Daily Archives: July 28, 2016

I need your help

 

I have overcome my reluctance to directly ask for your help as one of the two thousand-plus readers  of this blog, all over the world.  I have launched a project that I believe is extremely important. But it can only have a significant impact if many others are willing to spread the word.

During the past six months I have written a book that I have called: Facing Doubt, and have given the subtitle: A book for Adventist believers ‘on the margins’. In recent years I have met, and corresponded with, lots of people—of all ages and many different backgrounds—who have given up on the Adventist version of the Christian faith, or are close to doing so. I have listened to, and read, innumerable stories of people who are deeply worried about current trends in Seventh-day Adventism. Many of those who are ‘on the margins’ of the church wonder: Can I, in good conscience, remain in this church or is there no other option than to leave.

In this book I do not hide that I also have many doubts and worries, but I explain why I have decided to stay with the church and to continue working for change in the church and encouraging those who struggle with worries and doubts.

The book is now ready. I am extremely pleased that the publisher processed this as quickly as he did. But there is a problem. The book has not been published though a denominational publisher, but by an independent publishing firm in the UK (though part of the edition is actually printed in the United States). This means that we have no easy access to the usual channels of promoting a book by an Adventist author.  The most important distribution channel will be Amazon.com. For the necessary publicity we must primarily depend on the blessings of the social media. Among other things I will use this blog, my Facebook page and a special page that is created for the book project. I make an appeal to all my Linkedin contacts, my Facebook friends and my blog readers to support this project. Many of you belong, I suspect, to the targeted group. Most of you, if not among the immediate target group, will have friends who are ‘on the margins’ of Adventism.

So, what can you do?

  1. Of course, I hope you will buy your own copy. You will find the details on the site of Amazon.com. When you go to that site, simply type in the name of the book [Facing Doubt] or my full name [Reinder Bruinsma]. The price is $ 14,90 plus postage.
  2. I hope many of you will also want to buy some copies for relatives and/or friends. If you want ten or more copies, you may contact the publisher (orders@flankopress.com). He will arrange for fulfilling your order at a good discount, depending on the quantity.
  3. Read the book, talk about this book with others, and (hopefully) recommend it!
  4. Point others to this blog by sharing it with others
  5. Visit my Facebook page [Reinder Bruinsma] this weekend and share the announcement of the book with your own Facebook friends.
  6. When you share the Facebook page, ask your friends to do likewise.
  7. Once you have read it, post a short review on the Amazon.com  site, or on the Facebook page that is devoted to the book [@facingdoubt].

Editions in other languages in preparation. The Dutch edition will follow in just a few weeks from now. But in order to realize other editions also, we first need to make a success of the distribution of the book in English.

Let me stress that this is not a commercial venture. I consider it rather as a ‘ministry’. It is my way of trying to have a meaningful conversation with those who are ‘on the margins’, hoping that it may help many to deal constructively with questions and doubts regarding our faith and our church.

May I count on your help?