READING FOR FUN AND PULPIT
Books that give both pleasure on Monday and ideas on Sunday.
Bing Wall
July 1, 1990
A new acquaintance asked me once what my hobbies were. I told him I read. "Read?" he replied. "That's something pastors do for their job. I mean, what do you do for recreation?"
Not all my reading is recreational, of course-commentaries and biblical references are not high on my leisure reading list. But most of my reading is, in fact, done for pleasure.
A number of professional baseball players play golf in the off season. At first glance, it seems odd that baseball players would find swinging a club at a little white ball relaxing. But they do, because they play baseball and golf with different intents. Baseball is work-work they might enjoy, but work nonetheless. Golf is play.
For me, reading is often play. I read to enlighten my soul, brighten my spirit, and tickle my mind.
And, by the way, such reading usually enlivens my preaching. I don't consciously think of books as compendiums of illustrations. When I read to relax, I relax-without note paper at hand. Nonetheless, as I prepare sermons, I find, time and again, illustrations come to mind from my recreational reading.
Here are some of the books, authors, and genres that have given me pleasure in my leisure and ideas for Sunday. (I've also included the most recent publication date and publisher for each book.)
Books That Offer New Ideas
...
Many are ironic, some depressing, others rib ticklers. Alexander the Great, the mighty conqueror of the world, died after chugging six quarts of wine in a drinking contest. About a modern music idol, Forbes says, "The only thing remarkable about the death of Elvis Presley is that it didn't seem to slow up his career."
He quotes Lenny Bruce's philosophy of life: "Look, you only have 65 years to live. Before you're 20, you can't enjoy anything ...
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