Why Books Are Better Than Curriculum
My life has been changed a thousand times by books—almost never by curriculum.
I’ve spent decades in ministry, and here’s something I’ve noticed again and again: books change lives; curriculum fills time.
Don’t get me wrong—there’s some great curriculum out there. But for me, and for many people I’ve served, the real transformation has
almost always come from reading a great book.
I’m talking about the kind of book that grabs you by the heart, opens up new ways of thinking, and won’t let go until something inside you shifts. The kind of book where you underline every other sentence and say to yourself, “Why didn’t I see this before?”
Curriculum often feels safe. Predictable. Scripted. It walks you through a lesson and makes sure all the blanks get filled. But it doesn’t always challenge you. It doesn’t press
in with the force of an honest author pouring out years of experience, wrestling, and wisdom onto the page. That’s what books do.
Books have changed my life a thousand times.
Curriculum? Not so much.
Books like Knowing God by J.I. Packer, The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer, or The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard—they didn’t just educate me. They discipled me. They pastored me in the quiet hours when I was alone with my thoughts and desperate for
truth. They shaped my theology, ignited my passion, and called me to deeper surrender.
That’s why I believe churches, small groups, and Sunday School classes ought to use books as curriculum.
Instead of prepackaged fill-in-the-blank lessons, hand your group a well-chosen book. Read a chapter a week. Ask a few good questions. Let the author do the heavy lifting, and let the Holy Spirit do the deep work.
When you read a good book in community, the results are
powerful. People come alive. Conversations go deeper. The learning sticks. Why? Because books engage the mind and the heart. They aren’t just about right answers—they’re about transformation.
So here’s my plea to pastors, group leaders, and teachers: use books as curriculum. Let your people read Eugene Peterson. Let them wrestle with C.S. Lewis. Let them laugh and cry with Max Lucado. Let them be challenged by Francis Chan or stirred by John Ortberg.
Let them
grow.
Because if you want to make disciples, get your people reading good books.
