In February 2013, Lighthouse Trails began publishing Booklet Tracts, 12-16 page booklets, each addressing a different important topic. Our readers made it very clear that this is what they were looking for. Because the booklets are high quality, low cost, well-written, properly documented, and concise, they have been an affordable and an effective tool in helping to warn others about spiritual deception that has come into the church. And we have reason to believe that the tens of thousands of Booklet Tracts that have been distributed thus far are having an impact in the lives of many around the world.
Because we sell the Booklet Tracts at such a low cost, there isn’t a large profit margin so we are grateful to those who have made donations to Lighthouse Trails these last couple years, which have helped offset our costs for printing both the Booklet Tracts and the 2-year-old subscription-based Lighthouse Trails Research Journal, which now goes out to nearly a thousand people.
Below is a list of the first five Booklet Tracts we published. Since it has been two years since they were released, and because we have so many new readers coming on board all the time, we thought we would highlight some of these earlier booklets. For a complete list of our Booklet Tracts, click here. You can also read the full content of each booklet from our blog.
Booklet Tract #1: Lectio Divina—What it is, What it is Not, and Should Christians Practice it? — LECTIO DIVINA—There’s a lot of talk about it today; umpteen books are published and more are on the way about lectio divina; and an increasing number of evangelical/Protestant figures are writing about it, endorsing it, and teaching it. Some people think lectio divina simply means to read a passage of Scripture slowly (or “praying the Scriptures”) then ponder or think on that Scripture. That can be a part of it. But if you ask mystics or contemplatives what it really entails (And who would know better than they?), they will tell you that lectio divina (pronounced lex-ee-o di-veen-a) always includes taking a passage of Scripture (or other writings), reading it slowly, and repeating it as you work your way down to where you have just a word or small phrase from the passage that you are “meditating” on (repeating over and over). Basically, you are coming up with a mantra-like word or phrase that has been extracted from a passage of Scripture, which, according to contemplatives, if repeated for several minutes, will help you get rid of thoughts and distractions, so then, they say, you can hear the voice of God and feel His presence (going into the silence).
Booklet Tract #2: My Journey Out of Catholicism — Over the years, I have encountered many Christians who wonder, “What’s wrong with being Catholic? After all, they believe in the Cross; they believe Jesus is the Son of God. It can’t be all that bad.” If you are a Christian who has wondered about these things, this special testimonial report is for you. I was born and raised as a Roman Catholic, so I am writing of things I know about and lived with for over thirty years. From my earliest childhood, I had a hunger and a thirst for God. I largely attribute this to my mother who instilled in me the love and reverence for God that she had. Born and raised in Poland, she grew up Catholic, but when she was about thirteen years old, while kneeling in a chapel alone, she invited Jesus Christ into her heart to be Lord of her life. Just prior to this, she had lost both of her parents to mushroom poisoning.
Booklet Tract #3: How to Know When the Emerging Church Shows Signs of Emerging Into Your Church —
The world is changing. So is the Christian evangelical church. There was a time—not that long ago—when the Bible was considered to be the Word of God by the majority of evangelical Christians. Now that we are well into the third millennium and the post-modern, post-Christian era, the term evangelical can mean almost anything. What has happened? Why is this happening and what is the future for mainstream Christianity?
For the past several years, I have been speaking around the world on current trends that are impacting Christianity. After these presentations, I am approached by Christians who come from many different church backgrounds. Many are expressing their concerns about what is happening in their churches, troubled by the new direction they see their church going. While they may not always be able to discern what is wrong, they know something is wrong and that it needs to be addressed.
Booklet Tract #4: “I Just Had a Vision!” — Never in the history of our planet have so many who call themselves Christian claimed visions from God. Encounters with Christ, angels, demons, even saints long departed have begun to appear in book form, crowding the charismatic section of our local Christian bookstores. The popularity of visions never seems to wane, and the more a person has and the greater the scope, the quicker he is skyrocketed to Christian stardom. People with virtually no genuine theological training are suddenly propelled into the teaching arena, regaling vast audiences with tremendous accounts of their own spiritual derring-do. And while the stories continue to scale the heights of plausibility, an amazed public looks on, vicariously a part of the panoramic excitement and often with hands folded atop a closed Bible in their laps.
Booklet Tract #5: Setting Aside the Power of the Gospel for a Powerless Substitute — If I were to say to you that much of the church today has set aside the power of God, would you be shocked? After all, we live in a time where having the power of God in your life is a major theme preached from pulpits across the country. And book after book, sold in massive quantities, pour off the presses promising a special connection or intimacy with God that will revolutionize your life and make it more dynamic. Yet, I believe I can prove that in fact, the power of God is being laid aside, and I will tell you how.
For a complete list of our Booklet Tracts, click here. You can also read the full content of each booklet from our blog.
