A lot of people have asked me my thoughts about the possible “disappearance” of physical books, due to the fact there are all the different eReaders people are now reading on: the Kindle, the iPad, the Nook, and others.
In Charles Hummel’s booklet Tyranny of the Urgent, which I read as a young Christian thirty-five years ago, he said that what is urgent is often not important, and what is important is typically not urgent.
My normal approach to Bible study is to pore over texts that relate to something on my mind and heart. Sometimes this has been prompted by my research on current book projects.
As a student of theology, writer, and occasional preacher, I loved reading Martin Luther talking about learning theology, and about the “little books” some of us write and the little sermons we preach. Sometimes the reformers really make you smile.
As a fiction writer, and as a father and grandfather, this post by Nate Wilson resonated with me. I met Nate a while back at a Desiring God conference. He’s a good brother with a great point—the power of story, and the importance of saturating our children and grandchildren with the kind of stories that will, as Nate says, “Give them a taste for goodness, for truth, for beauty.”
I believe that on the New Earth, we’ll also read books, new and old, written by people. We’ll have strong intellects, great curiosity, and unlimited time. It’s likely that books will have a greater role in our lives in Heaven than they do now. The libraries of the New Earth, I imagine, will be fantastic.
I have lamented before about the large number of young men who are not readers, and who therefore are not readers of God's Word. I have also addressed the pornography problem, which has shipwrecked countless young men in our culture, and in our churches. All of this is part of a culture of boys who never grow up.
Russell Moore has written an excellent and important article addressing some of these issues. I highly recommend that every parent, church leader, young man and young woman read it and take it to heart.
I thought Kevin DeYoung’s post about “real books” (which I’ve included part of below) was interesting. I enjoy reading on my Kindle and iPad, and I love eBooks, and haven’t given up on them, and doubt I ever will. But I still buy more printed ones, especially for research.
If you love books and bookstores, like I do, you might wonder what happens when a bookstore closes for the night.
A few months ago, someone asked me on my Facebook page what Christian biographies I would recommend. Reading and discussing biographies of faithful believers can give both children and adults footprints to follow, especially through our suffering.
I'm the author of over 40 books and the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries. I love Jesus, my wife Nanci, and our daughters, sons and five grandsons!
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