Heb 10:24 emphasises the need for Christians to urge one another to do good works. That would include encouraging, rationalising, learning, and all the processes of trying to persuade a person.  This is what authors of Christian books do to you: on an important topic he or she seeks to inform, encourage, and reason out with you so that you would be persuaded to make some changes to your life so that you do “love and good works.” 

Eph 4:11-12 tells us that God has given certain people roles as evangelists, pastors and teachers, to equip Christians so that they can help others to grow spiritually.  One way that God makes such gifted people available to us is through Christian books.  We may never get to meet the authors.  In fact, some of them may even be deceased, but we can still benefit from them. 

The principle is: God builds us up using the gifts of Christians.  If you refuse the help that other Christians can give you, you are actually refusing God’s help.  This means you can no longer grow because you have cut off lifelines through which you can receive spiritual food.

For this reason, learning from other Christians, especially those with special gifts is very important.  At different times, God has raised up spiritual Christians to help the church.  Some of them have written books.  You may never get to meet these spiritual giants but you can still learn from them through the books they have written.  One book that the Chinese and English Cell Groups are presently reading is “The Practice of Godliness” written by Jerry Bridges.  You can either borrow a copy from the library or purchase it from the church.  It is a very easy book to read.  New and old Christians will benefit from it.  It not only tells you the foundation of godliness but also critical and practical steps that you can take to grow in godliness. 

I urge everyone to read it.  If you have not been attending these sessions, let me tell you that you are missing out on very good spiritual food.  Why should you attend these cell group meetings?  First, when you know you are attending a session, you will be “forced” to read the book.  Second, in each session, members who are assigned certain portions of the chapter to read will help others better understand the content of that chapter.  But we do not only read.  We actually analyse the chapter to understand, in this case, Jerry Bridges’s understanding of the practice of godliness .  As a result, after each session, you will understand the contents with good depth and in a wholesome way.  Given a choice, I would force everyone to read.  But no one likes or will allow oneself to be coerced.  Do you get my point?  I am trying to tell you that you must read this book.  You will benefit greatly from it.

But to benefit from it, you also need to analyse each sentence, paragraph, and chapter.  This is how you should read this book or any book.  There are many good books in the library.  If you seriously desire spiritual growth, there are two books that you must read: the Bible, and good Christian literature.  Visit the library.  Pick up a book.  Grow.