When it comes to our book marketing efforts, Jesus offers several practical steps.  (Mark 8:1-8)

“He told the crowd to sit down on the ground.” First, sit and rest. Stop rushing about. Stop trying every new marketing program that comes along. Stop opening scam-spam emails that promise instant best-seller success. Stop wasting money on promotional efforts that promise results. How can any group promise results without first knowing you, your book, and its quality? Stop. Rest. You are in the Lord’s house. You are the Lord’s house (1 Corinthians 3:16). Relax and reflect upon him and his words.

“When he had taken the seven loaves, Jesus gave thanks.” Second, give thanks for what you have. This is key. An attitude of gratitude nourishes our soul. An attitude of gratitude nourishes the seeds we’ve sown. Bitterness salts our soul and soil. Be grateful for the books you’ve written. Be grateful for the book you are writing. Be grateful for the author connections you’ve made. Be grateful for the reviews you’ve received, both good and bad. (There is almost always a nugget of truth in every negative review. Let us find those truths and learn from them.) Be grateful for past, present, and future book sales. Be grateful at all times, in all circumstances.

“Jesus broke the seven loaves.” Third, divide what you have. Do not hoard your harvest. We do not gather to store and protect, but to share. We can not give with clinched fists. Ours must be an attitude of open hands that generously give to others. If you have books sitting on a shelf gathering dust, ask who needs to be fed with an inspired word, story, sermon, or lesson. Then give away your book. Trust that the Lord of the harvest will provide more seed. No books gathering dust? Ask who needs to be fed with an inspired word, story, sermon, or lesson. Buy your books. Pay to ship your books. The prisons are filled with individuals who love to receive mail — and sometimes books. If you do not know of someone incarcerated, go to this link and simply search by your last name (as an example). Pick an inmate and ship a book.

“Jesus gave the seven loaves to his disciples to distribute to the people.” Fourth, ask your disciples to distribute your books to new readers. We cannot do all the work. We need help from others. We need our tribe of loyal supporters to join with us in our ministry. And yes, our writing is ministry work. In the same way you might ship books to an inmate, ask your disciples to do the same on your behalf. Ask them to share with others why you write for God’s glory.

“The disciples did so” Finally, follow up. Make sure your tribe of disciples have completed their tasks. Do not simply instruct, but also exhort, encourage, and praise. We lead by coming under and behind others with God’s Spirit of love, joy, and peace. Be a blessing to others and others will be drawn to you.

Be encouraged! Believe! The eyes of the Lord roam about the earth looking to bless and strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

The Lord remembers us and will bless us. He will bless his people. He will bless those who fear the Lord— small and great alike. May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 115:12-15)

Inspiration always precedes revelation.

Inspiration from the spirit of the flesh will produce one type of revelation. It may come as a surprising idea, shocking suggestion, or secret objective.

Inspiration from the Holy Spirit will produce a different revelation — one birthed in power and truth.

When Jesus asked Simon Peter, ““Who do you say I am?” the disciple answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

What birthed Simon’s response? Why did he answer in this way? If his intent was to flatter Jesus in order to gain favor, we would expect Jesus to rebuke Simon for his duplicity. But Jesus does not.

Instead Simon makes a shocking pronouncement and Jesus confirms his words. Simon declares that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Messiah that has come to save and liberate God’s people.

Where did Simon get this idea? How could Simon know this even as the Jewish leaders and teachers did not?

“This revelation was not given to you by the spirit of man,” Jesus said, “but by my Father in heaven. This truth he has revealed to you.”

Has God’s Holy Spirit spoken a secret word, a hidden truth to you with regards to your book?

Are you convinced that your writing is inspired or are you simply producing works based on your own flesh-spirit’s motivation?

That which God breathes life into will live — even books. He breathes life into dead bones, into bread, into wine.

If your words glorify the Father, bring them before Christ. Offer your works as a sacrifice. Give your best writing to the Father. Then ask that Christ bless them and breathe life into your books.

Simon became “Peter,” “Petros,” Πέτρος, a pebble — a stone to be tossed. And on this pebble Jesus built his Church. The Kingdom of God advances one word, one phrase, one truth at a time.

Be inspired. Believe!

When it comes to our book marketing efforts, Jesus makes several encouraging statements. (Mark 8:1-8)
“I have compassion for you.”

“You are with me.”

“You are hungry.”

“You are weak.”

“You have come a long way.”

Let’s explore how these five statements can lead to an expanded area of influence for us, an enlarged sales territory, and an abundant harvest, not for our benefit, but for his.

“I have compassion for you.” We do not need to beg Jesus to bless our books, our writing, our ministry of speaking, teaching, and preaching. He feels for us. He is sensitive to our circumstances. He is concerned for us. Because Jesus cares for our welfare, physical and spiritual health, and vocation, our Father in heaven is eager to give good things to them that ask. (Matthew 7:11)

“You are with me.” We can do a great many things on our own, but when we are with Jesus and in our Father’s will, we can do even greater things than Jesus. (John 14:12-14) Jesus said to his disciples, “You are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:20) “In that day (when we see Jesus in his risen-from-the-grave glory) you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”

What a tremendous promise and blessing! Jesus wants your books to sell. He desires that your influence for him grows. Our task is to make sure our hands and thoughts remain clean and pure, that there is nothing in our past or present that will diminish his glory by our actions. If there is anything in your past that needs to be confessed, healed, and cleaned, bring it to Jesus.

“You are hungry.” Those who are full and satisfied may not feel the urgency that comes with hunger. We do. We crave God’s blessings, his power, his purpose in our lives, his anointing. Those who are empty can and will be filled to fullness, pressed, shaken down, and running over into soaked laps. If you’re hungry for success, prepare to be blessed.

“You are weak.” The weak are blessed. God works miracles through those who are weak. “I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10) Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121)

No social media presence? No problem for God. His presence is with you.

No platform? Our platform is in helping our neighbor.

No agent? God is in the business of connecting us with just the right person at just the right time. (Genesis 24:12-16)

Those who are poor in spirit are blessed. Those too broken-hearted to hope are comforted. In the kingdom of our Father are all the resources we will ever need. (Matthew 5:3)

“You have come a long way.” You have done a lot, written much, tried many things. You are not at the beginning of your writing journey but far along the path. You have put in the hours to improve your craft, learned from others, and built relationships with established authors, agents and editors. You have invested much.

But what have you harvested?

If we have planted much, but harvested little. (Haggai 1:6), let us check to see if God’s holy temple, our bodies, remain in ruins due to sin. While each of us is busy with our own affairs, we should check to see if we have neglected to spend time with our Father. (Haggai 1:9)

We have come a long way. Let us come further and fall into the arms of Jesus. Let him cleanse us. Let him teach us. Let him guide us. Let him love us. Let him lead us.

Then expect the seed you’ve sown to produce a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was scattered. (Matthew 13:8) This is book marketing Jesus’ way.

Believe and be blessed!