With my job, I have the joy of visiting many churches around the country, encouraging people to read Christian books.
A few weeks ago I was handed the order of service which those leading were using, and was looking out for where my slot was in the service. The church had kindly given me four minutes to excite the congregation about reading and using books. As I perused the schedule further though, I saw next to several items lower down the words, ‘(If we have time)’…
My insecurities kicked in. Was I stealing time from something else more important? Was I wasting precious minutes? Could something else have been done which would have more beneficial than the promotion of Christian books? Had the minister got his priorities wrong? Was he barking up the wrong tree?
As I drove home that day, via the car park they call the M6, I went over why the leadership of that church had actually got it bang on. I had seven big reasons:
1. Books develop what we teach
It’s right that the preaching of God’s Word is central and gets the lion’s share of our time together, for that is the best book to read. That said, however, it is short sighted not to see that books develop the preaching of God’s Word. As the congregation members go home and get on with their week, they can still be reading books that will develop the spoken word they heard on Sunday. To prevent the spoken word from drifting away, the minister was right to encourage the congregation to reinforce the Sunday preaching by reading around the subject in hand.
2. Books can help us to go deeper
We’ve heard that most people’s attention won’t take more than 20-30 minutes of Bible teaching, and if they can most can’t retain what they hear beyond that time. Every preacher knows the challenge of a wide-ranging congregation: either teach on a deeper level and lose most, or preach to the lowest common denominator and be too light for others. Books can help the reader dig deeper and study a subject more thoroughly. Sentences are able to be read and re-read until the reader really get to grips with the matter in hand, at their own pace, in their own time, for their own level.
3. Books go where we can’t
As much as we may love to, we can’t spoon-feed the congregation all day everyday. So how do we help the pressurised businessman or the busy mum who can’t get to the midweek meeting? For sure, one hopes they are feeding on God’s Word themselves, but books can teach more when the pastor is not around.
4. People need encouragement
Most people are not reading the quantity of books they should and could. People often need help to know which books to read (and which not to) and they also need encouragement to be reading regularly. Church leaders can play a vital and formative role in recommending Bible-based, Jesus-exalting, helpful books to Christians.
5. Books reach people we can’t
It would be lovely if all those we know and love, who don’t know Jesus as Lord, came to the events, services and courses and heard the gospel. The reality is that they often don’t. Here again, books are so important. Christian books are not just for the churches’ growth, but should be used in outreach too. The giving away of books that straightforwardly and engagingly explain the gospel should be regularly encouraged. Ideally, the leaders will set an example of how this is done. And travel on a train or tube to see that most people are reading. Let’s get them reading the gospel!
6. People need ideas
Of course, people are not stupid, but ideas of what to read and tips to help with the discipline of reading are key in growing many more in the church who build themselves up through reading good literature! People need suggestions of how to give books to ‘seekers’. Whether it’s a book to the milkman as part of a tip at Christmas, or as a birthday gift to a friend or something for a colleague at work; ideas from the front excite and enthuse and enhance the spread of the gospel.
7. Books develop a love for the Lord
I have found that reading Christian biography sharpens me spiritually. Devotional reading stirs my heart and fuels my prayer and praise. Expository reading and commentaries develop my understanding and faith. Theological treatises stretch my mind to grapple with the biggest issues.
The minister was not wasting time. Rather, he was prioritising an area of Christian life for which every English speaker has been richly provided. He was fulfilling Paul’s admonition, ‘Give attention to reading’.
Does your church give time to the promotion of reading good books? I encourage you to experiment and try — because reading Bible-centred books changes lives.
Jonathan Carswell is the Managing Director of http://www.10ofthose.com
