BOOKS

Ecclesiastes. 12:12

Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

                I am a book person in an age of podcasts and e-books. I like the feel of a book in my hand. I like the ability to easily flip back and forth through the pages. I like the sight of a bookshelf lined with multiple volumes. For the past 38 years I have challenged myself to be an active reader. I have kept a list of all of the ministry related books that I have read over that time. In addition, I have an entire bookcase filled with books that I have read for fun. When I find an author that I like, I tend to read everything that that author has written.

                Yesterday I spent a good chunk of the day sorting and rearranging the books in my temporary office. When we moved into our new home, I just emptied boxes of books and put them on shelves in no particular order. That made it impossible for me to find the books that I was looking for. So I bit the bullet and I pulled all of my books off of the shelves and sorted them by author or by category. I replaced them on the shelves in such a way that I can at least find an author or a category of book more easily.

                When we left Mankato, I went through the books in my office and at home and culled out several boxes full. I thought I had done a good job of paring down my library. When we moved into our new home, I realized that I still have more books than I can easily accommodate. Most of my shelves are double lined with books. As I reorganized yesterday, I culled out a few more books. I still have too many.

                As a book person, there is a constant battle with controlling the accumulation of books. I prefer to buy books than borrow them, so I tend to hang onto them. I have had to become more ruthless in deciding which books I want to keep and which I need to pass on to others. The irony of this is that I want to write books myself. I want to write the kind of books that people will want to keep and go back to again and again. That may never happen, but it is a dream I have.

                For years I have heard of the ultimate demise of the traditional book. It has been stated with authority that within my lifetime printed books will become a thing of the past. Yet in 2019 there where 689.45 million books sold in the US. Each year new books are being written, printed and sold in bookstores, airports, Walmart, and grocery stores. Although a Kindle may be convenient, for many people it will never replace sitting under the shade of a tree or on the beach with a good book in hand.  

                As a pastor, books are the tools of my trade. I turn to books to gain insights and knowledge that I can pass on to others. I look to books to guide me through difficult situations that I might face. I seek out books that challenge me to grow in my faith and as a person. I also want to be inspired by books. Of course, the most important book on my shelf is the Bible. As I was sorting through my books, I discovered that that I have 20 copies of the Bible in various translations and forms. I have several study Bibles, several devotional Bibles, and multiple translations of the Bible. I don’t use all of them at the same time, but I do refer to them to get a different perspective or see things from a different angle. Although I have shelves of books from authors that I enjoy reading, it is the Bible I turn to every day. It is the Bible that contains the words of life.

                Many people, especially men, will say that they are just not readers. I get it. Growing up, I was not a reader. I read slowly and struggled to maintain my concentration. But reading, like everything else in life, takes disciple and practice. Yes, it is hard at first, but once you get past the initial struggle with reading, you discover an amazing world has opened up to you. It is really not about how many books you read, but about making reading a regular part of your life.

                As believers in Christ, learning to be an active reader is an essential aspect of our spiritual growth. Of course, we need to be reading God’s Word regularly. In addition, we need to be reading both new and old books about the faith. We are so used to being spoon fed our theology that we have forgotten what it means to really explore it. Reading widely can help us to develop our spiritual muscles. It can help us to sort through all of the transient trends and fads and focus on the real meat of our faith. It can help us correct our course when we get off track. It can spur us on to grow in new areas or advance in areas where we thought we had arrived.

                My Aunt Mil was an avid reader. She went to bed every night with a book and a cup of Nescafe coffee. As I was growing up, she did everything in her power to encourage me to become a reader. Unfortunately, she passed away before she saw her efforts pay off. What often gets in the way of many of us is that we are forced to read. Anything we are forced to do, we resist. I have become an active reader by choice. When we choose on our own to read, it becomes a joy, not a burden.

                As believers in Christ we often affirm that the Bible is our ultimate guide of faith and practice. But if we are not actively reading the Bible, then that statement is a hollow platitude. If the Bible is really going to transform our lives, then we need to read it cover to cover, over and over again.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light for my path.

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I encourage you to check out some of these authors.

For spiritual growth:

Tim Keller

John Piper

Andy Stanley

C.S. Lewis

G.K. Chesterton

F. LaGard Smith

Philip Yancey

For fun:

Jeff Shaara: historical novels

Agatha Christy: mystery stories

Susan Elia MacNeal: mystery stories

James R. Benn: WWII mystery stories

Sigurd Olson: nature stories