Christian Library of Bakersfield opening by the end of 2024
Contact us today.
or
Email us your questions.
christianlibraryofbakersfield@
gmail.com
or contact Tom by phone or email
Tom's Cell 661-978-7359 tmgm814@aol.com
A Special Thank You To:
Our Home Church
Friends of the Library
Friends of the Library
Thank You Valley Babtist for asking our congregation to donate books to the Library. We have got some great books.
Including 150 brand new adult Christian novels.
Friends of the Library
Friends of the Library
Friends of the Library
Riverlakes has donated dozens of boxes of books for the Library. Thank you Matt and Angelo for your on-going support through book donations.
What A Blessing From God!
This Is 9-Year-Old Sophie
What a blessing I received Saturday. I heard the doorbell ring and
when I answered it, nine-year-old Sophie was at the door with her
arms full of books and a little pink bang full of coins she had been
saving to donate to the Library. Her mom said she does chores around
the house to raise money for the library. She is a caring young lady.
Thank you, Sophie, you have truly blessed my day!
Oh, the FAITH of a Child!
Join Us
Help Us Meet SeedCore's Matching Fund Grant
The SeedCore Foundation will give us a $13,000 Matching Fund Grant if we raise $13,000 in donations by December 31st. This will guarantee us to be able to open by the end of January. Help us reach this goal with a donation today. We have $8,155 to go. Thank You
Meet Our Founder / Director
The Library's Founder / Director Tom Martin and his wife Glynda They Attend Valley Baptist Church
Tom has been a Christian since 1977 and recently retired. Has been a minister for 35+ years and a lay minister the past 10 years. He served at the Solid Rock Foundation, First Baptist Church / Bakersfield Christian Life Center, First Assembly, Bethel Assembly, Arvin Assembly, and Twin Oaks Community Church. Many of you might know him from Martin's Stockdale Pharmacy. He was the youngest of the three brothers. He also worked at PartyWorks. The last ten years he has worked for JE Electric and Construction Services Inc as a project manager and bidder. He graduated from Bakersfield High School class of 1975. A graduate of Berean College with degrees in Bible and Doctrine and one in Ministry Studies.
Glynda, has been a Christian since a young age and is retired now. She has worked as a preschool director at Stockdale Christian Preschool, An elementary teacher at Bessie Owens and Standard elementary schools. She became the vice principal and principal at Standard Elementary. Upon finishing her masters she became an administrator for the Standard School District. She was the past board president for the Kern Reading Association, the Guild House and the Henrietta Child Guidance Clinic. Graduated from Taft High class of 1973. Earned a BA and Masters from CSUB. She currently volunteers for the Guild House.
"Study to show yourself approved unto God....rightly dividing the word of truth."
As Christians, we are called to study the Bible. To do this a person will often, use commentaries and other Christian books to help with understanding the Bible. These books help to give us a better perspective of verses in the Bible. Christians Library of Bakersfield will be a place where all people can access Christian books, from research books to general subject Christian books. It will be a place to sit and study. Or come and check out books to take home.
Christian Library of Bakersfield's Future Location
Opening date for the library is projected for before the end of 2024.
So please join us in prayer that we will find God's perfect location for the library soon.
You can make this library a reality sooner than
later by making a donation today.
We are a Federal 501c3 non-profit charity
Our mailing address is:
Christian Library of Bakersfield
8200 Stockdale Hwy STE M-10 #317
Bakersfield CA 93311
All Volunteer Staff
The Library will be staffed by all volunteers.
The Library is Tom's retirement ministry.
He is volunteering to set up and run the Library.
Tom welcomes anyone with a love of books and a need to give some volunteer hour to join him in this ministry
As soon as we sign a lease, we will need volunteers to start inventorying and labeling all the books.
At the present time, the library has over 8,000 titles.
Once the library is opened in later this year, we will need volunteers to staff the library.
Please join us in prayer that God will provide the
Volunteers needed for this ministry.
Ways to support the Christian Library of Bakersfield
The Christian Library of Bakersfield
is a Federal recognized 501c3 non-profit charity and a California Non-Profit Corporation.
As a Non-Profit Charity we accept and appreciate all donations for operating expenses. Donations given at this time will be saved for opening expenses.
We are also seeking donations of Christian books, bookshelves, tables, chairs, computer, printer, sign, etc.
Call Tom and he will pick items up.
661-978-7359
Please continue to join us in prayer for ongoing funding and donations towards the lease of a building, utilities, internet, or other expenses.
Our success comes from people like you getting behind the Library and investing in this special ministry.
Use the donate button in this website
or
Mail donations to our mailing address:
Christian Library of Bakersfield
8200 Stockdale Hwy STE M-10, #317
Bakersfield California 93311
Donate New and Used Christian Books
We need all types of Christian books especially Christian Children books. It is our goal to fill the library with all types of Christian subjects.
