20 Life-Changing Books
I'm so thankful that many of my white friends have been asking me questions about my journey in learning about justice and loving all God's people. God has used books written by men and women of color to propel me on my journey. At the request of some friends, I've written down some of the books God has used to mold me. These books are not in a particular order, just books that have helped me on my journey.
Kingdom Come by Allen Wakabayashi
Roadmap to Reconciliation by Brenda Salter Mcneil
Heart of Racial Justice by Brenda Salter Mcneil
Rethinking Incarceration by Dominique DuBois Guillard
Sojourner's Truth by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson
Raise Your Voice by Kathy Khang
The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby
I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown
12 Lies that Hold America Hostage by Jonathon P. Walton
Beyond Colorblind by Sarah Shin
How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X Kendi
Prophetic Lament by Soong-Chan Rah
Disunity in Christ by Christina Cleveland
Unsettling Truths by March Charles and Soong-Chan Rah
Hermanas by Natalia Kohn Riveria, Noemi Vega, and Christy Garza Robinson
The Next Worship by Sandra Maria Van Opstal
American Born Chinese by Gene Leun Lang
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Healing Racial Trauma by Sheila Wise Rowe*
*I'm in the middle of Healing Racial Trauma. But I'm also in the middle of my journey and still learning and making mistakes.
In addition to this list, rereading the Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. annually has had a profound impact on my faith.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. I left off excellent books such as White Fragility and White Awake because they were written by white authors. Not all of these books are written from a Christian perspective, nor are they all specifically about racial reconciliation or justice. But God has used each one of these books to help me love people from every tribe, people, and language.
Brenda Salter McNeil wrote, "It's time for the followers of Jesus to embark on the prophetic journey that leads to reconciliation and transformation around the world. Many of us have." I'm thankful that you are on this journey with me. Leave in the comments below books that have shaped and molded you on your journey.
In my monthly newsletter, I include a book that God has used to mold me. I often choose books that have helped me to grow in my love for all God's people.
