Went to the local Chapters bookstore the other night. I do this once a month – not because I need more books to read but because I want to see what others are reading. Often I buy absolutely nothing. But, I am wanting to know what the average person today is reading … novels, biographies, non-fiction, best sellers, romances, detective novels, the whole spectrum of the publishing world.

I am very systematic. Grab a coffee at Starbucks – look through the magazines. Pay close attention to the people around you and what they are standing there and reading. Travel magazines, sports, exercise magazines for men and women, gardens, woodworking, tattoos. Noticed this time that Chapters has shrunk their section of gay “travel and fashion” magazines. A good indication that they are not selling in the city.

Over to the isles. Table upon table of “Heather’s Pick”, “Oprah’s book of the month”, newest romance books, the hottest in detective stories, and a whole table of anti-Bush, anti-Iraq war books. I look for my favourite authors to see if they have a new book out … Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham, Ian Rankin, Wilbur Smith, and Diana Gabaldon. Self-indulgent.

The religious section gets my attention next. It is right next to the New Age section. The New Age section (includes witchcraft and occult books) keeps growing and gaining floor space – the religious section is steadily shrinking. In the religious section – half the books are by Roman Catholic authors and about the pope, prayer to the saints, and books attacking or defending the Roman Catholic Church. Half of the remainder are Christian self-help and feel good books by Joel Osteen, Joyce Myers, and a slue of other writers. There are a few on the current controversy – The DaVinchi Code, The Gospel of Judas, Mary Magdalene. The rest are daily devotionals and books of prayers and other spiritual help books for Christians who are too lazy to read their Bibles and develop a personal relationship with God for themselves. Glad I don’t rely on this section for my reading on the Christian faith.

It is obvious as I stand there and read covers and glance through the tables of contents of 20 to 30 books that there is little of any substance. The shelves represent a very shallow Christian Church and almost nothing that represents the Christian faith as found in scripture. I am disappointed once again – and ashamed.

The self-help isles keep growing and so are not hard to find. This is where I head next. Almost the biggest section of the store. So much pop-psychology, do-it-yourself analysis, New Ageish ‘draw on your inner self and inner strengths’ books that you almost want to vomit. Remember, Ralph – this is a trip to see what others are reading and buying so you can better understand the people you are trying to reach.

The 50 to 75% off racks always grab my attention on the way out. They are the remains of what once were the top sellers just a few weeks ago. Hard cover editions of books just released as paperbacks for the first time. Again, a good glance into what people have been reading during the three to four weeks between my trips to the store.

I now have a decent idea of what others are reading and thinking about. Good to know what the world is focused on. Helps me to think as they think on my daily ventures into the mission field where I live. Helps me to initiate conversations when going about my daily life.

Then out the door and back to the car. Safe – made it without spending money on more books for myself. It’s then I realize that I have left my Starbucks coffee on a bookshelf somewhere in the store. That’s okay though because I really don’t like Starbucks coffee. I guess I’m defective.