I've been reading R.C. Sproul's latest book, The Truth of the Cross. It's just a small book but you know that if Sproul is writing about the atonement that it will be well worth reading. Just seven pages in he discusses visiting a bookstore in a local mall. He found shelves and counters full of books with the categories prominently marked: fiction, nonfiction, business, sports, children's stories, and on and on. In the very back was a religion section which consisted of only four shelves, meaning it was one of the smallest segments in the entire store. The material was not what could be considered orthodox, classically Christian. Sproul wondered, "Why does this store sell fiction and self-improvement, but place no premium on the content of biblical truth as part of its program."
The answer is obvious. "I realized the store wasn't there as a ministry. It was there for business, to make a profit. So I assumed the reason there were no solid Christian books was that there weren't a lot of people asking, "Where can I find a book that will teach me about the depths and the riches of the atonement of Christ?"
While it seems that Sproul was in a mainstream bookstore, the same is true of most Christian bookstores I've visited recently. The few good books are sequestered in shelves furthest from the door and furthest from the flow of the foot traffic. Books sharing good theology are "destination" books that people look for deliberately. The junk rates the prime shelf spots. This is simple supply and demand. Most people who visit the store are not interested in good books on matters of profound theology. Instead, they want easy answers, quick fixes, and secret keys to easy spiritual growth. And this is what the market gives them.
So I got to thinking, I wonder what the people in my local Christian bookstore would come up with if I went inside and asked, "Where can I find a book that will teach me about the depths and the riches of the atonement of Christ?" Or perhaps I could ask, "What book would you recommend to teach me about the depths and riches of the cross?" Unfortunately the bookstore wasn't on my list of things to do today, but I'll be going near there next week and am going to drop in to see what they say. Wouldn't it be interesting if a bunch of us did the same, just stopping by a variety of Christian bookstores to see what they can offer?
So how about a few of us try it? We don't need to go looking for a fight or seeking to embarrass anyone. I'd just be interested in knowing whether Christian bookstore owners (or employees) are equipped to answer this question and what they might recommend to a person who wants to understand the atonement and who wants to glory in the cross.
Does anyone want to give it a shot? If so, drop by your bookstore and post a comment here (or send me an email) with the results. I'm guessing the results will be interesting.
Comments (35) »
1. Lane Keister
July 28, 2007
4:27 PM
Yes, the Christian bookstore in Bismarck, ND (the only Christian bookstore in said city) is just exactly that hideous evangelical shmevangelical “book”-store that sells more self-help books than Christian books. They didn’t have one single work by any Reformed author. They had shelves devoted to the “Purpose-Driven Life” book and spinoffs. Furthermore, almost everything is list price. In addition to offering plain and simple trash, they are fleecing the people of God in doing so! I just order from the internet now, since it is almost disgusting to do otherwise.
2. Blake
July 28, 2007
4:42 PM
It seems like a lot of Christian bookstores have the same or similar aims as the Hollywood films targeting the “faith” demographic which you have spoken of many times. Faith is big business.
3. Brenda@Coffee Tea Books and Me
July 28, 2007
5:10 PM
We had three Christian bookstores in our area. Two were the kind that sold the books that were the Christian equivalent of easy reading and easy theology (not to mention a lot of trinkets). One store sold mostly the deeper thinking, great theology, books.
Guess which one is out of business today?
4. Rodney Olsen
July 28, 2007
7:26 PM
In a world that looks for easy answers and ‘what’s in it for me?’ I guess we shouldn’t be so surprised that people are looking for ‘religion made easy’ kinds of books.
I wonder how many pastors have solid teaching on their bookshelves. I would imagine that this generation is being pastored by those who subscribe to easy answers and pop culture.
If we want to turn things around, even a little, we can’t just point and condemn, we need to be part of the solution. We need to be discussing the deeper issues with our Christian friends, giving them a taste of the riches that await them in Scripture rather than letting them simply chase the transitory riches of this world.
