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.
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