Two Ways to Sell a Book on the Church and Ministry

There are two ways to sell a book on church and ministry. 

Option #1:

On the back cover you read:

“__Guy that is obviously cooler than you  , became pastor of   Cool Name Church  in 1994.  This once struggling church now has 3,000 members, 12 multi-campuses, and is reaching world for Christ.  Through this book you will discover the effective tools for creating change, energizing people, and expanding your church.    Insert cool guys name  , will help you take your church from simply suck to success.”

And just for good measure you will see words like dynamic, thriving, transforming, practical, vision, innovation, (biblical will be on there somewhere, and maybe we can throw in a “Jesus” here and there), cutting edge, workable, make it happen, enhancing, inspiring, etc. smattered all over the back page.

You may even get a picture of a smiling dude that you just know has it all together.  And somewhere on the back cover or inside the book you will have blurbs from other pastors that have been effective, successful, and have created change also.  These guys tell you—read this book—and you’ll be innovative, dynamic, thriving, and a world changer. 

There is an offshoot of this strategy that takes some of the glam out.  It’s hip dudes that just want to love Jesus.  We just want to get back to church the way it was in the New Testament man.  But the end result and buzz words are often the same.  The people in the blurbs are different and have different shaped glasses, but the end result is still—be effective!

Option #2:

On this back cover you read:

“   Guy that is obviously smarter than you  , has thought a great deal about ecclesiology.  This book will address come of the most crucial issues facing the church today.    Smart dude looks at what the Bible says about the way a church should be structured.  His passion is to be biblically faithful, and to see you implement these biblical changes in your church for God’s glory.  The hope is that this book will change your life and ministry.”

You will see a few words like practical, helpful, etc. on the back cover but mostly you will see words like biblical, faithful, theology, pray for reformation, healthy, biblical priorities, pastoral, insightful, gospel, Scriptures, foundational, timeless, historical, biblical prescription, etc.

With option #2 it is an unspoken rule that you must have a blurb from John Piper, John MacArthur, Al Mohler, Mark Dever, C.J. Mahaney, or one of those guys.  Somebody from T4G has to approve this book.  And these guys will assure you that the book that you have in your hands is approved and is biblical. 

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Now obviously I have overstated these positions but there is something behind this that I want to mention for your consideration…tomorrow.