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A well-run Christian bookstore can be a powerful and important ministry, and I believe that it is nearly essential today that churches set up their own bookstores. Even if there is a Christian bookstore in the area, it is more than probable that it contains many books that are doctrinally unsound. Further, it probably sells “Christian” rock. One of the most dangerous places today for a Bible-believing Christian is the average bookstore. (See “Dangers in Christian Bookstores,” www.wayoflife.org.)

The Lord Jesus Christ commissioned the churches to thoroughly disciple every member. He said to teach them “to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). That is part of the ministry of the Great Commission. Further, the churches are tasked with protecting the believers from false teachers.

What was true in the prophet Hosea’s day is true in our day. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Too many members of fundamental Baptist churches lack an effective and foundational knowledge of the Bible and are ill-equipped to deal with the slew of heresies we are facing in these last days.

A well-run, well-stocked, well-promoted bookstore can go a long way toward correcting this problem.

SUGGESTIONS

1. An effective bookstore requires support from the church’s leaders and a strong commitment from the church. It should be supported financially to get it off the ground. The objective should not be to make money for the church’s coffers but to provide doctrinally sound material for the edification of the people and the salvation of souls. It is best if the church puts all of the profit back into the bookstore ministry so the stock can grow and the number of titles increased.

2. It is important to appoint the right person to oversee the bookstore. At the very least a well-grounded preacher should be in charge of selecting the books. In too many cases the stocking of books is left up to someone who is not properly informed of the issues and does not have the knowledge or spiritual discernment necessary to choose the right materials.

3. Keep the books well stocked. If the books are allowed to run out of stock it will discourage potential customers.

4. Keep the number of titles growing. A bookstore that has the same books on display month after month will not stir up the kind of enthusiasm that is necessary to make this ministry a success.

5. The bookstore needs to be advertised from the pulpit and by any other means available, such as a church paper. The people must be informed about what is available and reminded regularly. By this means the people will know what is available and will have that in mind when the need arises, such as when they are confronted by false doctrine.

RECOMMENDED PUBLISHERS AND AUTHORS

The following are some of the books that we recommend for church bookstores. Obviously we cannot recommend every title published by the following publishers nor can we recommend every jot and tittle in the titles we do list, but we believe the following materials are very helpful for Bible-believing Christians.

BEREAN CALL
www.thebereancall.org/
Many helpful books by Dave Hunt. We recommend Judgment Day: Islam, Israel and the Nations, What Love Is This (Calvinism), A Woman Rides the Beast (Roman Catholicism), Fast Facts on Jehovah’s Witnesses, Fast Facts on the Masonic Lodge, Fast Facts on the Middle East, The Seduction of Christianity, The Godmakers, When Will Jesus Come?

BETHEL BAPTIST PRINT MINISTRY
www.bethelbaptist.ca/contact.htm, 519-652-2619, info@bethelbaptist.ca
They publish books by Bruce Lackey and many others. I recommend the following books by Bruce Lackey: Repentance Is More Than a Change of Mind, Proverbs for the Family, Ten Ways to Study Your Bible, What the Bible Teaches about Drinking Wine, Cremation, Divorce, and Other Matters, Why I Believe the Old King James Bible. I also recommend A Closer Look at the Evidence by Richard & Tina Kleiss (a daily devotional that focuses on facts of life that prove divine creation), Baptist History by J.M. Cramp, Bible Doctrines Affected by Modern Versions by Paul Freeman, Bible Wines or the Laws or Fermentation by William Patton, Boys and Girls Who Became Great Missionaries by John Mueller, Except Ye Repent by H.A. Ironside, The History of the Christian Church by William Jones, Israel and the Churches by James Brookes, The Life and Works of Charles Spurgeon by Henry Northrop, Me a Widow? (by a pastor’s wife), Must Purity Be Sacrificed on the Altar of Unity by Bert Esselink, Prayer by John Bunyan, The Fear of God by Bunyan, Scripture Memorization by John Charlton, Prayer by D.L. Moody, After C.T. Studd by Norman Grubb, The Weapon of Prayer by E.M. Bounds, Heroes of Faith on Pioneer Trails by E. Myers Harrison.

