It is the 1870’s in the Old West and you are in trouble. BAD GUYS are either stealing your horses, your land, or your money (they could also be stealing bases because there was a baseball episode). You need help. You need to do something. You need a plan. Thankfully, you are holding a business card that says, “Have Gun—Will Travel.” And before you know it, you’ve hired a gun. But not just any gun, a good gun wielded by a good guy, a knight without armor in a savage land. For six seasons (1957-1963) he was the best western show on TV. 

In five weeks, I will retire. People keep on saying that, before that happens, I need a plan. I need to do something or else bad guys will steal my joy. My first thought was to be a gun for hire, but I said, “no” (I really do hate guns). My second thought was to travel, but Ragna our dog said, “no.” My third thought was to watch reruns of Have Gun—Will Travel, but Jo said, “no.” And then, it hit me. I’m going to catch up on my reading. Now, I am at peace (Have Book—Will Retire!). Perhaps, you may ask, “But what are you going to read?” Hey, thanks for asking! I’ve got it all planned out. Here are the five books I hope to read before the end of 2026. But let’s make this fun! I want to invite you to join me. I have five weeks before I have to hand in the keys, and I plan on using my last five blog posts to share with you the five books I am planning on reading to see if I can entice you to read one or more of them with me. Now, please remember this critical fact. I haven’t read any of these books. My comments are pure speculation (definitely not book reviews which should require reading before writing). They are all books I am drawn to, and I hope you will be, too. 

Before we get to book one, let’s begin with a quote about reading.

“The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can’t.” (Mark Twain)


Book One:
Paul for the World: A Grounded Vision for Finding Meaning in This Life—Not Just the Next
Nijay K. Gupta (Brazos Press, Grand Rapids, 2026)


The Author: I really like Nijay Gupta. He has become one of my favorite New Testament scholars in the world today. And here’s the thing—While he is absolutely a scholar (Ph.D., Durham University), he doesn’t come across as an ivory-tower academic. Instead, he comes across as a very real, practical and wise pastor. He writes well. He is insightful, thoughtful and engaging. His podcasts show him to be an outstanding thinker, a gifted teacher and a winning communicator. He also has a great sense of humor. He is also open and vulnerable.

Now, I don’t need to tell you all of this because you have heard me mention him many times. He wrote Strange Religion: How the First Christians were Weird, Dangerous and Compelling (2024) which was featured predominately in our sermon series, “Stand Out” (fall, 2025). He also wrote Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church, which we referred to a lot in our Focus Groups (2023). And he wrote 15 New Testament Words of Life: A New Testament Theology for Real Life which was one of the key texts I used in developing yet another sermon series a few summers ago (“What’s the Good Word?”). To be perfectly honest, until I wrote this paragraph, I didn’t realize I had leaned on him so often. I must really like his books!


The Book’s Big Idea: This is a book about making a difference in our world; about living in the here and now and living like right now counts forever. It is also a book that delves into Paul’s theology, but not in a stuffy, intellectual way. See, Paul’s theology isn’t just for the head or the heart. It’s for the hands and feet for us to live it out in the real world (a topic that Gupta is particularly skilled at addressing). Gupta calls this “Holy Worldliness” (something very different from “Unholy Worldliness” which the Corinthians excelled at). And once we grasp how to be “in the world, but not of it,” we can tackle what it means for us as Christ followers to pursue justice, think about ethics and economics, establish a theology of work and athletics and art, and come to grips with a thoroughly Christian view of friendship and wellness. See, Paul’s theology matters, but it matters, not only for our heads, but for our whole lives. We are called to live out our faith in a meaningful and engaging way, not only behind the safe confines of our churches, but in the real world. And we are to do so because Paul’s theology is rooted, not in despair or escapism (“this world is not my home, I am just a passin’ through”), but in hope. 


Some Quotes from the Book:

  • “The gospel isn’t ‘good news for another world.’ It is good news for our everyday lives–good news, even now, when we feel like everything around us is falling apart.”
  • “Life’s not about WHAT you live for. It’s about WHO you live for.”
  • “We weren’t born just to wait to die. Or to hide or escape from this world. We are called and empowered to live the resurrection life here and now.”
  • “The center of Paul’s theology is love.”


A Great Editorial Review from Beth Allison Barr (professor, Baylor University):

“This is a beautiful book. Beautiful, challenging, reorienting. With his scriptural wisdom and deft writing, Gupta calls us to see Paul through new eyes and find the hope of Christ, not just in the world to come, but in how we live our lives right now. Gupta reminds us that what we do matters, because Paul’s vision of a world made new is a hope worth fighting for. Get this book to renew your heart and give you the courage to act more like Jesus.”


Why You Should Read this Book with Me: Gupta will make you think deeply, but he will do so in such an enjoyable way, you will enjoy the ride. This book is relevant, compelling, hopeful and thoroughly biblical, and that makes it my kind of book. So, what do you think? Are you interested, but not quite ready to decide? If so, you might want to listen to a few episodes of his Engaging Scripture podcast. It is well worth a listen.


If you’re not into Paul for the World, what else can I recommend? Gupta has all kinds of great books that you might enjoy. I highly recommend Strange Religion. It is very compelling and insightful. Tell Her Story is fantastic. Slow Theology is a tremendous book on discipleship and cultivating a deeper walk with God. I would highly recommend it. 


Last Words: With our church’s renewed focus on discipleship, this book could not come at a better time. But that didn’t sell me. Gupta had me as soon as he introduced, “Holy Worldliness.”

As always, thanks for reading!