Why so many books?

 If you have ever been in my study at church or in our house, one thing you will probably notice is a *lot* of books. And the visible books are outnumbered by the invisible books: there are some print books in boxes, but then there are thousands in either my Logos Bible Software digital library or on our Amazon Kindle accounts.

So, why? Do we display a lot of books to show off our wealth? No, though I do admit that we have spent a lot of our income over the years on books. If we had a building-related disaster, our insurance won't quite replace them all. Probably it wouldn't get to halfway if we also needed to use insurance money to replace other things like....clothes and furniture.

But we're not trying to show off wealth. If we were, we'd have fancier bookshelves and probably a better organizational scheme. I admit there's wealth there, and compared to what some people are able to have, we're definitely blessed.

Is it about showing off knowledge? I have been accused of filling my church study with books as a way of looking down my nose at people because I think I'm smarter than they are. After all, look at all the books! I must be smart.

It's actually the exact opposite: the preacher and teacher who could have many books but chooses not to have them is claiming that he already knows more than enough. I've known preachers who said, "I just have my Bible and a couple of (books by favorite author), I don't need much else." 

That's great for those guys--but I'm not that smart. I don't remember all the nuances of Greek language or the archaeology of Ephesus. It's not easy to remember some of the theological concepts or better ways to address specific problems in a church, a family, a personal life.

That's why so many books: not because we know so much but because we know so little. Right now, if I need it, I can pull a book off the shelf that guides me in neurodivergent education or one in basic mechanical repair. Give me 20 minutes, I can help you with math from Algebra to Calculus, American History, and Ann can help you with Grammar. (There are not enough grammar books in the world for it to make sense to me.)

We can help you with organizational design, financial management, or communication skills.

Why?

Not because we know so much. 

Because we have books.

Having books is a luxury in many parts of the world, and many eras of history--in fact, I have a book on that--but for many Americans, having or not having books is a choice. If you can make a choice between books or no books---choose books.

Oh, and yes, I have a lot of digital books but we try to get crucial books in print. While you may need a second edition to correct errors in a print book, it's hard to change it accidentally.