My Trip to the Christian Bookstore, Part II

I admit it, I get depressed at the Christian Book Store. Why? Because their books are dumb. The three books above are marketed with multiple faces and all over the place!

Books by the kind of authors I think are good for Christians are no where to be found. Where is Piper? Where is Mahaney? Where is Driscoll? Where is Edith Schaeffer? Where is Francis Schaeffer? Lewis is there, but beyond the Chronicles of Narnia, not well represented. Where are the reformers? Where are the Puritans? Where are the great missionary books? Where are the great biographies? Where are books that matter? They are not there.

Look at the Bibles, so I do. What do I find? Trendy, packaged editions made to appeal to this section of society or that. Good study Bibles? Rare. Translations? Well the NIV is always well represented. Not many options in NASB nor ESV. Just a few.

Commentaries? Can I just say the selection stinks and leave it at that?

But if I want my best life now, I can find it in book form. If I want books all about how to live a successful and happy life here in America, they are a dime a dozen (just an expression --they are more like $199.99 a dozen).

Here is the problem: Publishers are concerned about marketing what they think will sell. Retailers are concerned about marketing what they think will sell. Publishing and Retailing is a give-the-people-what-they-want business. It is not concerned with what the people need, nor what God's priorities are. If it is "Christian" in label and sells, then that is what is on the shelf.

The problem is compounded by American belief that consumption validates. IN other words, if a product is popular and sells well, it is considered to be a good thing. So Christians go into the book store, see what is pushed and believe that it must be good. And so, they learn fluff, and law-based living, and even heresy from their trip to the bookstore.

Solution: Thinking Christians realizing that publishers and retailers are not Apostles nor are they their pastors. The pastors are found in the church, the apostles in the Bible. What thinking Christians consume should be based on what the apostles place importance on, and pastors should impress the Bible so often and so clearly that Christians know what the Bible teaches.

The Best place to buy Christian books? Amazon.com. They're less expensive and you don't have to get depressed.

While I Was Away, The Pope Made News

Pope Benedict made the news last week by declaring publicly that the only way to salvation was through the Roman Catholic Church. I was away in Queens, with 44 other people, doing some urban missions stuff, so I was not able to comment. Forgive me my tardiness, for this is one of my favorite stories ever!

Why?

Because the Pope told what he believed to be true, nothing more, nothing less. Why is that a problem?

"It's insensitive to other denominations," say some and again. "It is offensive to all and rude to the Muslims," say others.

However, these critics reveal their over-sensitive, politically correct, historically ignorant point of view.

The Roman Catholic church believes it is the only way, and it always has. That shouldn't be news. The Eastern Orthodox denominations would disagree and have since 1100 A.D. (around there) when they decided that their pope was the true pope that went back to Peter and the Romans disagreed. Of course I disagree, as a reformed protestant. But, this is not news. It has been this way for centuries.

The Pope told the truth of what his church teaches. What's wrong with that? Palestinian and Arab leaders are constantly talking about how they need to push the Jews into the seas and murder all the infidels. We are VERY TOLERANT of such violent points of view. But let a Christian state what he believes and oh what a ruckus!

Do you want to know why the whole world gets more stirred up when Christians speak up than when Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, secularists, and others say what they believe? I know the answer. It is because Jesus Christ really is the Son of God. He really is the only way to heaven. And it just makes people mad who don't want to follow Him.

The opponents only confirm the truth. Jesus said that He came not to bring peace, but a sword (figuratively --He's not Mohammed!) --dividing people into two camps. There are those who are for Him, and then there are those who hate him. There is no middle ground.

Go, Pope, Go! I don't agree with you, but there is nothing wrong with telling the truth about what you believe.