DRINK DEEP!

"A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again."
-Alexander Pope
An Essay on Criticism
1709

I love books. Not the audio or ebook variety so much, but actual physical copies of books. If the option is available, I'll go for the hardback edition every time. A hardback silently sings, "I'm going to stick around with you a while."

Over the years I've read several blogs and articles about the plight of Christianity today. Many attribute the demise to what's referred to as "Bible illiteracy." It's true, many Christians don't read their Bible, and many who do don't understand it.

Enter stage right: Ravenous wolves, the false prophets. Prophets in the biblical sense are NOT fortune-tellers or mystics. A prophet is a spokesperson, an ambassador, or a watchman. Jesus spoke of ravenous wolves in Matthew 7:15. One false prophet infiltrated Eden in the form of a serpent. They've been infiltrating the ranks of God's people ever since.

But God is no dummy. In Ephesians 4:11-15 we read:

"So Christ himself gave apostles (leaders), prophets (watchmen), evangelists (missionaries) and pastors-teachers (shepherds over local churches), to equip his people for works of service so that the Body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming."

The point of that passage: as a Christian, a follower of Christ, and a fisher of men, YOU have a singular purpose: to glorify God in all things, at all times, forever! Along with that purpose comes a HUGE and critical responsibility: Get equipped for works of service to build-up the Body of Christ in unity!

We cannot be okay with being infants in the faith. We have to reach maturity, i.e. unity in the Body in the faith and knowledge of Christ.

The author of the book of Hebrews put it this way:

"Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil."

So how do we get there, to that place of unity in the Body through faith in Christ? Have a look at Acts 2:42. Prayer is essential. Fellowship in the Gospel is non-negotiable. Devotion to apostolic teachings is imperative. Another great way is to embark on an unending quest for maturity through learning. One of the best ways to learn is through reading!

With that in mind, here's a list of books I highly recommend for every Christian:

A Bible: Get a simplified version of the Bible that uses contemporary language to convey the original meaning. This might sound blasphemous but no compilation, version, or translation by itself is perfect. That's why we have so many. Maybe try something like the NIrV (New International reader's Version). I typically use about five different translations along with original language study tools like biblehub.com


#10: How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler. I was in my second year of grad school when professor Howard Hendricks recommended this book. My initial thought was, "Seriously? I'm paying for this class? We're in grad school! If you can't read by now you're in trouble." Once I got out of my own way, bought the book, and read it... my life was changed. Enough said.

#9: Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. Lewis was a world-class academic, professor, a literary genius, and an atheist. His friend, J.R.R. Tolkien, was instrumental in Lewis' conversion. Mere Christianity is as brilliant as it is timeless. It wrecks the ignorance of denominational walls and redirects followers of Jesus back to Ephesians 4... maturity unto unity in the Body of Christ.

#8: The Epic of Eden by Sandra Richter. The picture Richter paints at the onset is of a closet. Typically, our understanding of God and Scripture is a total mess. There's stuff everywhere in our theological closet. It's stuff we need but it's unorganized and ugly. Reading Richter is like inviting a ninja-maid into our home to get everything in our closets organized so we can breathe again. Ahhhhhhh!

#7: Why You Think The Way You Do by Glenn S. Sunshine. You've probably never thought about it, but no group of people in history has ever thought like you. We assume everyone everywhere throughout time has, is, and will always think like us. We apply that same mindset in our reading of Scripture ("Well, what that means to me is...") and twist God's intended meaning and message beyond all recognition. Sunshine takes us on an incredible and essential journey of how we got here so we can turn it around.

#6: The Lost World of Genesis One by John H. Walton. Mind-blowing. Don't read this until you've read #10-7. This truly is next-level stuff. Walton is a veteran guide leading us into the ancient near-eastern mindset and thought-world. It's an exercise in perspective. If we cannot rightly wrap our minds and hearts around the opening chapter of the Bible... everything that follows is diminished at best.

#5: My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Having a mentor is critical to move from infancy to maturity. Chambers is exactly that. Lots of Christians talk a good game, but how does that play out in reality? Would you literally lay down your life for others? Chambers did. On the journey through God's word, Chambers' perspective will stretch you, rebuke you, sit with you, hug you and lovingly guide you... if you let him. You don't have to agree with his every thought, but don't dismiss him too quickly either. Available in the "classic" edition (with lots of words we don't use anymore) and an "updated" edition (with contemporary language).

#4: What is Biblical Theology by James M. Hamilton Jr. One of the greatest obstacles to maturity in the faith is a lack of biblical theology. BT is simply seeing God and the Bible from God's perspective. Lots of Christians know individual stories in the Bible (David and Goliath, Jonah and the Whale, Moses and the Red Sea, etc.) but can't tell you where they fit, why they're there, or how they integrate into the whole narrative. Hamilton does a masterful job of getting us in touch with the story of God from His perfect vantage!

#3: Slow Church by Smith and Pattison. Microwaves, disposable everything, and overnight delivery. That's our cultural mindset today, but it isn't God's. The church isn't all about spontaneous, quick, easy, convenient or enjoyable. Smith & Pattison make an appeal to us, as members of the Bride and Body of Christ, to slow waaaay down. The authors invite us to stop thinking in terms of programs in a cookie-cutter franchise-mindset, and instead to think of the church in terms of its unique people and beauty achieved through unity, patience, obedience, and expectancy.

#2: Accidental Pharisees by Larry Osborne. Larry Osborne is probably my favorite author. With books like Mission Creep, and Lead Like a Shepherd, his insights and accessibility have been invaluable in my own maturity and ministry. Accidental Pharisees is a needed wake-up call for every follower of Christ, not just those in "professional" ministry. Along with extra Bibles, this is one of the books I love to keep extra copies of to give away. If you don't end up seeing a little "Accidental Pharisee" in yourself after reading this... the prognosis may not be so good.

#1: Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson. I'm sure I'll have lost all credibility in the eyes of many with my #1 pick being a secular book with a cartoon witch on the cover. Go back and read #2 first. Donaldson captures this truth: everyone is hurting, broken, and desperately longing for authentic Gospel-community. I certainly was until the age of thirty-five. Bible-thumping, tract-passing Christians were (and still are) offensive to me. Snobby. Judgmental. Hypocritical. Superficial. I was in total accord with Gandhi's statement, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians." 

Donaldson's work conveys the heart of what every person longs for in Christ; there's room for everyone in the kingdom of God. The compassionate witch should be everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus. Our hearts and lives should be overflowing with the love of Christ and His Gospel of grace. We should always be willing to stop. There should always be room on the broom. We should never place our personal comfort or priorities above the people we meet along the way. If Christians could ever grasp what Donaldson masterfully captures in her little book, we'd win the world over for Christ in a day.

I left out a lot out of great books, but this is a good start. Before you go, would you share this post with some friends, maybe even the ones you don't think will listen? The ones who might be offended? Maybe to let them know you are a Christian. Maybe to let them know there's room on YOUR broom. Who knows, maybe they'll realize you're sharing out of the love of Christ!

Will you drink deep?

Blessings,
-Kevin M. Kelley
aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com