Read List

Releasing the Anointing : Dr. James Tan

James Tan is a phenomenal and anointed minister! He is just now putting out books after some decades in ministry. I have watched him speak many times in Minneapolis at Living Word and in Columbus at World Harvest Church. In his book, Releasing the Anointing, he writes to every believer with a practical guide centered on understanding, cultivating, and activating the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.

Rather than viewing the anointing as a superficial or purely emotional manifestation, Dr. Tan presents it as a heavenly substance meant to deeply transform a believer from the inside out. That’s right, you are to be built from the inside out, first spirit, then soul, and finally in the physical body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

The book is structured around a divinely prompted three-part framework. (1) The internal work, the (2) sending out and manifesting the Holy Spirit to the people, and the (3) anointing to gather and govern. Otherwise said, to grow, go, and govern. Believers truly have access to the “prophet, king, and priest” anointing!

The Anointing to Grow is simply understanding who the Holy Spirit is and what the anointing is on someone else’s life. It takes the spirit to recognize the spirit, or it takes the anointing to recognize the anointing. True anointing begins in the secret place of personal intimacy with God. The initial work of the anointing is internal. It acts as a refining fire that purifies your character, roots out soul blockages, and fortifies your spirit to withstand the pressure of public ministry.

The Anointing to Go is not meant to be mere pipelines or conduits that God’s power flows through; instead, they are called to be an active embodiment of that power. The book teaches a delicate balance between being preserved (protected and sustained by God internally) and being projected (thrust forward into your divine commission). Power is given for service and building up the Body of Christ, not for personal showmanship. The gifts of the Spirit should always aim to edify others rather than simply demonstrate raw power.

The Anointing to Gather and Govern is the gift to navigate through the biblical layout of ministry offices and spiritual gifts, showing how the anointing positions believers to step into leadership, govern spiritual atmospheres, and advance God’s Kingdom. Ultimately, releasing the anointing breaks the heavy weights of stagnant religion, bringing supernatural life, grace, and real-world transformation that secures eternal rewards!

Some key takeaways that are themes through the book is understanding that the anointing is yielded to in degrees. You flow with or within it as you understand and yield to it. Always remember the anointing on us is to flow through us for others. The anointing in us is to regulate our personal lives; as it guides, teaches and protects. In this, it will preserve you while in a wilderness season. As the anointing turns into external ministry it will confront lies and darkness! It will manifest through the gifts of the Holy Spirit and finally replicate your gifts into others.

No anointing ever leaves the earth! Highly recommended read by Dr. James Tan!

The Miracle of the Kurds : Stephen Mansfield

This is the 18th book I have read by best selling author Stephen Mansfield, I probably started in about 2004 so about 1 a year. This guy is a phenomenal writer and I probably remember him the most for his work on Derek Prince as well as President George W. Bush, both excellent reads. He thought of Derek Prince as a notable mentor in his spiritual growth, a great teacher of the Word of God who he had listened to since he was young, if I remember correctly.

This book is truly a blend of historical narrative and advocacy for the Kurds. The Kurds truly are/were the best-kept secret in the Middle East, as well as a beacon of hope in the region which is volatile daily in this time. The Kurds are 35 million strong, and reside mostly in eastern Turkey as well as the northern regions of Syria, Iran, and Iraq. This will be an item that will come into play at some time in the Middle East showdown!

Easter The Rest of the Story : Rick Renner

Rick Renner is a prominent Bible teacher, author, and Greek scholar known for his “word-picture” approach to the New Testament, and he is phenomenal at it! As the founder of Rick Renner Ministries and the senior pastor of Moscow Good News Church, he has spent decades living in the former Soviet Union, blending historical research with deep linguistic analysis of Koine Greek.

He is known as the Greek Scholar in the ministry stream I listen to and read after. This is the 15th book of his I have read and I have 2 more on the way soon! His books are very deep and inspiring! In fact, I do not really get into devotional writings but he has two called Sparkling Gems of the Greek that are awesome writings!

His work, Easter: The Rest of the Story, is more a cinematic, scholarly journey into the final days of Jesus Christ. If you approach this book from a position of awe for the Easter narrative, several elements of his analysis stand out as particularly profound.

Like many of his other books he keys in on Greek Word-Pictures such as the word ademoneo, describing a soul-crushing anguish that goes beyond mere sadness. For a reader in awe of the Resurrection, this scholarly depth makes the “victory” of Easter feel earned. By highlighting the literal, physical, and emotional intensity of the sacrifice, Renner makes the subsequent empty tomb feel like a cosmic explosion of power.

Renner provides a “boots-on-the-ground” perspective of Jerusalem. He meticulously reconstructs the Roman scourging process, the architecture of the Antonia Fortress, and the specific botanical properties of the thorns used in the crown. It shifts Easter from a distant religious tradition into a gritty, historical event. His awe is contagious because it is rooted in the physical evidence of what transpired.

