Living In The 3rd Culture: The Reading Life of a Pastor

Few can argue that the life of an average pastor is far more complex than it was fifty years ago. I recall sitting in a class only twenty years ago when Dr. Richard Pratt warned us that in our life time our parishioners would be able to check up on what we were preaching as they sat in the congregation. The amount of information that is instantaneously available is both astounding and terrifying.

One of the outcomes of a recent Lilly Endowment study on sustaining pastoral ministry was the significance of lifelong learning. Becoming a lifelong learner will serve to keep you sharp in your ministry skills and from the many temptations that result from idleness. A lifelong learner needs to do more than simply attend an annual conference; they need to develop a pattern of regular study. Many recent studies show that reading is an exercise that helps you keep a healthy brain… you need to learn to love to read!

If you serve in a church it is important that they understand the value of the pastor being a lifelong learner and provide you with the time and resources. I would recommend that at minimum a church provide you with two weeks devoted entirely for study. In addition a book allowance is a must! I recommend at least $500 a year.

Beyond the time that you may have for study leave, you need to build time into your life to read outside what is directly covered in your sermon preparation. If you are not already an avid reader, I suggest that you make a goal of one book per month. I encourage you to go beyond that; however that is a great start. Also, be sure to plan time in your day to read. Find a time that works best for you and stick to it. I make it a habit to carry a book with me, so when I find myself waiting for someone for an appointment I read it, rather than play a game on my phone.

Now on to some suggestions as to what to read. First, let me say that “surfing the web” aimlessly should not be classified as study or reading time. Nevertheless, the web has become an invaluable resource of information. Just use it wisely. Below are some broad areas that I would encourage you to cover in your reading. They should come from a variety of sources both on line, digital or old school – books.

I. Scripture – It is important we are committed to being lifelong students of Scripture.

A. Scripture: Develop a pattern to read through the entire Bible on a regular basis. I would recommend that you aim for once a year. There are many methods available to use, try rotating through several. Remember this is your personal time in God’s word, and not part of your sermon preparation.

B. The Gospel: Read anything that strengthens you in the Gospel. There is some great stuff out there.

C. Read books about the Scriptures: Find books or small commentaries, both old and new that either deal with specific sections of the Bible or are on a broader theme.

II. The Church – There is plethora of information on the church, but I would recommend you start with these areas.

A. Preaching: Never quit being a student of preaching. Read from various sources and differing perspectives.

B. Worship: This is an important part of the life of the church and many pastors have little knowledge of music or liturgy. Keeping up with the trends helps you better educate your people.

C. Organization/Leadership: Pastors are leaders of organizations that primarily utilize volunteers. Learning to lead them as well as paid staff is essential. Don’t just stick with books on Church Leadership, read broadly.

D. Practical: This is the category that includes all areas in the life of the church, from Christian education to Missions.

III. Culture – This needs to be a high priority in your quest as a lifelong learner because culture is complex and ever-changing. Be careful that you don’t only focus on “pop culture,” but also study the deeper cultural values that effect the people you minister to.

A. Your community: Know what is going on in your community. Read the local paper and look for not only key events, but use it as way to learn more about the uniqueness of the people who live around you. Remember most newspapers are available online and it doesn’t take that much time to skim the headlines. A seasoned newspaperman once showed me how most newspaper stories are summed up in the first two paragraphs.

B. Your Country: This is a vast area of literature that includes books, magazines, journals and newspapers. Be careful to not just read what Christians are writing, but pay close attention to what other writers are saying. Beyond the books, I suggest the New York Times.

C. Globally: Remember the world is bigger than North America, so keep up with what is going on in the rest of the world. Read with an eye to understanding what God is doing on a global perspective. Look for authors who are not simply writing from a western perspective. As far as an easy free online source, I suggest BBC.

IV. Biographies – Many of my best mentors are dead, and I have been mentored not by their physical presence but by their lives.

A. Pastors and Theologians: Show us the challenges of life and ministry of those who have gone before us.

B. Missionaries: I love missionary biographies! That is my heritage. There commitment and sacrificial lives are inspiring.

C. Leaders and Famous People: Whether it is a biography of a president, a corporate executive or other famous person, biographies teach us about history, depravity and idolatry.

V. Personal – This is the area that is fun and a “no brainer.” It has no direct connection to ministry and is way to get your mind off the stresses of life and ministry. This includes reading on your hobbies to fiction.

Third Culture Defined

The term “Third Culture” has been used in various ways. One “Third Culture” group “consists of those scientists and other thinkers in the empirical world who, through their work and expository writing, are taking the place of the traditional intellectuals in rendering visible the deeper meanings of our lives, redefining who and what we are.”Another common use of “Third Culture” in fact describes my personal experience. The term was first coined by sociologist Ruth Hill Useem, professor emeritus of sociology and education at Michigan State University. She used the term to describe children growing up outside their citizenship countries because of a parent’s work abroad. A “TCK or Third Culture Kid has since been defined as, “someone who as a child has spent a significant period of time in one or more culture(s) other than his or her own, thus integrating elements of those cultures and their own birth culture, into a third culture" Though I am a TCK, it is my desire to use the term in referring to the people who make up the true Christian Church (Theologically defined as the “Invisible Church”). In other words, the Church is a Third Culture. Scripture teaches us that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law and the punishment of Hell, and through faith in Him we become citizens of His Kingdom, receiving not only the full benefits of citizenship in His Kingdom, but indeed the right to become sons and daughters of God. The moment, we step into this Kingdome we experience a new and different culture. We are no longer in the kingdom of darkness, but now live in the kingdom of light and that changes everything! At the same time we never went anywhere physically as we continue to work, live, and play with the same people as before, we see the world differently, we no longer truly fit – we are “in the world, but not of it” -- we have a new culture. For most of us this life changing experience occurs within our birth culture and our Christian experience is saturated by those influences. For those who grew up in non-Hispanic White North America, Christianity is uniquely different than those who grew up in an African American context. Our birth culture effects how we live out our faith in the Kingdom of Christ. Yet the Kingdom of Christ requires one more cultural shift and that is away from birth culture and into a culture made up of people of every ethnic and cultural group that has ever existed on the face of the earth. This Kingdom is no more North American than it is Tanzanian or Tibetan. It is a unique or shall we say a “Third Culture” that integrates elements of all cultures into one new and better one, where there is no Jew or Greek, slave nor free, male nor female“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:26-298). In fact Revelation 7:9-10 gives us a description what this will look like one day:“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." A Third Culture Perspective is one that understands and appreciates that God gathers people from every ethnic and cultural group and brings them into the new culture of His Son Jesus Christ. It is a perspective where birth cultures are appreciated and respected as coming from God, but none are superior. It seeks to have a deeper understanding of the Gospel, pays attention to culture, our own as well as others, and then attempts to bring them together. It is a perspective that “seeks first His Kingdom and His Righteousness” and lovingly and passionately enjoys and glorifies God in all we do. It is a perspective that welcomes immigrants….

The Reading Life of a Pastor

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