BOOKS
A good read
Every book among this large provision, is in its original form, except a general revision and in simpler English. The idea comes from John Wesley, who wanted his preachers to be better read, with lots of material extracted from a good number of books, which he called THE CHRISTIAN LIBRARY. Some of those books are also in our library (although in full). Many of the books here are very rare, and come from the Puritan preachers of the 16th and 17th Centuries. The language and layout of the books is made more contemporary.
Many books are later, from the 18th – 20 Centuries. All of them were written with a scholarship that is faithful to the Word of God, and are Evangelical. They come from writers of several denominations, such as Church of England (Anglican), Baptist, Methodist, Independent, Presbyterian, etc.
The advantage of these books is that, being rare, or difficult to borrow, or unavailable, they are easily obtained at the click of a button. They do not have to be purchased as they are not published and printed (many of them). A reading preacher and Pastor, is a better preacher, who is storing up things “old and new” ready for the Sermons.
As many of the books demand serious study, this is possible by reading a chapter or two, and then coming back later (as in a Cyber Café, or using one’s own laptop or computer at home) to continue reading. Solomon complain that too much reading is a weariness to the flesh. But it is vital for every preacher to reach back into the past, and find the Christian wisdom of the past, to present it in your own context and during your own preaching wherever you are, in a large city, out in the countryside, or in jungle locations — wherever groups of Christian churches can be found, longing to be fed by the Word, and its faithful student and commentators.At present, several dictionaries are being prepared, and they will eventually be made available in this resource. Note Margaret Manton’s Dictionary of Theological Terms, and other small books similar to it.)
