How to Start a Christian Book Club

Step 1 - Planning

Start by planning where you'd like to hold meetings. Decide where you want to
have the book club. Consider the size of the space where you'll be meeting.
There may be a meeting room at your church your pastor will let you use.

Step 2 - Who is in my team

Think about who you'd like to be in your club. A consistent group of five makes
for a more productive, cohesive book club, than a very large club with unconsistent
members. Who will you recruit and from where? Should gender be a qualifying
criteria. Would you prefer a group of your close friends? Do you want to include
family members? Or, do you want to keep it to your church? The downside of same
church member is usually they share the same viewpoint regarding biblical verses
and less chance to learn. Another alternative, if your goal is to meet new Christians,
you might want to open up membership. Also, appoint member to be part of the
team by assigning treasury, meeting minutes taker and rotating the roles.

Step 3 - Setting Objective and invitation

This is perhaps the most important part of any grouping, yet often forgotten:
Set objective. Once decided on the objective, have it printed out and placed
on some prominent place so that everyone knows where they are heading for.

Cap membership and get a commitment from everyone who says yes. Even those with
the very best intentions can take on too much and your book club membership
will suffer. Are you going to allow members to invite others? In your original
invitation (which can be a follow up to a phone call, especially if you want
initiate contact "in person") -- it should be written, via email is
the easiest way these days. Let them know that while everyone has to miss a
meeting here and there, that you hope that they'll set that time aside for your
Christian Book Club. Your membership may be directly tied to the space you're
using.

Step 4 - Meeting Consistently

Be consistent right from the start. Will the meetings always be held at your
house or the church? Once that's established, decide what day and time you want
to hold it and keep to that day (or night) and time. Logically, you will probably
want to meet every four to six weeks to give members time to read the book.

Step 5 - Books preference according to weaknesses

Decide how you will choose books. Will you let members make suggestions? A good
way is to do a simple survey, finding out what is lacking in the member's christianity
foundation, such as faith, worship, devotional, bible study, prayers, missionary
works. It is, your club, after all, and if you want, you can actually choose
the books categories that you want.

Step 6 - Reminders via email or sms

Send out an email or an Evite to each member. Require they rsvp by at least
a week before that next book club meeting. Include in that email or Evite a
way for members to tell you/other club members to let you know (if you do potluck)
what they're bringing., sharing what they have learned from the books.

Step 7 - Light up your meeting with excitement

Serve food and drink. Soulsoup is a great way to do it. One book club based
in Texas tries to choose their "Eats" (as they call the book club
food) with some relation to the book. For example, if they were going to read
Facing The Giants), they each bring something linked to American football; when
they read Persuasion (an ideal book, a classic) for your Christian Book Club,
they held an English tea. Ask each member to select a small piece of scripture
that has relevancy to the book or novel that you're reading that month.

Step 8 - Meeting Preparation

Prepare topics for discussion. Your Christian Book Club is likely to evolve
as time goes by, but in starting, it's best to keep it organized. It's up to
you to keep the ball rolling/conversation going.

Step 9 - Setting Meeting Duration

Set a cap (eg, 2 to 4 p.m.) for how long the meetings will run so that everyone
(and you) are able to make plans appropriately. It's a thoughtful way to run
a Christian Book Club.

Step 10 - Choose a book or books.

There are so many Christian/faith-based books these days, and they span the
genres. You can find Christian historical novels, historical romances, suspense
thrillers, chick lit, family stories, you name it. However you decide, you should
know what the next book will be by the current meeting. Make the announcement
of the next book

Tips

- Open and finish the club meetings with a prayer -- it supports your faith
and the intention of the club, as well as signifying when you want the meeting
to start and end.

