Books, Books, and More Books

Pastors have libraries. Academics have libraries. Pastors who are also academics (or vice versa) have libraries.

I agree that there is just something about a book. To hold it, touch it, smell it... My iPad holds more books than my bookshelves do but it doesn't feel the same. It doesn't smell the same. Honestly, it's not as impressive to look at, either.

But my iPad is more functional. I'm not the kind of guy that dog-ears a lot of pages or has sticky notes hanging out of my books so I find the functions of the electronic books better. You can see all the notes and highlights in one place and then click to go to that page in the book. For the most part, ebooks are cheaper. And I can pack up my library and move it easily. In fact, I do that almost every day. Yesterday I had my entire ebook library with me at a coffee shop. Today my library is in my living room. Tomorrow it could be at the church.

But real books (as opposed to ebooks) have advantages. The entire concept of a "page turner" is awkward with an ebook but is exactly what your favorite book is. The inside front cover of your book is a great place for a personal note from the person who gave it to you. You can loan your book to someone - I hope you get it back! Or you can just pass it on to someone else and not care about getting it back.

After moving into a new home several years ago, Deana and I had an open house. A friend stood at the bookshelves gazing at our collection. He said, "You can learn a lot about a person by looking at their library." After everyone left I removed some books from the shelves.

After moving to a new church several years ago a member stopped by the office and noticed a particular book. She took offense even when I told her it was a Bible study showing how the book and movie were not biblical. It wasn't the book but a book about the book. She thought I shouldn't even have that.

So your books reveal a lot about you. I have spent most of the last decade reading about what is known as the incarnational/missional movement. I'll not explain that now but it's a call to be the church like the first century believers were the church. I have many, many books on the subject. Real books and ebooks.

I spent three days recently shelving books for a new pastor in town. He has over 4,000 books in his library. (I do, too, but most of mine are on my iPad and don't take very long to shelve.) I noticed that he had only a few of the books on the incarnational/missional movement. That's not a big deal, really. It just shows a different perspective or focus in ministry.

He spent years at a seminary teaching preachers about preaching. (I also spent years at a seminary but I was learning how preachers are to preach!) He has dozens of books (probably hundreds) but I only have maybe a dozen. It's all about perspective and focus.

I say all of that to get to the point of asking you to look at your library. Maybe you are a paper-page-only kind of reader. Or you may only have ebooks. Or you can be somewhere in between with a mix. But take a look. You'll see a pattern that gives away some of your preferences.

Novels. Biographies. Poetry. Classics. Science fiction. History. Romance. Suspense. And on and on.

My library is deep but narrow. I have a lot of books but not books about a lot of subjects. I should branch out. Maybe you should, too. As I branch out into new genres I want to make sure I'm not filling my mind with stuff that contradicts the Word of God. I should be able to find books that don't hack away at my foundation of faith. I should steer clear of books that ignore biblical principles of how we are to live.

That may sound easier than it really is. I guess we who are Christians owe a great deal of thanks to authors and publishers who bring us books we would be glad to put on our bookshelves. Or in our iPads.

Another Resolution?

I've had interesting conversations lately regarding racial reconciliation. Of course, the Southern Baptist Convention had the Annual Meeting this week in Phoenix. I was not able to attend but watched some of the sessions online and read articles, blogs, and social media posts about some of what was going on there.

The big news-making item was the passage (after at first ignoring) a resolution condemning the alt-right racist movement. I think the resolution was good. I would have voted for it. In fact, I said "Aye" when President Gaines called for those in favor to affirm the resolution. My vote didn't count, of course. Only registered messengers in attendance can vote. But I stand in favor of the resolution.

Every year at the annual meeting Southern Baptists affirm a handful of resolutions. These are statements of agreement of those who are messengers to that meeting. The polity of Southern Baptists calls for churches to be autonomous; we have no higher earthly entity than the local church. All the denominational structures are to support the church to carry out the mission of God on earth. Other denominations do have a hierarchy to which churches must answer; we think the biblical pattern puts the church at the top of the hierarchy. An upside down pyramid, as one friend calls it.

So the resolutions are representative of the feelings of the people who attend the meetings to represent their churches. The resolutions serve no authoritative functions. They do, however, direct our attention to issues many of us think are important for this hour.

You should be aware that the Southern Baptist Convention - about 50,000 congregations throughout the U.S. - was started in 1845 so that southern churches could have a voice in leadership. Northern churches had refused to allow those supportive of slavery to hold such positions. Thus, the SBC was born in that shadow. We have come a long way since, but most of the progress is recent. Resolutions and substantive actions in the last 20 years have shown the progress in both word and deed.

But there are plenty of words and deeds still today that show room for progress exists.

Racism is not a one-way street. Nor is it a two-way street. Have you ever seen video of a busy intersection in Thailand or the Philippines or Guatemala City? Or any of hundreds of cities around the world? Imagine standing in the intersection with hundreds of cars each minute buzzing you from all directions. That's what racism seems like to me.

But somebody needs to stand in the chaos and give direction. More than one somebody; several somebodies. Somebodies that represent all sides. Somebodies that care to see improvement for all, not just for those like them.

I don't pretend that Southern Baptists are the sole leaders in this but I do think many of us want to help lead the way.

Another resolution? Yes. And maybe more. Those who think we don't need a resolution might not be able to see the depth of the issue. At the heart of this resolution was the importance of the gospel.

I really don't know how any evangelical Christian can have a problem with that.

Click here for the text of resolutions.

Enthusiastic

Deana and I have been using the Bible app in our morning devotional time. We like it because it keeps us moving along. Some devotionals have video segments along with the readings. Lately, we've been going through a series of week-long devotionals by Craig Groeschel called the Stay Positive series. We just finished "I'm Enthusiastic." Yes, I know…it's Tuesday and these are supposed to be a week long. Actually, they are 4 days so we start a new week the day after finishing the previous week. And sometimes we get behind. Anyway, it's Tuesday and we just finished a week's devotional. That's not the point!

The point is what I learned this week (or so). The word enthusiasm comes from two Greek words that mean "in God." What do you think of when you think about enthusiasm? Maybe a perky person. Maybe an excited person. Maybe a person who is really into what they are doing. At the root of the idea of enthusiasm is the concept that when we are "in Christ" we should have the best outlook, the best attitude, the best relationships.

Here are a few verses that help us see why.

Romans 6:11

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do you see how being "in Christ" should give us all the enthusiasm we need?

Are you bored with your job? Focus on being in Christ.

Are you tired of living and don't see a way things can be better? Focus on being in Christ.

Have relationships been a topic you'd rather not talk about? Focus on being in Christ.

In Psalms we read, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Jesus said in Matthew 6 that we are to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and then all the concerns of this world will be worked out and provided. In other words, when we focus on being "in Christ" we can be hopeful, fulfilled. Enthusiastic.

Try this and see if your spirit is lifted:

• Read a little bit of the Bible each day.
• Thank God for the blessings you are aware of.
• Ask God for help with something you are facing.
• Take time to notice God's hand at work in creation and in your circumstances.
• Spend time with an enthusiastic Christian.

Oh, you can get the Bible app here: www.bible.com/app