BIBLE TRUTH PUBLISHERS
www.bibletruthpublishers.com/
This is a Brethren publisher and we do not recommend everything they teach on the church, but their books on prophecy and many other subjects are excellent. Some of the books from this publisher that we recommend are the writings and commentaries of H.A. Ironside and William Kelly, as well as The Bible Promise Book, Concise Bible Dictionary, A Defense of Dispensationalism, Hades and Eternal Punishment, Holiness: The False and the True, Miller’s Church History (though written from a Protestant perspective it is still very helpful), Outline of Prophetic Events, Self-Esteem: A Scriptural Analysis, Things Which Must Shortly Come to Pass, Types and Symbols of Scripture, The Tabernacle, Priesthood, and Offerings, and What They Believe (Cults).

GOOD AND RIGHT PUBLISHING
www.goodandrightpublishing.com.
Good and Right Publishing has released a KJV Word Puzzle book which is designed to help students and adults learn difficult words in the KJV. The book features a variety of types of puzzles that are entertaining and educational. The puzzles include almost 1,700 words. Good and Right Publishing also produces other materials in support of the KJV including a number of writing practice books based on KJV verses and designed for students, plus Primacy: Foundational Doctrine of the Harlot Church of Revelation. These materials are available through Amazon. Bookstores who are interested may order by contacting Good and Right Publishing through their website.

THE KJV STORE
www.thekjvstore.com
A good selection of KJV study Bibles.

LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS
www.lighthousetrails.com/
Many helpful books exposing the error of contemplative spirituality, the emerging church, the New Age, Roman Catholicism, etc. I recommend A Time of Departing and For Many Shall Come in My Name by Ray Yungen, Faith Undone by Roger Oakland, Far From God Near to Rome, and Messages from Heaven (DVD). They also publish biographies and some interesting and challenging accounts of resistance to Hitler in World War II.

LOCAL CHURCH BIBLE PUBLISHERS
www.localchurchbiblepublishers.com
A selection of excellent leather-bound KJV Bibles, including Old Scofield Reference Bible in compact size and large wide-margin size

NORTHSTAR MINISTRIES
www.northstarministries.com/
Dave Sorenson publishes several excellent books, including Touch Not the Unclean Thing on the Bible version issue, Moral Failure: Its Cause and Prevention, Training Your Children to Turn out Right, and Broad is the Way: Fundamentalists Merging into the Evangelical Mainstream. He also has a whole Bible commentary set called Understanding the Bible.

PERIL OF ISLAM
www.amazon.com
Peril of Islam: Telling the Truth by Gene Gurganus, who was a missionary to a Muslim nation for 17 years, is excellent.

PRAIRIE FIRE PRESS
www.prairiefirepress.com/
America in Crimson Red: The Baptist History of America by James Beller is excellent. They also publish other helpful materials, such as America in Crimson Red Study Guide (home school and Christian high school), America from Sea to Shining Sea (1st grade history and geography), The Collegiate Baptist History Workbook, Baptist History Learn and Color, The History of American Liberty. Beller is a graduate of Hyles-Anderson College and speaks there occasionally and we cannot recommend his associations or his Voices of Heritage series, but his historical research is well done.

PSYCHOHERESY AWARENESS MINISTRIES
www.pamweb.org/mainpage.html
This ministry publishes material by Martin and Deidre Bobgan exposing the error of Christian psychology, such as 12 Steps to Destruction: Codependency/Recovery Heresies; Christ Centered Ministry vs. Problem Centered Counseling; Four Temperaments, Astrology, and Personality Testing; Hypnosis: Medical, Scientific, or Occultic; James Dobson’s Gospel of Self-Esteem; Manufacturing Victims: What the Psychology Industry Is Doing to People; and PsychoHeresy: The Psychological Seduction of Christianity.

PURITY PLAN MINISTRIES
www.purityplan.org
David Brady’s ministry to liberate men from pornography.
We recommend Slay the Dragon, Good Pictures Bad Pictures (for children), Talking to Our Daughters, Living Purely in an Impure World.

SHEPHERDING THE FLOCK MINISTRIES
www.shepherdingtheflock.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Many books by Pastor Scott Markle. We particularly recommend God’s Wisdom for the Marriage and the Home.

STARR PUBLICATIONS
www.starr-publications.com
Randy Starr, Pastor Emeritus, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Brogue, Pennsylvania
Disciplines for New Believers, Gambling, The Head Covering, The Rapture.
Randy’s wife, Shirley, has published many titles, such as ABC Character Stories (for children), Helpmeets and Homemakers; Faithful and Fruitful; Helpless and Hurting; Powerful and Prestigious; Carnal and Conniving; Tattoos, Body Piercings, and Cuttings; and Dress--The Heart of the Matter (co-authored with Lori Waltemyer).

SUMNERWEMP.COM
www.sumnerwemp.com/books/index.htm
The book How on Earth Can I Be Spiritual by C. Sumner Wemp is a practical study on the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life.

SURE WORD PUBLICATIONS
surewordpublications.com
Books by Pastor Stacey Shiflett, Calvary Baptist Church, Dundalk, Maryland
Consider Much Is Given: the Secret of Biblical Stewardship; 12 Principles of Growth for New Christians; Wolves among Lambs; and The Exceptional Man, which has a student workbook.

ULTIMATE GOAL PUBLICATIONS (STAY IN THE CASTLE)
www.stayinthecastle.com
Books by Jerry and Sheryl Ross
21 Tenants of Biblical Femininity and 21 Tenants of Biblical Masculinity

WAY OF LIFE LITERATURE
P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, www.wayoflife.org In Canada contact 4212 Campbell St. N., London, Ont. N6P 1A6, 519-652-2619, 866-295-4143

Following are some of the titles:
Believer’s Bible Dictionary
The Bible and Islam
The Bible, Diet, and Alternative Health Care
Bible Prophecy as Light on the 21st Century
Bible Separation: Its Doctrine and Practice
Bible Times and Ancient Kingdoms: Treasures from History and Archaeology
Biblical Holiness for the 21st Century
Bird’s-Eye View of the Bible
The Calvinism Debate
The Church: The Pillar and Ground of the Truth
Directory of Contemporary Worship Music
The Discipling Church: The Church That Will Stand until Christ Comes
The Doctrine Which Ye Have Learned: A Course in Bible Theology
Dressing for the Lord
The Effectual Bible Student
Effectual Pray in Perilous Times
The Emerging Church Is Coming
Evangelicalism and the Great Apostasy
An Evangelistic Church for the 21st Century
Feed the Flock: Expository Bible Preaching
For Love of the Bible: The Battle for the King James From from 1800 to the Present
Fundamental Baptists: History, Collapse, and Revival
God the Trinity
God’s Amazing Creatures
The Glorious Heritage of the King James Bible
Highlights in Bible Doctrine
Highlights in Church History
Highlights of the Pentecostal-Charismatic Movements
The History and Heritage of Fundamentalism and Fundamental Baptists
A History of the Churches from a Baptist Perspective (2 vol.)
Holiness: Pitfalls, Struggles, Victory
The Hyles Effect
Jews in Fighter Jets: Israel Past, Present, and Future
Judge Not: Is It Legalism to Judge Sin and Error?
Keeping the Kids in the Social Media Age
Mastering the English Bible (11-part course on the whole Bible)
The New Age Tower of Babel
New Evangelicalism: Its History, Characteristics and Fruit
One-Year Discipleship Course
The Pastor’s Authority and the Church Member’s Responsibility
A Plea to Southern Gospel Music Fans
The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ
A Portrait of Christ: Tabernacle, Priesthood, Offerings
Satanic Attack on Sacred Music (book and 11 video classes)
Things Hard to Be Understood: A Handbook of Biblical Difficulties
Understanding Bible Prophecy
Understanding the Bible for Yourself
An Unshakeable Faith: A Christian Apologetics Course
The Way of Life Commentary Series
The Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity
What Every Christian Should Know about Rock Music
Why We Hold to the King James Bible
Woman and Her Service to God

WILLIAMS, E.S.
www.metropolitantabernacle.org/Books/Dr-E-S-Williams
E.S. Williams, a medical doctor and a member of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England, has authored two important books: The Dark Side of Christian Counselling and Christ or Therapy? These document the danger of the Christian psychology movement that has permeated evangelicalism and beyond to many fundamentalist churches and homes. Dr. Williams examines the lives and teaching of the secular atheistic fathers of this movement: Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Albert Ellis, as well as examining the Christian counselors who have borrowed from this field: James Dobson, Larry Crabb, Clyde Narramore, Selwyn Hughes, Frank Minirth, Paul Meier, David Seamands, Gary Collins. Among other things, Dr. Williams refutes the psychological counseling approach to self-esteem, unconditional love, and unconditional forgiveness.

SEE ALSO THE FOLLOWING LISTS OF SUGGESTED MATERIALS ON VARIOUS TOPICS

“Bible Commentaries”
http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/bible-commentaries.html

“Helpful Music Resources”
http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/helpful.htm

“Hymnals”
https://www.wayoflife.org/reports/hymnals.php