Reading Recommendations
- Ryan Swedberg
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
The old adage that “leaders are readers” has never seemed to be more out of step than it is now in our current age of social media and instant gratification. Who would want to spend an hour reading when there are video games to be played, social media to be scrolled, and movies to be watched? Yet, that old adage has never been more true. Reading widely and wisely is a discipline and habit that must be a regular part of a person’s life for them to grow and change to the glory of God. With that in mind, here’s a few good books that I read over the course of this past year that I would commend to you in 2026 (clicking on each book title will take you to a link to purchase the book). Of course, the first one below stands out as unique amongst all the others.
THE BIBLE
It’s been said before that the Bible will either keep you from sin or that sin will keep you from the Bible. This year, let the former be true and not the latter. I would encourage you to consistently spend a few minutes in God’s Word each day. Martin Luther famously would read through the Bible at least twice each year. And while that is a noble goal and aspiration, it may be such that finding a more manageable chunk of Scripture to read each day is better suited for you. Personally, I read through the Bible once each year and this year I’m also sprinkling in a few Proverbs each day too. Whatever the method (print, digital, audio) or time (morning, evening or sometime in between), make sure you feast on God’s Word routinely and regularly. There are a myriad of Bible-reading plans that you can avail yourself of (The ESV Bible app is my personal choice for 2026) so there’s no excuse for not spending quality time reading God’s Word this year.
This book by JC Ryle is one of if not the best books I’ve read on the subject of eschatology (i.e. the end times). Ryle wrote in 1800s England in a world that was very much unlike ours (For example, Israel was not established as a nation at this point.). Yet, he saw with piercing clarity what the Scriptures taught on Israel and other eschatological subjects. And while Ryle was by no means “Dispensational” in the modern sense of the word, he was very committed to the plain and literal sense of the Scriptures when it comes to eschatological passages. However, the chief reason I commend this book to you is not because of its detailed theological explanations, rather, it is written as a devotional work concerning the end times. Most eschatology books are concerned with facts, figures, and dates. Ryle is concerned with your heart, soul, affections, and desires. As such, this read is a profitable one to help attune your heart to longing for Christ’s return and putting away wickedness and worldliness in the meantime.
Impurity and pornography rages across our world and sadly in the church as well. Written by EZ Zwayne, this book challenges men to forsake the seductive lies of this world in terms of sexual immorality and to instead walk in uprightness and purity. While a litany of great books have been written on this subject over the past few decades (Heath Lambert’s Finally Free being one of them), Zwayne’s work stands out to me as unique in that he provides a robust amount of practical help in fighting the battle against pornography. Instead of speaking in generalities or mere theological truisms, Zwayne takes the gloves off and enters the arena with you to show you specifically how he has fought and won the battle of purity in his own life. Whether you are a man trapped in the throes of impurity, are counseling someone who is, or just need to be reminded of godly, battle-plan principles, this book I would highly recommend.
Lastly, another book that I read in 2025 that I would recommend to you over this next year is David Gibson’s work on Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is a mystery and an enigma to so many but it ought not to be that way. In a cross between book and commentary, Gibson walks through many of the texts of Ecclesiastes and draws out wisdom principles to help us live lives that honor Christ with the end of our lives in mind. Far from being a depressing book, Gibson shows us how Ecclesiastes sets us free to live in a way that honors God by recognizing our rightful place and limitations in this life.
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