The reading of good books will stoke the fires of pursuit. Books shape our minds. They help us see the beauty of God. They open us to possibilities. In some mysterious way, we can be profoundly moved toward God by something we read. Books are a gift from above. Consider this sentence from the Apostle Paul’s letter to young Timothy who would be coming to Paul soon:
When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. — 2 Timothy 4:13
This might not be the most important verse in the Bible but I love that we get to see these little details of Paul. Of all the things Timothy could have brought him it was “the books” that were a priority. Probably, “the parchments” were pieces of books or maybe writings of Paul. It may be that Paul lent the books to Timothy to read. Or maybe Paul just couldn’t carry all his books on his missionary endeavors. Whatever the reason we don’t know. We just know he was eager to get his books!
Aren’t you curious what comprised Paul’s collection of books? The Church was only a few decades old so he likely didn’t have many Christian books. Maybe the parchments were writings that people sent his way to reflect on? He might have had some Jewish commentaries on Old Testament books. Or writings of godly Jewish saints. He may have had secular philosophy books to stay current.
My awakening to books
I always did okay in school when I was young but I confess that I really didn’t like to read. I was a slow reader—and still am—so summer reading assignments were a burden to me. Reading, along with math word problems, were my least favorite things to do. A book might take me twenty hours to read. There were a hundred other things I wanted to do with my time like build a fort, trade baseball cards, play ice hockey, explore in the woods, design a go-cart, listen to a record, watch cartoons, get lost in Atari—anything but read!
All that changed in the Spring of 1989 when the Lord captured my heart and put the Holy Spirit in me. The first book, besides the Bible, that I read as a brand new Christian was Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Everything Lewis was saying was blowing me away because—for some reason—I understood what he was talking about. The words were creating a (sort of) window that I was looking through and seeing eternal realities. It was a brand new experience. It makes me think of these verses:
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. — 1 Corinthians 2:12-14
Without the Spirit each of us are what Paul calls a “natural person” and we cannot understand the Bible or the many great books about God. We may understand certain aspects intellectually but that’s it. But when the Spirit indwells us—truth comes alive! We understand because what we are reading is being experienced. What we are reading is aligned with the Teacher (Spirit) within. The words on the page are driven into the heart by the Spirit. They search us, soften us, read us and ignite passion in us. I’m sure many of you have had the experience of reading something that God directly used to speak to you and it unleashed a flood of tears.
It’s raining books
After Mere Christianity affected my heart so much I used the small amount of extra money I had to buy books at the local Christian bookstore. I used to spend several hours in the store laboring to figure out the best way to spend the $23 I had in my pocket. Thankfully, the Lord led me to some really great books that shaped my life.
One fun thing that happened was a surprising answer to prayer. At the time, I had paused from college and was working at a gas station part-time. I wasn’t making much money at all, barely enough to pay rent. My surplus money could not keep up with how fast I was consuming books. I asked the Lord to somehow bring me more books. Shortly after that prayer I was walking to work on trash day and noticed in front of a house three very large bulging trash bags. Even from a distance, I could tell there were books in the bags. I figured I’d just check it out, you know, maybe there would be a dictionary or something worth taking.
Oh my blessed wonderful provider Jesus! The bags were filled with Bibles, commentaries, books on revival, books on prayer and some of the greatest classic Christian books! I sat on the curb shamelessly sorting through the books and filled one bag as full as possible with the books I wanted. It must have weighed 150 pounds ha! I don’t even remember how I got them home. As my daughter likes to say, “It was a kiss from God.”
My home study
I’m writing this in my home study where I do most of my seeking of God. We live in a Cape-style house and my study is upstairs. My desk is in the nook of the dormered window that looks out at a tree in the front yard where birds love to perch, always distracting me delightfully. The only book on my desk is the Bible. And next to it is my notebook to write in. Bliss.
Set back from my desk against the wall is a chair where I do a few things: pray for people, write emails, do zoom calls and read. I have a stack of books on my left and my right. As I mentioned, I’m a slow reader. I also don’t like reading one book at a time. Sometimes I do that but usually I read whatever book I’m feeling drawn to in the moment. Today I read a chapter from The Confessions of Saint Augustine. And then a chapter from Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.
I have hundreds of books in my church office but I find it helps to just have about 20-30 at home that fit the season I am in. By the way, I think it’s good to read non-Christian material to understand how people think. I prefer online articles from the New Yorker or newspapers or whatever. But if I read a book my aim is to be awakened to the glory of God and stirred to pursue Him! Though I do sprinkle in practical books here and there like Write Better by Andrew T. Le Peau (so helpful).
