beware of the sell a Christian book hype

That's interesting. On a personal level, I haven't felt called to read any extra biblical material for quite a while as far as theological thinking goes. That doesn't include novels or works of fictions though I haven't done much of that recently either. It has been kind of nice. I'm more a fan of coming up with truth through study and prayer first, and then checking to see what works of literature agree/disagree, rather than the other way around. My method isn't perfect because I still add to what I read on my own, but it's been a good experience not to have everything else blaring at me, and it feels better when I have come up with something that is revelation for me, which benefits my personal experience, even on some topics most other people already know about usually from said experience.

I don't buy much Christian material. Overpriced. If the message really is to reach people, the pricetag would not be such a concern.

brodav9 said:

One way to tell it is greed is when they push one topic. That shows that there really is little thinking. example 25$$$$ for a subject or a whole book on doctrine for 12$$$$. Some sell good products but those are in the minority. I mention no names, best to purchase after much prayer. Some books and materials today actually have symbols of occult or new age. This is a form of witchcraft that blocks one's mind and a evil spirit tries to tempt one to buy it. That is because it is like a angel of light to bless their evils.

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Few books, Christian or otherwise, are printed to inform readers of truthful things that can build a life. Textbooks are especially prone to misrepresentation, yet we use them to fill our student's heads with rubbish. Religious books are a close second. Printed to titillate the heart rather than to train the mind, the current level of dumbed down tabloid style writing serves to do one thing only - to line the pockets of publishers.

It's extremely difficult to get a theologically accurate work published to the masses. People just don't want to spend the time reading anything except tripe if they read anything at all. The Twilight stories, Harry Potter books and the Janet Evanovich series are all much more popular than classic works or inspiring biographies such as the WWII survival book Unbroken. Militant atheism is popular and Islam, despite constant reminders of its barbaric character, is gaining in appeal to the masses.

A cultural war is raging against the body of Christ and for all intents and purposes we are losing the battle. We may entertain the hope that death will be swallowed up in victory, but for the time being religious life is beginning to look cheap and pointless. Christians need to get busy educating themselves.

it's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

Hmmm, here is my immediate reaction to anyone who is selling any literature pertaining to the Gospel...

Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Christ says we have been given this wonderful information at no cost and we are to give it at no cost.

John_8:32 said:

Hmmm, here is my immediate reaction to anyone who is selling any literature pertaining to the Gospel...

Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Christ says we have been given this wonderful information at no cost and we are to give it at no cost.

Click to expand...

The Bible is the greatest authority and God is my teacher to reveal to me His Word. Yet ministering the Word to others who do not seek God, rather in person verbally or in print, it is still useful if done correctly. Any ministry that does not feed freely FIRST as in having FREE Messages on their web site so that anyone can feed no matter of their income is just a hired shepherd and cares more for the money than they do the souls of the sheep.

However if after hearing the preaching, someone wants to purchase a book or a CD for there personal use for reference, then there is nothing wrong with charging individuals a nominal fee, for postage is not free, printing the book is not free, the work to pack all the boxes is not free. Their books can never take the place of God's Bible but you have to agree that we gain much understanding from one another's revelation from God. Not all men hear from God, not that they can't, but they just don't try so hearing from a man of God is the next best thing.
I hear so many claim that a minister should not expect any money and now I am hearing them say that ministries who are trying to give us a tool to help our souls should come up with all their own money(that they are not supposed to have) and just give these tools and swallow the finanical loss so that greedy people can hold on to their money for the fleshly lusts that they wanted to spend their hearts treasures on.
There is a warning for greedy, self serving, people who think little of the man of God who cares for their soul that they believe that they should not have a single thing in this life, I have learned this is just an excuse so that they can hang on to their idolitrous money that they claim is really a sin to seek, hang on to, or have in their possession.
Here is our warning from GOD against greedy sheep that prove their LOVE of their money and think so little of the Word of God and the man who brings it freely, but has the same needs in life that they do, but we would rather give to the ungodly poor to get some recognition from man, some pats on the back. Who wants to give to the MINISTER OF THEIR SOUL an offering that no man will even know they gave? How will they be able to receive a PRAISE from man if nobody sees them give of their treasures?:
Gal 6:6-9
6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate {GIVE}unto him that teacheth in all good things.
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
KJV

Jesus watched over the treasury one day and he also had a treasurer, so this proves that he expected that a person who is RIGHTFULLY growing in the Word, should be so grateful for their spiritual food that they do NOT need someone to ask for money for their needs. That their spiritual growth should speak to their heart to give to the most important thing that any man can receive in life.. for the Word is the LIFE of man. How is it that we consider it so little that we begrudge to give BACK to God's kingdom so that not only the minister can EAT and stay out of debt and have a roof over his head, but to be able to continue the work of God and take the gospel to the places that you are just TOO BUSY with our daily SELF agenda WON'T GO!

