Posted on 05/15/2007 7:56:13 AM PDT by Between the Lines
A small book on how to lead a more generous life by pastor Brian Kluth is something of a "publishing miracle" that is being ordered by churches and denominations across the United States and around the world.
"A 40-day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life" has 100,000 copies in print in nine months. One publisher, David Neff of Christianity Today, said "anytime you get 100,000 copies of any book into the churches, you're making some impact. Doing so in a 9-month period is spectacular."
Hundreds of churches are ordering copies for every family. Denominations are sending copies to every pastor. Parachurch and media ministries are giving copies to their donors.
Kluth said that seven Christian publishers had declined to publish the booklet because they said there was no market for a book on generosity. "Last summer my wife and I used some inheritance money to 'by faith' produce and print 15,000 copies," he says.
"Churches have used it with everyone in the congregation to inspire increased giving for general offerings or to help with building fund drives," he reports.
Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock used a customized copy of the booklet for their $35,000,000 relocation campaign. One of their pastors said, "We researched every available resource we could find to inspire people's generosity. This booklet was the best thing we found anywhere!"
Kluth reports that after bank failures in Mongolia, the largest church in the country translated the booklet and gave it to their 1,100 believers. "Over the next two months we saw offerings increase nearly 60 percent," the Executive Pastor emailed to Kluth.
One worldwide denomination signed a copyright agreement that will allow them to publish the booklet in up to 202 countries and 363 languages and other denominations are requesting to use translated copies around the world.
"This whole thing is a God-sized journey for us. We're doing our best to keep up with what how the Lord is using this book across the country and around the world," Kluth says.
Brian Kluth is senior pastor of First Evangelical Free Church in Colorado Springs, CO.
In January Kluth was honored by the Christian Stewardship Association as the Outstanding Stewardship Educator of the year award.
Kluth's web sites can be accessed at www.GenerousLife.info and www.MAXIMUMgenerosity.org.
This book is not a best seller because individuals are buying it. It is a best seller because churches and other non-profits that want more money are buying it and giving it away to prospective givers. If you go to their website you will see that the book is being marketed mainly to churches.
Don't be surprised when this book is the topic of a sermon series in your church or in your next small group lesson.
Pay as you go salvation scam.
"anytime you get 100,000 copies of any book into the churches, you're making some impact. Doing so in a 9-month period is spectacular."
But is it a good impact, or a bad one? Ephemeral or a lasting impact? I remember when Robert Schuler gave out millions of copies of his self esteem book. I even got one, and my only claim to fame was subscribing to Christianity Today. More recently Rev. Rick's Porpoise Driven stuff comes to mind, showing up in garage sales everywhere.
My guess is this is just the latest evangelical fad.
I wonder if he used the pyromarketing thing.
Wow I can sanctify myself in this area in 40 days! How wonderful and easy!
Bah.
AND let me guess — the first line is “what you think you own is only on loan” Right, RIGHT??? [:-D
I browsed through a PDF version of this book. It appears to be Biblical BUT also pragmatic and program focused as much a scripture focused. There is a hint of quid-pro-quo but it is no where near what the Word-of-Faith prosperity pimps promote in TV land.
I would stay away from it, but don’t see it as near the danger of “America’s Pastor”. Some of the endorsements give one pause - Ted Haggard (forget his public shame - research his doctrine), Bill Hybles.
Must be a ‘gateway heresy’ book. :-)
Yeah I never did care for Haggard even before his peccadillos became public.
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