| Well, summer has arrived at Mosaic, and that can mean only one thing: My 2026 Reading List! A few things you should know about this year’s list: – It’s all over the place! – I can make no promises you will love these as much as I did! – It’s based on the conviction that books are better than screens. So, shut off that social media and go read a book, kids! With those in mind, here we go with my 2026 Top 10: 10. Forgive by Tim Keller One of his final books, it’s also one of his most accessible. For long-time Keller readers, you may know some of his more theological literature tends to be (occasionally) more esoteric than some may prefer—but not this book. It’s full of both theology and real-life stories of the powerful force of forgiveness. It’s been a resource for me, personally and pastorally. 9. I Know Why Fathers Cry at Night by Kwame Alexander Poet Kwame Alexander’s book is part memoir, part love poetry, part family recipe book, part…I don’t know what genre this fits in. Written as a healing howl after his divorce, Alexander looks back on his family history, is brutally honest about his own mistakes, and offers tender hopes for a better future…all while encouraging the reader to cook and eat. I’m glad a friend gave this to me. Warning: it does contain some hard PG-13 content, so be aware. 8. Strength to Strength by David Brooks Taking its title from Psalm 84, Brooks, a longtime New York Times writer, examines what it looks like to move from the first to second half of life successfully (going from “strength to strength).” Having grown up as a secular Jew, Brooks came to embrace the Christian faith and writes for both a secular and faith-based audience. His early chapter on crystallized versus fluid intelligence, and his later chapter on the value of vulnerability as seen in the life of the Apostle Paul, are both game changers. 7. Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman Long time Mosaic members will know while I can tend to skimp on reading fiction, I do have a fondness for murder mysteries. And, who better than the British to put out some bangers? Richard Osman’s series kicks off in grand style with the story of 4 British pensioners who solve the unsolvable. Skip the wobbly Netflix adaptation, unless you just want more Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in your life. Read the book instead, then tackle the sequel (the best one in the series, IMHO). 6. Absolute Superman, Vol. 1 and 2, by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval Mosaic Members will also know I have a fondness for comics. DC has revitalized the industry with its “Absolute” line, which is far less of a reboot and way more of a shocking and total reimagining from the ground up of its major characters. Inside the incredible artwork, the book asks the question, what would it look like for someone to refuse to give in to hate, revenge, and isolationism, no matter how far they are pushed and betrayed? In the end, Clark Kent’s “absolute” insistence that mercy triumphs over judgment is inspiring, and emotional. 5. From Genesis to Junia by Preston Sprinkle As Mosaic has navigated the culturally tricky waters of men and women in church leadership, I have lost count of the books I have read on the topic. While not necessarily the most comprehensive, this book is the most accessible one of the ones I read. It’s a helpful (and deep) starting place, written in very readable language, even for the uninitiated. 4. Vanishing Church by Ryan Burge Burge is a researcher who asks the question: at what public and social cost does the American church shrink? He warns and cautions, with armies of research and literature at his disposal, that the church of Jesus is the single most stabilizing and redeeming force that a nation can know—and makes the case that churches like Mosaic play a greater part than any of us can know in the greater good. I don’t know him, but I do love his data-driven conclusions! In short, he says, if you could do one thing to make the world better, go to church! (Thanks, Jack Hammans, for the rec). 3. No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton A 20th century Roman Catholic monk and philosopher, Merton’s life was tragically cut short. Before he passed, he gave the world some of the best and richest thinking on how we are all interconnected, how God works in the human soul, and how to process topics as diverse as prayer and our daily jobs. It’s rich, so read slowly (credit to Carrie for the nudge). 2. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer Tozer was an ordinary clergyman in the American Christian church, and a towering preacher and writer of devotional literature. I loved this short book so much I read it a second time as soon as I finished the first. It’s so full of remarkable prose that it’s hard to know where to begin when quoting it, but here is one: “Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.” So good. 1. What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins Collins burst on to the leadership literature scene in the 1990s and 2000s with genius explorations of America’s best companies and what made them tick, and last. Titles like Built to Last and Good to Great were on every executive’s lips, and made every pastor’s bookshelf. His latest book, a result of a ten year research project, looks not at companies, but humans, and asks, what makes a great life? He looks at luminaries as diverse as Benjamin Franklin, Toni Morrison, John Glenn, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, and unpacks how each of them discovered their giftings (“encodings”) and successfully navigated “cliffs” and “fog” in their lives. Most meaningful for me: his finding that no person he ever researched did not hit a major cliff in life, and that when we are “foggy” about life, there is absolutely nothing wrong with us. Cliffs and fog can be leveraged to produce our greatest days in the future. Whew! That’s it for this year. Didn’t see one you liked this time through? Well, better luck next year, in 2027! Happy reading! Morgan Stephens, DMin Lead Pastor |
