In today’s episode, the guys talk about the lost art of Christians reading good books.  It seems that, given the pace and availability of media, the new generation of young people reads less than previous generations.  Instead, they look to “YouTube University,” which offers information, but does so using algorithms that are not intended to grow you in wisdom.  These algorithms are designed to show you what you want to see and offer what’s clickable.  Good books, on the other hand, offer wisdom.  No doubt reading books comes with its fair share of challenges.  People have different natural inclinations toward reading (and some, though not all, even experience major changes in this area when converted).  People differ in their reading capacities, such as speed of reading and memory for content.  Some struggle with things like dyslexia that make reading more difficult.  But anyone can put their mind to gaining wisdom through books, and the more you read, the more you build up the muscle for reading.  If you have a hard time with reading, the guys urge, start by committing to one book and seeking accountability as you read it.  After all, we want to be good stewards of the God-given gift of the written word.  He shaped us to read, and designed us to reap many benefits from doing so – the foremost of which is gaining knowledge of Him by reading His written Self-revelation in the Bible.

This fact is a great reminder that, though we should read varied books, from biography to theology and fiction, we need to make sure the book we live in is the Bible.  It can be very formative to read both the Bible and other books with our kids and even our spouses, and the guys leave listeners with a list of recommendations for either personal or shared reading: Everything Sad is Untrue, The Discipline of Grace, Gospel Primer, New Morning Mercies, Basic Christianity, Knowing God, The Prodigal God, The Chronicles of Narnia, Lectures to My Students, and The Mystery.  Be watching out, too, for E.Z.’s forthcoming book, Fight Like a Man, and a great resource for teaching kids: Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons!