Books are essential to Christian growth. And, if there is one disappointment I have as I reflect on over three decades of Christian ministry, it is the declining appetite among Christians for good Christian literature. As a consequence, today’s Christianity is less robust.
Derek Thomas
Category: Books and Reading
Reading the Classics
If you want to grow deeper in your Christian walk this year, take time to read substantial books, not just the popular best sellers. There is too much wisdom in years past that we miss out on because we are too lazy to blow off the dust of the old classics. Don’t be afraid if people call you “deep” or “serious.” If it’s going to help you grow strong, why should you bother what they think?
No More Feel Good Books
…the day you hear that you have cancer or that your child is blind or that a mob is coming, you turn away from the [feel good] books to the [theologically] weighty ones that were written on the precipice of eternity where the fragrance of heaven and the stench of hell are both in the air.
John Piper on the Biography of John Bunyan
Books Are Like Swords
Like swords, books have symbolic power. Like fireplaces, they induce a sense of comfort and warmth. And, perhaps, similar to sails, they make a useful backup for when the lights go out.
–Challies
Read as an Act of Worship
Read as an act of worship. Read to be elevated into the great truths of God so that you may worship the Trinity in Spirit and in truth. Be selective about what you read, however. Measure all your reading against the touchstone of Scripture. Read more for eternity than time, more for spiritual growth than professional advancement. Think of John Trapp’s warning: “As water tastes of the soil it runs through, so does the soul taste of the authors that a man reads.”
Before picking up a book, ask yourself: Would Christ approve this book? Will it increase my love for the Word of God, help me to conquer sin, offer abiding wisdom, and prepare me for the life to come? Or could I better spend time reading another book?”
Source: Joel Beeke, Feed My Sheep (Reformation Trust Publishing, 2002)
Intellectually Viable Option
Study the Bible and learn how to articulate your faith. The gospel should be heard as an intellectually viable option for thinking people. Remember that Christianity is a central force of world history, not a religion that just happened in a corner.
Jojo Agot
Jojo Agot 