Pastoring by the books

While Americans admit that religion is losing its influence in society, they haven't given up their interest in Christian books, which seem to be gaining in popularity.

And pastors aren't the only ones buying the books. A study by Barna Research Group in Ventura, Calif., shows that at least half of all adults and teenagers surveyed admit reading one Christian book in the past year -- and it wasn't the Bible.

But pastors are by far the most likely group to buy a Christian book. Nearly all Protestant pastors surveyed said they bought a Christian book in the past year.

For pastors to be leaders in their church, they must read just to stay ahead of the latest trends. Christian living and devotional books are among the best-selling titles at Gospeland bookstore in the Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life" and "The Purpose Driven Church" are popular titles, both with pastors and church members, said Crystal Bartusch, assistant manager.

Most customers come in looking for a book that's been recommended to them. And pastors have a lot of sway when it comes to suggesting good books. The typical pastor buys 20 books a year, which is four times more than the typical adult.

About 20 percent of pastors admitted to buying at least one book a week -- or 50 or more titles per year, according to the Barna survey.

Dr. Derek Staples, pastor of Lynwood Baptist Church, is among the group who tries to read a book a week.

Staples said he usually orders six to 10 books at a time when he places a catalog or Internet order, often selecting commentaries and titles related to a sermon series he plans on preaching.

"If our focus is on what God is doing and we want to reach people, then we have to read and do research," he said.

Staples is somewhat discouraged by the lack of reading people tend to do. With television and the Internet, "we're letting somebody else do our reading for us."

Staples tries to mix his reading material between devotional and theological titles. He does prefer some authors, like John MacArthur and John Piper, over others. But he tries to read so he can keep up with current trends.

"We should constantly be filling our mind with the word and secondary with things that apply to our lives," he said.

The Rev. Jay White, pastor of First Baptist Church, is currently reading "The Young Evangelicals" by Robert Webber.

"He is one of the leading experts on the future of Christianity in the U.S. and from what he writes I see a lot of hope for our faith."

White said the book states that the future wave of Christianity won't be in large churches and structured programs. "The future is bright but the landscape will be totally unfamiliar to most folks."

And trying to gain insights from some unfamiliar ground, Staples learned quite a lot from "Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them" by Thom S. Rainer, who is dean of the Billy Graham School of Evangelism at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Staples is a graduate of the seminary.

One of the most interesting things Staples gleaned from the book was to realize what people are looking for when they join a church. The author surveyed new Christians after a year or so as a church member, asking them what attracted them to their church.

"It wasn't the nice nursery or the worship style, those were at the bottom of the list," Staples said. "The No. 1 thing was the preaching and teaching ministry of the pastor."

Serious about God

Staples said he was encouraged to learn that people are serious about studying God's word. "It was really encouraging to me and eye-opening," he said. "I really try to make sure when I preach that I'm feeding my people."

Several members of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson are using a Christian bestseller as the basis for a Bible study that meets on Wednesday mornings. The book "If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" has been a powerful study, said Dr. Grant Gillard, pastor.

Other books the group has studied are "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Faith," both by Lee Strobel.

"I found 'The Case for Christ' to be very redundant and simplistic, but 'The Case for Faith' was very pastoral because now we're dealing with the questions everybody is asking and often pastors don't have really good answers but shrug their shoulders and say, 'It's God's will.'"

Gillard tries to read a book a week, and sometimes does more than that but usually it requires getting away from the distractions of the church office and home.

"It takes intention and discipline," he said. "If I had my dream it would be to take an hour at noon and go to the city park, sit on the bench and read."

And since most of the books pastors read end up as fodder for sermons, it's difficult for reading not to be a chore.

The Rev. David Johnson, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson, usually reads books for Bible studies, sermon aids and commentaries. "It seems like I'm so busy doing all these things that I don't have time to read," he said.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126