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Thinking about books & how amazing it is that I read them

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Recently I have been amazed at the change that God has worked into my life, specifically with respect to reading books. Growing up I did not enjoy reading. My parents enjoyed reading, my mom was an educator and she saw the need to ensure that I read. As I resisted through elementary school I was permitted to read books about sports. By the time was in high school I absolutely hated to read books. My main literary diet consisted of Sports Illustrated, The Source, and The Boston Herald (sports section). Even into my years (it took many) of going to college I did not read. I remember reading ‘essential’ material for the sake of a paper or a test, but I never read for pleasure.

This continued on as a new Christian as I went to an Arminian Southern Baptist megachurch (I have nothing against Southern Baptists) where doctrine was not much of a priority. I even attended a Christian college here in Omaha. Looking back the reading load of this school was surface-level and light at best.

This all changed when I came to Omaha Bible Church in January of 2002 (I was not a pastor then). I was getting ready to go out for coffee with the Senior Pastor, Pat Abendroth. I think this was our first meeting. Pat had just gotten done teaching a class on hermeneutics and was getting his stuff together in his office. As I waited for him I was just overwhelmed by the thousands of books that lined his office. My marvel must have been obvious because he interrupted me by throwing a book at me. He said, “Hey, want a book?” I caught it and said, “Yes. Thanks.” It was Doing God’s Business God’s Way by George Zemek.

I remember later that night sitting there looking at this book rather peculiarly. I felt like a little boy who was about to try to catch a frog for the first time. I remember telling Christie that Pat gave me a book. She said, “That was nice.” I then told her, “Well, I guess I should read it. Don’t you think?” She answered in typical help-mate fashion, “Yeah, you probably should.”

So I read the book. And actually, I read it fairly quickly. I remember thinking that the stuff in the book was so interesting and thought provoking. It seemed like as I was reading it countless other thoughts were being birthed in my mind. I found myself sitting, staring and thinking about biblical ministry. It was great.

Shortly after finishing the book I told Pat that I was done. He said, “Good. I have some more for you.” He later emailed me a list of 72 books that he wanted me to get started on. I was instructed to read the books, mark them up, put references in the back of the book and then write a review and turn it in to him. So I did. Before long I was cranking through books, writing reviews and talking about theology with Pat and other guys. My life was changing drastically.

Over the last five-plus years I have been reading books for pleasure and for growth. I was talking with Christie last night and just marveling at the change God has wrought to take a guy who hated Jesus and books and made him love both now, and for the same reason. I have formerly gone years without reading a single book, now I am reading multiple books a month, have a stack of about ten that I can’t wait to get to, and a couple of completed books that need reviews. Sometimes I wish I could go and visit some of my junior high and high school teachers and tell them what I’m up to. For many of them they would have to conclude that there is a God and he is powerful. And this is true!

I have recently decided to post more book reviews on the site. I have many reasons for doing this, but one is to promote good books and caution against questionable ones. I realize that everyone doesn’t have a guy like Pat feeding them good books. So if the blog serves to get more folks reading and contemplating theology then I’ll be happy.

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