I love reading. At any given time you will see a combination of theology, history, systematic theology, or biography books on my nightstand (or loaded on my ipad). Another genre I love reading is science fiction. I love The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and the Eragon series. Recently, I started reading (actually, i’ve been listening via audible) the Farseer Trilogy. This series is not “christian” in nature and I began to think whether or not I should be reading this series. In fact, over the years I’ve seen the debate take place on various forums on whether Christians should read non christian literature. As I’ve considered this questions I’ve come to the conclusion that like most things, this is a more complex discussion. In fact, the most important realization I made is that it is in fact a “discussion” and that there is not a blanket statement or answer. In fact, I think as Christians we should be aware of and educated on whats happening in the secular arts community in order to effectively share the Gospel. So, instead of stating whether or not Christians should read secular books, I’d rather point out some principles to consider in the process of deciding what you read.

Does It Hinder Your Relationship With Christ?

In other words, do you find yourself in a compromising place that causes you to be distant from Christ rather than drawn closer to Him. The challenge here is that this line and question is different for each individual person. Our story, background, experiences, sin issues, and so much more play into how we answer this question. Therefore, it is important to ask it and be honest with ourselves with our answer. If your married, your spouse is a great sounding board. Otherwise, it’s always good to have a few trusted friends to reach out too. If you find that what you are reading hinders your relationship, stop. There is nothing worth reading if it compromises our relationship with Christ.

Does it Stir Up Your Imagination?

This almost deals more with the creative brilliance of the author. As I think about J.R Tolkien and C.S Lewis I marvel at their ability to stir up imagination in both adults in children. We are instantly drawn into Narnia and Middle Earth and experience the challenges and goodness of these places as we turn each page. Our imagination is important to Christians. There is so much that is not black and white in the scriptures and to some degree we are called upon to utilize our imagination as we unpack the depth of God’s Word. What does heaven look like? What does God look like? Will we work in Heaven? These questions require a healthy imagination that is framed by the Word of God.

Is It Fun To Read?

Finally, is it fun? Do you enjoy reading it? Does it bring a sense of satisfaction to you? Does it cause you to mourn the end of the novel and anticipate the next book in the series or another book by the author? God gave us creativity as a gift to both exercise and enjoy. While the author of the narrative exercises their creative gift, we the consumer, get to enjoy it!

Question – What are some of your favorite books? What would you add to this list of considerations?

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Well the new year is here and everyone is jumping on the new resolution band wagon. Like most, I’ve been guilty of having some lofty resolutions only to find my self the following December realizing that I haven’t accomplished much of what I set out to do. However, if there is a resolution that you should keep, it’s to spend more time reading. The benefits are countless! Earlier I posted a quick review of the best books I read in 2015. 

Related: Best Books Of 2015

I wanted to give you my 2016 reading list. Some may wonder how I compiled this list? It’s actually really simple. I typically turn to people or other sites that I trust. I compile list based off of their recommendations. I also make sure to leave some breathing room for new books that set to release in 2016!

My Recommended Sites/Blogs:

• The Gospel Coalition
• Desiring God
• Derwin L Gray

After surveying what seems like hundreds of books, I landed on adding the following to my 2016 must read list.

Must Read Books For 2016

What Does The Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality, Kevin DeYoung – In a culture that that is seemingly getting more complex in regards to gender issues, I’m excited about taking a look at what Kevin DeYoung has to say from a gospel centered Biblical framework.

Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel, Russell D Moore – As Christians we need to engage culture. A seemingly significant challenge for many is keeping the Gospel central in our engagement with our culture.

The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings, Philip and Carol Zaleski – I’m a huge fan of both C.S Lewis and J.R Tolkien. One of the areas I hope to develop in 2016 is my writing, and there is nothing better than to study the lives of these literary giants!

The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming A Lost Vision, Kevin J. Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan – As I’ve gone through seminary I’ve been amazed at how so many of the theological giants in the past were both scholar and pastor!

Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism, Timothy Keller – This book covers two areas that are important to me. First, preaching and communication. Second, evangelism within our cultural context. When it comes to the topic of cultural context I think Tim Keller is a leading thought developer.

Doctrine of Repentance, Thomas Watson – This book was mentioned by Trevin Wax in an interview he did with the Gospel Coalition and peaked my interest. I enjoy puritan writing and am excited to jump into this one.

The Resurrection of the Son of God, N.T Wright – This has been on back log for some time and I think 2016 is the year to tackle this!

What’s on your 2016 list? Let me know by commenting on this post or on Twitter or my Facebook page!

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*(All opinions are my own. I make a commission off of the affiliate links, however I do not endorse products that I do not use myself or believe in)

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