How to Encourage Reading in your Church
Encouraging Your Church to Read
Hands up if you can name the person in your church who reads the most books.
Hands up if you are that person!
Being an avid reader is one thing, but how do we encourage those in our church to be reading good Christian books?
Top Tips
Read by Example
When we’re reading books, inevitably we will be recommending books. You often can’t help yourself when you’ve read a good book, everyone will hear about it, and personal recommendations are what people are excited by.
Perhaps you have a church magazine or blog. Could you encourage reviews to be posted by those in your church? You could even have a monthly book slot in the service, and getting your children and young people involved will encourage reading from a young age.
Page Appropriate
Whether a book has 60 or 600 pages the message can be just as insightful. For those who aren’t natural readers, or struggle with time, having a short, punchy book on a topic is far more likely to be picked up than a hefty tome. It can also be the stepping stone to a longer, more in depth book on a topic.
If you have a church library make sure to have a range of books, not just in genre and theme, but in size and complexity. When giving books away the same applies. The accomplishment of reading a smaller book is often the stepping stone to reading a slightly longer one.
Chatter Books
Reading along with others can be a great motivation for those who have struggled to get going with reading. The incentive to meet up, or the encouragement of others messaging to say how excellent a chapter has been, can really spur you on.
For those who may struggle to find time for reading, or with the reading itself, you might encourage the use of books which have an accompanying audiobook so that everyone can feel involved.
We asked some of our customers to share how they pass on their love of reading to those in their congregations and fellowships.
Jonathan Thomas, a local church pastor in Wales for the past 20 years, now a producer, broadcaster and author, shared his experience.
“Over the last 20 years, I've loved getting churches to read together. I've been amazed at how the right book, at the right time, read by a good chunk of a church, can help create and change cultures. For example, by asking all potential church members to read The Gospel by Ray Ortlund, this book slowly helped the church grasp the need for grace.
But, when Scattering Seeds of Hope by Jeremy Marshall came out just before an evangelistic push, I got as many people, as quickly as possible, to read it. And it changed the conversation of the church, and helped inflame faith!
Things I’ve found help churches to read together:
Firstly, choose good books that are accessible and relevant. You need the right book, for the right people, at the right time. Make sure the book is linked to a church initiative, cultural moment, or sermon series. People need to know why they should read that book now.
Secondly, sell them as cheaply as you can, and be willing to give them away free to those who need it. But, most people read something they pay for. Remember that less is more. One book a year is probably enough. Also, make sure people know they don't have to do it. Forcing people to read is often counterproductive.
Thirdly, listen to feedback. Every church has a different reading level. Does your church like to read as individuals, with small group involvement, or a WhatsApp group? Find out what works for your church.”
For the last few years Felicity Hargreaves, Lancaster - has been involved in running a book club.
“We announce the book club at our women's conference in January and people sign up then. They then have from January until May to read the book. Some read it and then can't make the night, others don't manage to read it and so don't come in the end, some read half and so get to enjoy discussing those chapters. But we had about 50 women on the night this year.
On the night we enjoy desserts and drinks, split into groups of 6-8 people with a table leader who leads a discussion on the book, and end with praying for one another in light of the book."
Books in the past have been: Say the Right Thing, Beautifully Distinct, God Does His Best Work with Empty
Our aim is to now organise a parallel book club for the men. “
Some churches have a church wide summer read, which people collect before the holidays commence, and meet up after the summer to discuss and give feedback about.
Alistair Chalmers, Pastor of Ferniehill Evangelical Church, Edinburgh is a big advocate of reading.
“As a Pastor one of the things I regularly encourage people to do is to read good Christian books. I do this because reading, in my own experience, is a practice that helps people to grow in their knowledge of and love for Jesus. However, it’s not as simple as handing out books on a Sunday, although that works too!
A few things that I would encourage, and have done in my own ministry, to encourage people to read more good quality Christian books:
Be an example in reading
Not everybody is a reader, but when they see an example of a good reader and a good book they are more likely to join in and follow that example.
Mention and quote books
In sermons, small groups and regular conversations, speak about the books you’ve been reading that have challenged and encouraged you. Not every book is relevant for every person, but something you say or a quote that you mention might strike a cord with someone.
Giveaway books
One of the best ways to encourage congregational reading is to give away or to sell books at a very cheap rate, that way even a person who doesn’t read much is more likely to pick up and read. "
We know that some churches buy each family in their congregation a book to share at Christmas, or purchase the Christmas or Easter devotionals to encourage everyone to read along together.
An FIEC church in Suffolk has been involved recently in launching a church book club
“We've recently launched a ladies evening book club once a month and had a really enthusiastic response, drawing women in who were unable to participate in our afternoon women's bible study. We're currently meeting in a different home each time and taking one or two chapters to read & discuss, along with the associated Bible passage & supplied questions. We advertise the Book Club in the weekly bulletin and have a WhatsApp group to keep women connected between sessions. The men are now keen to get their own group together!”
Trinity Community Church, Hinckley recently bought the Gospel-Shaped Womanhood bundle to start a ladies book club. Helen Pibworth explains:
“This particular book has brought together a few of us from our Life Group. We read the chapter in advance and then discuss the questions. The church has other book groups that run but it's the first time we have met as this group of Ladies.”
Lay preacher Richard Renouf believes that reading a chapter of a good Christian Biography during the family slot during a Sunday service is a great way to encourage reading.
"Almost every chapter of To a Different Drum is an exciting story on its own and testifies to the wonderful way God works, so it doesn't matter if the congregation have heard the earlier chapters."
Introducing children to Christian biography in this way is a brilliant idea. For very young children reading a page from Everyone a Child Should Know is another great option.
If you’re looking for ideas of books which we recommend for a church book club or giveaway, take a look at our Church Summer Reading selection.
If you’re looking for ways to encourage the young people in your church to read over the summer, why not tell them about the Reformation Lightning Summer reading challenge for 7-18s?
If you’d like to share how your church has been encouraging reading, or how you yourself have been encouraged to read books that point to Jesus, then do get in touch via info@10ofthose.com
