Changes Ahead

Been in a Barnes and Noble or a Books-A-Million lately? While Christmas shopping in recent days, I've found myself in a couple of these stores. What immediately struck me upon entering the stores is that they are selling themselves out of business!

How? At the front entrance of both book chains, the Nook, an e-reader is featured prominently. Well trained and professional staff are hawking the e-readers (another version of the Kindle) to anyone who enters the store. Based on the people traffic, they were selling the Nook quite successfully. But as I watched Nook after Nook head toward the checkout, I could not help but think that this is the beginning of the end for traditional bookstores. In the long term, no one will need these stores to purchase an e-book. In the future, as more information goes digital, a bound volume containing paper pages may become more of a novelty than the norm. I recently spoke with a research librarian from the University of Tennessee and she said the majority of the books currently being added to the school's vast collection are now e-books. That is a major change.

Speaking of change, a Yellowbook phone book (the non-real, "Real Yellow Pages") arrived on our front porch a week or so ago. I can't remember the last time I used a traditional phone book. We just look numbers up online. Many people now use their phone as their phone book.

Here's The Point: Change is constant. It is to be expected. But for followers of Christ, we must remain grounded. Colossians 2:7 reminds us to be "rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith". As culture changes and we interact with that change, we must maintain our foundation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We may adjust methods of engagement and certainly must keep up with technological advances but the redemptive sacrifice of Christ must remain central.

Though Barnes and Noble or Books-A-Million may make a quick dollar now by selling e-readers, it will ultimately impact the future of their business. Similarly, if we as Christ-followers, in an effort to adapt to change, sell out to try to keep up with the culture, it will have a negative impact on the cause of Christ.