* Read with a purpose. Don’t read simply to entertain yourself; instead, seek to expand your mind through your reading. Schedule time regularly to read and seriously study the Bible. Select a wide variety of books to read that represent thoughtful literature and help prepare you to understand and engage the world’s ideas. Be sure to read Christian books, but don’t limit yourself to those alone. Recognize that God’s truth can be found in some secular books, as well, and that those that contain opposing worldviews can help you understand the need for dialogue and redemption. Include some old, classic books on your reading list, because doing so is like engaging in a conversation with some of the noblest people of history and benefiting from their ideas and experiences. Don’t be intimidated by writing styles that demand more effort to understand than others; know that exercising your mind is worth it.

* Go beyond information to wisdom. As you encounter the vast amounts of information available to you through the media, don’t just soak it in without thinking about it. Instead, ask God to help you analyze and interpret the information well and grow wiser from what you learn. Ask yourself questions such as, “What’s right?”, “What’s wrong?”, “What’s reputable?”, “What is without merit?”, “What does this mean?”, “How does this relate to God’s purposes?” and “What should my response be?”.

* View learning as a lifelong process. Recognize that learning is something you should constantly be doing throughout your life. No matter how old you are or how long ago you graduated from formal schooling, see yourself as a student and devote yourself to learning as much as you can. Build biblical literacy (understanding God’s Word well), historical literacy (understanding the significance of historical events, especially as they show God at work in ages past), and theological literacy (understanding biblical answers to life’s great questions, and why they matter to you today). Pursue continuing education opportunities through community colleges, churches’ educational ministries, seminaries, the Internet, universities’ distance learning programs, libraries, mentoring programs, book discussion groups, etc.