5. Nicholas Hill
July 28, 2007
9:36 PM
Maybe the problem is that the Christian bookstores became a business rather than a ministry. Maybe the problem is that the bookstores got disconnected from local churches and the recommendations that Biblical leaders made. Maybe it is time for churches to have their own bookstores, with books recommended by godly pastors and elders, etc., instead of taking their influence from the marketing gurus at Christian publishing houses that have been bought by secular companies.
6. Robert N. Landrum
July 28, 2007
10:01 PM
I was just in a bookstore with my kids and was making the same observation. There are only books that “sell.” One of my boys picked up a book and said “I bet you would like this one dad.” I had to explain to him that just because it is in the religion section does’t mean that it is a book based in truth. It is a shame but that is what the masses are after. The secular bookstore is a business and that what they do—sell books. They don’t discriminate whose money it is either, so I am sure they can make a “special order” to accomadate even the reformed. Pity that even the Christian book stores are filled with worthless books.
7. Ethan
July 28, 2007
11:22 PM
This sounds exactly like the sort of thing the guys over at Way of the Master Radio should do.
8. Cesar Vigil-Ruiz
July 29, 2007
5:23 AM
Funny you mention this idea. I went to a bookstore in southern California called Evangelical Bible Bookstore, and was floored at the many, many, many good books all in one place. I thanked God and might have bugged a couple customers in saying, “I have never seen Charnock’s The Existence and Attributes of God on a Christian bookshelf until today!” I was even thankful for the workers there who were giving good advice on certain books to read and even having discernment in what not to give whole weight to a certain author’s view on a secondary matter. Shameless plug for that store, I know, but you have to see it to believe it. I just stood in awe of the beauty of the writings of God’s faithful servants who desire to express their own hearts of worship to other believers in order to strengthen and encourage them in a deeper understanding of the Word of God, thereby God Himself.
9. Thomas B. Morgan
July 29, 2007
7:14 AM
Cesar,
I have to echo your comments on Evangelical Bible Book Store. I lived in San Diego for 5 years, and visited this store many times. the broad array of reformed titles is breathtaking. They also have a web presence.
10. Paul Edwards
July 29, 2007
8:51 AM
I can’t tell you the last time I was in a “Christian” bookstore. The places I buy books on theological themes are connected in some way to a local church: desiringGod.org, Ligonier, 9 Marks, Sovereign Grace Ministries, et al.
Books by the Park at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio has the best selection of reformed theological works in a physical location.
Seems the key to proper theology is not to trust Zondervan to care about your soul so much as those whom God has called to care about your soul: shepherds!
11. Will Lee
July 29, 2007
9:15 AM
I was just in a local “Christian” bookstore a few days ago and took a picture of this book with my cell phone: http://www.amazon.com/Fasting-Made-Easy-Don-Colbert/dp/1591854512.
There’s something seriously wrong with this picture!
I think I’ll take up the challenge and let you know what kind of response I get from our stores.
12. Will Lee
July 29, 2007
9:17 AM
I was just in a local “Christian” bookstore a few days ago and took a picture of this book with my cell phone:
There’s something seriously wrong with this picture!
I think I’ll take up the challenge and let you know what kind of response I get from our stores.
13. Will Lee
July 29, 2007
9:20 AM
Sorry, my link didn’t work right. The book is “Fasting Made Easy.” The author says, “Rid your body of harmful toxins, develop a personal fasting plan that’s right for you, and maintain a fasting lifestyle and be healthy.”
14. James Martin
July 29, 2007
9:43 AM
Yes, yes and yes.
There will be a few exceptions like Evangelical Bible Book Store in San Diego. I remember shopping there back in 1981. It was much smaller then (according to the photo on their web page), but it is still at the same location. I still read the Bible I bought there, my good ol’ NASV.
