So Many Books, So Little Time!

One of my longtime passions has been reading. I can remember reading a lot of books during summer break from elementary school. The local public library would have a reading program that encouraged kids to read as many books as possible. I don't recall any prizes or anything, but I remember many books being taken home.

I also fondly recall the "library" days at school: We could go and check out several books for a week and then bring them back the next week. The "Curious George" adventures were favorites in the early years. As I grew older, I loved to read the life stories of famous people. Robert E. Lee and U.S. Grant come to mind as good subjects of biography. I also enjoyed reading about the life of George Washington Goethals, chief engineer of the Panama Canal. I believe that particular interest was spurred because of his association with the the Shoals Area of North Alabama, where my hometown of Florence is located.

Sports stories and biographies also played a part in shaping my life. During late elementary and junior high, I "devoured" the fictional works of Jackson Sholtz and others. I also liked the biographies of great athletes like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Walt Frazier, etc. Some anthologies like "Winners Never Quit" made quite an impact on me. In fact, I now own a copy of that book--found in a book sale, I think--after more than thirty years.

Of course, as I went to college, religious books found their way into my hands more and more. In my first summer internship, the preacher I worked with sold me several of his books after the summer was over. Those now form the base of my library.

While going through Freed-Hardeman, I was influenced greatly in my book selection by William Woodson and Winford Claiborne. Both of these men had the habit of citing book after book in the process of giving notes. If they recommended a book, I did my dead level best to get it. I still have most of those recommended ones. Among those are: Hardeman's Tabernacle Sermons, The Hardeman-Bogart Debate, The Campbell-Rice Debate, etc.

Now that I am a preacher, I try to keep up my reading. While reading commentaries and reference books on a regular basis, I also try to read some fictional works--John Grisham's books have been enjoyable. I have included biography and history as well. I would highly recommend the following books by David McCollough: Truman, The Path Between the Seas, The Great Bridge, and John Adams.

I heard somewhere that one man I admire reads about one hundred books a year. I thought if he could read one hundred a year, I could at least shoot for that and be happy with fifty a year. I think I have read as many as 75 in one year, but lately my totals have fallen off to around fifty a year for various reasons. Of course, I also read a daily news paper, magazines, and my regular regimen of commetaries and reference works.

I believe reading is one of the most important things I can do. 1)It expands my mind and keeps me learning. 2)It helps me keep abreast of current events and things that my listeners are interested in. 3)It keeps my sermons fresh with illustrations and insights. 4) It gives me material to generate and maintain conversations. 5) It introduces me to great men and women of the past. 6) Some of it helps me understand the Bible and its background.

I would highly recommend that a person set a goal of reading 50-100 books a year. If you reach that goal, you will have read an average of one to two books a week. You will be better informed, feel more confident, and boredom will not be a problem.

Of course, in all your reading don't neglect the one book above all--The Bible!

Trip to West Africa

In mid-September I, along with ten others (eight from Marshall County and two from Cooksville, Illinois), traveled to Benin, West Africa. It took me by surprise when my elders asked me if I wanted to go. It had been eighteen years since my last “big” trip (for similar reasons, to the Philippines). The following report will enable you to get a feel of the pace of the trip: for ten days we visited and encouraged Christians throughout Benin. We were also able to participate in two days of solid Bible-teaching at a church out “in the bush.” The trip was fulfilling experience and I imagine that many of my posts in the coming weeks will be influenced in some ways by insights I gained on the trip.

Benin Trip Report—9/14/06-9/27/06:

Thursday, September 14
9:00 a.m., cdt-left Benton, via church bus
5:30 p.m., edt-arrived Atlanta airport
9:30 p.m, edt-departed Atlanta, via Air France

Friday, September 15
11:30 a.m., Paris time, arrived Paris, transferred to Cotonou flight; had trouble finding gate because of construction
1:45 p.m., Paris time, departed Paris.
6:30 p.m., Benin time, arrived in Cotonou, Benin, West Africa.
Group: Bill Morgan, Ed Jones, Susan Floyd, Kendall Stevenson, Sandra Stevenson, Lance Cordle, Dennis Driver, Tim Reynolds, Rick Collins, Wendell Wardell, Rochelle Wardell.R>Met by George Akbabli and students/staff of BTC; transported to BTC and settled in by about 11:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 16
Visited mayor of Calavi district (similar in stature to U.S. governor).
Toured campus of BTC.
Attended initial board meeting of BTC advisory board.
Heard formation of F.A.C.E. exec. Board—Bill Morgan, Ed Jones, Kendall Stevenson, Randy Travis, Jim Williams, Ronnie Dowdy, Tim Bruner
Attended celebratory meal at Livingston Restaurant, Cotonou.

