Need a Book Title

[AFrazier]

Okay, this is an odd request, but a sincere one that I could use some help with.

I am well in process in writing a book that explains the dynamics of salvation; what it is, how and why it functions, etc. However, I haven't yet decided on an appropriate title for the book. So I was hoping that people interested in the topic of soteriology might be willing to throw some of their creativity into the ring and help me think of something catchy, but informative. I'd like the title to be clever, but to impart to a potential reader at a glance that this is a book that explains the mechanics of salvation.

Any and all suggestions given will be appreciated. Even if they aren't quite what I'm looking for, two separate ideas might lead to one final idea. So every thought counts.

Thanks in advance for all who choose to assist me.

 

[Greg J.]

Do you know what your book is about that makes it different than other books on salvation? It will help a lot to have a clear answer to this question. Note that you are allowed a subtitle to the book. e.g., Salvation: How it works.

You want the title to capture people's interest, so perhaps the title could be based on the most common question people ask that your book answers. You can also consider metaphors for what the book is about, as long it is easy to see the connection to what you mean.

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. ... (Psalms 127:1a, 1984 NIV)

Ask Jesus what he wants the title to be.

 

[AFrazier]

Do you know what your book is about that makes it different than other books on salvation? It will help a lot to have a clear answer to this question. Note that you are allowed a subtitle to the book. e.g., Salvation: How it works.

You want the title to capture people's interest, so perhaps the title could be based on the most common question people ask that your book answers. You can also consider metaphors for what the book is about, as long it is easy to see the connection to what you mean.

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. ... (Psalms 127:1a, 1984 NIV)

Ask Jesus what he wants the title to be.

It needs to be to the point, catchy, but impart the understanding that this book is a full explanation on what salvation is, how it works, why it works, and why it had to be done the way it was done. The working title has been Salvic Theory (the correct word would be Salvific rather than Salvic), but it's about as dull as Salvation for Dummies or Salvation 201, and other similar concepts.

I could expand on your exempli gratia and call it Salvation: A Comprehensive Explanation. Or perhaps Christian Salvation: A Comprehensive Explanation. I suppose that either would sort of say what needs to be said.

Whether or not they are common questions, I can tell you that the questions fueling the work were my own. Almost from the beginning of my Christian walk, I would wonder: Why did Jesus have to die for us to be saved? Why couldn't God just say, "I forgive you," and let that be the end of it? Why all this business with sacrifices, with spotless lambs, with Jesus being the man-God version of the lamb? We know that animal sacrifices cover sin, but why did God require blood sacrifices for sins to be covered in the first place? We know that Jesus' sacrifice covers sins permanently, but why was his blood required to do that? Couldn't Jesus have just lived to be 120 years old, be in peace, be loved by everyone, and anyone who believes on him will have eternal life with him? I mean seriously, why did he have to die for it to all be accomplished?

Mainstream Christianity is awash with whats and hows, but the whys are not quite as plentiful. So this book answers the whys. Animal sacrifices covered sin because.... Jesus had to die on the cross for salvation to work because.... God was unable to just forgive us without blood being shed because.... And all these things together make salvation work because....

In fact, if not for leaving potential readers clueless about the content of the book, I would almost say that "Because...." is the perfect title, at least in concept.

If nothing else, you've already given me at least a base idea that is better than what I had. I'm going to temporarily upgrade the working title to Christian Salvation: A Comprehensive Explanation. It's not perfect, but it's a step in the right direction.

 

[Greg J.]

Where will the book be available? If all they are going to see is the title page, it needs to make them want to look at the back cover (or for some other further info). You can be provocative without conveying any error. "Jesus Had To Die," "God Chose Death For His Son," "Love That Required Suffering and Death," or "The Cost of The Life."

"Comprehensive" to me implies a scholarly work (which it may be), that has examined what "everyone" else has written and addresses all their points. You can convey something similar in other ways. "Salvation By Faith: Beginning and End" or "By Faith Alone: Alpha and Omega." If it is questions that you had, where did you get them?

