Reading Christian books, listing to Christian music, and partaking in other contemporary Christian entertainment can be a source of spiritual renewal and great joy. Christian entertainment can also present a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with other Christians in an environment infused with the spirit and love of God.
You can participate in the joyful celebration of God's work through man by starting a Christian book club, a Bible study group, or hosting a "listening" party for the latest contemporary Christian music.
To launch a book club, decide upon the date and time of the first meeting, then post a notice on the bulletin board at your church, or make an announcement in your church's newsletter or bulletin. Try and recruit book club members from diverse age groups and backgrounds. Having differing views will add interest to later book club discussions. Ask each book club member to bring the titles of two suggested books to the first meeting.
At your first meeting, decide upon a regular day and time for future meetings. The maximum time between meetings should be one month, although many book clubs meet every two weeks. Also discuss who will lead the book club discussions. Some clubs have a single leader for all books, while others choose to have the person who selected the book lead that particular book's discussion. You may also wish to decide whether refreshments will be served and, if so, who is responsible for providing snacks and beverages.
The final - and most fun - step is deciding which book to read first. Take a vote, make a list of the top three choices, and read the books in that order. Book club members should commit to reading the book prior to the next meeting, and the discussion leader should commit to developing a list of study guide questions or points of discussion. If themes in the book correspond to passages in the Bible, the discussion leader should be prepared to guide book club members to those passages.
Each of the book club members should then purchase the book that has been chosen. The Fisher of Men online bookstore offers deep discounts on Christian books, music, software, Bibles, videos, and gifts.
Whether your book club chooses a Christian novel or a non-fiction book, such as "The Purpose-Driven Life," you can have a lively discussion of Christian principles in an environment of fellowship and community.
According a recent study, about half of Americans will buy at least one Christian book this year. The uptick in the sales of Christian titles has led secular online and brick-and-mortar bookstores to carry unprecedented numbers of Christian books. However, instead of shopping at secular bookstores, many Christians are choosing to support online bookstores owned and operated by other Christians. Common thought is that Christians should monetarily support the ministries of other Christians who are spreading God's word through the sale of bibles, as well as through the sale of Christian books, videos, software, music, and audio books. |
