Christian Family Bookstores and Religious Books on Google
I Urge Caution With Christian Family Bookstores
I feel before I list a few of the more popular online Christian bookstores that I should warn you that there is a lot of garbage that can be found in Christian bookstores today. One only needs to do a simple Google search to find that there are a great abundance of resources, and just because the site or store has the words Christian, or Family, does not necessarily make it safe. Christians must have discernment in all areas of life, which is why I put a big emphasis on reading God's Word. Go To Bible Reading Plan
We should be as the Bereans: "they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." -Acts 17:11
"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Unfortunately, we face a "proverbial" mindfield when it comes to materials found in Christian bookstores, however, there are Christian organizations out there like www.christianresearchservice.com that try to help us address this issue. So, I do urge you to do your research before you decide to purchase a book, and the link below can help you accomplish the task.
http://www.christianresearchservice.com/MasterList.pdf
Christian Bookstores:
I have provided a list of a few of the more popular Christian bookstores because if you are anything like me, you like to compare prices on items you are looking to buy.
A Family Moment Christian Bookstore:
Steven Head founded A Family Moment in August 1998, in Joplin, Missouri. The goal was to start an online business that would one day pay the bills and serve the Lord in the process. They started out with 35 items for sale (books, videos, audio tapes), that focused on marriage and family. Now, with a storefront with over 100,000 Christian titles, it has grown into a major Internet retailer of Christian books, and other products, selling to customers worldwide. The company can be best described as a "chain" of Family Moment Christian Bookstores, with each store in the "chain" represented by an independent sales representative.
I do like this store, however, my biggest complaint is that you really need to know what you are looking for because the website can be difficult to navigate through.
Visit at www.afamilymoment.com
Amazon.com:
Most people would not even think about amazon.com when searching for Christian books, however, they are great because they have a very large inventory and you can find just about anything you are looking for. But, Amazon.com is very indiscriminate about the christian materials they sell, so I urge caution when buying from them.
Visit at www.Amazon.com
Christian Book Distributers (CBD):
Aka Christianbook.com, started in 1978 as a mail-order business, in Peabody, MA by two brothers (Steve & Ray). The company grew quickly and by 1984 they moved into their very own facility in Peabody, MA. They started Christianbook.com in 1996, where they now offer over 200,000 different Christian books, videos, CDs, cassettes, gifts, toys, games, and more. And as for the materials they carry, the company's overall position is "...to make available a wide assortment of products to a wide variety of customers, to let you choose what is important and useful to you, rather than to make that decision for you or keep you from ordering those books." So, I do urge caution on the materials you might consider buying, however, CBD is a very useful tool to find what you need, and there website is very straight-forward and easy to navigate through.
Visit at www.christianbook.com
Family Christian Bookstore:
Family Christian Store is America's leading specialty retailer with over 300 locations and over 5,000 employees in 37 states dedicated solely to the $4.3 billion Christian retailing market. Family Christian Store sells Christian products and church supplies through its chain of stores and via the Internet. Merchandising categories include Bibles, Books, Music, Childrens, Gifts, Apparel, Software, Cards, Church Supplies and DVD's.
Visit at www.familychristian.com
LifeWay Christian Store:
Lifeway Christian is the only distributer that I have found that has openly expressed concern about the inventory they carry. And I have actually read articles about LifeWay taking books off their inventory because it did not agree with their evangelical christian beliefs. Kudos for Lifeway. I have to say that they get my vote for number one christian book distributer. This is what they have to say about what they offer. This excerpt was taken straight from their website:
"Here on our website, LifeWaystores.com, we list over 100,000 titles. Any product we stock and promote should be consistent with historical evangelical theology. In addition to the products we stock and promote, there are some additional titles that can be found through our search engine that are available through our 3rd party distributor. These titles are made available strictly for critical study or research so that pastors, seminary students, or ministry leaders may have access to material that helps them understand and develop responses to the diversity of religious thought in a postmodern world.
Our sincere desire is to meet the needs and requests of our many constituents, from casual readers to the most ardent pastors and seminary students. Our prayer for you is that in whatever you read, you put it under the magnifying glass of scripture and read with discernment.
You may contact us anytime to notify us if you encounter a title that you have a concern about. If we agree that it is not appropriate, we will remove it from the website immediately."
Visit at www.lifewaystores.com
Parable Christian Store:
Based out of San Luis Obispo, California, this company is an association of independent retailers who love the Lord and consider their business a ministry to the community. They are dedicated to a wide selection, customer service, and exceptional value.
Visit at www.parable.com