In addition to a short subtitle, a 1 or 2 sentence explanation on the cover is often done. "Not By Works: How Salvation Works" with "A Step-By-Step examination of why Jesus had to die and how it saved us" on the cover.

"Comprehensive" implies dry and boring. If it is dry and boring, you can lessen it. Divide it up into tiny chapters and list them all in the Table of Contents. Make sure all the text flows logically from one point to the next so it is easy to understand and follow. Address important tangential issues on their own. It's hard work, but then it can be used like a reference with people turning to the places that sound interesting to them, instead of them putting the book down after 6 pages.

 

[AFrazier]

Where will the book be available? If all they are going to see is the title page, it needs to make them want to look at the back cover (or for some other further info). You can be provocative without conveying any error. "Jesus Had To Die," "God Chose Death For His Son," "Love That Required Suffering and Death," or "The Cost of The Life."

"Comprehensive" to me implies a scholarly work (which it may be), that has examined what "everyone" else has written and addresses all their points. You can convey something similar in other ways. "Salvation By Faith: Beginning and End" or "By Faith Alone: Alpha and Omega." If it is questions that you had, where did you get them?

In addition to a short subtitle, a 1 or 2 sentence explanation on the cover is often done. "Not By Works: How Salvation Works" with "A Step-By-Step examination of why Jesus had to die and how it saved us" on the cover.

"Comprehensive" implies dry and boring. If it is dry and boring, you can lessen it. Divide it up into tiny chapters and list them all in the Table of Contents. Make sure all the text flows logically from one point to the next so it is easy to understand and follow. Address important tangential issues on their own. It's hard work, but then it can be used like a reference with people turning to the places that sound interesting to them, instead of them putting the book down after 6 pages.

I agree with you on your first point. That's precisely what I'm trying to accomplish. If they'll pick it up and turn it over, the synopsis will say plenty to convey the content of the book.

I agree with your fourth point also. Comprehensive does sound dry and boring. That's why it won't work, though it was a step better than what I had, so it's a start, although you're right about the implication of the word. This is by no means a book that discusses every known theory on salvation. It is, however, comprehensive to itself. It discusses all necessary aspects of the salvation concept, if not necessarily everyone else's take on the same material. It's still dry, though.

No sure about the remainder of your point there. The book is divided into chapters, flows from one concept to the next in a logical manner, and I have taken great pains to keep it reader friendly with simple vocabulary and whatnot. Additionally, the book is short, so it doesn't require a great commitment on the part of the reader. Given the importance of the topic, I think it's something everyone should read (whether they agree with my conclusions at the end or not), but not everyone is a big reader. So it is long enough to be a book, but short enough that anyone might choose to read it.

I would certainly hope that the book will be available at any bookstore, or at least any Christian bookstore. However, it's only half done at present, with three of six chapters written, so I haven't yet marketed it to any editors or agents. I'm not even sure if that's required anymore. With things like print on demand and Amazon, publishers aren't nearly as necessary as they once were, and by extension neither are agents. An editor might be worth the time, though. I go by the rules for the Chicago Manual of Style, but that doesn't make me a grammar expert. I still respect a professional to get the material print-ready.

 

[Greg J.]

These days most publishers won't look at your manuscript unless you've published other books. The service they provide is valuable and they are struggling, so your book has to look like a sure money-maker, which means selling at a minimum of thousands of copies (possibly tens of thousands). Nothing will sell from just making it available to Amazon and bookstores. If you want it to appear in bookstores with Print-On-Demand, you will have to accept around 20% of the book's wholesale price as your commission (i.e., practically nothing). Be sure to consider making it available in a digital edition. Don't charge too little, since that implies the book is worthless. The cover graphic will need to be nice.

Start praying the Lord will distribute it widely and don't stop praying.

 

[Winken]

Okay, this is an odd request, but a sincere one that I could use some help with.

I am well in process in writing a book that explains the dynamics of salvation; what it is, how and why it functions, etc. However, I haven't yet decided on an appropriate title for the book. So I was hoping that people interested in the topic of soteriology might be willing to throw some of their creativity into the ring and help me think of something catchy, but informative. I'd like the title to be clever, but to impart to a potential reader at a glance that this is a book that explains the mechanics of salvation.