- Here are some reading suggestions according to categories:

Faith building / Christian Living

Little by Little: A Journey to Success and Significance for Life - Jack Shaw

InStep With God - Charles F Stanley

Faith- Charles Colson, Harold Fickett

Against All Odds: My Story - Chuck Norris

Senior: My Amazing Year As a 59-Year-Old College Football Linebacker - Mike Flynt



Spiritual Warfare

Making Sense Of Spiritual Warfare - Eddie Smith

Devil Demons And Spiritual Warfare - Tom Brown

No Small Snake - Gordon Dalbey

Devotional / Prayers

Saved By Angels: To Share How God Talks To Everday People - Bruce Van Natta

Power Of Praying Through The Bible - Stormie Omartian

15 Minutes Alone With God For Men - Bob Barnes

World Events

Radical Islam War Against Israel Christianity/West - Richard Booker

What In The World Is Going On? - David Jeremiah

God And Politics - Roy Herron

Love/ Marriages Relationship

Creating An Intimate Marriage - Jim Burns

Marriage Divorce And Remarriage - Kenneth E. Hagin

2 Becoming 1: Twelve Steps to Achieve Unity, Agreement and Oneness - Harry &
Cheryl Salem

Fiction

Every Now And Then: 911 Series - Karen Kingsbury

A Sweetness To The Soul - Jane Kirkpatrick

Since your intent is to have a Christian Book Club, that should be clear to
each potential member right from the start.

Have a great and successful reading club

David

Is The Sale Real Or Fake?

Shoppers are waiting for the post christmas sale or the year end sale. Many shops are putting out their super big Sale sign board for this shopping season. So the question is the sale really a best deal or a cheat trade.

Unfortunately, not always. The practice of marking up an original price above the average mark-up, just to cover making it look like it has been drastically reduced when marked down has become common in stores.

So how do shoppers really find the best deals and rock-bottom sale prices?

I know, ... some are rich enough and will not bother to find the best rock bottom price, but if we want to insure we are getting the best product for our money, there is no avoiding the task of doing the research. The good news is we do not have to invest the next six months into learning everything there is to know about a product. For us simple folk there are simple ways to find out if what we are buying is a good deal or not.

Simple Approach

1) What does the product sells for in other stores?

The answer to this question will help determine if the retailer has marked something up just to mark it down and make it appear as if the item is getting a huge discount. Finding out the average price of an item is very simple with the help of search engine sites now available on the Internet.

2) When was it first produced?

Most items will depreciate in value regardless if it is sitting on store shelves or sitting in our homes. Knowing when a product first hit the stores will help you figure out if you are getting a good price. 

3) Is the product typical of what the store sells?

Buying a bible from your local general bookshop may seem like a good idea, but chances are it was offered to the store because of an over-run of inventory or misprint errors. In other words, the merchandise is being dumped. This does not mean you cannot find decent bible at ordinary bookstores, but to do so without doing your research is risky business.

Often you could find the same item at the same price, but at a specialised store that typically sells christian products and offers a better consumer services. Shop around.

4) What do others say about the product?

When buying products that you have very little first-hand knowledge about, finding out how the product rates in performance is important. Many retail Web sites now offer consumers the opportunity to rate product performance. Take the time to read the ratings and you may decide to keep shopping. Likewise, if you have bought something from that store, give a fair opinion rating to the product or services, by doing so, you are helping others to make a informed decision.

If you can find the answers to the four questions, chances are you will be able to determine if a retailer is being honest about the advertised "sale" price.

Have a fruitful time shopping!

Defeating Depression - Leslie Vernick

One in five women will experience clinical depression in her lifetime. Christian counselor and author Leslie Vernick offers words of hope and encouragement as she helps
women understand ... more

Book Review: Before The Season Ends By Linore Rose Burkard

I'd like to highly recommend Linore Rose Burkhard's BEFORE THE SEASON ENDS, an inspirational Regency published by Harvest House. Country girl Ariana Forsythe is sent to a wealthy aunt in London to head off an unsuitable match in this faith-based Regency romance. After being modishly outfitted by said aunt, Ariana is thrust into the London season, with all its attendant social conventions: status distinctions, formal etiquette and gossip, gossip, gossip (the Regency antecedent of dishing). Ariana meets her match in the disdainful paragon of society, Phillip Mornay, who quickly becomes her ally after an unexpected turn of social events threatens her good name.

