Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, “Needed: 30,000 Books for Groundbreaking African Theological Library” (The Gospel Coalition)

We have a unique opportunity right now to send new and gently used theological books of high quality to the Central Africa Baptist University. Read Sarah’s article for details, or see the Reaching Africa website for more information.

Alan Noble, “The Decline of Reading Starts with the Reasons We Read” (You Are Not Your Own)

“I think the internet, particularly spaces like Substack, give us a false sense of comfort about the literacy and writing abilities of our fellow citizens. After all, Substack is overflowing with brilliant or at least above average thinkers, writers, and readers. But there is a deep selection bias at work here. And having spent time with college students for nearly twenty years across three colleges, I can attest that the reasoning, reading, and writing skills of many people are dangerously low when they come into freshman classes. There are notable exceptions, but on the whole, our young people are unprepared. This is a national phenomenon.”

John Angell James, “How to Read a Soul-Improving Book” (Banner of Truth)

“Books that are intended to instruct and impress should be read slowly. Most persons read too much at a time. Your object is not merely to read this treatise through, but to read it so as to profit by it. Food cannot be digested well, if too much be eaten at a time; so neither can knowledge.”

Randy Alcorn, “What You Read Builds Who You Are” (Eternal Perspective Ministries)

“Isn’t there room in life for movies and TV and kicking back and enjoying a lightweight novel? Sure, I enjoy these things myself, and Nanci and I certainly had fun watching movies together (while exercising wisdom about what to watch, and using VidAngel to filter out what’s objectionable). But I believe in an era dominated by superficial popular culture, there’s real value in expanding our thinking to God’s glory, and not just going broad but going deep. Deep is where the roots are, and they’re what keeps the tree or vine standing during storms that would otherwise erode and topple it. Likewise, deeply rooted beliefs—specifically a worldview grounded in Scripture—will allow us to persevere and hold on to a faith built on the solid rock of God’s truth.”

Ivan Mesa and Hans Madueme, “On My Shelf: Life and Books with Hans Madueme” (The Gospel Coalition)

“I asked Hans Madueme—professor of theological studies at Covenant College and author of Defending Sin: A Response to the Challenges of Evolution and the Natural Sciences—about what’s on his bedside table, his favorite fiction, recommended books on creation, the last great book he read, and more.”