Any and all suggestions given will be appreciated. Even if they aren't quite what I'm looking for, two separate ideas might lead to one final idea. So every thought counts.

Thanks in advance for all who choose to assist me.

Embracing Truth: Salvation.

 

[AFrazier]

These days most publishers won't look at your manuscript unless you've published other books. The service they provide is valuable and they are struggling, so your book has to look like a sure money-maker, which means selling at a minimum of thousands of copies (possibly tens of thousands). Nothing will sell from just making it available to Amazon and bookstores. If you want it to appear in bookstores with Print-On-Demand, you will have to accept around 20% of the book's wholesale price as your commission (i.e., practically nothing). Be sure to consider making it available in a digital edition. Don't charge too little, since that implies the book is worthless. The cover graphic will need to be nice.

Start praying the Lord will distribute it widely and don't stop praying.

I will keep praying on it. And thank you. Money isn't the objective. I'd like to make something for the effort, and to fund other projects. But money is not the point. Disseminating information is the point. I have a lot of knowledge gained over many years, and it is my responsibility as a Christian to share what I've learned.

 

[AFrazier]

Embracing Truth: Salvation.

Thank you for the reply. Let me think on it. A Christian has already technically embraced the truth. The point is for them to now understand the ins and outs of that truth. So it might be more like ... Salvation: Understanding the Truth You've Already Embraced. If you catch my drift.

 

[Winken]

Thank you for the reply. Let me think on it. A Christian has already technically embraced the truth. The point is for them to now understand the ins and outs of that truth. So it might be more like ... Salvation: Understanding the Truth You've Already Embraced. If you catch my drift.

The context of that is Embracing Truth = Salvation (as in Romans 10:8-13). One who embraces that scripture is saved.

 

[Job8]

the dynamics of salvation

There's your title.

 

[AFrazier]

There's your title.

Hmmmmmm ... very good thought. Thank you. I had also thought to include either Christian or Biblical in there, so there would be no mistake. How about:

The Dynamics of Biblical Salvation

or maybe ...

The Dynamics of Christian Salvation

or perhaps even ...

The Biblical Dynamics of Christian Salvation

I think I like the last one. It says almost everything I want, and still leaves room for a subtitle if I want to be even more specific.

 

[AFrazier]

The context of that is Embracing Truth = Salvation (as in Romans 10:8-13). One who embraces that scripture is saved.

I agree with your thought. The short version doesn't quite say enough. The long explanatory version says too much. That's essentially the problem I've been having in coming up with something. I want it to say something very specific and unmistakable, but still be catchy and simple.

 

[Job8]

I think I like the last one.

There you go. Problem solved.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

The Title of the book should match the picture. Word and picture association is huge. For example: If the books title was "Salvation in a nutshell", one could have a picture of a cross lit up within the shell of a nut. Also, having a clever catch phrase that supports the Title at the bottom of the book will help, too. As for marketing: Think big. Hand out tracks that promote the book. Think about placing Google ads. Give out free copies of the book (Especially to Christian magazines and newspapers). The more people who see it, the more people start talking (on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media). Hire a person to fly a plane with a banner that has your book title. Do something unusual to gain attention so as to get people talking. Point people to buy the book directly from your website (i.e. to buy it from you - but thru Amazon - as a redirect link).

My only concern is that if you do not mention anything about the Sanctification process as being a necessary aspect of the Salvation process for the believer or if you are teaching that salvation is just the Sinner's Prayer and with a believer thinking they can get away with sin on some level (Whether it be one sin or a lot of sin), then your effort will not truly be blessed by God. I say this because most Christians today believe that a saint can sin and still be saved (Which is an ignoring of common basic morality or God's goodness and the Bible).


...

 

[Greg J.]

Christians can sin and still be saved, otherwise we'd all be lost. The way I put it is if Jesus isn't your Lord then he isn't your savior—"Lord" meaning one who has the right to tell you what to do and not do.