Sunday, September 17
Worship at 9:00 a.m., on campus—tents, etc.
Bill Morgan preached.
569 attended
Activities following services included mayor speech, another government official representative (dept. of Justice); children’s program, unveiling of names on buildings. Representatives of families and churches accompanied mayor to each building.
Calvert City was responsible for funding director’s residence—Akpabli, Hilealgo families live there.
Group met with George Jr. to discuss his attendance at FHU (He will begin his studies there in January, 2007).
Kwami—3rd year student, came by with his wife and little girl to present handmade handbags to the female members of the group and for the wives of Ed and Bill.

Monday, September 18
Assembled with BTC students at 8:30 a.m. for devotional. Wendell Wardell spoke.
Introduced ourselves to students and answered questions.
Met separately with 3rd-year class.
Made visit to Cotonou for supplies, communication.
Met with alumni; individuals to hear requests for help.
Tim began to be very sick.
Wardells departed for Togo (Where the Cooksville church supported missionaries—they would return to the group Friday).

Tuesday, September 19
Again assembled with students; Dennis Driver spoke during devo.
Left for northward trip to Parakou.
3:30 p.m.—arrived and checked into motel in Parakou.
4:00 p.m.—left motel to visit churches—Sinahou—mud church building; “Daniel” is the preacher; has 3 congregations; visits on motorcycle. 2) Wari-Maru—village chief is a Christian; Dennis Driver scared little boy by sliding out of the truck quickly to take pictures. Returned to motel about 9:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 20
Began return trip from Parakou.
Kaboua—Church constructing ch. Building; meeting in preacher’s house (room the size of a bus!)
Save—met Paul; flat tire; encouraging visit; church doing well
Dassa—Pasquale—church met in house—HOT!
Drivers stopped and ate “fast food”—corn fritters—while riders watched!
Agon—church very enthusiastic, proactive—bought land, dug well; had $600 saved for ch. Building.—Dennis had consent of the other Calvert elders to help with a need if sufficient—committed Calvert City to help build church building at $2400.00
Aladda—late, quick stop
Arrived at campus, 9:00 p.m., tired!>Water supply out—bucket baths for next couple of days.

Thursday, September 21
Water still out—bucket baths.
Devo with students; Bill spoke at students’ request and reviewed 6 goals of BTC.
Dennis took individual pictures of students.
Visited churches around Porta Nova, established by Esperance, teacher @ BTC:
Ko.komolu
Danmi
Tchatta
Language school

Friday, September 22
Devo with students; Tim spoke
Began Bible conference at Tori (pron. Todi)R>Rough roads
George, Lance, Ed, Dennis, Bill spoke
Very gracious; blind song leader.
Returned around 6:00 pm.
Wardells back with group after travels to Togo.
Water back on (after having been off for three days)!!

Saturday, September 23
Continued Bible Conference (shortened)
Local preacher, Marc, preached very pointed sermon on idolatry, George exhorted.
Kendall, Lance, Wendell spoke.
Went to Cotonou for souvenirs from craft village.
Joyce Akpabli prepared and served supper for group.

Sunday, September 24R>Worship at 9:00 a.m.
Excellent Sunday School class by Koffi—“Fear”—interesting comment by man in class: something fell on the roof of his house in the night; wondered if he had been cursed. Koffi gently scolded him and reassured him.
Lance preached.
135 in attendance.>Picture-taking—PROLONGED—many of the students wanted their picture taken with Americans!!
Service ended around 12:00 p.m.
38 children in S.S.—fascinated by Dennis—especially one little girl—kept looking at his white skin and freckles.
Prepared for departure.
Just before leaving for airport, George Sr. led very moving prayer—George Jr. interpreted.
Meal at Livingstone Restaurant, downtown Cotonou.
Arrived at airport, 8:00 p.m.
Departed Cotonou app. 11:25 p.m.—tightened security measures

Monday, September 25
Arrived in Paris, France, 6:30 a.m.
Met by Roland Moshen (missionary); taken to motel
Spent rest of day sight-seeing—Arch de Triumph, Louvre, Eiffel Tower.

Tuesday, September 26
Christian taxi drivers took us to the airport.
All-day wait for flight.
3:00, boarded plane; delayed departure.
6:00 p.m.- departed Paris.
9:00 p.m. edt—landed in Atlanta; met by Robert Hall, Don Whirley.
11:00 p.m. edt—left Atlanta
R>Wednesday, September 27
4:10 a.m. cdt—arrived in Calvert City.T>DIV>