They hand out leaflets on street corners. At first glance I wondered if the guy was a Jehovah's Witness as I passed by. He deftly handed me a tract for prayers without any sales pitch attached to it or missionary zeal.

Just a gift without strings attached. That much impressed me.

It isn't an actual Christian denomination. Rather a Christian outreach organization.

I took the leaflet of prayers, psalms, scriptures the man was giving away. It actually brightened my day a little to receive that.

Does anyone here have experience with Daily Bread Ministries? Good? Bad? Neutral? What was your takeaway? There was no pressure or sales pitch attached. Only a goodwill gesture and love offering.

They are conservative evangelicals. They are independent of one denomination but I know lots who use their material. They distribute all their books and booklets free. They produce, Our Daily Bread, which is a daily Bible study booklet. You can sign up and they will send it to you free with a study booklet every quarter. In England many people use their materials. They are not rabid evangelicals but still not pro LGBT. They seem to have a softer approach than some. They also have a TV and Radio program they broadcast worldwide. They don't ask for money which is a good thing.

When I was in college, various preachers throughout the state would come and preach in a busy square on campus. More often than not, they were the gloom and doom preachers with big signs (my girlfriend at the time got called "a slut" and was told she could "look forward to being Satan's sex doll" by one of them. I got off light and was only told I was going to fuel hell's fire when I died. I never get to do anything interesting...) who just seemed to be trying to piss people off. Unfortunately, by the time Our Daily Bread rolled into town, students were good and pissed off at Jesus. Our Daily Bread was sort of like the Gideons - mostly soft spoken, friendly people who genuinely just wanted to share their faith and help if they could.

Maybe the "soft" approach is the best one to take in terms of making inroads and creating the right impressions.

The other approach used on your campus irked and alienated. Didn't do anything to encourage or teach agape love.

I have a lot of respect for them. You'll find their "Daily Bread" devotional booklets on the tract rack of many Protestant churches, including some liberal ones. Everything is free.

If you want a good daily meditation, you can load their phone app for cheap or free (not sure). You can also organize a Bible-in-a-year (or two) into the daily meditation. which will be a mix of discipleship, doctrine, Bible knowledge, and so on.

Check out their "Discovery Series" booklets. Before the internet, I carried these in my shirt pocket, and would read them while waiting for a bus or a cashier line to open. They cover a wide variety of issues, from Bible studies to divorce, grief, financial problems, loneliness, mental issues, and so on. All available in print or on line.

While in waiting room of hospital today there was the very same pamphlet someone handed me on the street corner yesterday, arranged on an end table.

A man who was waiting there said his wife gets them at her local church and hands them out when she can.

Funny that I haven't really noticed them before now, if at all. He's being treated for skin cancer for the umpteenth time. He says its prayer that holds him together, in addition to medical advances in medicine. He's had a heart transplant, diabetes, and other ailments. Because of the heart transplant he's unable to have chemo, despite the cancer has gone to his lymph nodes.

So the radiation is not only treating the local skin cancer where it arises. It is also treating the lymph nodes in place of chemotherapy. All things considered he looks and sounds chipper. You wouldn't guess by looking at him that he's dealing with those maladies.

I have enjoyed reading the stories and things from Our Daily Bread. My grandparents used to have them around the house and I'd read them when I visited.

That's nice.

I really enjoy reading Guideposts. Have given them as gift subscriptions to family at Christmas.

Left the copy of Our Daily Bread on my desk at work this week. Must remember to bring it home next time I'm there. :-)

The problem with Guideposts is its legacy: Norman Vincent Peale and Christian-y "Positive Thinking," which is a cousin to Christian Science, both of which are spiritual descendants of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby and "New Thought." As a Christian, I do appreciate the value of the individual, personal growth and satisfaction, all that, but the problem with Peale is that he projected conversion as a "nice, but not all that necessary" sort of thing.

If you go into the Discover Series of Radio Bible Class ("RBC," the parent organization to Daily Bread) you'll see plenty on Christian living, but it is more Biblically referenced, and they do not water down the necessity of conversion (spiritual rebirth).

Confession: It's probably been decades since I've looked at Guideposts, so I shall, then Return and Report. My impression is that it was too rich on feel-good spirituality.

"Feel good spirituality?" What is wrong with that? It sounds like a positive approach to living to me.

Norman Vincent Peale was a good Christian, motivational speaker and writer. He lived the walk. There was no artificiality in his life or his conduct.

Don't compare him to Joel Osteen. Joel Osteen epitomizes the prosperity preacher. Peale did what he loved, and the money followed. He wasn't in it for the money. He was the real deal.

I used to get their booklets in the mail for free. I read through some of them and they seemed decent. I dont know why they stopped sending them. I guess they couldnt afford the postage and printing costs. They seem really sincere about their ministry.

They hire around 300 paid positions for the Michigan headquarters and outreach program. It's small for a worldwide ministry, but their money has to come from donations I would think as a not for profit. From PR newswire (Daily Bread is in 150 countries around the world.)

"Our Daily Bread Ministries is not funded or endowed by any group or denomination. Many people, making even the smallest of donations, enable the ministry to reach others with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible."

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rbc-ministries-becomes-our-daily-bread-ministries-300021161.html

We listen to their daily devotional each morning. It’s the same message as their daily published message in their pamphlet. A positive message for us to start our day and we’ve been enjoying it since leaving the church several years ago.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2018 11:47PM by orthus.

What broadcast are they on?

They have their own website or app for your phone where you can access the daily message. We just use our echo dot and ask it to play today’s “our daily bread”.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2018 10:21AM by orthus.

I have alot of respect for Our Daily Bread Ministries.

I have finished cancer treatments, but go back every few months to the cancer clinic for check ups.

The ministry places their Bible study booklets in several strategic places in the clinic where they are accessible without cluttering the place. There is a sign that says "FREE: Take One."

Cancer is a stress filled experience. I am sure that those booklets provide some comfort to patients and families that need comfort very badly.

But -- unlike the Morg -- they give the books out freely, with no strings attached. People can take one if they want, or pass the offer up if they prefer.

Actually, I sometimes read it while I am sitting around the waiting room. The booklets are well done, easy to read and alot better reading than some of the secular magazines they have hanging around.

I'm going through mine now.

I haven't been approached by these blokes in like forever, before Tuesday. And there he was, handing out the newest pamphlet and I just happened to be in his crosshairs.

The very next day at the cancer clinic there it was again, on the end table. Nothing like a friendly reminder to get my attention? I like they're not pestering either, or selling something.

Congrats on getting through your treatments and out the other side. Now that is no small undertaking. It is stressful. From Day One with the diagnosis, and what follows. One day at a time ...