Just A Thought: Bookaholics?

My last response was kind of flip - I was kind of annoyed about some of the things people have implied on this thread.

Any way, I did some math today (well I have a spreadsheet that handles that for me) and learned I've spent more in Logos (at ~1.23 a title) than I have on both my house, truck, and motorcycle combined.

Not that any of the three are all that fancy, AND that doesn't include the land my home sits on... But I digress.

I had a professor that said "show me your check book and I will show you your priorities. My priority - especially this past year - is and has been "equipping for ministry". I've bought books on counseling, on apologetics, on theology from a variety of perspectives, thousands of commentaries (literally I had about 400 last year, but now that I'm a pastor I picked up several sets, and the mammoth cc&s collection 1 & 2). Journals (but those are more for school) by the truck load. Books on any topic thats come up as pastor, or that I can foresee coming up based upon the influences in my community.

I've bought base packages seeking to be a good steward, picked up scores of free books, at least 12 +1's for .99 from Verbum, and Logos. Bunches of titles from noet (I like the classics and philosophy can be interesting).

All in all my use of logos hasn't changed, but I like to think my effectiveness has. ~21.947$ (which is what I've spent if you include the free base package I got once, and some other things gained through referrals) can buy a lot of books; but ultimately I am only better equipped if I am using them.

I like to think that I am. I hope all of you are as well.

The only opinions that matter is (first and foremost) the opinion of my Lord RE whether I'm being a good steward of the money he's allowed me to have. ~465$/monthly (the average spent per month for the last 37 months) is a substantial amount of money. But really, I like my truck, I don't need a new vehicle. I have a small home, one that suits me in a location I love. It hasn't taken away from any ministry opportunities that have come up.


Secondly I have a small book budget from my church that has helped to offset that previous figure. Between 60 and 180$ of that each month has been sponsored by some of the members of my church.

It was something I had pushed for when another man was pastor. By the time it happened, he wasn't around to benefit from it. But ultimately thats money well spent I think. Its an investment back into the church. The better equipped I am, the better I can serve. The better equipped they will be to reach back into the community.

Some of you that read this may be too mature to need further equipping, I can't help you. May the Lord bless your ministry.

But I think most of us fall into a second category, where we realize we may never reach a point where we are "there" and no longer need to study, and learn and grow. We need books - most importantly the bible - to do so.

So in the end, I think the determination of who is a book-a-holic and who isn't comes down to the heart of the individual. If you're buying books to be equipped, using them to equip yourself and others, and are growing, then you are doing it right.

If your drive is to see the little number go up when you click your library button, then you're a collector, and I think are missing out on the equipping aspect. This may mean you are a book-a-holic. But that's not for me to decide, that is between you and your maker.

As for me, despite having a rather large library, even though I haven't, and may not read every word of every title in my library, I can say that at this point and before God I do not believe I am a book-a-holic. My extended family may argue otherwise (wait... so you have a one bedroom home, and that one bedroom.... is a library??!?!), and perhaps they could make a few points regarding balance. But that will come in time. Going from un-employed to mechanic one might need to buy more tools at the start than would a mechanic of 20 years. Its an imperfect analog because of the nature of scholarship and study. But I digress. May we all be blessed not by the volume count of our library but by our Great God, and the time we spend studying His word both directly and indirectly.

Russel Taylor said:

abondservant said:

The way I see it, a mechanic has a 5000$ toolbox, filled with 25000$ worth of tools from snap on etc. A plumber is quite similar. Thousands in tools.

Would a pastor not be negligent if he didn't do something similar?

I'm only a layperson, so I can't use that excuse! 

Veli Voipio said:

Russel Taylor said:

I'm only a layperson

Well, I checked your FL profile, and it says "GIS Specialist (mapping)"

Just wonder, what do you think about the Logos Atlas feature?

Well, to be honest, the last time I tried to use it I was very underwhelmed.  I pretty much wrote it off after that.

Veli Voipio said:

Of course it came into my mind if some people are spending a lot of money to bring old cars to shiny condition, then could I spend as well when I am trying to reconstruct a sort of ancient Christianity in its glory on my desktop?

Several years back I decided to give up all my other hobbies and invest in Logos. I think I made a good choice.

Impressive!

When we were in our previous house one of our smaller book cases was in an alcove next to the fire. One day I realized that it had shrunk a little, the floor joists were giving way underneath it.

In our current house, when we moved in we put up our largest floor supported shelving system in the front room which went the full length of the longest wall. It also depended on the wall for some leaning support. After a week or so I noticed cracks were appearing on the other side of the wall. Sadly the library is now scattered over the house. Another reason for going for e-books - real books can be dangerous to your house's health

There was a time when I planned on having bookshelves that went from the floor to the ceiling all the way around my office. Now that I have made the switch to electronic books, I cringe to think about having a physical library as large at the one in that picture, let alone having to ever move it from one location to another!

Lew Worthington said:

That's hilarious. But there's always part of me that dreads becoming Henry Bemis. 

Here is the ending: http://youtu.be/UAxARJyaTEA

I am humbly grateful for this post.  I feel so much more righteous with my mere 7,500 resource library.  O, Lord, I thank Thee that I am not like other men!  (or women, too.)

DAL said:

Cool! Maybe they should do a Logos Ultimate Base Package 👍😁👌

DAL

This was like prophecy working.

Hi Gao, funny.

From my perspective:

Different believers have different life missions. So if conditions are right:

1 you have the extra cash

2 you master the language the resources are in or can afford resources that let you work with the languages you do not fully master

3 you have the right motivation,intention and

4 do the correct fruit bearing actions due to the use of the library, then

Bookaholism does not really apply to the condition;

If you ever walked into a large Library (e.g. in College), you checked around looking for resources for your paper (old timer style), you know what a precious amount of true gems you can find.

