In my country of Brazil, most people don’t read. One survey found Brazilians read only 2.5 books a year, compared with 12 books read annually by Americans (though even that’s down from 18 a year in 1999). I don’t like this. I’ve always loved reading, and I firmly believe we better retain what we read when we commit ourselves to teaching or sharing what we’ve learned with someone. So in the middle of COVID-19, when I found myself fearful of the uncertainties of the pandemic, I decided to start live streaming short daily devotionals on my Instagram account. In those first weeks, I worked my way through the books None like Him and In His Image by Jen Wilkin. What could be better than that to avoid succumbing to fear of the unknown by meditating on who God is? I knew that was something I’d need a lot during those uncertain days, so I was eager to start and to have people join in if they wanted to. So we began. One day after another, one attribute after another, the audience grew—and so did their responses to me. I kept going, developing devotionals from more and more books. And then God began to do something among Brazilian women that I didn’t anticipate. From Insta to Books Over time, many of the women who were tuning in decided to read the books I was working from so they could better absorb the devotionals. The fact that the women, who already had the videos available, wanted to read the books caught my attention. We live in a hyperconnected age in which reading has become superfluous and even boring. Gen Z prefers not only videos or podcasts but short episodes of both. God began to do something among Brazilian women that I didn’t anticipate. In Brazil, a national study found that 30 percent of people have never purchased a book, while 44 percent do not read—defined in this study as reading, in whole or in part, at least one book in the last three months. Lack of time (47 percent) is the main reason given by Brazilians for not reading, followed by a lack of interest (28 percent). Although time constraints are frequently mentioned, the study also showed that Brazilians are increasingly using their free time to watch videos, listen to music, access the Internet, and use social media. So why not make good use of these platforms to encourage reading? Having a mentor was highlighted as a key factor influencing readers, and I began to study the best way to promote interest and engagement in good reading. Already active on social media, I knew the digital platform could be a possible mechanism. I wondered if it’d be possible to combine technology with an invitation to return to leafing through and absorbing the pages of good books in depth. Philippians 4:8 Book Club This is how “Clube Fp4.8” (Philippians 4.8 Book Club) was born. The online club aims to guide and encourage women to grow in knowledge and spiritual maturity through reading good books. Clube Fp4.8 / Courtesy of Naná Mendes Castillo Our focus is on depth and transformation, not performance or speed reading. Therefore, we read no more than five or six books per year. There’s a weekly live class for discussion and in-depth analysis of the content. The book club takes place on a digital platform exclusively for enrolled participants, but with each new reading, an open class is live streamed on YouTube to present the book and invite people to join. This book club has exceeded any expectations I could’ve had for it back in 2021. Today, in 2024, we’ve just started reading our 20th book (Paul Tripp’s Do You Believe? 12 Historical Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life). There are currently over 770 active women in the club, but about twice that number have been part of it at some point. Benefits Participants tell me they’ve grown in discipline and consistency in their reading habits. They report experiencing deeper learning, new friendships, and closer relationships and community. The engagement among participants from different parts of Brazil (and other Portuguese-speaking countries) was so significant that in 2023, we held our first in-person meeting, bringing together women who wished to meet and enjoy valuable and irreplaceable face-to-face fellowship. But the greatest benefit I see is that the good books we’ve studied with care and attention have pointed us to the great Author and Book. Christians are often readers because God reveals himself to us through the Word. When we read good books that point us to him, we grow in knowledge of him and become more aware of the undeniable need to open the Bible and read it carefully and attentively. I’ve seen women realize the importance of spiritual disciplines, including Bible reading, through reading books that address the need for them. This means that in addition to the intellectually informative content we’ve taken in through the books we’ve read together, our increased Bible reading has also been a means for transformation, maturity, and sanctification—because that’s what the Word does. From Online to In Person Based on the experience they’ve had in the book club, numerous women have formed their own clubs in their local churches, communities, or neighborhoods. At least seven book clubs have emerged from my students and former students—five of them in person, in local churches or communities; and two online. I’ve seen women realize the importance of spiritual disciplines, including Bible reading, through reading books. Many other women have been more willing and encouraged to disciple, evangelize, and serve their families and communities with zeal and biblical foundations. The ministry uses a virtual platform, but it’s real. It manifests itself in the online and virtual world but transforms the real world of real women. I don’t think Brazil is the only place where this could happen. Across the world, people are reading fewer books than they used to. But it’s possible some people only need a little encouragement, perhaps in the form of a weekly book club, to reintroduce them to good books and deeper thinking. God has been at work. I can say with joy I’ve seen Brazilian women teaching other women, using technology as a redeemed tool to advance the kingdom, creating and strengthening relationships with each other and with the Great Author, and being faithful witnesses for the Lord (see Acts 1:8) on the internet, in their neighborhoods and communities, and to the ends of the earth—one book at a time.

