Perhaps you've heard the adage, "The family that prays together stays together." I love that proverb, because it is true and also it emphasizes the need for the family to be united around God and His glory. With that idea in mind, may I offer you another contemporary proverb?

"The church that reads together, thinks together, dreams together."

We recently held a Church Members' Assembly where we talked and prayed about the future and direction of our church, and our sister, Alaina Jones, proposed the idea that we begin a book ministry or a book cart where we could swap and exchange books and start reading things together as a church.

As we pondered this idea together as a congregation, it seemed good to us and the Spirit that we begin this undertaking. Reading good sound theological books and Christian publications expands the teaching ministry of our church, assists in the shepherding ministry of our Pastors, deepens the fellowship and friendship of our congregation, and forms unity around the truth of the Gospel. Plus, it's just fun to read! And so our church was happy to hear this proposal.

As we talked about it as a family, it seemed good to appoint Alaina Jones to this task. But we as a church must help her. She needs good books to start stocking the cart. So, consider this a call for good books to be donated to this ministry. If you have any good, solid Christian books lying around that you have read and are now done with, please consider giving them to Alaina Jones to assist with her book ministry to our church congregation.

Here are a couple of quick points to consider as you think about giving your books to her:

1. These books are a donation, and will be given as a gift to Bridge Baptist Church. They will not be received on loan, and you will not be issued any tax receipt for charitable contribution purposes for giving these books to the church. It would take too much effort to assess a monetary value to each book, and that value would most likely be so insignificant as to not matter on your tax records anyway.
2. Every book that you give must be from an author or editor that has an incredibly high view of Scripture and must be written from the perspective that God's Word is true, inerrant, infallible, sufficient, and authoritative.
3. No romance novels. No junk fiction. Any fiction literature that you may choose to donate must be considered to be edifying and Christ exalting. Examples would include things by C.S. Lewis such as the Chronicles of Narnia or Francine Rivers, including books such as Redeeming Love, The Last Sin Eater, etc. (I included both male and female authors in order to give you some perspective). Please be very choosy with any fiction books that you want to donate, and if you are unsure about something then don't hesitate to ask Alaina or myself.
4. The Pastors at Bridge Baptist reserve the right to reject any book if it conflicts with our values or beliefs, or in any way degrades the truth and beauty of the Gospel or is otherwise inconsistent with Scripture.

Thanks so much, Bridge Baptist Church! Please help Alaina as she strives to minister to you! I would appreciate it, and I'm sure there are many others who would benefit from this undertaking. Thanks!