I. First Key: People- build up a proper service group
A. In order for all the saints to get into the proper and ongoing burden for the ministry publications, there must be a group of saints who will take the lead to help the saints to enter into the burden and practice of reading and distributing
- The book service members must be burdened saints
- Assigning saints to participate is not sustainable
- Both brothers and sisters can serve
- Some leading brothers must also be involved for oversight and church coordinationB.
B. All those in the group must share the same burden—the promotion of reading and distribution of the ministry publications in the church
- The most important burden of the book service is not to care for the inventory of the books but to study and find a way to spread every book into all the homes of the saints in your locality and, once the books are in the homes, to find a way to deposit their contents into the saints’ hearts.”
- The book service “must encourage the saints in the localities where we serve to cultivate the habit of studying the truth.”
- “We also must have a proper heart and attitude in our way of doing business. We are not selling books like street vendors.”
- “You should urge the saints to have the books in their homes and encourage them to do their best to read them.”
C. Form the service group according to Br Lee’s principles on the formation of the vital groups
- Firstly go to the Lord yourself, regarding reading and promoting the ministry publications through speaking, posting, loaning, giving, and selling
- Pray for others with the same burden to join you
D. The book service group should be active like other church service groups, e.g., children’s work and young people
- Meet weekly to pray about the burden, read and enjoy the ministry together
- Fellowship about ways to promote the literature among the saints
- Provide “direction, encouragement, and incentive” for reading and promoting
II. Second Key : Products -set up a physical display of books
A. The three functions of a physical display
- A display counter for the saints to see the riches of the ministry-the primary function of the display is to provide a physical showcase of the books
- A library for loaning books– some of the books will be missing from the shelf some of the time. Consider two sets: one for display and another for lending
- A sales counter– you can fill out order forms for the saints and leave the books in the display, or you can give them the books they want and replenish the stock regularly by reordering them from the LSM. If you want to stock more than one copy of a book, order accordingly from LSM
- The decisions about how to loan and sell books will come out of your weekly prayer, fellowship, and experiences of reading and promoting the books
B. Living Stream Ministry has prepared four major display packages: basic, standard, enhanced, and comprehensive
- Sets A, B, or C are available for the basic, standard, or enhanced packages. The comprehensive pkg. contains all LSM books, including CWWN but not CWWL.
- You should be generally acquainted with the contents of each package, e.g., Enhanced A includes the entire soft cover versions of the Life-study of the Bible and Conclusion of the New Testament as well as the basic and standard pkg books.
- The book service should choose a suitable package or come up with custom-tailored sets for meeting halls, campus brothers’/sisters’ houses, meeting rooms, and saints’ homes
- Place orders with LSM for the church or the saints using a Display Set order form
C. Decide on a spot for the display : meeting halls, rented rooms, homes, public places using portable stands, and even retail spaces
D. Find suitable shelves, racks, and bookstands, both fixed and portable ,for the set. Order from the internet or purchase from local retail stores
III. Third Key: Programs- start implementing some specific ways to promote reading and distribution of the publications among the saints. Some possible ways are:
A. Initiate some reading schedules among the saints
- Whole church reading schedule
- Special one-time reading conferences or gatherings
- Internet reading, weekend retreat reading camp, etc.
B. Promote borrowing by actively going to the saints
- Pray and visit the saints the Lord puts on your heart, one by one, especially the young people and the new ones
- Loan a book (with your contact info on it) and make regular follow up appointments or read the book together over the phone
- Encourage them to make book reports or outline their reading with key points
C. Promote setting up displays in homes (for display, personal reading, or as a lending library)
D. Sponsor display racks or bookstands in public places like malls, airports (e.g. secular library in Taipei airport, JW book table in LA shopping mall), in front of retailers, metro and bus stations
E. Initiate mini-conferences or trainings to heighten awareness of reading through
- Outlines, video, audios, and live guest speakers.
F. Coordinate with LSM to “trumpet” new products and burdens
- Be a pattern by purchasing and distributing rainbow booklets and book bundles that are being sold at the Memorial Day and Thanksgiving conferences
- Set up and Promote the special sales: e.g. display packages, and CWWL
G. Promote the online training -FTTA-OL
H. Promote other internet activities (posting and sharing) related to the ministry publications
I. Consider other ways to promote reading, lending, giving, and purchase of the books