Ep. 87 - The Lost Art of Christians Reading Good Books and its Tragic Impact

The guys talk about the lost art of Christians reading good books.  It seems that, given the pace and availability of media, the new generation of young people reads less than previous generations.  Instead, they look to “YouTube University,” which offers information but does  grow you in wisdom.  These algorithms are designed to show you what you want to see and offer what’s clickable.  Good books, on the other hand, offer wisdom.  No doubt reading books comes with its fair share of challenges.  People have different natural inclinations toward reading (and some, though not all, even experience major changes in this area when converted).  People differ in their reading capacities, such as speed of reading and memory for content.  Some struggle with things like dyslexia that make reading more difficult.  But anyone can put their mind to gaining wisdom through books, and the more you read, the more you build up the muscle for reading.  If you have a hard time with reading, the guys urge, start by committing to one book and seeking accountability as you read it. He shaped us to read, and designed us to reap many benefits from doing so - the foremost of which is gaining knowledge of Him by reading His written Self-revelation in the Bible.  We should read varied books, from biography to theology and fiction, but we need to make sure the book we live in is the Bible.  The guys leave listeners with a list of recommendations for either personal or shared reading: Everything Sad is Untrue, The Discipline of Grace, Gospel Primer, New Morning Mercies, Basic Christianity, Knowing God, The Prodigal God, The Chronicles of Narnia, Lectures to My Students, and The Mystery. Be watching out, too, for E.Z.’s forthcoming book, Fight Like a Man.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro