Last September the email (below) was sent to me by one of our volunteers who works in the Alfred Place Baptist church bookshop. I thought it would be encouraging to share it. For those of you that support your local Christian bookshop, and an encouragement for those of you that perhaps don’t realise, or maybe have forgotten the personal ministry that regularly takes place. It’s also an encouragement to those of you that work in a Christian bookshop – wherever they are and whatever size they are. Be encouraged! It’s not just about the books. Obviously, it is very definitely about the books, good books, but there’s more to it than that. Sadly, Christian bookshops are closing all the time (here in the UK), and the reality is that they often close because Christians don’t support them. It is as simple as that!
What may not be realised is that on some books (especially Banner Of Truth books), they can often be cheaper than on Amazon. We try very hard to sell books at the best price we can. On some books it simply isn’t possible to match the big retailers on price – it’s there that Christian readers – if there are any – can make the choice to support their local Christian bookshop or not. Again, it’s really is as simple as that. So when a Christian bookshop closes, the following will give you an insight into what it is that can sadly close. Not just a bookshop, but a ministry to people.
The following may not be happening all the time, but it happens regularly in our shop, and probably in yours as well. So, like I say, here’s an insight into what often takes place in Christian bookshops, and what buying from a Christian bookshop supports. I have changed some of the names to avoid embarrassment and to maintain anonymity.
Here’s the email:
‘Had another busy and encouraging afternoon in the bookshop. So pleased that Brian and Lucy called in to see me. (I told Brian that I had almost finished his book and that we had put the Train leaflets inside each one for sale, which he thought was a good idea). We talked of old times, and Brian remembered staying at Bill’s B & B by the harbour, all those years ago.
They bought the two volumes – commentary on Luke by J. C. Ryle.
An Australian lady came in, she is part of a tour of choirs around the UK and they are joining Cor Meibion tonight at their practice in Bow street. We had a good conversation. She bought a little Help booklet . She is witnessing to her room mate on the tour, so I gave her an Ultimate Questions to give to the lady.
A couple came in wanting a card for someone going off to University, and we had one in stock, Plus they bought numerous cards and, on my recommendation, bought a Hannah Dunnett notebook to give to the girl leaving for university.
A lady came in just to look around – she was meeting someone over at Chives. She was not “religious” as she said. I asked where she was from and she was from Equador. Over on holiday. I gave her an Ultimate questions in Spanish, and told her about our church link with Mark and Nube in Quito.
She was so pleased to hear of what they were doing and about their radio ministry etc. She has written her name down and where she is from in Equador and I think I will try to email Mark and Nube on that.
Just as I was closing a middle-aged couple came in to look at books and Bibles. Nice conversation with them. The man bought “You and Me and the Big C” so I carefully told him about Martin and how pleased he had been to receive that book from me. The man said his father had died of esophageal cancer also, and he was buying the book to read, as his sister has been diagnosed with a rare cancer. We had a warm conversation. I told him that the author of the book (Jeremy Marshall) had recently died. The man’s wife then chose a book for him – 366 Daily readings for Men. They seemed very pleased to have had chance to speak of things. Again I was so glad that John arrived at 3.15 and not at three!
I remember a couple came in asking if we sold Bibles. I said ‘We do’ and pointed to our Bibles. They asked if they contained the old and new testaments. I said ‘Yes they do.’ That might make you smile, but again, it tells you the importance of a bookshop ministry.
I walked into the shop another day, and one of our volunteers said to me, ‘Mike, we haven’t sold much today.’ ‘Today’, she said, ‘has been a listening day.’ Isn’t that lovely. ‘Today has been a listening day.‘ So beautiful. A lovely image of the unseen ministry that goes on in ours, and many Christian bookshops around the UK & Ireland. It’s what the sales figures can’t tell you.
I do hope you found that encouraging.
Please pray for the bookshop (and bookshops) that it would continue, that God would bless conversations and contacts, and that the staff would be helped from above and be blessed in their work for the Lord.