15. wfseube
July 29, 2007
9:45 AM
You know, the weird thing is that the best bookstore in my area for buying theology books and good, solid Christian books in general is the local Borders! They have about a 3-shelf-section (ie. probably 100 or more shelf-feet) area that is loaded with good books on Christian theology, apologetics, philosophy, etc…by authors like Sproul, Piper, MacArthur, Dever, Schaeffer, etc. And that doesn’t even count some of the lighter weight stuff that you’d normally see in Christian bookstores.
I’m wondering if the manager of the Borders is a Christian - I’ve never seen one so well-stocked with quality titles like that. I do know one thing - the mainstream booksellers are really killing the “traditional” Christian bookstore business. The biggest store in the area recently went out of business, and from the book-buying perspective it wasn’t a huge loss - they suffered from the same syndrome that you mention, Tim - very little substance, but plenty of trinkets and other non-book nonsense.
16. Scott
July 29, 2007
2:42 PM
To those readers in the Dallas area, I’d highly recommend the bookstore within Park Cities Presbyterian Church (Oak Lawn and Wycliff). It doubles as the Westminster Seminary Dallas bookstore, and it is simply overflowing with quality books. They even have a decent section of Puritan works.
The store is fairly small (about the size of the “Christian” section of a Borders or Barnes and Noble), but the quality and selection is extraordinary.
Even better, the prices beat sometimes beat Amazon or Monergism, but all are sold for less than retail price. My dubbing of the store is as the anti-Lifeway
17. Lane Keister
July 29, 2007
4:47 PM
But for quality, service, and speed, not to mention the titles, it is hard to beat my seminary bookstore:
http://www.wtsbooks.com/
They sell everything in stock at a price that beats Amazon and Buy.com by one percent at least. They sell everything that P&R carries, as well as Banner of Truth.
18. DLE
July 29, 2007
5:07 PM
As the former book buyer for two Christian bookstores, I have some insights:
1. People will buy what’s available. Many come to buy a book, not knowing what book they wish to buy. That’s a recipe for selling junk. Buyers truly need direction; they simply don’t receive it.
2. At both bookstores I worked for, I loaded up the book sections with meaty works and our book sales skyrocketed.
3. While a lack of good books may be a problem, the greater loss comes from poorly paid, ill-informed sales staff. Sales staff at many Christian bookstores today are (sadly) sales droids who know nothing about what they sell. When I was working, though, I knew hundreds of good books and was extremely familiar with my stock. I could always put good books in the hands of customers. They became return customers. That’s not the case with most Christian bookstores today. I bet most of the sales staff can’t name six Bible translations, much less know details about Bibles and books.
4. Greedy practices by Christian book distributors destroyed most mom and pop Christian bookstores. The margins were so high from the distributors, there was little left for the bookstore. That forced out the knowledgeable staff (since no one would pay them what they were worth) and was one of the many factors leading to the rise of the chain Christian bookstores (who had some clout to deal with publishers directly).
5. Many of the best books were published by small publishing houses that have been hurt by the rise of chain Christian stores who won’t deal with tiny publishers. Those publishers, unable to adapt, got bought out by larger publishers (and their backlists scrapped) or they went out of business.
In the end, greed ruined the ability to get good books. Much of the collapse in the quality Christian bookstores started before the Amazons of the world came to the fore, but buying online was the nail in the coffin, especially for the mom and pops. Same is true in the secular book market.
As for the chains, they have no latitude on what to stock. They receive what they receive and have almost no say in bringing in alternative stock. They’ll special order things, but people don’t want that hassle, especially since they’ll be billed full retail. They’ll get those books online if they’re smart. And most people are clued into that reality.
19. afrikaner
July 29, 2007
7:18 PM
I’ll agree that is very hard to visit a normal ‘christian’ bookshop and not be confronted with a wide range of trash, and a tiny section of meat.
However the answer to this dilemma is not to ‘sell out’ to Amazon but promote the good booksellers out there. This is your challenge Tim - find and publish a list of all the good booksellers in your country.
