Reading quality books is a very good thing. Indeed, as almost everyone would agree, such a practice makes a person smarter, more interesting, and more appreciative. And discussing those books with others only increases those values. This is why Claire and I started the Notting Hill Napoleons book club way back in 1992 – a book fellowship involving Christian friends who read a classic novel every month and then get together to talk about it. That group, by the way, is still going strong for we see how important it has been in not only stimulating us to read more, but also in sharpening our skills in literary criticism, meaningful conversation, and the application of a book’s lessons to practical life.
It was for the same reasons that Vital Signs Ministries began hosting book discussions way back in the 1990s and our current practice includes both small and large group book discussions. The former is usually an agreement of 1-4 people to read the same book and discuss it over lunch at a coffee shop or cafe, while the latter takes the form of an evening party or Saturday morning brunch which we host at our home. Either way, we're encouraged (and made accountable) to read.
And to waste less time in more trivial pursuits.
The books we choose for these discussions cover a wide range – history, the culture wars, literature, and Christian living. But they are all selected for the purpose of making us more informed, effective, and consistent servants of Christ’s kingdom. Want a few examples? Sure, let me list a few of the more memorable titles and authors from over the years:
Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan;
Heaven by Randy Alcorn;
Judging Thomas: The Life and Times of Clarence Thomas by Ken Foskett;
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali;
A Christian Manifesto by Francis Schaeffer;
A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Loconte;
Eugenics and Other Evils by G.K. Chesterton;
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame;
Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery by Eric Metaxas;
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis:
Men in Black: How the Supreme Court is Destroying America by Mark Levin;
Check with Chip on Stem Cell Research by Chip Maxwell;
Enemies and Allies by Joel Rosenberg;
Heaven: Your Real Home by Joni Eareckson Tada;
Everlasting: God’s Faithfulness to Israel by Stuart Cunliffe;
The Rush Revere books by Rush Limbaugh;
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.
And the latest? The Apostate by Dr. Mark Christian.
If you are interested in joining us for these Vital Signs book discussions, please let us know. And we will, of course, continue to promote them beforehand in our monthly letters and Vital Signs Blog.
