Should all Christian books be free of charge?

[NathWChristian]

There are a lot of poeple who criticize christians for making money using the Word of God.

would it be wrong to write a christian book and sell it?

Matthew 10:8 says "Freely you have received; freely give."

So, selling christian stuff would be wrong?

 

Thanks

[Zemke]

Some writers use the proceeds to fund missions of the ministry they are partnered with and never touch a profit so to speak. But publishers need to run a business and paper isn't free or the rent in the stores who sell the books. Many people volunteer in editing and proofreading. Writing is very laborious especially to those who are called as teachers and pastors. Engaging with people is where their hearts are not cut off in a room. It's why books can take years to finish and many times not at all.  

 I think holding back teaching CDs or printed material because a person is unable to afford them is wrong. Those of us who have the means to purchase should because solid ministries give freely. Those who purchase and give extra to a ministry help supply teaching materials, Bibles and books to those that are less fortunate. 

So some ministries have built on the concept of freely receive freely give but rent, food, travel, publishing, isn't free. 

If music, books, teaching CDs are part of a "Christian Industry" instead of a Christian Ministry then I agree in part with you, don't buy them. But usually good teaching, good books are a part of good ministry. 

I went last minute to a midweek study years ago and had forgotten my wallet in the rush. The speaker was profound so I went to the table their ministry had set up looking over the tapes and grabbing information when the man running the table asked what subject matter I was into at the moment and I said I was in such a hurry to get out of the house I forgot my wallet and he smiled and said "Freely receive, freely give. Take what you want." I still give to that ministry at times and it's been a few decades now. They have an aids orphanage in South Africa, plant churches, help the poor and supply schools for their children in a number of countries. It's not a huge ministry and mostly small communities but except for the orphanage leader, school teachers and a few missionaries, no one else receives any salaries, the administrators in any country or the head of the ministry itself do not receive pay. Travel costs are covered but most everyone makes tents so to speak. All book and tape proceeds go into these diverse ministries and the production of more materials. 

So ya in a perfect world everything is free, but this is not a perfect world. People need to work and people need money. Nothing wrong with money, just our attitude toward it. Fallen man is the problem. 

What's important is the content of the book and what ministry is the writer attached to? Discernment. At this point, I will not spend a dime on NT Wright material. I've listened to hours on the web and read a book given to me written by him but will not lend any help in that direction. I'll read his material and listen for discernment purposes only if it is free. The Lord's money needs to go to real ministry. Not some hierarchical gibber jab of intellectual hogwash ecumenism whitewashed sepulchre oxford accented politically motivated speech. But that's just me. We all have choices to make.

 

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by Zemke

[NathWChristian]

47 minutes ago, Zemke said:

Some writers use the proceeds to fund missions of the ministry they are partnered with and never touch a profit so to speak. But publishers need to run a business and paper isn't free or the rent in the stores who sell the books.

 

 

So ebooks should be for free then because we do not use paper?

[missmuffet]

No, just because they are Christian books does not mean they should be free.

[BeauJangles]

1 hour ago, Zemke said:

So some ministries have built on the concept of freely receive freely give but rent, food, travel, publishing, isn't free. 

 

Amen. It does say in 1 Timothy 5:18 that the workman is worthy of  his hire. God bless!

Shalom, 

David/BeauJangles

[Who me]

2 hours ago, NathWChristian said:

There are a lot of poeple who criticize christians for making money using the Word of God.

would it be wrong to write a christian book and sell it?

Matthew 10:8 says "Freely you have received; freely give."

So, selling christian stuff would be wrong?

 

Thanks

Yet the labourer is worthy of his hire and when thrashing they were forbidden to mussle the cow treading out the grain.

How many hours of study is represented in a sermon you've listened to, or in a Christian book/blo you've read.

If you have freely recieved from those hours of study, are you prepared to donate that amount of hourly pay to charity?

Not all minister are multily millionaires, many are poorly paid and make extra income through writing.

The hristian writers I know, not many, don't make much out of publishing and freely give books to missions that can use them.

 

Here is a suggestion.

Have a table put out in your church and announce that the congragtion can put unwanted Christian books on the table. People can take books from the table and make a cash donation. After a set period send the cash to a mission organisation and the books once sorted to missions that can use them, any that can't be forwarded recycle.

[Amanda Frances]

Some christians do not take much money for their christian books.  I believe C.S. Lewis donated 3/4 or more to charities.   He did not want his name attached to the gifts distributed.   I am thankful for the christian books I have.  People do have to make a living.  

 

[Willa]

Some ministries live off the profits from books and take nothing from their pastoral or evangelical ministries.  Some of those ask for a free will offering for their books and don't charge per se, so that those who cannot pay may receive them.  I think it is OK to charge for them to cover costs and a slight profit.  My grandson pays $600.00 for a text book for college.  They don't charge anything but a nominal fee for Christian books and Bibles. 

[Zemke]

52 minutes ago, NathWChristian said:

So ebooks should be for free then because we do not use paper?

Well, you can use part of what I said to make a point but it misses the spirit of what I had written overall. ebooks do come from books and are less expensive because I would think anyway are not a hard copy, but the platform of anything needs to be supported somehow. 

Like I said, using discernment in what you read is important and usually honest ministries will not over price and will even give freely when it's right and proper to do so. But no organization is without a few mistakes in judgement and we need to take into account the reality of the world we live in. Jesus freely taught and called His disciples not asking for money to do so. In that spirit, I can understand what you're saying. Churches that demand tithing need to check themselves. They may be over-invested and unbalanced. Some people will struggle to pay their own rent or mortgage during lean times.

So writing a Christain book or doing teaching conferences to 'make' money is a wrong motive and God will hold them accountable. But others write and teach because God has called them to it and they have a passion for the truth and for the sheep. These books tend to be as affordable as possible to cover the costs and speaking engagements set on love offerings. And I've known speakers to leave the money behind because the people obviously had more need of it than them.

Most so-called Christian books today aren't worth the paper they're written on. "Ten Keys to Prosperity" - garbage like that. 

But Jesus and His disciples took donations and it would seem also by the way the disciples cared about the costly oil that could have been sold, engaged in raising money, and for whom? The poor. The disciples needed to eat also. But Judas took from the cash on hand, he was a thief and a lier. This world is a mess and we need to ethically and morally do our best where God has called us.  

[Neighbor]

5 hours ago, NathWChristian said:

There are a lot of poeple who criticize christians for making money using the Word of God.

would it be wrong to write a christian book and sell it?

Matthew 10:8 says "Freely you have received; freely give."

So, selling christian stuff would be wrong?

 

Thanks

 One always need keep  a verse within it's context, asking one's self the basic who - what -  when -  where -  and why. Forcing any verse to fit a  cause does not make the cause valid. Plus seeking out the wisdom of many that have alredy studied a passage or verse often yields  much insight. A search of commenntaries on Matthew 10:8 might well help narrow the application of it to what it applies to more than what someone might attempt to force it to fit. Some guidance in that direction is found at  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/10-8.htm

..."And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;  Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,  but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.  Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts,  no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.  As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.  And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town."