Here are some from Australia:
Christian Reformed Bookshop
20. francisco
July 29, 2007
7:42 PM
Nice thoughts DLE! I have a few thoughts too (maybe not as good!):
1. It would be interesting to compare the current trend with the trend of people who worked on bookstores a few years ago. I think C. J. Mahaney can shed some light here too!
2. Surprisingly, my local B&N bookstore has a sizable ‘Religion’ section. Last year I bought there “Humility” and “The Cross-Centered Life” by C. J. and “What Jesus Demands from the World” by John Piper. They also had more Piper’s titles like “Desiring God”, “Don’t Waste your life” and similar. This year I returned and the titles I bought were no longer there. So that tells me that perhaps they don’t sell well and they don’t replenish the shelves. Yet there were still Piper’s titles. I even saw the “Cross of Christ” by John Stott. Oh, yeah, forget puritan titles. None of them. In a nutshell, there are good books there (and plenty of bibles!). Yet I venture to give an estimate on the proportion of books in the “Religion” section: Bibles (6%), Good books (4%) and then the rest. That would be my rought estimate of what I see on the shelves.
3. Now, as far as the local Christian bookstore in town goes, I don’t go very often. (honestly, they are a little pricey, though they have 20% off sales once in a while). One of my best friends -and a believer- works there and loves his job. Yet, he says that he is troubled by the RCC’s section of the bookstore (jewelry and the like, you get the point). He even wanted to buy me “Preaching the Cross” (but I already got it thru the DG’s 5$ sale!)
Anyways, I guess I’ll go and ask an employee (other than my friend!) about a good work on the atonement. I’ll let you know what I find out….
21. Chris
July 29, 2007
7:58 PM
There used to be great bookstore in San Antonio called The Scripture Stall. That was the closest thing to a decent Christian bookstore. The owner had a reasonable sized section on theology and classical works. It went out of business last year, but the Family Christian down the street remains open. You won’t find much there though.
22. Diane R
July 29, 2007
8:11 PM
They will probably look at me funny and say, “Huh??”
LOL
23. Cesar Vigil-Ruiz
July 29, 2007
8:50 PM
Thanks DLE for the insights. Like Thomas B. Morgan and James Martin have already written, Evangelical is like the physical presence of WTS Books or Monergism Books. Here’s the website for anyone reading this in the SD area:
http://www.ebiblebookstore.com/
Thank God for Christian books, and most importantly, His own Book.
24. Michael
July 29, 2007
9:13 PM
If you’re ever going to church in the Bay Area (specifically, Pleasant Hill), you may want to check out the “book table” of my beloved Grace Bible Church (http://gracebiblechurch.info/), which is both Reformed and Baptistic.
My friend runs the book table, and he puts effort into getting solid books and selling them for pretty much as cheaply as he can get them. He went a bit crazy ordering books with the $5 Piper sale, so if you missed that, you might be able to get some Piper there for about $5. :)
25. afrikaner
July 29, 2007
9:47 PM
There are more on my list coming through Tim’s filter.
26. Big Chris
July 29, 2007
11:16 PM
The wise employee/owner will take you back to the Bible section, pull out an ESV and say “here you go, all that you need and more.”
Big Chris
27. Jason
July 30, 2007
7:33 AM
I remember hearing a story from someone who worked at a Christian bookstore. He said that they made a lot more money on “holy hardware” than books. It’s so much easier to hang a cross on the rear-view mirror of the car than it is to study about it in a book like Stott’s.
This fact is likely what drives the stocking decisions of Lifeway or Family. Unfortunately, they are businesses too. If people want to buy a lot of TD Jakes and Joyce Meyer they are not likely to have a shelf stocked full of Religious Affections.
I’m just looking forward to the day when the ESV gets a shelf rather than being on the one for “other translations”.
