Tim Keller has a good post on the value of reading Proverbs in the context of the church community here.

To continue the conversation, it occurs to me that the book of Proverbs would not make for a bad church members' manual either:

• “The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.” (Prov. 10:8)
• “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Prov. 12:15)
• “A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” (Prov. 13:1)
• “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” (Prov. 18:2)

Is not the the local church where we practice being the wise son, and help others to do the same?