a lot because I like to. I enjoy it. But I also read a lot because I have to. Everything I read becomes potential kindling to fuel brighter fires in my teaching ministry.
What makes a preacher accurate is the depth of his Bible study and what makes a preacher interesting is the breadth of his reading.
I am usually reading several books at a time. Always a mix with some theology, some history, some fiction, something puritan (or older) and something from the new books section at local library.
What is in my stack of current reading right now:
Majestie: The King Behind the King James Bible, David Teems
Majestie is a shared biography: that of the first Stuart King of England (James I) and the Bible that goes by his name.
The Two Towers by Tolkien
These books really do deserve to be read and re-read. I keep finding so much depth and nobility in the characters.
The Theology of B. B. Warfield: A Systematic Summary, Fred G. Zaspel
B. B. Warfield was the last towering figure in a long line of Old School Presbyterian intellectuals known for their unshakable faith in the truth of Scripture and their practical, experiential Calvinism. Warfield produced an invaluable body of theological and polemical writings that remain immensely influential—because the issues Warfield contended with are virtually the same issues that trouble the church today. Fred Zaspel’s work is the first detailed, readable digest of Warfield’s theology, and it is an immensely helpful volume. —John MacArthur
Jesus, Malcolm Muggeridge
His style is not for everyone and his speculations/conclusions are sometimes frustrating. But I just have an affinity for the way he writes. It is always informative to read a book like this (from the 70s) and see how the same trends have continued or expanded over the past five decades.
The Fountain of Life Opened Up (or, A display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory) by John Flavel
The Letters of John Newton (Banner of truth edition)
How can I express how good this book is? Newton’s correspondence presents an attractive model of wisdom and grace. His love for God and people comes through so compellingly. This book is showing me how to be a much, much better pastor.