It's a hot topic in the Reformed blogosphere. Not baptism, not the Emerging Church, not charismata, not even (denial of) substitutionary atonement. In fact, it hasn't taken up hours'-worth of blogosphere debate at all. But it is mentioned again and again: Christian bookshops. (That's bookstores to those across the pond.) Reformed bloggers seem to all be mourning the state of their local Christian bookshops (apart from Cent, & he runs his). Those who know me outside of the blogosphere will know that Christian book ministry is something about which I'm passionate. So, finally I've decided to post on the subject, aiming to do so constructively. There's a lot of good to encourage, but it won't make much sense unless we consider the bad also (hm, sounds familiar).
In the next post, I'll summarise complaints and comment. Secondly, I'll focus in on one of the complaints. Thirdly I'll consider the ministry of the Christian bookshop. Fourthly, the ministers. And as an 'afterword', a testimony. In each, I'll issue some calls to prayer /& action. As regards prayer, I'm reminding myself as much as anyone else.
Starting with a wide screen shot:
-> Join me in praising God for these blessings. Pray for better stewardship of them. Praying for those parts of the world where they aren't the case.
Next up: Complaints considered.
4 comments:
Thank you for reminding me of all these precious blessings. Praise the Lord!
When etrangere was not etrange,
But lived at home with us,
She read all day, she read all night, and even on the bus.
She read her sox off all the time,
(I put that in to make it rhyme).
Etrangere wants to learn to drive,
Mama is full of fears
That when she wants to turn the page
She might forget the gears,
And then she'll go too fast because
Etrangere reads at speed...
"Oh Officer, I can't come now, I've still this page to read!"
I'm interested in the complaints. I'll keep my powder dry until I see them.
:-)
Centuri0n: thanks for your comment; do please give your thoughts when I've said a little more too in future posts - it would be interesting to hear your perspective coming from your side of the pond. :)
Do hold back on the powder though - the Christian bookshop to which I'm attached has already been bombed once. Yes I did mean that literally - the manager wouldn't pay 'protection money' to the IRA.
NOW you wish you'd used an alternative euphemism, don't you? Just as well we Norn Irish laugh at everything :-)
Mama: you're the best at verse, that's hilarious!
Post a Comment