Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Required Reading for Pastors: Should They Be Reading More Than Scripture?



Today I found an interesting post over at The Burnside Writers Collective that called into question the illiteracy of our clergy.  Titled, "Does Your Pastor Read?", the author affirms the importance of literature in connection with faith, and laments the practice of quoting bumper stickers from the pulpit instead of poetry. 

Here's a section from the article with a great quote from a well-read pastor.  To read the rest of the article, visit here

"John Wesley was an old preacher guy who lived a long time ago, back when “online” meant a person’s clothes were drying in the sun.  Wesley thought reading was an important spiritual discipline: “It cannot be that the people should grow in grace unless they give themselves to reading. A reading people will always be a knowing people. ”

Can a pastor who doesn’t read really lead a people? Or is he more like a blind friend with a map? Pretty ineffective at giving clear direction."

What do you think? Does your pastor read or incorporate literature in his sermons? Do you think it's important to integrate stories with spirituality, why or why not?

3 comments:

  1. I would love if my pastor read more than scripture.

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  2. Not only does my pastor read and incorporate books he reads, he downright endorses them if he feels they will help us, and we've even done some in Sunday School! Which is great, by the way!

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  3. Linda, that's great! Half of the books I pick up I do so because of recommendations. :)

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