Before I mention some of the books around me I also want to say that I am a huge advocate of reading books a second or third time. Or tenth time! It’s better to go deep rather than wide. There are millions of good books to choose from but the goal is not merely the accumulation of knowledge. The goal, rather, is to get the truths from books so inside of us that they become part of us and change our lives.
Books around me
Again, I gather around me books that are fitting to the season I’m in. Presently, and obviously, I’m reading books related to the pursuit of God. As you would expect, one of the books is The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. Also, a book about the life of Tozer. A two-volume classic called The Growth of a Soul by missionary Hudson Taylor—given to me by my friend Charlie Doherty who does missions in India. Then there’s a book simply called Revival by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I have two Charles Spurgeon books: Soul Winner and Lectures to my Students. Oh, I can’t forget to mention Tim Keller’s book called Prayer—and Philip Yancey’s book called Prayer—and Richard Foster’s book called Prayer. At least the titles are clear ha! As I already mentioned, The Confessions of Saint Augustine (Augustine) and Celebration of Discipline (Foster). I have a few books on historic revivals including In the Day of Thy Power by Arthur Wallis, Revivals by William Sprague, The Great Awakening by Joseph Tracy, Azusa Street by Frank Bartleman, A God-Sized Vision (Hansen and Woodbridge), Lectures on Revival by Charles Finney and a few others. Also, Prayer and Revival by E.M. Bounds and The Prayer Lifeby Andrew Murray. There’s a book on prayer and fasting called A Hunger For God by John Piper. And a few other books by Chan, Ravenhill, Cymbala, Jonathan Edwards and J.I. Packer. I also have a book handy by Wayne Grudem called Systematic Theology.
Theological diversity
Besides giving you some ideas of books to read I also wanted to show you the diverse range of books I draw from. I don’t mean topically but theologically. Some are alive, most are dead (I love the dead guys!). Some authors hold a tight Reformed theology and others, like Finney for example, have a very different theological system. Yancey and Ravenhill are totally different. Keller and Cymbala both pastor in NYC but I doubt they hang out together (I could be wrong).
I don’t agree with everything in the books I listed. That would be impossible since the authors don’t agree about everything. But one thing I see thread through all the books is a thirst for God. I search mostly for authors marked by deep conviction and passion for Christ, regardless of the denomination. I encourage you to do the same. The Body of Christ is bigger than Presbyterian, Assemblies of God, Southern Baptist, Quaker, or whatever. There are men and women* in all these various streams we can learn from.
So in your pursuit of God remember “also the books.” Choose good books that stir the soul to pursue God. Read slowly and prayerfully. Reread books that really impact you. Ask the Holy Spirit to use books to open your eyes to eternal things. Kill the tv and read more. Watch what happens.
*Sadly, there is a scarcity of female authors to draw from, especially from the past. More and more female authors are getting published nowadays, thankfully! Some female authors that come to mind are Elizabeth Elliot, Flannery O'Connor and Amy Carmichael. I plan on highlighting some of the great women of pursuit in the days ahead.
Bonus Spurgeon quote:
“We do not know what the books were about, and we can only form some guess as to what the parchments were. Paul had a few books which were left, perhaps wrapped up in the cloak, and Timothy was to be careful to bring them. Even an apostle must read. . . . A man who comes up into the pulpit, professes to take his text on the spot, and talks any quantity of nonsense, is the idol of many. If he will speak without premeditation, or pretend to do so, and never produce what they call a dish of dead men’s brains—oh! that is the preacher. How rebuked are they by the apostle!
He is inspired, and yet he wants books!
He has been preaching at least for thirty years, and yet he wants books!
He had seen the Lord, and yet he wants books!
He had had a wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books!
He had been caught up into the third heaven, and had heard things which it was unlawful for a men to utter, yet he wants books!
He had written the major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books!
The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every preacher, “Give thyself unto reading.” The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own.
Brethren, what is true of ministers is true of all our people. You need to read. Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works, especially the Puritanic writers, and expositions of the Bible. We are quite persuaded that the very best way for you to be spending your leisure, is to be either reading or praying. You may get much instruction from books which afterwards you may use as a true weapon in your Lord and Master’s service.
Paul cries, “Bring the books”—join in the cry.” (Spurgeon)