This period romance lacks sufficient romantic tension between the principals. The plotting is also uneven, with some complications (the matter of Ariana’s correspondence with her family, for example) not driving the plot forward, instead frittering narrative energy. But the author’s command of period detail is impressive, evident in material details but also in dialogue. The theology is also period authentic. The novel even contains a glossary to help non-Regencyphiles get up to speed about the difference between ladies’ pelisses and spencers. Despite some technical problems, on the whole it’s a tasty confection. 

Get more details and read sample pages

David Leon

You may add comments or your review at here or at the product page at

http://www.christianstall.com/proddetail.php?prod=285511&cat=16

Christian News

We are happy that the friendly people at www.newsfeedmaker.com allows us to feed christian news to our customers and guest, well mostly fellow christian from all over the world.

We certainly hope this will be able to let help us understand how christians are persecuted in the third world countries and many other places. You will be amazed how simple minded people are responding to the Word of God so quickly. It will also help us to set things to pray for.

Today hot news is many christian are arrested in China.  I think we ought to pray for them, so let's us spend 5 minutes to pray for religion freedom in China. Wouldn't you?

You may read the christian news at http://www.christianstall.com./links/index.php 

Have a great day

Do you know your spiritual gift given by God?

All christians do possessed spiritual gifts as according to scriptures Rom. 12:3-11, and 1 Cor. 12:4-11 and are generally assigned to two categories, as listed below:

Rom 12: 3 - 11

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

These verses basically are Motivational (practical) gifts: Service, Exhortation, Giving, Leadership, Mercy, Helps and Administration. 

1 Cor. 12: 4-11

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same[b] Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

These verses refer to 9 Charismatic (spiritual) gifts: Wisdom, Knowledge, Discernment, Prophecy, Tongues, Interpretation, Faith, Healing and Miracles.

Sadly though, most Christians don't even know what gifts they possess, much less how to use them for the kingdom of God. It will be alot easier if one realized the power of these gifts early and apply them in their walk with God and serve the community.

If you are not very sure of what spiritual gift God has given you, it's time to find out. Below is a list of books written by well known christian authors that can help you. Click on the images or title for more info.

 Finding Your Spiritual Gifts Questionnaire - C. Peter Wagner

 Beginner' Guide to Spiritual Gifts - Sam Storms

Spiritual Gifts, LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - R. Paul Stevens

If you have other good books on this subject, kindly comment for others to know and benefit.

David Leon

Lonely People, You don't have to be lonely anymore!

As I was reading Genesis, I came to this verse Gen 2:18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." It had a profound impression that our God care so much about us that He does not want us to be lonely.

So I writing to all those that are lonely, no one to talk to, seeking life partner, seeking friendship, or do not know how to start on this friendship making journey. Do not be afraid if you have been hurt before and do not lose faith, God went to great length to find a suitable person for you, the bible says He operated on Adam, and took a bone from Adam and made Eve his help mate. God already done the creation, now that we have billions of people for us to pick.

If you are looking for life partner but have no idea how to start on this exciting journey that God has ordain us, here I can recommend some great books to help you. Click on the book title or image to our product detail to read more about it.


Five Love Languages of Singles - Gary Chapman
Whether you're widowed, divorced, separated, or never married, your deepest emotional need is to feel loved and your greatest successes will be obtained by loving others. Chapman shows you how to do both effectively in situations unique to single adults - dating; roommates; classmates and co-workers; family connections; and single parenting. Includes "Questions to Ponder" that will help you to cultivate and build relationships.



10 Commandments Of Dating (Repack) - Adams Young
Dating doesn't have to be so complicated. It can be a great opportunity to develop healthy relationship habits without having heartache or regret. With the wisdom, straightforwardness, and humor of Ben Young and Sam Adams, this book is a perfect companion as you venture into the world of dating.




What Women Wish You Knew About Dating - Stephen W Simpson
Dating does not come natural to guys; it's a system obviously thought up by someone who isn't a guy, and is probably a girl, too. Guys come into it scratching their heads and quickly leave screaming, only to come back because they don't know what else to do with themselves.

Then they fumble around until they discover that there are rules, and then, after they cobble together enough of the rules to make something work, they discover a new rule.


Have a great intimacy time with God and earthly partner.

If you have read the above books, please contribute your comments so that others will benefit from the blessings.