Transform Your Reading Experience with the Passion for Evangelism Club
by Anna Jones
I've loved being part of the Passion for Evangelism Book Club! I’m a big fan of reading—especially good Christian books—but I must admit, I’m one of those people who gets a bit too excited at conference bookstalls. I end up “investing” in a mountain of inspiring, life-changing reads… that somehow never make it off the shelf. Actually, thanks to the ease of online shopping, most of them don’t even make it to the shelf—they just form a precarious pile that’s starting to resemble a game of Jenga!
The Passion for Evangelism book club has helped me to not only choose a helpful book to read but also continue to read and engage in it with others. The pace at which chapters are read is manageable; I have not felt at all rushed. That said, knowing that there is a schedule has helped me to stay on track and keep going to complete the book.
One encouraging feature of the group has been how people have applied what they are reading and learning to their daily lives, placing real-life examples in the group chat. I have been really encouraged when reading stories of how other women have been speaking of Jesus in their everyday context, often drawing from things they have been reading, or their own encouragements from the group. This has encouraged me to look at my own situation and explore where I can press in to creating or using existing opportunities to speak about Jesus.
The last book we read together, “Scattering Seeds of Hope”, is a great example of a simple yet life-transforming book that prompted lots of discussion in the “band” app that we use. This book, written by Jeremy Marshall and Mary Davis, is inspiring, in part, as Jeremy himself writes from the perspective of someone with a life-limiting disease. From this incredibly personally challenging position, Jeremy speaks with warmth regarding how he uses his own story when talking about Jesus with others. This perspective was inspiring to many of us within the group. There were many stories from members of the group which described how God had been at work amid hard experiences, providing opportunities for people to talk about Jesus.
I wholeheartedly recommend joining the PfE book club. Not only will it encourage you to read a helpful, well-chosen book, but it will also help you to see it through to the end, engaging in its material and being transformed alongside others in the process.
Our next Book Club starts September 14th, we’re reading Enjoying Jesus by Tim Chester, The Good Book Company.