We need books on women's and men's Issues, marriage and parenting, Christian fiction, youth, all types of
children's books. We also need bibliographies, books
on theology, commentaries especially Old Testament. Books on individual topics like prayer, suffering,
Heaven, salvation, archeology, history, are welcomed
and would be a great addition to the library.
All donated books will be reviewed by staff members before being shelved for public use.
Drop off boxed books to be donated at the UPS Store in the Town & Country Shopping Center,
8200 Stockdale Hwy. Sp. STE-10,
at the corner of Stockdale Hwy. and Coffee Rd,
Book Selection
The Library's Book Selection will be made up of books supporting all Evangelical churches who believe and teach salvation by grace through faith in Christ's saving work on the cross.
Baptist, Presbyterian, Nazarene, Methodist, Mennonite, Evangelical, Congregationalist, Assembly of God, Independent Fundamental, Disciples of Christ, Missionary Alliance, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Community Churches, Church of God, Lutheran, Independent, Non-Denominational, Calvary Chapel, Pentecostal, Bible Churches, Foursquare, and Church of God.
AUTHORS
We have books from these authors and many more.
Charles Swindoll, Joni Erickson Tada, Charles Spurgeon, Warren W. Wiersbe, G. Campell Morgan, Ray C. Stedman, Max Lucado, David Jerimiah, Philip Yancey, Larry Crabb, Charles Stanley, C. S. Lewis, John Piper, George O. Wood, John Wesley, J. Dwight Pentecost, John R. Stott, J. Oswald Sanders, D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, James Montgomery Boice, William Barclay, R. T. Kendall, John MacArthur, William Hendriksen, John Philips, H. A. Ironside, N. T. Wright, Leon Morris, C. F. D. Moule, R. Kent Hughes, Darrell L. Bock, Manford G. Gutzke, J. C. Ryle, D. A. Carson, D. L. Moody, Jerry Bridges, J. Vernon McGee, Lewis Sperry Chafer, John Bunyan, J. I. Packer, William Law, A. W. Pink, Jonathan Edwards, F. B. Meyer, Charles C. Ryrie, G. Campbell Morgan, F. F. Bruce, R. C. Sproul, Chuck Smith, Donald G. Barnhouse, Charles, G. Finney, Charles, H. Talbert, Charles Hodges, Kenneth L. Chafer, Gorden Fee, C. Peter Wagner, John R. W. Stott, R. Kent Hughes, Charles Hodges, Martin Luther, J. B. Lightfoot, John F. Walvoord, Lloyd John Ogilvie, Charles R. Erdman, Kenneth S. Wuest, Donald Guthrie, Gene A. Getz, Larry Richards, David L. Allen, George E. Ladd, John Calvin, A. B. Simpson, Barnes, R. A. Torrey, A. W. Tozer, John Wesley, John R. Rice, Norman Geisler, J. I. Packer,W. A. Criswell, Henry Morris, Ken Ham, Duane T. Gish, Chuck Missler, E. M. Bound, Lee Strobel, Jay E. Adams, Greg Laurie, Josh McDowell, Francis A. Schaeffer, Andrew Murry, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Richard J. Foster, Beth Moore, Billy Graham, Watchman Nee,
Tony Evans, Randy Alcorn... and many more authors.
Mailing Address and Book Drop Off Location
Send correspondence to
8200 Stockdale Hwy. Ste M-10 #317
Bakersfield, CA 93311
This is our mailing address only.
Drop off boxed Christian books donations at the
USP Store at Town and Country Shopping Center.
8200 Stockdale Hwy. Bakersfield, CA.
"...Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is within you..." I Peter 3:15.
When Tom first entered ministry, he was not very prepared to answer people’s questions about the Christian walk.
He would have to let people know that he did not know
the answers to their questions. But he would always find
the answers. Because Tom didn’t have commentaries or research books to help him study the Bible, he would buy books on a specific subject and discover the answer for himself, as well as, for the person who asked him the questions in the first place. It was this zeal to learn that led to the start of his personal library. Tom wants to give a special thanks to Rev. George Carpenter who use to manage Berean Book store. He spent hours with Tom helping him learn and pointing Tom to the right books to read.
Tom's Ministery Path
Tom has served the Lord in a Coffee House Ministry called The Solid Rock Foundation. He worked with youth and single adults at First Baptist Church of Bakersfield, He received his license to be a minister and ministered at First Assembly of God Bakersfield, Bethal Assembly of God, and
Arvin Assembly of God.
He has preached in churches from Orange County to San Fransico. He has filled in for Pastors at various churches, has been an Adult Sunday School Teacher, also ministering as a Sunday Night Teacher and a Wednesday Night Teacher. Often Tom would be teaching several times a week. He was a Pastor, Junior High Minister, a High School Minister, Single Adult Minister, and as a Couples minister.
