Dear Friend and Co-Laborer in Christ,
Every year at about this time I sit down to write a year-end letter. And each year as I begin to write, I am amazed that another year is already coming to an end. Today as I begin to write, a phrase I heard early on in my ministry echoes through my mind:
“You will be the same person next year as you are right now, except for two things:
The people you meet and the books you read.”
While I do not remember the specific circumstances, I have never forgotten the message. Some of the greatest breakthroughs I have experienced during the course of my life have come as a direct result of reading.
And I am not alone. Sir Isaac Newton could not have developed calculus, discovered the law of gravity, or designed the first reflecting telescope entirely on his own. He read and built upon the accumulated knowledge of those who had come before him.
And the greatest of all such revelations is the Bible. Newton read it daily. And so must we.
Nothing should take precedence over getting into the Word and getting the Word into us. If we fail to eat well-balanced meals on a regular basis, we will eventually suffer the physical consequences. Likewise, if we do not regularly feed on the Word of God, we will suffer the spiritual consequences.
The numbers of people not reading the Bible — or books in general — is staggering. A recent survey revealed that a majority of Americans have not read a single book this year.
And the decline in reading is even more acute among our youth. In place of books, we see them habitually stooped over smartphones and tablets.
The good news is that all of us can get hooked on reading all over again.
Simply put, if you want to change the country — even the course of history — it is axiomatic that you and your progeny read. That is how they will fortify themselves against the materialist worldview. That is how they will comprehend the Marxist underpinnings of acronyms such as DEI.
How else will they be transformed from cultural conformists to cultural change agents?
Think about it. How do we equip ourselves to stand firm in the face of mounting cultural chaos? How do we answer the torrent of counterfeit claims — whether from the kingdom of the cults, the world of the occult, or from ideologies hostile to historic Christianity? How do we heed the exhortation of the apostle Peter, who urged us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” — and to do so “with gentleness and respect”?
Being ready requires more than surface-level knowledge. It demands the kind of depth that comes through only one thing: careful, prayerful, reflective reading — the discipline that trains us to think clearly, discern wisely, and engage with conviction.
In a soundbite culture, concerted, reflective reading of Scripture and books of proven worthforces us to slow down and digest. To pay attention. It’s how we move beyond emoji theology into the rich tapestry of biblical truth.
We live in a moment when truth is being assaulted from every side. And if ever there was a time to double down on the discipline of reading, now is that time.
We don’t need more Christians wasting their days in self-indulgent, mindless preoccupations on their smartphones. We need believers who are deeply rooted in truth. Who know their Bibles. Who can spot counterfeits because they know the authentic Christian life. Who read culture through the lens of Scripture, not the other way round.
Indeed, that’s why we do what we do at the Christian Research Institute. We exist to promote truth and expose error.
That’s why we have published more than 2,500 written resources, freely accessible at equip.org.
There are so many benefits, it’s hard to know where to begin. Reading improves discipline, vocabulary, memory, creativity, reasoning, and relaxation. It can even stave off diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
More importantly, reading engages you with another mind.
And when it comes to reading Scripture, the implications are simply staggering. By the words of Scripture, we are brought into direct communion with the mind of God. And not only so. We have access to the minds of writers directly inspired by the divine.
Thus, by reading we gain an enhanced perspective on reality.
If there was a secret to John Wesley’s otherworldly ministry, I am convinced it was reading. In exhorting other preachers to read, Wesley pulled no punches. “What has exceedingly hurt you in time past, nay, and I fear, to this day, is, want of reading.”
C. S. Lewis is another great example. As a young child he immersed himself in the classics.
He loved a wide variety of genres — not the least of which was fantasy and fiction. Though a prodigious intellect, such genres peaked his imagination. He knew that by drawing readers through the wardrobe into Narnia they might well emerge with renewed sensitivity to all that is real.
The point in all this is to emphasize that reading is a life practice by which our minds may be renewed and transformed. It is a principal tool through which God changes us.
The takeaway is: turn off the television! Immerse yourself in the habit of reading! Engage the mind of God and the marvelous minds of those who have learned to think God’s thoughts after Him!
As the New Year approaches, I urge you to recommit yourself to reading. Read the Bible and experience the mind of God. And read books that fortify you in life and truth.
As I have done for the last four decades, in the coming year I will continue to suggest titles destined to enrich your life. In sum, this is the way to inoculate you and your loved ones — particularly your children — from a fractured existence and from distortions of truth.
Now included in those freely accessible resources is the Christian Research Journal online, with a new article appearing weekly — all supported by your gifts to the ongoing work of the Christian Research Institute.
And thanks to your partnership, we are reaching people across the globe.
Over the past year, people from more than 90 percent of the world’s nations and territories have accessed our vast library at equip.org — a treasure trove of material in addition to the aforementioned 2,500 written resources:
- More than 7,000 audio and video recordings
- Podcasts like Hank Unplugged and Christian Research Reads
- The Bible Answer Man YouTube Channel
- And much more
Yet, while the content is freely available, it is anything but free to produce and maintain.
That’s why I’m writing you once again as we near year-end.
Would you stand with me and the ministry of the Christian Research Institute as together we equip the body of Christ to read wisely, live faithfully in Him, and contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints?
Your gift is an investment in the kingdom of Christ until He comes. It enables us to produce content that transforms minds and hearts for His glory and strengthens the Church worldwide.
… because Life and Truth matter,
President
P.S.: Will you help us continue to equip believers with trustworthy resources that renew minds and defend truth in a world awash in confusion? Your generous year-end gift today keeps the vital work of CRI going strong. And as thanks for your gift, be sure to ask for your copy of L-I-G-H-T-S on Your Path to Reading the Bible for All It’s Worth (flipchart). God bless you for the difference you make in shaping minds and changing lives!
