Lemme share a bit on where my tithe goes to...
It's not much la... but the adage that how we spend our money reflects our deepest values and priorities is very spot-on.
Some of it goes to ministries I believe in like Asian Outreach, Campus Crusade, FES, WWF, RBC, Agora (?!) etc.
But the bulk of it goes to books. Financing my studies in MBS so that I can blog better can be counted as tithe ka? hehehe...
Also when I meet a new friend from the Net or whatever, I have the habit of presenting him or her a book as a gift. 3 lucky MMU students got freebies too!
(No prizes for guessing what I planned for Christmas presents this year)
That's because I believe in the power of the right book put in the right hands at the right time.
I like this remark from Al Mohler's this review on Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey.
Unconsciously, I keep a mental record of what a friend is passionate about - his hot topics? hot buttons? vocation? What makes him 'tick'?
When the chance arrives, I'd pass him a book that may speak to him or help him develop a Christian mindset in that area... or just put it in the CF library.
That's the best kingdom investment I've ever made.
To see a spark lights up in the person's eyes, then stand back and watch the fireworks.
Do you know a promising student who needs to develop a Christian worldview?
Find the right book - the sort that inspires and gives him a foothold on which to start exploring. Pass it on.
Check this out: Alexa wrote a great review on The Challenge of Jesus by NT Wright. You may decide to read on to the posts on Baptism of HS too... but then, maybe you'd decide not. In any case, dun miss the Challenge of Jesus! hhehehe...
It's not much la... but the adage that how we spend our money reflects our deepest values and priorities is very spot-on.
Some of it goes to ministries I believe in like Asian Outreach, Campus Crusade, FES, WWF, RBC, Agora (?!) etc.
But the bulk of it goes to books. Financing my studies in MBS so that I can blog better can be counted as tithe ka? hehehe...
Also when I meet a new friend from the Net or whatever, I have the habit of presenting him or her a book as a gift. 3 lucky MMU students got freebies too!
(No prizes for guessing what I planned for Christmas presents this year)
That's because I believe in the power of the right book put in the right hands at the right time.
I like this remark from Al Mohler's this review on Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey.
Serious Christians ought to be developing an entire library of books intended to apply the Christian worldview to every area of life, thought, study, and culture. Total Truth will be an important part of that library, and may also be the catalyst for other good books that will follow. In the meantime, quickly get a copy for yourself and send another to a young college student. In so doing, you just might be sending an intellectual life preserver to someone about to drown in a sea of secularism. Never underestimate the power of the right book put in the right hands at the right time.
Unconsciously, I keep a mental record of what a friend is passionate about - his hot topics? hot buttons? vocation? What makes him 'tick'?
When the chance arrives, I'd pass him a book that may speak to him or help him develop a Christian mindset in that area... or just put it in the CF library.
That's the best kingdom investment I've ever made.
To see a spark lights up in the person's eyes, then stand back and watch the fireworks.
Do you know a promising student who needs to develop a Christian worldview?
Find the right book - the sort that inspires and gives him a foothold on which to start exploring. Pass it on.
Check this out: Alexa wrote a great review on The Challenge of Jesus by NT Wright. You may decide to read on to the posts on Baptism of HS too... but then, maybe you'd decide not. In any case, dun miss the Challenge of Jesus! hhehehe...
Comments
There were a couple of impactful books in my life... one of the first ones was "Grace Unknown" by RC Sproul.
SK, if it won't burn such a hole in my pocket, I'm considering Carl Henry's magnum opus heheheh...
BK, i can't think of any good book on literature which u'd enjoy... Vanhoozer's Is There meaning in this text? would have been a great choice but then again, u oledi reading it hehehe... will think up something the next time we meet
Yes, it's nice to FINALLY find someone who sees the importance of reading in Christian living.Some just think fellowship,ODB or attending church is all there is in a Christian Life. The value of reading lies in that it helps to solve many of the questions about the bible that we ask. For me, I think I've gained more through reading than listening to sermons. (Sorry to my pastors, but I don't mean any harm!)Even for students of seminaries, if there is a lack of good reading, they just leave seminaries just knowing a bit more than the congregation!! It's not difficult to notice. One's preaching is evident of what he reads. From what I observe,generally, the quality of pastors (at least in Singapore!)seem to have dropped.(Oops..., I may have offended more people)
Even for many cell group leaders, they are just as "shallow" as their cell group members.I don't mean cell group leaders should be bible scholars, but for the minimum, they should know whatre sources(books, websites etc) are available to help their memebers in understanding their faith.
I fully agree with Al Mohler's view that "Serious Christians ought to be developing an entire library of books intended to apply the Christian worldview to every area of life, thought, study, and culture."
Yes..., one book can be the catalyst for other good books that will follow.It may just produce another Martin Luther or John Wesley!!
Books are more helpful in getting info, research, broadening horizons etc.
Sermons, imho, are more for inspiring, encouraging, comforting, edifying, 'feeding' sort of stuffs... of course, teaching is part and parcel of it, but pastors who are wise will pitch it at a different 'key' hehe...