Category: Howto

Introducing The Reforming Fundamentalists Blog Network

~ Bob Hayton ~ 1 Comment

Cross-posted from the group blog, Re-Fundamentals.org. This represents the latest version of what I started a long time ago with the Fundamental Reformers blogroll.

We now have The Reforming Fundamentalists Blog Network up and running. Past members of Transformed by Grace and fellow contributors of Re:Fundamentals.org were included as members of the network. Anyone interested in joining can visit the network page here on this site.

Please note, if you are listed as a member of the network, we would still ask that you please take the time to add the blog network to your blog sidebar.

The following is from the description of the blog network.

The Reforming Fundamentalists Blog Network is a listing of blogs maintained by people connected to the independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) movement. The IFB movement is widespread and includes a vast assortment of various fundamentalist camps. Most of these could do with some reformation. Some of the problems members of the network are standing against include: man-centered pragmatism; domineering leadership; emotionally-high, doctrinally-shallow preaching; rules-based, performance-oriented sanctification; and a lack of charitableness to other Christian groups.

Members of the network are at various stages in their journey with the Lord. Some work for change from within the IFB movement. Others view themselves as historic fundamentalists who embrace the fundamentals of the faith but not necessarily the fightin’ fundy mindset.

These blogs should all have some content devoted to the fundamentalist problem, but by no stretch do we think that members must all be crusader-blogs. This blog network is intended to spread the word about the new movement of young fundamentalists who care about the Bible and want to right the fundamentalist ship. The network is also about getting to know one another and sharing our common experiences. Often seeing what someone else went through and how similar it was to your own experience, can have a healing affect. It can also sharpen our thinking.

My hope is that continued interaction among the members of the network will help us realize Eph. 4:13-15: “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…. (ESV)”

Book Review Blogging Made Easy

~ Bob Hayton ~ 4 Comments

I’ve written before about how to get books for free by reviewing them on your blog. Since that post, more and more Christian publishers are starting up book review programs for bloggers. Rather than having to email publishers and plead for a book, they are soliciting you to join their book review program. That makes it easier to manage so I’m hoping more of you bloggers out there can take advantage of this. Reading good books is important, and promoting them on your blog keeps your blogging productive and helps publicize a good thing.

So here are the book review programs I’m aware of. If you know of others, please let me know, I’ll add them to the list. I’ll divide them up into those programs that send an actual book, and those that send a PDF copy. Note: click on the Publisher names to visit the book review program and join!

Physical Copies

  1. Thomas Nelson
  2. Bethany House
  3. Tyndale House
  4. NavPress
  5. Waterbrook Multnomah

E-Books (PDF) Copies

  1. Reformation Trust
  2. NetGalley — titles by Broadman & Holman, Moody, Barbour, and others

Personally, I prefer reviewing physical books. The NetGalley thing is primarily self contained. They want you to post reviews on their site. Reformation Trust will send you a hard copy of the book, after you’ve posted your review. For me it is hard to read PDF books, though. So unless I get a free Kindle sometime soon, I’m going to continue my slow progress on pdf book reviewing.

I hope the trend continues with more and more Chrisitan publishers opening up to bloggers. It creates great publicity for them, and exposes their material to many new readers. And it makes blogging a more productive and fulfilling hobby!

Update: WaterBrook Multnomah can be added to the list too.