Tom was a credentialed minister with the Assembly of God of Southern California for 30+ years, until about 10 years ago when he became a lay teacher and worked as an electrician During this time, he continued to study, share his faith, and wait on the Lord. He strongly feels his next step in ministry, when he retired in April of 2024, is to start and run the Christian Library of Bakersfield.
It is his goal to help provide a place for learning
to support the Christians of Bakersfield in their spiritual growth from wherever they are in their walk with God.
Tom has always had a special place in his heart for
people entering the ministry, especially lay ministers,
and understands that having a place to study, having
a place where research books easily accessible to
make the difference in one’s Christian growth.
Tom and his wife Glynda currently attend Valley Baptist Church.
Our Events
We want to host a wide variety of events throughout the year, including author readings, book clubs, children's story times, and more. We eventually want to bring Apologetic Speakers to speak on our college campuses.
Host A Presentation
Invite Tom to give a presentation
about the Library.
Its goals and its needs.
He can come to your Church,
Life Group, Sunday School,
Bible Study, Office, Workplace, Breakfast, Luncheon, Dinner
or any other meeting.
call 661-978-7359 or email tmgm814@aol.com
Let's Make the Library Happen
Let's Make It Happen
Help us make the Library a reality, sooner than later.
Our new goal is to open by the end of 2024. This will only happen if people like you will help it to happen.
Please make a donation today.
Join us in prayer that our Lord will continue bringing
together those who want to see the Library a reality,
through donations and volunteering.
Help us by checking to see if your church would help us gather books. Call Tom today at 661-978-7359
I want to thank again Valley Baptist Church and Riverlakes Community Church for all the books they have donated.
A PlaceFor You To Strengthen Your Beliefs
What You Believe
Use the Library to reinforce your beliefs in God and Christ. and to explore and develop a deeper understanding of the many subjects found in the Bible. Most Christian churches believe much the same way in dealing with certain aspects of the Christian life. Beliefs like the virgin birth of Jesus, Christ living a sinless life, that Jesus died for man's sins on the cross, was buried and rose again after 3 days, that the Word of God was inerrant in its original manuscripts, and the Holy Spirit was given in Acts at Pentecost. But there are many other doctrines and beliefs that make up different denominations. The library has the materials you can use to explore these differences.
The picture to the right is a collection of books under the "VIEW" section. They compare different different views on subjects like... "4 views on the Millenium", "5 views on Repentance", the "3 views of the Rapture", The "4 views of the Seven Churches of Revelation", etc. They represent the 32 different views of some Bible teachings that make up the different Evangelical Denominations.
A Place to Help the Non-Christian Find Hope
A Place for Atheist and Agnostics to Find the Truth
If you have ever read any of the books about Atheist or Agnostic becoming a Christian, you will notice that they all had one thing in common. They had access to Christian Research Books. These books include works on the Church and Jewish History, Science, Creation vs Evolution, Biblical Archaeology and histories, books about how the Bible came to be, why Christianity is different from all other religions and the most important why does a loving God allow pain, suffering and evil. So, I am praying that we will be able to provide these skeptics with scholarly books on the subjects that will help to lead them to Biblical truths and to Christ.
Building the Book Inventory
Current Book Selection
Tom's goal is to ensure that the library is stocked with
Scholarly books that meet the needs of Christians in any Evangelical Church or Denomination.
This is an old picture of the storage space the books are stored in. We have added over 40 more boxes of books since this picture was taken. We are now pushing close to 10,000 books.
- You will find books from writers that are Baptist, Presbyterian, Nazarian, Methodist, Luteran, Congregational, Assembly of God, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Independent. Calvin or Armenian.
- There are books that discuss the differences between Evangelical churches.
- There are close to 1,500 commentaries on different books of the Bible.
- We Need Christian Children Books. For Our Book Selection, Getting More Children Books is the Priority
Join Us
Help Us Open the Doors With a Donation Today
Your donation today will help us meet our goals for opening the Library. We are a Federal 501c3 Non-Profit Christian Charity
Contact Us
Better yet, see us in person!
We are excited about the new Library and cannot wait for it to open by the end of 2024. Hope to see you there.
Christian Library of Bakersfield
Hours
The Christian Library of Bakersfield is projected to open by the end of 2024. Hours will reflect the needs of the community.
Contact Us
Better yet, see us in person!
We are excited about this new library and cannot wait to see you by the end of 2024 when the library opens.
Christian Library of Bakersfield
Location to be announced by the end of 2024
Tom Martin, Founder / Director 661-978-7359 Email address: christianlibraryofbakersfield@gmail.com
Hours
The Christian Library of Bakersfield is projected to open before the end of 2024. Hours will reflect the needs of our patrons.