How to “Find” the Time to Read

Last updated on: June 7, 2014 at 11:23 am by Scott Slayton

How to “Find” the Time to Read 2014-06-07T11:23:46-05:00 Scott Slayton

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

There was a time in my life when I hated to read. My best guess is that I finished five of the many books I was assigned in school. Things turned a corner for me when I became a Christian and started reading the Bible. People started recommending books for me to read and I found these books were challenging the way I read the Bible. Now as a Pastor, I find that reading non-fiction books keeps me sharp intellectually and that reading good fiction keeps me sharp creatively.

Sometimes I will hear people ask how they can “find” more time to read. Unfortunately we live under the assumption that there is extra time out there we can discover like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. For example, I frequently tell myself I don’t have time to go to the gym, but I’m kidding myself. If getting to the gym were important, I would find a way to prioritize it. The same is true with reading. If growing spiritually and intellectually is important to us, we’ll make the necessary time to put in the work.

Over a decade ago I read John Piper’s Brothers We Are Not Professionals. While I benefited from the entire book, the chapter on reading good books provided a framework for reading that has continued to help me ten years later. Piper advises the following framework for reading, which he quotes from John Stott.

Many will achieve more. But the minimum would amount to this: every day at least one hour; every week one morning, afternoon or evening; every month a full day; every year a week. Set out like this, it sounds very little. Indeed, it is too little. Yet everybody who tries it is surprised to discover how much reading can be done within such a disciplined framework. It tots up to nearly six hundred hours in the course of a year.

Another piece of advice that has helped me organize my reading came from Al Mohler’s “Some Thoughts on the Reading of Books.” He suggests having reading projects across several disciplines. This was good for me because I tend to only read on theology and church life, often ignoring history and good fiction. (I keep saying “good” fiction because there is a lot of terribly written fiction floating around.) This challenged me to start reading fiction and to a purpose behind the fiction I am reading. Lately I’ve been working through Wendell Berry’s Port Williams novels. They have challenged my thinking on community and pace of life while also giving me rich sermon illustration material.

What are some reading tips that have helped you read more and better books?

Books

Previous Post

June 6, 2014

A Few Good Reads

Next Post

June 11, 2014 Should We Pray for Revival?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Bible Books Church Life Marriage Parenting Photos The Ministry Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 February 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 March 2020 July 2019 April 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz