Monday, January 2, 2012

Christian Biography

Let's talk about reading Christian biography.  The reading of Christian biography is one way to set before ourselves noble standards, goals, and aspirations which can only help the Christian man or woman to make progress, not to gain earthly accolades, but towards that ultimate prize of our heavenly calling--to be conformed to the image of His Son.

Here are some reasons to read Christian biography.  

First, reading Christian biography sets before us a grand overview of the progress of the Christian church, a mighty panorama of God's faithful and mighty acts in previous generations and times. In other words, we can understand God's providence and purposes in history through the lives of faithful and obedient individuals.  By reading the lives of Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Patton, Jonathan Edwards, Amy Carmichael, Lottie Moon, and many, many others, you can learn of God's working during the Reformation, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and other times.  We can even learn much about God's working in our own time by reading the lives of others.

A second advantage for reading Christian biography is to be challenged and encouraged to greater faith and obedience.  By reading the lives of others we can be motivated to increase and progress in self-discipline, self-control, purity, devotion, courage, patience in trials, steadfastness in suffering, and grace in failure. The lives of Dawson Trottman, Jim Elliot, and David Brainerd have influenced me to further godliness as much as any living person in my life today.

A final advantage (at least for this blog) for reading Christian biography is to be encouraged in God's use of differing individuals with various experiences and circumstances . God more often than not uses men and women whom society might regard as inadequate--perhaps illiterate, uneducated, diseased, deformed, depressed, lonely, rejected, poor, and in various degrees of failure.  What an encouargement to know that God can use any person to make a difference for Him!  What motivation to be regarded as inadequate by many standards and yet to realize that you too can be used by God!  Reading Christian biography gives you that kind of encouragement and motivation!  Read Christian biography.  I will make some good recommendations in my next post.

2 comments:

  1. yeah, I didn't have much use for books before I was saved. Once saved though I had this burning desire to read (like I imagine everyone does)and know more about this One who had saved me and was now Lord of my life. So, for a while I just read the Bible. After all, I had to get to know my Savior & Lord to know what He expected of me and wanted me to do. I read more in the next 8 to 9 months than I probably had read all put together in my life...and I was 40!
    Then this one friend sent me home with a couple of books after visiting him and talking about God and going over the scriptures. I didn't get into them that night (Saturday),and Sunday being busy attending this church (Emory Baptist) that I had been going to just recently. Then on Monday I went up to the church to meet with the pastor who had asked me a couple of questions Sunday morning in his Sunday school class, and because of my answers he said I should come see him the next day. He spent a couple of hours answering my questions with questions, and saying you keep reading the Word and you'll get those answers. Provoking me to thought! He sent me home with the first volume of Arnold Dallimore's biography "George Whitefield". I read constantly and was finished with this 550 page book in 3 days. In between volume 1 & getting volume 2, I read the other books (they were small in size but BIG in doctrine) that my friend had sent me home with. They were "Chosen By God" by Sproul, and "Sovereignty of God" by Pink, and I have loved books written by men who love God ever since.
    Glad you are doing the blog. I am...

    ...Grateful for Grace!

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  2. Jason, finally got around to reading your blog. Love the encouragement to read Christian biographies. I too, love reading about peoples lives. I also like reading self help books. Right now they really help me. A lot. I'm reading "When I Lay My Isaac Down" by Carol Kent. After I'm done, I would love to start on one of the biographies you mentioned. I'm so glad we are back with BBC. Our church family is awesome....goodnight.....Felicia

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