Those of you who think that Mark, Al and I think that CJ is average, I've got a great deal on some prime real estate just a few miles east of Miami that I'd like to talk to you about!

Indeed, CJ teaches me every time I'm around him, and that's just one reason I love to spend time with him. But - notwithstanding his claims re: my alleged world-classness (I do agree with him about Mark and Al!) and his alleged averageness - CJ raises a number of important points that I want to "amen." Just two quick thoughts here, and then I'll wait with you to read CJ's follow-up post to "Inspired or Discouraged?"

First, I do not want to discourage any minister with these posts on reading. My aim is to encourage and inspire. I don't want to give any pastor the idea that he has to try to keep up with Mark's and Al's prodigious pace of reading. But I do want to commend their judgment as to what to read and their discipline in reading. So, amen to CJ's remarks on this count, and forgive me if I've been discouraging to any of you brothers in anything I've said.

Second, the important thing is that we read good books deeply and wisely, not that we read more than anyone else! All of us can aspire to the former, even if we shouldn't to the latter. None of us can read everything, but we can read more good books than we perhaps have been in the habit of reading in the past.

Thanks, CJ, for the perspective you've put on this discussion - yet another indication of your pastoral wisdom and discernment.