Recently I was at a Christian event. The bookstall gave me pause for thought. I think we have lost something, something important. It wasn’t a bad bookstall, so this isn’t really a crit of that, it’s more a lament and a call to action. Action for us all and specific action for some.
Half the bookstall were children’s and youth books. This is no bad thing. It is fantastic to be providing resources for our children and for the next generation.
The other half was for adults. Not a single book on doctrine or any specific doctrine. Not one. Books of around 100–150 pages. Max. We have lost something important don’t you think? It was I believe William Wilberforce who said that the key to godly living is to have your affections gripped by love for Jesus and that the key to this was clear doctrine. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to have a wealth of short, accessible books on Christian living or even books that briefly tackle complex pastoral issues. Big issues and points of conflict with the world in which we live. These books are important, and they have a real place. But where is the doctrine? And not just short books titled something like ‘A brief introduction to the cross’. Books that barely scratch the surface.
Where are the in-depth books? Books that delve deep into doctrine, books deeply rooted in scripture, books that make you think, books that shape our hearts and our minds and our core beliefs. Where are they? I cannot believe that they have all been written already.
So a call to action. Find books on doctrine. Read them. Don’t be satisfied with a brief introduction. Don’t fear the books that make you think. Don’t fear the books where you have to read and re-read sections again and again just to make sense of them. Find them, read them, keep reading them until you understand. Delve deep into biblical doctrine. Grow. Then your heart will be warmed, then your conviction of God’s love and character will be strengthened. Then your love for Jesus will be strengthened.
And I would call upon the next generation of ministers and theologians to write. My generation. Not just ‘accessible’ books on the latest hot topic of Christian living. But deep, thorough books on the big doctrines. I fear that our generation of evangelicals is losing its clarity on doctrine simply because we don’t think about it or read about it. If this is true of us, then what of the next generation.
I’d also call upon you to fill your bookstalls, not with short accessible books, but books that set the bar high. Books that say ‘yes this will be a time commitment but actually this is important enough to merit that time’.
