As I’ve done for a number of years, I wanted to share with you my favorites from 2018 in a variety of categories: movies, music, books, etc. Except for books, these are all items that were released or took place in 2018. For books, I include my favorite books that I read during 2018, regardless of when the book was published. Enjoy! Please let me know what you think of my list, and also share some of your favorites.
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It’s hard to believe that we are at mid-year already. As I have in the past, I wanted to share with you my favorites from the first half of 2018 in a variety of categories. Except for books, these are all items that were released or took place in 2018. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve read thus far during 2018. Enjoy! Please let me know what you think of my list, and also share some of your favorites.
Best: Tie ~ Black Panther and Paddington 2
Other movies I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, were:
Worst: Below are the worst, or at least the most disappointing, films I’ve seen, in no particular order:
Best: Resurrection Letters: Prologue/Resurrection Letters Vol. 1 – Andrew Peterson
Other music I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, were:
Best: Is He Worthy? – Andrew Peterson
Other songs I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, have been:
Books Best: The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row – Anthony Ray Hinton
Other books I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order, were:
Blogs Best: Tim Challies’ Ala Carte. This is required reading for me each Monday through Saturday. Challies includes helpful Kindle deals, links to a good variety of helpful articles and a quote. Check out Tim’s website here.
Best: The Briefing – Albert Mohler. Each weekend morning, Albert Mohler hosts a podcast providing worldview analysis about the leading news headlines and cultural conversations. This is required listening for me. Check out Dr. Mohler’s website here.
Honorable mention goes to the third season of Malcolm Gladwell’s excellent podcast Revisionist History. On each episode, Gladwell goes back and reinterprets something from the past: an event, a person, an idea. Something overlooked. Something misunderstood.
TelevisionBest: Victoria
ConcertsBest: U2 – Experience and Innocence Tour in St. Louis
Honorable Mention: John Hiatt and the Goners, featuring Sonny Landreth. Slow Turning 30th Anniversary Reunion Tour in Bloomington, Illinois
New Resources Best: Messages from the 2018 Ligonier National Conference which had the theme “Awakening”.
These are my mid-year favorites in a variety of categories. How about you? What were some of your favorites?
For years, I’ve enjoyed listening to podcasts and I subscribe to many of them. A podcast is defined as “a digital audio or video file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically”. Many churches make their sermons available via a podcast for example. Some of the podcasts I subscribe to are from churches or other ministries. Some of the podcasts are related to leadership or faith and work. I subscribe to all of my podcasts on iTunes. Here are my favorite podcasts that I would recommend to you:
Just missed:
I also subscribe to podcasts from the following churches Grace Presbyterian (Bryan Chapell), Christ Presbyterian (Scott Sauls) and First Presbyterian (Derek Thomas).
These are my favorite podcasts. What about you? What are some of your favorites? Please share with us.
As has been my practice for a number of years, I am sharing some of my favorites from 2017 in a variety of categories. What about you? What were some of your favorites in these categories?
Television Series
Top Pick: Victoria
Others that I’ve enjoyed, in no particular order were:
Podcasts
Top Pick: Albert Mohler’s The Briefing. Each weekday morning, Albert Mohler hosts a podcast providing worldview analysis about the leading news headlines and cultural conversations. This is required listening for me. Check out Dr. Mohler’s website here.
Blogs
Top Pick: Tim Challies’ Ala Carte. This is required reading for me each Monday through Saturday. Challies includes helpful Kindle deals, links to a good variety of helpful articles and a quote. Check out Tim’s website here.
Recommended Resources
Top Pick: The Whole Christ – Sinclair Ferguson
Other new resources released in 2017 that I would recommend are, in no particular order:
Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer. See my review of this excellent new documentary.
Dispatches from the Front. Episode 10: The Fourth Man. See my review of this excellent resource here.
The Lord’s Prayer by Albert Mohler. In this twelve-part series, Dr. Albert Mohler shows that the pattern of prayer Jesus provides is few in words, yet massive in meaning. His prayer reflects true theology and proper doxology – a perfect guide in our lives. I listened to this series as our book club at work was reading and discussing Tim Keller’s book Prayer.
Conference
Top Pick: Ligonier Ministries National Conference: The Next 500 Years. Watch or listen to all of the messages here.
Ministry Highlights
It’s hard to believe that we are at mid-year already. I wanted to share with you some of my favorites from the first half of 2017 in a variety of categories. Except for books, these are all items that were released or took place in 2017. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve actually read thus far during 2017. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list and share some of your favorites.
Albums ~Top Pick: Crooked – Propaganda
Here are the rest of my favorite albums (in no particular order) thus far:
Songs ~ Top pick: Blessings – Lecrae (featuring TY Dollar $ign)
Here are the rest of my favorite songs (in no particular order), thus far:
Concerts ~ Top Pick: U2’s The Joshua Tree Tour at Soldier Field in Chicago with the Lumineers opening.
Musicals ~ Top Pick: Hamilton in Chicago
Top pick: The Legacy of Luther, edited by R.C. Sproul and Stephen Nichols
Here are the rest of my favorite books (in no particular order), thus far:
See what I’m reading now.
Top Pick: Hidden Figures
Here are the rest of my favorite movies (in no particular order), thus far:
Unfortunately, there have also been a few poor movies I’ve seen as well. Here are the two worst movies I’ve seen thus far:
The Zookeeper’s WifeTelevision Program
Top Pick: The Profit. Season 4 is finally here. If you are not familiar with this show, read more about it here.
Podcasts
Top Pick: Albert Mohler’s The Briefing. Each weekday morning, Albert Mohler hosts a podcast providing worldview analysis about the leading news headlines and cultural conversations. This is required listening for me. Check out Dr. Mohler’s website.
Also, I was happy to hear recently that Malcolm Gladwell’s excellent podcast Revisionist History returning for season two. Listen to the first episode “A Good Walk Spoiled” here.
Blogs
Top Pick: Tim Challies’ Ala Carte. This is required reading for me each Monday through Saturday. Challies includes helpful Kindle deals, links to a good variety of helpful articles and a quote. Check out Tim’s website.
Another blog that is required reading for me each day is HeadHeartHand from David Murray, author of the excellent new book Reset.
Recommended New Teaching Series
The Lord’s Prayer by Albert Mohler. In this twelve-part series, Dr. Albert Mohler shows that the pattern of prayer Jesus provides is few in words, yet massive in meaning. His prayer reflects true theology and proper doxology—a perfect guide for our own lives. I listened to this series as our book club was studying Tim Keller’s book Prayer.
Recommended Resources
Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer. See my review of this excellent new documentary.
Dispatches from the Front: The Fourth Man. If you are not familiar with this set of videos from Frontline Missions and Tim Keesee you should be. For more information go here.
Conference
Top Pick: Ligonier Ministries National Conference: The Next 500 Years. Watch or listen to all of the messages here.
These are my favorites in a variety of categories. What about you? Please share your favorites.
As I have for the past several years, I want to share with you some of my favorites from 2016 in a variety of categories. These are all items that were released or took place in 2016 except for books; I include my favorite books of the 62 that I’ve actually read during 2016. My top 20 books include three each by Sinclair Ferguson and Tim Keller and two by Bryan Chapell. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list and share some of your favorites.
Favorite Music Album: Never Lose Sight by Chris Tomlin. Here’s my review.Here are the rest of my top 20 favorite albums, listed in order:
Favorite Song: Yes and Amen by Chris TomlinHere are the rest of my top 10 favorite songs, listed in order, along with one bonus song from Trip Lee:
Bonus song: Clouds – Trip Lee
Favorite Artist of the Year: Obviously Chris Tomlin is my top artist for the year. He has my top album – Never Lose Sight – and song “Yes and Amen” and his song “Good Good Father”, though released in October, 2015, still topped 2016’s Billboard’s Christian Digital Songs chart.As we have the mid-year point, I want to share with you some of my favorites from 2016 in a variety of categories. Except for books, these are all items that were released or took place in 2016. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve actually read during 2016. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think by clicking on the ‘Comment’ link above.Top Pick: Church Clothes 3 – Lecrae
Other albums that I’ve enjoyed have been:
Wow to the Deadness (EP) – Steve Taylor and the Danielson Foil
Fallen Angels – Bob Dylan
Stranger to Stranger – Paul Simon
Hymns II – Michael W. Smith
Salvation’s Tide is Rising – Passion
Love Riot – Newsboys
Worship and Believe – Steven Curtis Chapman
This Time Around (EP) – Tedashjii
Facing a Task Unfinished – Keith and Kristyn Getty
I’m really looking forward to two July releases – Where the Light Shines Through by Switchfoot and Hard Love by NEEDTOBREATHE .
Top pick: Jumped Out the Whip – Tedashii
Other songs I’ve enjoyed have been:
Float – Switchfoot
My Worth Is Not In Not In What I Own – Keith and Kristyn Getty with Fernando Ortega
Vaporized – Amos Lee
That Old Black Magic – Bob Dylan
It Is What It Is – Lecrae
God and God Alone – Chris Tomlin
I Trust in Christ – Matt Redman
Wow to the Deadness – Steve Taylor and the Perfect Foil
Cool Papa Bell – Paul Simon
Down to the River to Pray – Michael W. Smith
I Don’t Know Why (Jesus Loves Me) – Michael W. Smith
White Bikini – Charlie Peacock
Happiness – NEEDTOBREATHE