Fall 2024 will be a stressful season for many in the U.S., as we’re inundated with contentious election-season media at every turn. There’ll no doubt be the usual flood of morally bankrupt, agenda-driven, sexually explicit movies released as well. It’s “prestige” movie season, after all. And grievously, “prestige” for Hollywood often means boundary-pushing provocation. In this season, many Christian families will be hungry for something different: movies that uplift and edify us rather than make us feel gross, movies that celebrate virtue rather than vice, movies that give audiences reason to hope rather than despair. For discerning viewers looking for media like this, I’ve got nine films for your consideration. Not all the movies on this list are appropriate for all ages, so do some content research online before watching with your kids. But if you’re looking for refreshing counterprogramming amid the amoral muck, these are all solid options. Apollo 13: Survival It’s been nearly 30 years since Ron Howard and Tom Hanks wowed audiences with the nail-biting, true-story drama Apollo 13. Now, a new Netflix documentary retells the harrowing story of the 1970 mission that almost resulted in tragedy. Directed by Peter Middleton, the documentary skillfully employs archival footage and interviews to essentially reenact each step of the NASA mission. While it may lack the emotional texture of Howard’s film, it still offers audiences a gripping and inspiring story involving bravery, scientific ingenuity, and heroic collaboration toward a shared goal. Not rated. Watch on Netflix.  Bonhoeffer Written and directed by Wheaton College graduate Todd Komarnicki (Elf), Bonhoeffer is an inspirational biopic about Cost of Discipleship author Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The film focuses on Bonhoeffer’s courageous stand against Hitler and the Nazi infiltration of the German church. Though not a perfect film—the pacing and narrative structure didn’t quite work for me—Bonhoeffer features a solid central performance from German actors Jonas Dassler as Bonhoeffer and August Diehl as Martin Niemöller (a German pastor-theologian ally of Bonhoeffer). Released by Angel Studios, the film is also a timely conversation starter about the relationship between faith and politics. Rated PG-13. In theaters November 22.  Daughters Recently released on Netflix, this documentary follows four girls as they prepare for a special daddy-daughter dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a “Date with Dad” program in a jail in Washington, DC. The film poignantly captures the effects of an incarcerated father’s absence on the children he leaves behind. It’s heartbreaking to watch the girls wrestle with the disappointment and betrayal they feel, even as they express love and admiration for the fathers they rarely see. One leaves the film with a reinforced appreciation for—and commitment to—the gift of intact families with fully present moms and dads. Rated PG-13. Watch on Netflix. Exhibiting Forgiveness While somber and at times hard to watch (rated R for language), this biographical film—written and directed by renowned contemporary painter Titus Kaphar—is a thoughtful reflection on the challenge of forgiveness and the complexities of familial reconciliation. The film’s title has multiple meanings, as the central character Tarrell (a version of Kaphar, played by André Holland) is a successful painter who sees forgiveness on display in others (most notably his churchgoing mom, played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) but struggles to exhibit it in his own life, even as his newly rehabilitated estranged father asks for it. The plot also culminates in a gallery art show of Tarrell’s work, titled “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” and the film asks provocative questions about the strange cultural dynamic of personal trauma becoming a chic collector’s item. Rated R for language. In theaters October 18.  Federer: Twelve Final Days  This new documentary chronicles the final, emotional days of the career of Roger Federer, the pro tennis GOAT. It’s refreshing to watch how Federer interacts with his rival players (like Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Novak Djokovic), how he honored them and they honored him as he exited the game. At the highest levels of global competition, these legends are nothing but affectionate and deeply respectful of one another. For Nadal and Federer especially, they recognize the rare gift it was to have had one another as fierce challengers on the court but dear friends off. It’s beautiful to behold and a standard to which we should all aspire in this cutthroat world. Rated R for language. Watch on Prime Video. Join or Die This documentary (read my full review) is a delightful, informative, and inspiring summary of Robert Putnam’s argument in his 24-year-old classic, Bowling Alone. It makes a compelling case for the importance of clubs, churches, and other embodied social communities and “mediating institutions,” all of which increase the social capital necessary for a democracy to flourish. Christians should watch this and reflect especially on the role churches play in the formation not only of individual lives but of larger societies. Not rated. Now in theaters.  