What a shame when I hear the twisted truth that to give to the minister of God is evil and to save our treasures for the ungodly world to live comfortable is GOOD!
Blessings!! for the ears that are wise and take correction as a GOOD THING and not as the carnal man that can not handle TRUTH.

I publish books on Amazon's Create Space and Kindle. The service is free and with the direct connect to Amazon, it is a winner.

this topic caught my eye so I wanted to share something I experienced over the last, few years. The church I was attending seemed to constantly have a new book for sale, for either a small group, or just "books" for sale. I realized I was in christian books more then I was in the bible. Now this is for me, I am sure there are christians that can do both. But for me, I came to an awakening on how much I was spending on all these "extra" books, when all I really needed was the Word.

Now I don't go to any classes that require more than the bible. I am not saying I won't buy another, christian, book, but for now, I am so enthralled in reading the bible (which I had never read from cover to cover on my own in the 20 years I've been saved). I mean wow, what God has shown me since my focus is on His Word! Yes, much of what I have learned elsewhere is true, it's in the bible, but I am also seeing where some things, I am not seeing in the Word.

Again, I am not saying other books aren't great to read, but I am saving money by not buying those extras that aren't for me at this point in my walk with Christ. And for me, again, I am seeing why the bible is not just the greatest "read" that's ever been written, but I am reassured more every day, that it is the One True Word of God

God bless all, and thank you for the great reminder I got by reading your post denise, a sister in Christ

John_8:32 said:

Hmmm, here is my immediate reaction to anyone who is selling any literature pertaining to the Gospel...

Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Christ says we have been given this wonderful information at no cost and we are to give it at no cost.

Click to expand...

I am with you, at this point in my life, and I appreciate the verses because I think the bottom line is, who needs any, other books. We don't "need" them, but we all "want" things and God is not against us having some of our wants I just know for me, nothing can come before my main Authority. denise, ysic
this topic caught my eye so I wanted to share something I experienced over the last, few years. The church I was attending seemed to have a new book for sale, for either a small group, or just "books" for sale. I realized I was in christian books more then I was in the bible. Now this is for me, I am sure there are christians that can do both. But for me, I came to an awakening on how much I was spending on all these "extra" books, when all I really needed was the Word.

Now I don't go to any classes that require more than the bible. I am not saying I won't buy another, christian, book, but for now, I am so enthralled in reading the bible (which I had never read from cover to cover on my own in the 20 years I've been saved). I mean wow, what God has shown me since my focus is on His Word! Yes, much of what I have learned elsewhere is true, it's in the bible, but I am also seeing where some things, I am not seeing in the Word.

Again, I am not saying other books aren't great to read, but I am saving money by not buying those extras that aren't for me at this point in my walk with Christ. And for me, again, I am seeing why the bible is not just the greatest "read" that's ever been written, but I am reassured more every day, that it is the One True Word of God

God bless all, and thank you for the great reminder I got by reading your post denise, a sister in Christ

I agree with you Denise, there are way too many books that feed us with their opinion, although I did just read a really good book - for the most part, I stick with the Word. I don't have much time to read other books.

When I was younger, I read a bunch of these Christian books, but as time went on they began to bore me and I wasn't getting much out of them. If one of my favorite pastors came along and wrote a good book, I might read it.

What is the difference between a sermon about the Christian faith given from a pulpit and a book about the Christian faith?

Answer: The medium used.

Dodo_David said:

What is the difference between a sermon about the Christian faith given from a pulpit and a book about the Christian faith?

Answer: The medium used.

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It might also be about who is more concerned about my soul. Most of the time I have little first hand knowledge about the writer.

brodav9 said:

One way to tell it is greed is when they push one topic. That shows that there really is little thinking. example 25$$$$ for a subject or a whole book on doctrine for 12$$$$. Some sell good products but those are in the minority. I mention no names, best to purchase after much prayer. Some books and materials today actually have symbols of occult or new age. This is a form of witchcraft that blocks one's mind and a evil spirit tries to tempt one to buy it. That is because it is like a angel of light to bless their evils.

Click to expand...

Actually you should mention names. Your post is valuable material.

Unfortunately this sort of literature has a market with people who are too lazy to read the Bible, do their own investigation and actually think about what they're being expected to swallow. It's one reason the nation is in the mess it's in.

Why isn't the pastor speaking out against this rubbish? (or is he getting a piece of the action?)

and that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

Hi All,


John 21:25
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.


Of such are the marvelous works of GOD which should be proclaimed through the ends of the earth. And if it takes books written to evey intellect, every persuasion, and every hurt, then who would withstand pronouncing the Love of GOD?

Acts 8:30
So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless some one guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Eph 4:11
And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,



With Best Regards,
DD

I like the books by Max Lucado. I don't see them as overpriced. They are really good at comparing everyday situations with similar stories/ parables in the bible. Or he can deliver the message in a unique way. Either way, I still buy and read his books. I do agree that there is no comparison to reading the Bible above all as it is the ultimate authority.