RESOLVED to Read

Yes Little Mountain folks I know I've proposed one big resolution this New Year, BUT, I've got some personal growth resolutions as well and one of those is to read more, more widely, and more deeply.  Many people say with great passion and zeal (more heat than light!) that all we need to read is the Bible.  The greatest pastors and theologians in church history would probably beg to differ but you don't care about that do you?  There's more reasons than "Famous people say so."  I won't attempt to give them to you now except to say this;  the Bible is PRIMARY.  If you read all else and leave that out you will end the year emptier than it began.  With that as a starting point, reading has so many advantages that we need to consider.  1st, reading widely broadens your perspective.  We have a tendency to read only those things that we like, or alongside that, things that are like us.  A broader perspective will only better you to have a wider range of opportunities to converse, minister to, and relate to more people.  We can assume from the letters of Paul that he read widely, though the OT was primary.  2nd, reading sharpens your mind.  Let's be blunt, TV and movies make your brain cells wimpy over time.  We typically watch those things not to interact critically with them but to escape into their world.  Reading exercises those brain cells, making them stronger and more focused.  Consider it weight training for the mind.  3rd, reading is pleasurable.  I know, you read a lot in school and it was always boring stuff.  So now read NOT boring stuff.  Read things that interest you first and you'll find pleasure there (NOTHING is wrong with pleasure).  As you become more experienced you will find that things that were formerly boring are less so.  You will find an enjoyment there that is different qualitatively than watching entertainment.  Last, reading will help you develop a love for God that includes the mind.  The more you're exposed to (with some amount of wise caution) the more there is to appreciate about God.  You will learn from science a greater appreciation for the power and logic of God.  As you read art and classics, you will gain a greater appreciation for the creativity of God.  As you read Theology you will certainly broaden your understanding of the God you suppose you worship (though it will never be perfect).  In short, this very incomplete list gives you 4 starting points or reasons why to set a goal to read more this year.  My goal?  Now it's 40 books.  That isn't nearly enough but as it's my first attempt to set a reading goal it is a healthy starting point.  How about your thoughts?

Apologetics and Emptiness

I used to be, and to a certain extent still am, fascinated by reading apologetics materials. Debates and papers, books and magazine articles that attempt to fend off criticism of God, the Bible, the Church, Christianity, etc., all hold an important place in my mind. Years ago when confronted with skeptics it thrilled my heart and opened up new worlds for me when I discovered books like Mere Christianity and The Evidence that Demands a Verdict. These books and those like them helped me to understand that thinking people can reasonably believe in the story of Jesus and everything that goes along with it. But I soon discovered that endless research and vigorously devouring any and all apologetic writings still left me feeling hungry. What I mean is, these things point you to the real thing but can't take the place of it. Apologetics doesn't comfort in times of sadness. Debate can never produce real life change. It's filler but not filling. It has its place. We don't need to be unthinking or shun reason. It's just that God hasn't chosen to reveal Himself through the world's wisdom. Paul said as much if you don't believe me. I'm no anti-intellectual but apologetics can be like Chinese food, you can eat a lot and be hungry a few hours later. It's not "the Bible and nothing else," but if you only have time for one or the other, opt for the Bible. Feast on it and snack on the rest. Not the other way around.