In March, at a gathering that draws Christians from across the nation, I visited with the owner of a Christian bookstore. He is a good friend; I always ask how sales are going. His observation, “Our preachers have quit buying books. Look around you. Our preachers are not here. These are motivated members who love the church, are actively involved, and want to improve their own lives. Most of what I sell is not to preachers.”
Last week I visited with the owner of a bookstore that specializes in used books. He is a brother in Christ and his bookstore has an excellent selection of used (and inexpensive) books of interest to Restorationists. He and I reminisced, and I thought about the countless hours I have spent over the past 40 years in browsing used books. He said, “Our preachers have quit buying books.” He was referring to preachers in churches of Christ. As I reflect upon his statement, another question surfaces: “Have our preachers quit reading and studying?”
We live in a world with multiple information sources. One does not have to acquire books to read them–public and private libraries have amazing sharing plans and almost any book in the world can be accessed at a local library. One can e-read with Kindle and Amazon. The Internet is everywhere. But much of the significant research and up-to-date information is in copyrighted books that are not distributed electronically.
The answer to the question in our title can only be answered by our preachers, and each must answer personally. For me, I have not quit reading, but I read differently. During some years of my ministry, I read or reviewed a book a day. I read the New Testament through every month. I have changed my reading habits, but I still read–some would say voraciously.
I am sure of one thing. Christianity rests upon the principled foundation of truth, and when our preachers quit reading, researching, and studying, Christianity is in trouble.