If you follow this blog, you know that I’m a reader. And you know that I challenge Christians to be readers.
Christians should read because we are, after all, people of the Book. Our faith is transmitted to us in the most intriguing anthology ever compiled, brimming with epic sagas, heartfelt poetry, letters of instruction, visionary challenge, wise aphorisms, and puzzling enigmas. For us to plumb the riches of the Bible, we would do well to sharpen our reading skills against other types of literature.
Readers join a conversation that spans across space and time; they are inducted into a community of the mind, an opinionated fellowship of intellectual explorers.
In past years, I’ve challenged you to join me in the 52 books in a year challenge. This challenge has proven frustrating to me. I always fall short (somewhere in the 40 something range). Part of my problem is my propensity to be interested in big books. When you tackle 400 and 500 page books, the 52 book challenge is daunting; when you tackle 1000 pagers, it becomes all-consuming. Another part is the anxiety that I inevitably felt in the last 20 pages of any book: “get it done, get it checked off, start the next one!” I didn’t like what the pressure did to my reading experience.
However, I did like the momentum create by having a goal. Therefore, this year, I’m experimenting with a different challenge. If I shot for reading a 200 page book a week, that would put me at 10,400 pages per year. I like round numbers, so let’s just set the quota at 10,000 pages.
Since this counts pages, not books, then I’ll be able to count books that I didn’t complete, or books of which I skimmed parts (though for my totals I’ll only count actual pages read). I’ll still be recording all titles undertaken on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #10kpgs2018.
So if you haven’t set your 2018 reading goal yet, I invite you to join me in the 10,000 pages reading challenge. Looking forward to seeing what books you’re into!
Excelsior
Russell
Horizons of the Possible 
Re Scripture, I’ve decided to go deep rather than far, starting with Romans in my ESV Study Bible. I am already challenged by the idea of “the obedience of faith.” Perhaps you can make it a subject in an upcoming sermon.
Blessings.
Harry
I like this goal, Russ. But I also liked the 52 Books goal. I did manage to accomplish that two years in a row, but I will also note that there were some “thin” books that made it on that list. Still, without a goal, I’d likely have read MUCH MUCH less. With the goal, I am reading so much more AND enjoying it.
When I was a Cub Scout Leader, I remember reading that for our annual popcorn sales program, if you had the cubs set a goal, any goal, then they always sold more than scouts who set no goal at all, regardless of whether or not the scouts who set goals even met the goals.
Thanks for your encouragement, Bronson. I figure the 10,000 pages goal is a better way to measure, given the way that I read (some books get abandoned half-way through for various reasons, but now I can at least get some partial credit). Right you are, a goal of any kind helps you move forward!