Book Shopping

Occasionally I find the urge, typically after a cup or two of late-night coffee, to peruse online stores. Tonight my mission was a search for books. It is an understatement to say I am not an avid reader. On my recent trip to New Orleans, I finished Don’t Waste Your Life after attempting to read it for a mere two years. Yes, I understand the irony. Despite my extreme lack of attention to scholarly pursuits, I found myself searching for additions to my library from authors like C.S. Lewis, Spurgeon, Piper, and others. Among books by these authors I value, I found a considerable amount of what I am now dubbing ‘Christian Crap’. I found that there are far too many “Christian” titles display and throw forth a disgusting humanist approach to Christianity. I’m mainly speaking of the self help genre of ‘Christian’ books. I can’t criticize all these titles as I obviously haven’t read them all; however I still find myself discouraged by the mass of Christian literature that places man as the center of God’s plan. These books turn Christianity into a mere religion rather than the Christ centered relationship that a true Christian experiences. In his song, Much of You, Steven Curtis Chapman says, “How could I stand here…And think for a moment, the point of it all was to make much of me?”.

I agree with Mr. Chapman. I don’t care about my best life now. I don’t care about 3 easy steps to solving men’s problems. It seems to me that anything less that placing Christ as the center of our living is wrong and hypocritical if we call ourselves Christians. If we live like it or not, we are here for his glorification. Therefore, all these books negating the transforming work of the Holy Spirit is heretical. Christians, please use discernment! Good Grief. The fact that these books are published and are on best seller lists concerns me greatly.

I’m not saying you should only read a KJV bible. I believe our 66 book love letter we have from God should be read along with solid books. Don’t Waste Your Life is an excellent example. The book doesn’t outline how YOU can live an amazing life through your power, rather it encourages the believer to not fall into worship of materialism and the American dream. It encourages the believer to pursue God with reckless abandon, much like Paul and the early believers did. Christ remains in his place of glory while the author challenges the believer to be counter cultural. To be Christian. These are the books we need because somehow we miss to interpret and live out the bible for ourselves .

I’m sorry for my caffeine induced ranting, however tonight I was reminded of all the ‘Christian Crap’ out there. Christians, please read with discernment.