John Pattison
John Pattison writes and speaks on topics related to culture, neighborhood flourishing, and the church. He is the coauthor of Slow Church (2014) and Besides the Bible: 100 Books that Have, Should, or Will Create Christian Culture (2010), both from InterVarsity Press. A member of the National Book Critics Circle, John previously served as Managing Editor of CONSPIRE Magazine and Deputy Editor of the Burnside Writers Collective. He lives with his family in rural Oregon.

Reading for the Common Good (Slowly, Intentionally, and in Community)

Reading widely immerses us in new lives and new ideas, making us more compassionate while helping us understand our own stories better. But going further – discussing with others the books that are stirring our imaginations – has the potential to actually transform churches and neighborhoods. In this session, Chris Smith and John Pattison, coauthors of the bestselling Slow Church, will lead a discussion on reading as a formational practice for communities of faith. To begin, John will briefly interview Chris about Chris’s new book, Reading for the Common Good: How Books Help Our Churches and Neighborhoods Flourish (IVP, 2016), which is being launched at this conference. Following this interview, session participants will be invited into a deeper conversation about the virtues of reading slowly, intentionally, and in community.