Lifeway Christian Stores

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bookslover

Puritan Board Doctor
There is a Lifeway Christian Store (the chain is owned and operated by the SBC) near me. I went to visit a few days ago and discovered that it's closing (the landlord of the mall they're in declined to renew the store's lease). At one time, there were four stores in my general area. Now, they're down to two.

Since everything in the store is now 50% off, I bought myself a few Christmas presents (a few days late).

This is now the second Christian book store in my area (the other was a different store - not related to the Lifeway chain) - that has gone under in 2018. Amazon is a monster!
 
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bookslover said:
There is a Lifeway Christian Store (the chain is owned and operated by the SBC) near me. I went to visit a few days ago and discovered that it's closing (the landlord of the mall they're in declined to renew the store's lease). At one time, there were four stores in my general area. Now, they're down to two.

Since everything in the store is now 50% off, I bought myself a few Christmas presents (a few days late).

This is now the second Christian book store in my area (the other was a different store - not related to the Lifeway chain - that has gone under in 2018. Amazon is a monster!
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Not a free market guy I take it...
I think part of the reason is also that America's 'Christians' don't read deeply or rather, at all.
 
bookslover said:
This is now the second Christian book store in my area (the other was a different store - not related to the Lifeway chain - that has gone under in 2018. Amazon is a monster!
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And how many locally owned businesses has Lifeway killed off over the years, using the full weight of the Southern Baptist convention to crush local small businesses.

Your sympathy is misplaced here.
 
Bill The Baptist said:
Lifeway is overpriced and sells too much heretical junk. Good riddings.
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I've heard that their prices are high because that's one way the SBC has of funding foreign missions. Even when the store was a going concern, they had some pretty good sales.

And not everything they sell is heretical. The store that's closing has a complete set of Turretin and a complete set of Bavinck for sale, for example.
 
bookslover said:
I've heard that their prices are high because that's one way the SBC has of funding foreign missions. Even when the store was a going concern, they had some pretty good sales.

And not everything they sell is heretical. The store that's closing has a complete set of Turretin and a complete set of Bavinck for sale, for example.
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Theoretically, profits from Lifeway are used for missions, but since Lifeway doesn’t make much profit anymore, this isn’t really the case. SBC missions are funded almost exclusively from church contributions.

As far as what they sell, obviously it’s not all bad, but how much heresy does it take to poison the whole barrel? If your pastor only preached heresy one Sunday a month and the rest of the time was orthodox, would your church tolerate him?
 
My wife and I went to Lifeway for the first time this weekend while visiting family. I was surprised by the amount of solid books they have mixed in with the garbage. They were really overpriced but offer price matching. I picked up a copy of Valley of Vision and Beeke's Reformed Preaching as a gift to a local pastor. Back in Denver, we have a Mardels. I would take Lifeway over Mardels.
 
I buy kindle books from Amazon. Then I purchase books from booksellers/publishers that do not profit from heresy. I will not support businesses that attach themselves to something credible while undermining the very name they claim.
 
The last time I checked out Lifeway it was garbage in the front and the good stuff in the back.
 
It can be very helpful, and a great service to the church, to have bookstores that do some of the vetting for you so you can be reasonably assured that what you buy is theologically solid and pastorally helpful. Most Lifeway stores are not as rigorous as I might like in this regard. And Amazon, of course, is no help at all. This is why we all ought to support Westminster Bookstore. (There's my shameless plug for this month.)
 
While our church library had some iffy stuff, our bookstore was very good. Unfortunately it may be closed for a year or so for a construction project.
 
bookslover said:
And not everything they sell is heretical. The store that's closing has a complete set of Turretin and a complete set of Bavinck for sale, for example.
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That store is a grand slam, then. Where I'm at I am lucky to find a Sproul or Grudem.

Lifeway has the full monetary support of the SBC behind it. It will be fine.
 
BayouHuguenot said:
Lifeway has the full monetary support of the SBC behind it. It will be fine.
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Technically, Lifeway is supposed to work like the Post Office. It is technically a part of the SBC, but it is intended to be completely self-supporting. This is why they are closing so many stores. Considering that the SBC is continuing to slash funding for missions due to reduced income, there is little appetite to prop up a failing retail arm.
 
Yes, it's true that there's junk mixed in with the good stuff. But, if you're discerning, you can find some worthwhile stuff in a Lifeway store. I feel bad for the employees who are losing their jobs.
 
JimmyH said:
+1 on that. I also support Reformation Heritage Books, and Banner Of Truth. If I have the option I'll buy from them instead of Amazon, or whoever.
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That's a good point. Do you think it's better to spend a little extra money and buy a book new, that way the publisher and store are making the money, rather than buying used?
 
Ryan&Amber2013 said:
That's a good point. Do you think it's better to spend a little extra money and buy a book new, that way the publisher and store are making the money, rather than buying used?
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Yes, I do like to support these Reformed publishers, and I will spend a few bucks more to do so, but sometimes the book is actually more reasonably priced at RHB, or Westminster book store, than on other websites. I'd hate to see RHB, WB, or BOT go belly up. What great Reformed literature they've provided, both current authors, as well as Puritans and others.
 
Ryan&Amber2013 said:
That's a good point. Do you think it's better to spend a little extra money and buy a book new, that way the publisher and store are making the money, rather than buying used?
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It depends on the buyer. What are his circumstances?

Myself, I always go to the Book Depository first. Free shipping around the world. To get even a tiny book sent here by RHB costs me $17 for shipping and handling.
 
If you want to help out a particular author or publisher, buy the book directly from the publisher. Usually, both profits and royalties are higher if you eliminate the bookstore.

Publisher prices for new books are usually pretty close to what online bookstores charge, though not always. Often, the main downside of buying directly from a publisher is convenience. Shipping time will probably be a bit longer. And you may have to find and navigate an unfamiliar website that doesn't already have your credit card on file.
 
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