Thanks for the recommendations!

It saves not having to sort through a lot of “stuff” at Koo-Wrong

Also, for what it’s worth, I happened to be in Koo-Wrong last week and checked the pricing of some of their Mathias Media materials. I noticed that most of the “Gudiebooks For Life” series were $2-$5 more expensive than MM sells them!
- I guess that illustrates your point about popular versus quality eh?!

Not to knock the big “K” altogether, we do get our Vegie Tales CD’s from them. So they do have some value…

Al.

Amen to that, Lionel!

May I suggest that we suggest or, if we are in the position of making the decision, promote strongly to our congregations these 3 excellent book sellers?

Many people just don’t think to go to these due to the fact that a well known bookstore in Sydney has such a large percentage of the market.

I’d love to shop at Moore Books &/or The Reformers’ Bookshop, but they have practical limitations that mean that I end up going to their less theologically discerning competitors.

Firstly, location. I live in the west, but shops are in the inner-city. Thus getting there, finding a park, and getting back, takes up a fair chunk of your day.

Secondly, they’re only open from 9-5 on weekdays, so there’s no way I, or most others in secular employment, can get to them during opening hours.

Remember all the 3 bookshops offer mail order service if you know the book you want - i have ordered on line and on the phone and got the book the next day

Thanks for your helpful comments! Just to reassure you that the parking is usually pretty good at Reformers. We’re at 140 Albany Road, Stanmore (on the grounds of Stanmore Baptist Church). Just park out the front and follow the signs. We’ve taken on board your comments, and are going to trial a new opening hour to 7pm on a Thursday evening (from the 19th March). We’d love to meet and serve you in whatever way we can.

One note of caution: declining to stock books of some theologies is not in itself a virtue. As Chris pointed out, do we really want to be limited only to literature with Calvin’s stamp of approval?

Here’s a worse scenario: Let’s not be too hasty in promoting a narrow selection of books lest the helm of our local bookstore is taken over by a less reformed perspective.

Any of us engaged in evangelism or standing up for the gospel of grace have probably been labelled ‘narrow’ at some stage or other. In a ‘tolerant’ pluralist society, the exclusive becomes intolerable and we find certain names and terms used with contempt ... for example; our Lord’s name… ‘sin’... ‘judgement’...‘Calvinist’.

Our declining to stock some books is indeed a virtue, if those books, for example, deny penal substitution or the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures.

As Reformed-Evangelical Christians, we have a responsibility to ensure that the deposit of faith is faithfully passed on to the next generation. What’s more, we are called to be discerning (Eph 5:10; Rom 12:2).
Be that as it may, I’m surprised that it was suggested that Reformers is limited only to literature with “Calvin’s stamp of approval.” At Reformers, we do stock significant historic works, but we also carry many contemporary titles from numerous local and international publishers: Intervarsity-Press (IVP UK), Matthias Media, Crossway, The Good Book Company (Christianity Explored and Discipleship Explored, XTB, Explore…), Baker, Banner of Truth, Eerdmans, Evangelical Press, Christian Focus, Day One, Anglican Youthworks and Youthsurge, amongst many others.

Over the past year or two, we have added hundreds and hundreds of contemporary lines, and have also become the Australian distributor for the Good Book Company. We are not primarily an academic, course-text bookshop - as Lionel pointed out: Moore Books does an excellent job at that.

We make no apology for the good range of evangelical and reformed materials that are helpful and suitable for the wider public, and the LORD has graciously blessed our efforts.