03/22/2010: "The Chain Book"

At a conference on the Gospel of John one of our team members purchased a copy of a book which presented the Gospel of Christ in an unique and effective way. He was so impressed with the book he decided to share it with a friend who, while a Christian, needed some questions addressed.

The team member felt it would be great if this book could be shared with many others, but he had only purchased one copy and really could not afford to buy a lot of them anyway. He was pondering over this perplexing question when a solution dawned on him. “If they can do it with chain letters, why can't I do it with a chain book?” Thus, the idea of a chain book was born.

He rushed to his computer and printed a small label which read “Chain Book. See inside front cover for details” to place on the outside of the book. On the inside of a the front cover he placed a large label which read as stated in the column to the right.
The Chain Book
Once you have read this book (or even if you do not read it) do not throw it away or let it sit on your bookshelf. Instead pass it on to a friend. When you pass it on be certain to write your friends name and the date you pass it to them in a blank spot somewhere in the book.
When all of the blank spots are filled or when the book is in too poor of condition to pass on, please return it to:
Local Out-Team: Book ID: 0001
Community Bible Church
2001 Jodeco Road
Stockbridge, Ga 30281
If you wish you can visit our web site and register yourself as having read this book and who you passed it on to at: http://www.CommunityReachingOut.com
Now, this was a quite silly idea. After all, how many people would pass the book on after reading it? What nut would mail it back to the church? But the answers to those questions did not matter.

You see, the money on the book had already been spent. He had already committed to pass it on to one person, a person he knew would agree to pass it on again.
From that point what happens with the book happens. It would have already passed through three hands and there was a chance it would pass through many more. Who knows, one day several years in the future there is a chance, albeit small, that the book would be found in the church's mail box.

All the labels would do would be to encourage others to pass the book on. It would make them feel they were part of something and serving a greater purpose. Some people would get excited about having their name in a book which may be passed around among hundreds. Others would pray that the book would touch someone and help lead them to salvation.

Will it work? We have no idea. What we do know is that while the chances of success is small, should the effort not be made there would be no chance at all. For the cost of a couple of labels, it is well worth the chance.

We are preparing other chain books now.