I thought Mark’s post “The Unbearable Lightness of Blogs” was excellent. Now I understand why my educational experience was so deficient. I had no knowledge of the historic decline in education Mark described. So this would appear to explain why I was playing basketball rather than reading Latin.

Actually, I’d like to play point guard for a moment and pass the topic of Mark’s blog to my friends. Mark wisely expresses his concern that “we not neglect reading more important things…more substantial things.” I couldn’t agree more about the priority of reading for a pastor and the prioritizing of reading (“the important and substantial”). I have yet to meet a leader who is growing in personal passion for God and godliness, and effectiveness in pastoral ministry and preaching, who doesn’t have a voracious appetite for reading. And you men are all very serious about reading! So it would serve us all if you would provide us with a detailed description of your practice of this most important spiritual discipline. So here are some questions I’d like you to please answer:

When and how did your love for reading begin?

Describe your present practice of the spiritual disciplines and provide us with the specifics, if you would (reading of Scripture, supplemental books, how much time you devote to this each day, etc).

Apart from the daily study of Scripture for the edification of your soul, approximately how much time do you devote to reading each day or week?

What books are you presently reading? Al, just for fun, how many books did you read last week?

What have been the five to ten most influential books you have read?

Mark, please describe your monthly reading plan so everyone can be inspired by your example and provoked by your strategic approach to reading that is different each month of the year.

Finally, who do you like in the Super Bowl? (Al and Mark, you are allowed to ask for help with this question.)

Thanks for taking the time to serve us with the answers to these questions my friends!