What makes Renner’s analysis resonate is that he never treats the text as a dry specimen. His writing is infused with a “theological wonder.” He treats the technicalities of the Greek language as a window into the heart of God, and I for one appreciate this. When Renner arrives at the Resurrection, he portrays it not just as a return to life, but as a total subversion of death’s authority. Great Easter Read! (See my blog about this and Easter Sunday).

Gradually Then Suddenly : Mark Batterson

This is the 16th book I have read by Pastor Mark Batterson, I probably started in about 2008 so about 1 a year.

This guy is a phenomenal writer, and pastors a great Church called National Community on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. I have been to some of their many properties, including Ebenezer’s Coffee House. I first heard him preach at Radiant Church in Surprise, AZ and knew he had so many books in him just by listening to him speak, he also has a D.Min. from Regent University. This excellent book was published about 6 months ago, in the fall of 2025.

Batterson argues that “overnight success” is a myth. Every major breakthrough is the result of thousands of small, invisible decisions made over a long period. He suggests that God works at the “speed of a seed”—growth happens slowly underground until it eventually erupts into a visible, sudden harvest.

Batterson encourages readers to adopt the mindset of medieval cathedral builders, who began projects knowing they wouldn’t see the finished product in their lifetime. Batterson argues that “overnight success” is a myth. Every major breakthrough is the result of thousands of small, invisible decisions made over a long period. He suggests that God works at the “speed of a seed”—growth happens slowly underground until it eventually erupts into a sudden harvest. Just like financial interest, spiritual and personal habits compound. Batterson emphasizes that while you might overestimate what you can do in one year, you vastly underestimate what God can do through you in ten or twenty years of consistent faithfulness.

Borrowing a phrase from Friedrich Nietzsche (and Eugene Peterson), Pastor Batterson argues that the “suddenly” moments of God are reserved for those who stay the course during the “gradually” seasons of waiting and preparation. Most people quit just before their “Suddenly” because they get tired of the slow work. BUT . . . it is time to DREAM again, to get to work again, to see a vision become a reality!!

Pentecost If... : Rod Parsley

I have 150+ books by Pastor Rod Parsley in my library, I probably started in about 2000 so about 5-7 a year. He is, in fact, my pastor and mentor for all things spiritual. This book was a 3rd in the trilogy which included Revival If and then Idolatry in America! The book got to me in early 2025 and I read through it in the summer.

This book is a call to action for the present day Church to rise up and experience the Holy Spirit’s presence in an unlimited nature. It will challenge you to trade in the entertainment Christianity for the raw power of the Holy Spirit. The term If is the conditional challenge that only if the believer is willing to surrender to and welcome the fullness of the Spirit you and we can have it!

The book is structured as a “prophetic journey” from the Upper Room in Acts 2 to 1906 Azusa Street to the current contemporary universal church. The journey, according to Pastor, is a mandate to be lived in a current day Pentecost!! It is a solid read from a pentecostal giant.

Understanding The World in Light of Bible Prophecy : Jonathan Shuttlesworth

This is the 11th book I have read by Pastor Shuttleswoth, but I enjoy his videos and social media more. He is one of the few preachers I watch who is younger than me but I am blessed by his passion and fire to minister the Word of God! This book came out in 2023, about the time I began studying the end times, or Eschatology. This book was one of his best books, in my opinion. He always takes an overcomer or dominion view of Christian living!!

This book is more of a “call to action” or manifesto against fear for believers living in what, Jonathan, describes as the final moments of human history as we know it. He focuses on the reliability of Bible prophecy as a roadmap for the future of the Church. The Church, he posits, is the restrainer against the forces of darkness, encouraging believers to take their spiritual dominion or authority. Jonathan reminds us that Jesus desires and requires us to take an uncompromising commitment to our call. The book then focuses on the times we live in and the spiritual and moral decay on the earth which show up in political and economical shifts in our day – which can be seen in the Bible in Daniel, Matthew 24, and Revelation. He urges all to an overcoming life in Christ, so seek the Truth today! -Peter 3:10

Relentless : Tim S. Grover

This is the first book I have ever read by Tim Grover. I primarily study the power in the Human Spirit, but also have interest in the development of the human soul and body. I read about 2/3 of books about Christianity and spiritual formation/theology, and 1/3 of books about psychology/education and physical development. This was one I snuck in on the 1/3.

Relentless is a guide to cultivating an elite, unstoppable mindset based on Grover’s experience training top athletes like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade. I specifically have always studied the mindset of Kobe Bryant and this is the 24th book or magazine I have read to understand how he developed his mindset to focus on the task at hand. I have written about this in a previous blog. The book focuses on achieving mental and physical dominance by pushing past what most call limits, embracing pressure, and maintaining an unwavering focus on the results. I believe having a strong and healthy spirit should be a human priority but some development in mental and physical realms is also worth your time! Enjoy the read!