As I have done for several years now, I am going share my favorites in a variety of categories for 2023. All items listed were released or took place in 2023, except for books, which reflect books that I read in 2023, regardless of publication date. I hope you enjoy this list!
Movies
Top Pick: Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (read my review here).
Other movies I enjoyed, in order, were:
- The Essential Church
- Wonka
- Sound of Freedom
- Air
- Jesus Revolution
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
- Surprised by Oxford
Books
Top Pick: Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen (read my review here).
Other books I enjoyed, in order, were:
- Providence – John Piper
- Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? – Tim Keller
- Elon Musk – Walter Isaacson
- Being Elisabeth Elliot: The Authorized Biography: Elisabeth’s Later Years – Ellen Vaughn
- The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? – Jim Davis, Michael Graham with Ryan P. Burge
- Worthy: Living in Light of the Gospel – Sinclair Ferguson
- The Christian Manifesto – Alistair Begg
- Galatians: An Expositional Commentary – R.C. Sproul
- Facing the Last Enemy: Death and the Christian – Guy Waters
- Rejoice and Tremble – Michael Reeves
- Our Secular Vocation: Rethinking the Church’s Calling to the Marketplace – J. Daryl Charles
- The Sacred Meaning of Everyday Work – Robert Tribken
Music
Songs
Top Pick: You’ve Already Won – Shane and Shane (Listen to the song here).
Other songs I’ve enjoyed, in order, were:
- Now and Then – Beatles
- Happy – NF
- All Sufficient Merit – Shane and Shane
- My God is All I Need/My God is So Big – CityAlight
- Atomic City – U2
- All My Boast is in Jesus – Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell and Matt Papa
- Sometime Every Christmas – Michael W. Smith
- Shake, Rattle and Roll – Van Morrison
Albums
Top Pick: CAVES – NEEDTOBREATHE (Read my review here).
Other albums I’ve enjoyed, in order, were:
- Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs Live – Shane and Shane
- Songs of Surrender – U2
- Simple Songs for Young and Old (EP) – CityAlight
- Sing! Christ Our Hope in Life and Death – Live at the Getty Music Worship Conference/The Sing! Sessions: Doxology – Keith and Kristyn Getty and Friends
- Accentuate the Positive – Van Morrison
- Shadow Kingdom – Bob Dylan
- HOPE – NF
- Lamb of God (Live) – Matt Redman
- Seven Psalms – Paul Simon
- Live from Red Rocks – Mac Powell
- The Beautiful Letdown (Our Version) – Switchfoot
Concerts
Top Pick: U2:UV Achtung Baby at the Sphere
Other concerts that I have enjoyed, in order, were:
- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Wrigley Field
- Amos Lee in Bloomington
- Jerry Seinfeld in Springfield
- MercyMe/Crowder/Andrew Ripp in Bloomington
- Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour in Peoria
- Temptations and Four Tops in St. Louis
Television (Some include adult language)
Top Pick: The Bear
Other shows I have enjoyed, in order, were:
- All Creatures Great and Small
- Slow Horses
- The Crown
- Annika
- Full Swing
- All the Light We Cannot See
- Rabbit Hole
- The Night Agent
- The Mandalorian
Blogs
Top Choice: Tim Challies’ Ala Carte
This blog is required reading for me each Monday through Saturday morning. Challies includes helpful Kindle deals, links to a wide variety of helpful articles and quotes using SquareQuotes (that he encourages you to share). Check out Tim’s site and subscribe here.
Podcasts
Top Pick: Albert Mohler’s The Briefing
This podcast is required listening for me each weekday morning. Mohler hosts a podcast featuring worldview analysis about leading news headlines and cultural conversations. The podcast runs about 25 minutes and is usually posted by 5:00am. Check out Dr. Mohler’s website and subscribe here.
Other podcasts that I have enjoyed, in order, were:
- Things Unseen
- Renewing Your Mind
- Truth for Life
- Ask Pastor John
- Open Book
- 5 Minutes in Church History
Apps
Top Pick: Ligonier
Other apps that I’ve enjoyed, in order, were:
- ESV Bible
- Albert Mohler
- Truth for Life
Conferences
Top Pick: 2023 Gospel Coalition National Conference (Watch the messages from the conference here).
Another conference we enjoyed was:
- 2023 Ligonier National Conference
Recommended Resources
Top Pick: Rejoice in the Lord: Paul’s Letter to the Philippians – Teaching Series from Steven Lawson
Other resources that I enjoyed, in order, were:
- The Fear of the Lord – Michael Reeves
- Not Ashamed: Paul’s Letter to the Romans – Robert Godfrey
These are my favorites in a variety of categories for 2023. I hope it gives you some ideas on books to read, music to listen to, and movies and television series to watch.
What were your favorites this year? Please share.
