As executive editor of Assemblies of God Publications, I get paid to read books. I read them to identify potential authors, topics, and reviews for Influence and Called to Serve, as well as to prepare for interviews on the Influence … Continue reading The Pastor’s Bookshelf | Book Review
“Our world has more and more information, but less and less wisdom,” writes Brett McCracken in The Wisdom Pyramid. How much more information? Consider this: One billion gigabytes of data is called an exabyte. Prior to the Information Age, all … Continue reading The Wisdom Pyramid | Book Review
When I went off to college, my mom concluded every letter she sent me by quoting Proverbs 3:5–6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he … Continue reading How to Read Proverbs for Preaching | Influence Podcast
Several years ago, I began reading the books of Psalms and Proverbs daily during my devotional time. By following a set schedule of readings, I have been able to read each book completely once a month. This daily immersion into … Continue reading Why You Should Read Psalms and Proverbs Daily | Influence Magazine
Much of the Bible, and most of its so-called “wisdom literature,” is common sense. Wisdom literature—a few Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, Song of Songs, James—is known for its simplicity and practicality. When you read it, you are more apt to say, “No duh!” than you are to say, “Huh, I never thought of that.” The genius of wisdom literature lies in its ability to remind us of truths that we already know—or should know—and to encourage us to take appropriate action. Take, for example, the little proverbs the Preacher tells us in Ecclesiastes 10:8–15. The first two concern the risks … Continue reading No Duh! (Ecclesiastes 10:8–15)
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