Today's question is about books, and it comes from a listener named Roger.

Hello, Pastor John, in your solid joyous devotional, ignorance leads to ungodliness.

You exhorted us to, quote, read, read, read, but beware of wasting your time on theological

foam and suds.

Read rich doctrinal books about the one who called you to his glory and excellence.

So could you please make some recommendations of the books you are referring to?

How do I make the distinction between theological suds and theological substance as I build

my personal library?

Okay, this is really risky because I'm sure I'm going to forget some books that I myself

regard as more important than the ones I'm going to mention here because that's just

the way my memory works, but it might be worth the risk anyway to get some people started.

It's like a snowball, reading is like a snowball, right, going down a hill, when you read

a few really good books, those books generally point you to others and those others to others

and pretty soon you're well on your way to a life of consistent personal growth.

But let me stress at the outset for I mention any books that I don't think reading many

books is important, not for the average person anyway, maybe for the scholar, but not for

the average person.

Reading good books, solid books, non-sudsy books, but substantial books really well is important.

And if you wonder what I mean by reading really well, one place to start is Mortimer Adler

as the author, how to read a book, not a new book.

I read it for the first time after my college days, I wish I'd read that book earlier, but

I'm so glad I read it in my early 20s, how to read a book by Mortimer Adler.

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