An Annual Reading Plan based on What My Pastoral Heroes Do

I love learning from veteran pastors, especially about the ways they’ve navigated their walk with God through the years. I’m always looking for a good reading strategy, too, so I listen closely to what others read. Based on my conversations with several of my pastoral heroes and mentors, here’s the plan I try to follow:

1. Read the Bible annually. That’s my commitment, though I understand that some folks may find it difficult to complete the whole Bible in a year. At a minimum, though, I think we should finish the Bible at least every other year (e.g., that’s about 1¾ chapters per day).
2. Read at least two books on personal holiness or spiritual disciplines each year. That way, I’m continually pressed to examine my own heart. It’s too easy to find other reading that doesn’t challenge my life—or to read these books more as a spiritual formation professor than as a follower of Christ—so I have to push myself here.
3. Read at least one biography each year. The subjects vary—I’ve read the life stories of politicians, missionaries, pastors, sports figures, and Christian martyrs—but I try to determine what one of my mentors calls, “the secret that made this person tick.” Often, these books remind me that I don’t always live as intentionally as I should.
4. Read at least two books on leadership each year. Most of the time, I choose secular leadership books for this task. These works usually give me at least 1-2 “leadership nuggets” that, I trust, help me to lead better.
5. Read at least four books annually in my primary areas of study and practice: evangelism, church growth, and missions. Hence, my intent is to try to keep up with the most current literature by reading at least one book in these areas each quarter. Depending on the size of the books, I’ll often read more.
6. Read the newspaper, whether in paper or electronic format, every day. I’ve written elsewhere about why this goal matters to me (“9 Reasons Why Church Leaders Should Read the Daily News”), but I want to be informed and prayerful about the state of the world.
7. Read some “fun stuff” throughout the year. “Fun stuff” for me usually means sports magazines, outdoor hiking and camping magazines, or history books. Frankly, I need these breaks from other reading….

Generally, this plan means reading about 10 books per year, not including the Bible. I’ve learned to read rapidly, I grant myself permission not to read every single word, and I’m okay with reading portions of several books at once—so the plan works for me.

Let’s help each other—what’s your reading plan look like?