By Jonathan Howe
I’ve been privileged to work for a voracious reader and also be pastored by one. These men have modeled godly leadership for me, but have done something else, too—they’ve taught me to love learning.
We say it often on the podcast—“A lifelong leader is a lifelong learner.” And while formal education (like you would find at a seminary like Midwestern) and ongoing ministry training (like we provide at Church Answers) are useful, personal development through the discipline of reading is also of great benefit.
As a pastor or church leader, you obviously play an important role in the spiritual development of fellow church members. But you can also develop members personally through the simple act of recommending books to them on a regular basis. Here are 5 reasons why:
- When church members expect you to recommend books, you read more. This benefit is double-sided. Since you know you’ll be asked for book recommendations as a trusted church leader, you have to stay ahead of the congregation. This encourages you to continue your learning as a means of passing on that knowledge to congregants.
- Book recommendations can prepare the congregation for the future. When you know you’ll be preaching through a certain book of the Bible, you can prepare your congregation better by recommending they read books related to the direction of your sermons. The same applies for sermons by topic or even times of year. Imagine recommending your church read a book on the atonement as Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday approach or an Advent devotional during the Christmas season. Aligning the congregation to focus their reading on a certain topic can be extremely beneficial to the spiritual health of a church.
- Family discipleship can be modeled intentionally. When kids see their parents reading for spiritual edification and growth, they will want to copy that. Discipleship in the home should be caught and taught. Parents who read will often have children who read. If children see their parents reading to grow spiritually, they will want to do the same.
- Your church will develop better leaders. When you are modeling personal growth through continual reading, you will have leaders who are better developed than if you were not modeling it. By recommending books, you can form well-rounded disciples in your church. Theology books, leadership books, discipleship books, and personal development books can all be used to raise up leaders within the local church.
- Future leaders and ministers will be easier to identify. When you start challenging congregants to read and study, there will be some who rise to the top. You’ll likely be able to identify God’s call on their life for vocational ministry—better yet, so will they.
Do you recommend books to your congregation? If so, which ones and why?
I’ve started something called “Book of the Bi-Month” – I order in multiple copies of one book, encourage people to buy it and then we meet at the end of the second month to discuss it. Started with “Prodigal God” by Tim Keller.
Oh. That’s a good one. It’s one of my favorites.
Yes, I recommend books and websites. While no longer engaged as a pastor and with a career in public education it seems almost natural to recommend a book or website. Sometimes I will buy a book and give it to someone at church who has voiced an interest in certain areas. For example, the Bible introduction written by Merrill Unger (it’s title eludes me) was given to an adult teacher in church. She has read it twice and has acknowledged the confidence it has given her as she teaches. Another book given away was David Platt’s Counter Culture. The website I recommend most is “www.Biblegateway.com” and the web site for the NET Bible. This action isn’t limited to fellow church members but also carries over to other ministers. On occasion I will recommend books to them. All of the above also applies to fiction, historical fiction, and current issues.
That’s great that you give them away as well as recommending them
Yes! 2 Rainer books, “I am a Church Member” (required for membership) and “I Will”. 3 books by Greg Gilbert, “Who is Jesus”, “What is the Gospel”, and “Can I trust the Bible”. For those who want more, “The Holiness of God” by R.C.Sproul, and more. We periodically buy cases and hand them out and encourage many to be reading the same book at the same time.
I love that you have them available for members
Some thoughts:
1. There is a danger to recommending a book by an author. It can become an implicit endorsement of that author’s stand on other issues. Be sure of where the author stands regarding your doctrine before making an endorsement.
2. Make sure that you and the church do not appear to receive financial gain from your endorsements.
3. Make sure you encourage your congregation to make reading the Bible their highest priority. Additional reading should be supplemental. Be careful not to give the impression that other books are equal in authority to the Bible.
4. When you begin making recommendations, ask yourself if you are also prepared to make recommendations regarding music, TV, movies, politics and the like.
5. Your recommendations should be few and prayerfully considered.
Randy,
You are the only one with some sense on this thing! Reading a book and recommending books will not help you or your congregation understand scripture or a given topic, but it will help you understand the author’s opinion of scripture or that topic. Instead, people should be encouraged to read scripture for themselves. Too often it is implied or said in Christianity that we need the aid of something else to understand scripture, but Paul says in First Corinthians that we can understand the deep things of God through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, recommending books and reading them does not prove that someone is truly encountering the Lord.
Your reply is mean spirited and uncalled for. While Randy makes some very valid points to say he is the only one with any sense on this is sad. The great Adrian Rogers once said great men of God are always great readers also. We all have different methods of ministry, just because it doesn’t line up with yours doesn’t make the rest senseless. Not once is it mentioned or implied that the scripture is replaced but only aided by books. I for one hate to read anything including the Bible but though displine I read very much and because of Adrian Rogers statement I’ve also learned to read other material which has been a great help and guide in many areas. May God bless you with more Grace and your ministry.
Yes, over the years of my 17 year pastorate I’ve recommended books for members to read. Those books include C. S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, Rowan Williams’ “Being Christian”, Joan Gray’s “Spiritual Leadership”, Miroslav Volf’s “Free of Charge”. This season of Lent I’m recommending James Cone’s “The Cross and the Lynching” as a prelude to focus on the cross and resurrection in light of the treatment of black folks in America.
Leaders are readers. When we share books we are in a position to shape the minds of our leaders. Thanks for sharing your insights.
At FCC-Bradford’s 334th Annual Meeting, each family unit was given a free copy of R.J. Grunewald’s “Reading Romans With Luther”. A great connector to Luther’s writings…
I have gone through a couple of Rick Warren’s 40 Days campaigns in a former church. I saw a newer one entitled “40 Days in the Word!”
I am beginning the process of getting that going!
It’s a good way, it seems to me, to get folks “In the Word” as an extended emphasis.
I too enjoy sharing books by gifting or recommendation. Just giving out books will not ensure they are read though. Therefore, I appreciate those who express an interest or desire to learn more. It would not hurt to attach a bibliographical note or recommendation to congregational sermon outline notes (for those that may use them).
There are books that encourage members to read/study the Bible as well (i.e., F. LaGaurd Smith’s Chronological Daily Reading Bible). Does anyone have good books to recommend for those in the pew to expand their exposure to Scripture beyond English towards Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek?