What Are You Reading?
What is your favorite book? My dad has modeled the discipline of reading and often said to me as a boy, “A reader is a leader.” He understood the importance of constantly learning and growing. I must confess that I have not always done this well but certainly am better now than I used to be. In fact, I generally read 3-4 books a month during this season of my life. With full disclosure, being enrolled in a doctoral program certainly impacts my reading since much of it is required.
That being said, in my networking, I am often asked, “what are you reading right now?”. While this question comes with a sincere desire to sharpen one another, I have historically been frustrated with this question. Seldom have I ever heard someone simply reply with what book of the Bible they are digging into right now. In our quest to discover a new truth or a fresh word, we fail to live in a way that celebrates the sufficiency and necessity of Scripture.
God’s Word is alive and applicable for every good work. Scripture is more relevant today than ever. The question boils down to our submission to what God has provided. 2 Timothy 3:14-17 reminds us that the Bible corrects, coaches, and is essential for life.
Rather than seeking a new word or a fresh perspective, perhaps we need to prioritize the most sacred and old text that has never been more needed. As you explore and perhaps entertain more questions, I implore you to dig into Scripture and also sharpen your confidence and competence. To aid you in that journey, below you will find a list of resources that begins with our church’s doctrinal statement and then follows with several links to help you better understand how to choose a Bible, how to study the Bible, how to memorize Scripture, and even explore how it was put together and why it can be trusted:
Our church’s doctrinal statement about Scripture from Baptist Faith and Message 2000:
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
Other RESOURCE LINKS:
