There is a new type of book on the market now: an adult coloring book. I’m not talking about a rated R coloring book – I’m talking about a coloring book that will appeal to adults. Hobbies are so good and with the influx of binge watching tv shows on Netflix it makes us feel better if we are doing something as we watch them. Like we aren’t really being lazy. A friend of mine is putting together a coloring book that I can’t wait to get my hands on. Any time I can be creative – it is a good day.
That’s not the type of book I’m talking about. I’m talking about books with lots of words in them – books that will change your life? Your job? Your hobby? Your mind? Books that will enlighten you and make you laugh. Books that will challenge you and cause you to cry. These are the books that you need to be reading.
One such book is Packer on the Christian Life by Sam Storms – the latest in the series put out by Crossway Books. Not intended to be biographical mainly, these books only share a snippet on the persons actual life – but it is still informative, especially if you like biographies. But, more importantly this book, and this series, allows us to know where we’ve come from. Packer is one of the top 5 most influential evangelical theologians in the last 100 years. His books like Knowing God and Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God would probably be his two most famous books. These two books have influenced thousands of readers and have influenced pastors that lead thousands every Sunday.
I love how Storms doesn’t shy away from any controversial theology that may have come across the mind of Packer or how he had to deal with heresy. Packer has always (yes, even now, as he is still alive) come back to the Word. I love how he stands firmly on Scripture. Yes, we will always differ with people on some theology, none of us are perfect. As a friend said yesterday, when we get to heaven all of it will be right according to God.
So why should we read books?
1. To engage our hearts, minds, and souls. If the books you are reading don’t do this in some way – pick a new book.
2. To learn from the past. This is why I love biographies so much, or series like this one by Crossway. I want to learn from people who have lived before me. I want to see the God they knew. I want to experience their world.
3. To impact the future. I think one of the greatest disciplines any leader can have is to read. One of the things I love about my pastor is that each Sunday night he gives away books. Maybe only one or two, but he wants to put good books in the hands of the people of his congregation, so they can do all three of these things I’ve just listed.
What are you reading?