reading – Chris MacKinnon

The Bible is the single most important book every written. It describes how God created a universe to be the home for a people He made and gave life to, so He could forever live in relationship with them.

I could rattle off a bunch of statistics of how the Bible was written, has survived centuries, and its spread through languages, people groups, and nations. But many books have traversed the world with their stories and messages.

I’m not here to convince you of the uniqueness of the Bible. I’m not writing to convince you of its place in the world or the truth of its message. Chances are high that if you’ve read this far, you already own a Bible and believe at least some of what it says.

The Bible is more than a story. Its message is beyond “inspirational”. But when we open the Bible to read “a good book” or even to feel better about ourselves or life because we read a few lines or pages, we end up putting it down in disappointment.

Continue reading “Stop reading the Bible like it’s meant to be a “feel good” book” →

I’m a huge fan of reading. It is something my father modeled for me, and I try to model it for my kids. In fact, my dad and I have a standing “contest” each year to see who read more books. (He beat me in 2010, but I had a bit going on last year.)

I can honestly say that I have read most of the books on the shelves in my office, around 400 or more volumes. And those are just since Bible College. I even have a “To Read” pile near my desk; a pile that is growing instead of shrinking right now.

If you are not a reader, or you only read fiction instead of non-fiction, I would suggest you try to pick up a few titles. It is very important for you to listen to your local pastors and teachers, and I would never suggest that you trade in your weekly sermon for a hardcover book. But there is a lot of material that is helpful to you, your walk with God, and even your family life.

Continue reading “What makes your reading list?” →