Confession time. I love books!
Since childhood I have enjoyed reading. In fact, the reason my mother and sister thought I would be either a teacher or a writer someday stemmed from me always reading a book and sharing what it was about with others.
Once year, my goal was to read through the entire library of my home town. I do not remember my age at the time.
The first week of this goal, I picked five books from the shelf of children’s books containing authors whose last name began with A.
To my surprise, when I came back to the library the next week there were more books on that same shelf. And again the following week.
Sadly, I gave up my goal, deeming it impossible to achieve!
Last year I participated in a reading challenge at Goodreads.com. I successfully completed my goal of reading 12 books in 2022. A much more reasonable goal.
I signed up again for a reading challenge at Goodreads.com for 2023.
This year my goal is to read 15 books and share with you my reviews and progress. I think this is still a reasonable goal.
Why am I doing this?
Accountability for reading more.
Goodreads.com is a great place to learn about new or old books and their authors when.
Sharing with my audience some books to consider they may not have encountered.
To encourage more dialogue with my audience whether on this blog, at Goodreads, or Facebook, etc. about Christian books.
Because I find it fun to read and share what I am learning.
What does this have to do with Bible Study?
Reading other non-fiction authors explanation of the Bible can assist us in applying scripture to our daily lives.
Reading creative or historical fiction based on the Bible can stimulate our own creativity in applying scripture to our daily lives.
Reading other books based on scripture encourages us to also read the Bible to see if the author is truly aligned with God and His teachings.
Reading other books based on scripture or about scripture can encourage us to remain faithful to the Lord.
In other words, reading other Christian authors can enhance our understanding of the Bible and how to live out our faith day to day.
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 8:31–32.
Now for the Brief Book Review
Note: I am not receiving any compensation for this book review or for promoting Goodreads.com.
Discipleship That Fits: The Five Kinds of Relationships God Uses to Help Us Grow by Bobby William Harrington
This is an excellent review of the “rules” we experience within different social contexts from a Christian point of view. The authors challenge Christians to think creatively about how discipleship can and does happen differently within each social context. Drawing on the commission from Christ to go into all the world making disciples, this book encourages us to embrace this commission wholeheartedly with love and grace in addition to strategic thinking.
View all my reviews
The Great Commission
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 28:16–20.
Describe what making disciples means to you.
…the point is that we are to incarnate our faith into the specific contexts where God has placed us. By learning to love and understand the people we are reaching, we can better help them follow Jesus in more areas of their lives.
Discipleship That Fits by Bobby Harrington and Alex Absalom
What other books on discipleship do you recommend?
What Christian books have you read since 2023 began?
How has reading Christian authors enhanced your understanding of God and Scripture?
Do you enjoy setting a reading challenge for yourself? Why or why not?
Share one or more of your answers in the comments below for others to be encouraged on their own faith journey.
Have you noticed that I regularly have a list of books I’m currently reading on my blog posts? Scroll down past the archives button if you’re on a mobile device to find it. Using a desktop? You’ll see it on the right hand side as you scroll through the post.
The newest book to the list is A Place of Quiet Rest by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. This book will likely “live” on the currently reading list for the entire year because I will be reading and discussing it with a small group of friends. Our group goes deep in our discussions so we typically only read one to three chapters of a book each month. Thus, the reason why this book will be on my currently reading list most of the year.
Other books will rotate out more quickly.
Some books may only appear in my Goodreads.com challenge because I read them so quickly that I never add them to my “currently reading” shelf.
And one book that isn’t on the list but I am always “currently reading” is The Daily Bible in Chronological Order with Devotional Insights . My paperback version was falling apart so my husband got me a hardback large print edition last year and I also have it on my kindle for traveling.
One book down for my 2023 reading challenge, fourteen to go. I better get reading since it is almost March! Yikes! Time to make another pot of tea, maybe two. Giggling…
Blessings,
Barbara Lynn
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