There are gigantic giants, then some shorter giants, but giants in my view anyhow. Should we try to stand their shoulders? purpose comes in then:

Do you have books to show off, to overpower people saying you know more because of them and should submit to your conclusions?

I personally have many resources, due to some commitments of mine: 

1 the Bible says check all and retain what is good. I must give the benefit of the doubt to other traditions / denominations' authors in the way that the H.S. may have revealed some truth in some area that I would be unaware of by just following tenets in my own tradition.

2 Logos search engine is a blessing. We can pinpoint search very specific information in a short time, so that we can get a varied amount of perspectives on a topic and enlarge the conceptual framework to better understand things and issues.

3 The experience gleaned from years of work of many authors is available to us, which allows us to offer some guidance to persons experiencing certain situations in a little more effective manner.

Monks before us dreamed of a capacity as such, to have large library with ready search capabilities, and we now have. I think is a mega blessing, and should be put to good use  walking in good deeds God prepared for us to walk in before the foundation of the world for HIs glory.

Bookaholic? maybe not, responsible stewardship of available assets (info included) would be a better descriptor in my opinion.

Let's not forget the roots of our professed faith: Original bearers of the Oracles of God thought of 3 pillars of their faith: Worship, study and good deeds. We did get a free gift of salvation for good deeds, and not because of them, so in a way the 3 pillars still stand in my view.

Blessings.

I think the key is how you are using the knowledge.  To quote one of my blog entries (https://medium.com/@josiah12345/knowing-god-ee83b4c4f4ac):

--

As exciting as that sounds, we should be careful to avoid the temptation of Gnosticism. Our goal is not to pursue secret knowledge, to guard and treasure a right path to enlightenment. Instead, we should pursue God as a community, the Church. It is especially silly to hoard knowledge, or prioritize one’s personal spiritual growth over the community’s, when one considers that on that final day when Christ comes again and we go to be with God, we will all know God. Totally and completely.

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
 and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
 and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)

We are not preparing for heaven’s placement test. Any knowledge we don’t put to use will be wasted. It must have a gospel purpose. Discerning and debunking prophets of false gospels. Defending attacks on the faith. Rebuking what might give people a bad image of Christianity and cause an opportunity to be lost. Answering the questions of seekers. Pointing out God’s hand where it is sometimes hard to see. Similarly, we use it for the instruction of others called to these tasks, to equip them and build them up.

--

I think it definitely can be a dangerous pitfall and it is good to be mindful of that, but I also believe some are called to use knowledge to build up our Church communities.  Although as with anything, a call isn't just a one time thing and then you can stop listening.  It's good to periodically check and make sure you are still on God's path.

Understood Eas TN:

Read ages ago a book that said there are 3 different ways to go about life:

to Understand, to act or to have fun.

Some of us would be more into the understand deal, should strive to do more, and of course it would be best to do having fun. LOL.

To me collecting books may be better (now that can be had electronically) that many that collect arms, figurines. etc.

One good insight that helps in ministry, and blesses a true sheep, is worth the investment of many books in my view.

Bruce Dunning said:

Hamilton Ramos said:

Bookaholic? maybe not, responsible stewardship of available assets (info included) would be a better descriptor in my opinion.

"Responsible stewardship of available assets" is a good description. I often think of the fact that we are accountable for how we use everything we have, including our libraries.

You'll probably get mad at me. But at church, a friend complained her relatives questioned her nice house (7 figures). She replied, who are they to question God's gifts. I thought, well, sure, maybe. Then I was reminded who tried to gift Jesus. So, responsible stewardship from who?  Well, gee, it was a strong lesson in the gospels.

Hamilton Ramos said:

Josiah said:

It's good to periodically check and make sure you are still on God's path.

Do you have a favorite (s) resource in L8 about this?

Haha, is it a trick question?  NIV or NLT or NET or NRSV, sort of depends on the day.  But people are important too.  It's easy to let our own voice drown out the Spirit if we aren't interacting with other brothers and sisters who can challenge us.

I haven't read the guidelines in their entirety, but I do try to keep comments brief and as closely related to buying stuff and using that stuff in Logos as possible.  I understand it's not an open religious discussion forum, though this thread kind of is by its nature from the beginning.

Hi Gao Lu:

If you are the same from CD, I am glad to read your input here. 

It would be really nice to have your input in Christian Chat Forums:

https://christianchat.com/#christian-chat-forums.1

I am glad that seems you are ok. Once you sign up in the above (name and email only), it takes a little bit before you are approved.

Then you are encouraged to start a thread introducing yourself. (you can be generic).

Find me there as Hamilton.

My intro thread is: New to forums, interested in systematic theology, christian living n keeping in shape.

Blessings, hope all family is doing fine.

Hamilton Ramos said:

Hi Gao Lu:

If you are the same from CD, I am glad to read your input here. 

Blessings, hope all family is doing fine.

Pssst.   Yes.  I am sort of me.  CD was a former less respectable life--better left forgotten. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  I and my family are truly blessed.   Bless you too, Brother. 

Re: Bookoholics -

Because we travel much of the time, my wife and I are parting with nearly all paper books. After realizing we have more MUST-READ-NOW books in Logos than we can read the rest of our lives and we prefer portability and searchability of ebooks, the decision was grueling but necessary.  Here is my perspective: I don't have a vehicle other than a bike and live in apartments and hotels and often far worse, so I justify spending on Logos books instead.  I am open to correction on the matter.