The opinions of others who have used a resource can be most helpful in choosing what studies, books, curriculum, or videos to help you or your group along their discipleship path. Listed below are some places to find reviews of Christian resources.
Help others choose resources by writing your own reviews! During October, you could win a $25 Cokesbury gift card by submitting your review of a resource in the Media Center’s online catalog. One entry per review! See our contest announcement for details on how to enter.
NC Conference Media Center – Reviews in OPALS
Our online catalog has the capability for you to submit your own reviews and read reviews posted by our staff and each other. Click on the title of a resource and look for the Reader Rating on the right side of the page. Click the link to “Read User comments/rating” for the full review. If the item has not been reviewed in our catalog, you will see a link to “Be the first to submit a comment & rating.” You can see all of the items in our catalog that have been reviewed by going to the Reader Review page listed under the Home tab.
Your Church Library
Does your church library have a website? Check there to see if they post reviews of resources in their collection. For example, White Plains UMC in Cary does a great job of posting reviews of suggested reading on their church website.
Booknotes – Hearts & Minds Bookstore
Hearts & Minds is a Christian bookstore in Pennsylvania. The owner writes long and detailed reviews of Christian resources to promote the wide variety of items carried in their shop. Their newsletter often features new and old titles related to current events and the church year. Subscribe to their newsletter or search their website for a specific topic or title.
Englewood Review of Books
The Englewood Review of Books is a ministry of Englewood Christian Church in Indianapolis. They publish a blog and quarterly magazine that reviews Christian books that lean more academic or are intended for ministry leaders. Subscribe to their newsletter or search their website for a specific topic or title.
Christian Library Journal
This quarterly magazine publishes reviews of Christian resources that you would be more likely to find in a church library including Christian fiction, non-fiction, and inspirational titles for adults, youth, and children. Each review lists the relevant audience and a rating. You can browse the reviews by audience on their website or subscribe to their newsletter.
Christian Book Distributors
This retailer carries a wide variety of Christian resources for sale. They have a review feature on their website that allows users to write their own reviews. This website can be a good place to check for user experiences.
Amazon
Amazon carries many Christian resources and users often like to share their opinions. It doesn’t hurt to check here to see what they have to say. You can even find a list of their Methodist bestsellers, new releases, and top rated items.
Goodreads
Goodreads is a fun, social networking community for readers where you can keep track of what you have read, are reading, and want to read. Users are encouraged to rate and review what they have read. Even if you are not a member of Goodreads, you can search the titles and read the reviews.
Cokesbury – UMC Endorsed
Although the Cokesbury website does not allow for customer reviews, Cokesbury does maintain a committee that endorses resources for use by The United Methodist Church. The UMC-endorsed studies and curriculum pages can be great starting points for ideas for all ages. All endorsed resources carry the committee’s logo on the cover image. To find these resources in the Media Center’s catalog, search for UMC-endorsed with Anywhere selected in the drop-down menu.
Do you have suggestions to add to this list? Leave them in the comments!