Giving guests access to good books can help them to continue journeying as they explore faith for themselves. Here are some ideas as to the kind of literature you might like to make available:
Gospels
God speaks through his word so we want to get people reading the gospels for themselves. Having a copy of one of the gospels on each chair, or several on each table, means that people can easily take one home. The speaker may also base their talk on one of the passages, so can get each person to open up the gospel themselves during the talk.
Uncover
One-to-One ‘Uncover’ Bible study guides are a brilliant resource that introduce people to Jesus through the pages of the gospels. Available in many languages, they are easy for any member of the CU to use with those who show interest. You can provide training before the Events Week so that every member of the CU is equipped and excited to use ‘Uncover’.
Encourage people to start ‘Uncover’ as soon as possible. Why wait until the week after the Events Week if you can do the first one straight after a lunch event?
Bookstall
It’s a good idea to have a bookstall at all events. People who have been interested in what they hear can continue to investigate in their own time, by reading.
A few well-selected titles are better than having too much choice. Offering Bibles as well as books that address common objections can be helpful. Think about having books for the different people who may be at the event, especially those from other faith backgrounds or cultures.
‘10ofthose’ ship books across Europe and have put together special heavily discounted Events Week Book Packs. Contact Info@10ofthose.com and they will be happy to put something together to meet your needs!
It is good to budget so that you can either set a small cost, or give the books away for free.
The bookstall is often a great place for a speaker and a few confident students to stand at the end of the event. Helping people to think about the book they might like to read can open up fantastic opportunities for conversation.
At the end of each event you could advertise the bookstall and mention any specific titles that would naturally link to the subject of the talk.
Things to do:
Budget. Discuss how much money you want to set aside for buying literature and whether you want to offer books for free, or at a low price.
Speaker. Have a conversation with your speaker. Do they want to speak from one gospel in particular? If it is Luke, order Lukes!
Audience. Think about your audience — what book might they appreciate? Chat to your Staff Worker if you’d like advice about what might be appropriate and helpful.
Order. Order your books well in advance of your week starting!