My Penguin Friend “Cute animal companion movies” has become a genre unto its own, often in a formulaic and cheesy way. But this one surprised me. Part nature film, part family drama, the film follows the true story of a Brazilian fisherman whose unlikely encounter with a penguin helps him find healing and hope after a devastating loss. It’s an inspiring story for sure, but it also takes grief and suffering seriously. If you’re looking for a heartwarming, family-friendly, but well-made film to watch this fall, My Penguin Friend is a solid option. Rated PG. Now in theaters.  Reagan Dennis Quaid is well cast in this affectionate biopic of the 40th U.S. president. Those nostalgic for Reagan-era conservatism (or just presidents we can respect) will find much to like here, even as the film’s telling of history is obviously one-sided and occasionally hagiographic in its portrayal of The Gipper. Directed by Sean McNamara, Reagan captures a bygone era of dignity, class, and conviction in political leadership that feels refreshing (plus Scott Stapp makes a cameo!). In an election season as ugly as we’ve ever seen, a movie like Reagan reminds us of a time when presidents were driven by clear ideals and the office commanded respect around the world. Rated PG-13. Now in theaters.  The Wild Robot Based on Peter Brown’s best selling middle grade novel, The Wild Robot is a top-notch Dreamworks animated film sure to please both kids and parents alike. The film features stunning artistry (at times evoking the great heights of Wall-E) and refreshingly classic storytelling. The future-set drama follows a robot, Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) who gets stranded on an island occupied only by animals. Initially feared by the island’s creatures, Roz ends up becoming a friend to the animals and a mother to one particular orphaned goose. The movie raises interesting questions about the coexistence of technology and nature (or how “artificial” intelligence differs from “natural” organic life). It’s certainly a film that reflects our cultural questions in the age of AI. Kids will find a lot to like here: laughs, tears, cute animals, awesome visuals. Moms and dads will appreciate (maybe with misty eyes) the film’s tender reflections on the sacrificial love of parenthood. Rated PG. In theaters Sept. 27. 

The book of Romans expounds as much on how we bear with one another in love as it does on the doctrine of justification. In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry delve into this important section of Paul’s letter, considering matters of conscience, how to love the weaker brother, and what it means to be convinced in our own minds. They also celebrate the beautiful diversity of Christ’s church and the important call to delight in our differences. Recommended resource: One with My Lord: The Life-Changing Reality of Being in Christ by Sam Allberry (Crossway)

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A piece of music in the Leipzig Municipal Libraries has been identified as a previously unknown work composed by a very young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The manuscript of “Serenate in C” was found in the library’s Carl Ferdinand Becker collection by researchers from the International Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg working on a new edition of the Köchel Catalogue, the comprehensive cross-referenced catalogue of Mozart’s oeuvre that has been published since 1862. The manuscript is not in Mozart’s hand. It is a copy that was written around 1780 with dark brown ink on white handmade paper. It was then bound in a hard-cover volume. It is not signed, but the copyist attributed it to “Wolfgang Mozart.” The lack of his middle name suggests Mozart wrote the piece before 1769 (he began adding “Amadeo” to his autograph after his first visit to Italy in 1769). The style of the composition is also typical of his work in the 1760s. Mozart was born in 1756, so he would have been no more than 13 at the outset when he wrote “Serenate in C.” The work is a trio in C major for two violins and a bass. Just 12 minutes long, it consists of seven miniature movements for the string trio. For Ulrich Leisinger, the head of research at the International Mozarteum Foundation and editor of the latest version of Köchel, this Trio is a significant piece in the mosaic of Mozart’s music: “Until now the young Mozart has been familiar to us chiefly as a composer of keyboard music and of arias and sinfonias but we know from a list drawn up by Leopold Mozart that he wrote many other chamber works in his youth, all of them unfortunately lost. It looks as if – thanks to a series of favourable circumstances – a complete string trio has survived in Leipzig. The source was evidently Mozart’s sister, and so it is tempting to think that she preserved the work as a memento of her brother. Perhaps he wrote the Trio specially for her and for her name day.” The newly-discovered piece debuted Saturday at the Leipzig Opera.

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