28. Charity
July 30, 2007
8:49 AM
I have to agree with Michael that Grace Bible Church’s booktable (it was more like a book corner) had excellent titles, and spanned many Biblical treatments of relevant social topics. The man who runs it is named Dale Sigmundson and he can find anything, anywhere. Before we moved, I bought some good titles and music to listen to on the way to Raleigh.
29. Reformed Gary
July 30, 2007
11:49 AM
I’m very thankful to live close to Reformation Heritage Books. Excellent books, knowledgeable staff and great prices. If I asked for books on that subject I’m sure they could point be to more than I could read in a year.
30. Russ
July 30, 2007
12:40 PM
This summer while on vacation we visited on consecutive sundays Bethlehem Baptist Church North Campus (John Piper) and First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS (Ligon Duncan). One thing that caught my attention at both churches was the presence of selected high-quality books for sale.
I would suggest that pastors can have a great influence on the reading habits of their congregations. I would encourage pastors to promote good reading. Don’t just drop names, highlight particularly helpful books, and then provide copies on a table at the back at cost. View it as a ministry. And then be ready to point people to sources for even more good books.
I find myself trying to spread my limited book buying budget among places like Westminster, Cumberland Valley, Desiring God, Monergism, Banner of Truth, Reformation Heritage and so on, rather than the likes of Amazon.
Russ
31. Sam
July 30, 2007
2:16 PM
Don’t give up and go to the internet.
1. If you buy good books on the internet, instead of in a bookstore, then the bookstore won’t have incentive to stock good books. Every “young, angry, reformed” guy or gal out there who wants to go show the poor book store assistant how little he knows about theology should just get off his high horse, get down to the book store, order good books, be prepared to have the patience to wait a week for delivery, and be prepared to pay a few bucks more for the list price.
2. List prices provide the salaries of the book store staff. Go to the internet and it means the book stores will close. That way you might get rid of what you’re complaining about. Thing is the only book stores that survive the internet will be the ones selling bestsellers. It works the same as restaurants. If you always go to the cheapest, fastest restaurant, then your neighbourhood will only have cheap fast-food restaurants.
32. Will Lee
July 30, 2007
7:05 PM
I did it. Today I went to our “Christian” bookstore at the mall. I asked the clerk, “Where can I find a good theology book about the cross—a theology of the cross?” She gave me a very puzzled look and responded with, “Let me check our computer.” After a few minutes of searching she said, “We don’t have anything.”
I walked around for a while and then came back to her and asked, “If I wanted to find just a general theology book or a book on the Reformation, where would I find that?” Her response was, “Oh, we don’t have any more. Our store is closing, so our other stores took those books because they thought we wouldn’t sell those before we closed here.”
Sad.
33. Donald
July 30, 2007
10:03 PM
I doubt it would be necessary for me to ask those questions at my local Christian bookstore since last when I asked them about Neale Donald Walsch’s “Conversations with God,” they said they would recommend it on the merit that it was a reference reading for a nearby seminary.
34. Henriette
July 31, 2007
9:13 AM
The Family Christian Bookstore in Burlington Ont. is quite good at holding theology books.
Henriette
35. Tim Costine
August 5, 2007
11:12 PM
for those in the LA/Pasadena area, i HIGHLY recommend Archives Bookstore. It is in North Pasadena on the corner of Hill and Washington. Great theologies, great commentaries, and a fantastic used book section where you can find a couple steals each time you go.
as far as the normal Christian book-sellers, they are really suffering from the disease which they have helped fed. People are too intimidated by good, deep books, and they have only liked the shallow stuff. A person who is only content with reading shallow stuff is much less likely to continue frequenting a book store because they are simply much more likely to stop reading.
recently I was serving jury duty and when they were asking potential jurors questions, one was who your hero was. Most people answered ‘God’. Then when asked what their favorite book was, most simply said they didn’t really read. If they did, the answers were self-help books or current hits like “The Devil Wears Prada”. How could you not read about Him who you think so highly of?
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