It’s the time for New Year’s Resolutions, if you haven’t given up on them already of course. One resolution I see pop up a lot, is to read more books.

Jon Acuff has started a ’empty book shelf’ movement. Others have tweeted or blogged their to read list or have simply put it on their resolutions list. All I can say is ‘yay’!

I read about 120 books last year, I kid you not. Nobody needs to encourage me to read, more the opposite I’d say. I love reading and it also helps that I’m a speed reader.

I believe in the power of reading. Leaders are readers, I’ve written about this before. Books challenge you, they inspire you, they teach you. If you want to grow as a leader and as a Christian, you have to read.

The DYM Book Club

To challenge and encourage each other to read more and to make the most of what we read, I’m starting a Download Youth Ministry Book Club, DYM Book Club for short. Every month, we will select four books you can read:

  • a book on leadership
  • a youth ministry book
  • a personal growth book
  • one young adult fiction

The last is important to stay up to date with what teens are reading, because despite popular opinion, teens do still read!

You can read one or more of these books and discuss them on our super-duper-secret Facebook Group. Or read something else entirely and persuade us to read it as well.

What to read in February for the DYM Book Club

Here’s the reading plan for February:

  1. Leadership: Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work – Dan and Chip Heath
  2. Personal Growth: Galatians For You – Tim Keller
  3. Youth Ministry: Sticky Faith, Youth Worker Edition: Practical Ideas to Nurture Long-Term Faith in Teenagers – Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin
  4. Young adult fiction: The Fault in Our Stars – John Green

I picked the last one because the movie based on the book will be released soon and also because John Green is one of the most read young adult novelists at the moment.

You don’t need to read all four books (though you certainly may!), just pick one or more that appeal to you. And then let’s discuss them and keep encouraging each other to keep reading!

You in? Join the DYM Book Club now!

Books