January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013
I'm happy to announce that I'll be hosting a reading challenge! The title of this reading challenge comes from Hebrews 12:1-2, which reads "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
For an author to qualify for this reading challenge, they must be among "the cloud of witnesses".... in other words, they must be dead. I think it isn't always easy for readers to pick up Christian classics. Perhaps because it isn't always easy to know exactly where to start. Perhaps because people think that they will be difficult to understand--that the language will be too difficult, the style too complicated. Perhaps because people question if a book will still be relevant. I believe that there are some AMAZING, GREAT, WONDERFUL, MUST-MUST-MUST reads out there waiting to be discovered.
Examples of qualifying authors can be found on the challenge home page.
So what "counts" for this challenge? Well, the goal is to get you acquainted with new-to-you authors. So any reading material will count: no matter the length. It can be an article of a few pages; an individual sermon or a collection of sermons; it can be a book of quotes by that person; it can be a biography or autobiography about the person; you might find full-length books available online, or individual sermons online. And of course it doesn't matter if it's a book-book, e-book, or audiobook.
So how many books are required?
If you're completely new to christian nonfiction (christian living, theology, bible commentaries, bible studies, etc.) then I'd like to challenge you to read ONE or TWO books. If your first attempt is too tough, or proving not-for-you, try again.
If christian nonfiction is something you're comfortable reading, I'd like to challenge you to read four to six books for this challenge.
What I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see is for people to share quotes from what they're reading. I'd love to see readers recommend books to one another. So while I'd never, ever require participants to write book reviews, if you have a blog, I'd love for you to share quotes occasionally with your readers and let me know about it. If you don't have a blog, you could always leave quotes in the comments here. (Trust me, I'd welcome some relief from spam comments.)
For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.
Examples of qualifying authors can be found on the challenge home page.
So how many books are required?
If you're completely new to christian nonfiction (christian living, theology, bible commentaries, bible studies, etc.) then I'd like to challenge you to read ONE or TWO books. If your first attempt is too tough, or proving not-for-you, try again.
If christian nonfiction is something you're comfortable reading, I'd like to challenge you to read four to six books for this challenge.
What I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see is for people to share quotes from what they're reading. I'd love to see readers recommend books to one another. So while I'd never, ever require participants to write book reviews, if you have a blog, I'd love for you to share quotes occasionally with your readers and let me know about it. If you don't have a blog, you could always leave quotes in the comments here. (Trust me, I'd welcome some relief from spam comments.)