Not that the original question was intended to solicit ideas for the content, but I will mention that what the goal of the book means to me is that it includes the passages on how the Law revealed God's nature, and a part of it was the allowance for someone to be our Kinsman-Reedmer from the slavery of sin—what the requirements were for that and how Jesus fulfilled them. That's probably the most overlooked facet of the mechanics of salvation that I'm aware of. I explained the basics in another post in these forums: http://www.christianforums.com/threads/why-did-jesus-have-to-die.7476746/#post-69404777

 

[AFrazier]

The Title of the book should match the picture. Word and picture association is huge. For example: If the books title was "Salvation in a nutshell", one could have a picture of a cross lit up within the shell of a nut. Also, having a clever catch phrase that supports the Title at the bottom of the book will help, too. As for marketing: Think big. Hand out tracks that promote the book. Think about placing Google ads. Give out free copies of the book (Especially to Christian magazines and newspapers). The more people who see it, the more people start talking (on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media). Hire a person to fly a plane with a banner that has your book title. Do something unusual to gain attention so as to get people talking. Point people to buy the book directly from your website (i.e. to buy it from you - but thru Amazon - as a redirect link).

My only concern is that if you do not mention anything about the Sanctification process as being a necessary aspect of the Salvation process for the believer or if you are teaching that salvation is just the Sinner's Prayer and with a believer thinking they can get away with sin on some level (Whether it be one sin or a lot of sin), then your effort will not truly be blessed by God. I say this because most Christians today believe that a saint can sin and still be saved (Which is an ignoring of common basic morality or God's goodness and the Bible).

Christians can sin and still be saved, otherwise we'd all be lost. The way I put it is if Jesus isn't your Lord then he isn't your savior—"Lord" meaning one who has the right to tell you what to do and not do.

Not that the original question was intended to solicit ideas for the content, but I will mention that what the goal of the book means to me is that it includes the passages on how the Law revealed God's nature, and a part of it was the allowance for someone to be our Kinsman-Reedmer from the slavery of sin—what the requirements were for that and how Jesus fulfilled them. That's probably the most overlooked facet of the mechanics of salvation that I'm aware of. I explained the basics in another post in these forums: http://www.christianforums.com/threads/why-did-jesus-have-to-die.7476746/#post-69404777


...

I think I like what you gave as a for instance for the subtitle.

The Biblical Dynamics of Christian Salvation: Salvation in a Nutshell

That has a nice combination of serious and technical, mixed with something whimsical. Many thanks for that.

As for the rest, I do appreciate you doing your Christian duty by me in expressing concern about the content. Not to worry. It is one hundred percent Biblical in content. Everything is used contextually. It is essentially a collection of known points of doctrine, put together in a way that brings to light the hows and whys of their collective understanding. It is not, in any way, a book on why it's okay to sin. In fact, it speaks against it. It does speak to the sanctification process, as well as justification, though these topics are not addressed as individual chapters, but as integral parts of a parent topic. It also discusses the purpose and nature of the old and new covenants relative to the promise. It discusses the grand plan of salvation and the Lamb that was slain from the foundations of the world. And so on.

I will take a look a look at the link you posted. I'm interested to see what you have to say there.

 

[AFrazier]

Christians can sin and still be saved, otherwise we'd all be lost. The way I put it is if Jesus isn't your Lord then he isn't your savior—"Lord" meaning one who has the right to tell you what to do and not do.

Not that the original question was intended to solicit ideas for the content, but I will mention that what the goal of the book means to me is that it includes the passages on how the Law revealed God's nature, and a part of it was the allowance for someone to be our Kinsman-Reedmer from the slavery of sin—what the requirements were for that and how Jesus fulfilled them. That's probably the most overlooked facet of the mechanics of salvation that I'm aware of. I explained the basics in another post in these forums: http://www.christianforums.com/threads/why-did-jesus-have-to-die.7476746/#post-69404777

The confusion in the thread you pointed me to is precisely the reason I started writing this book. They were all discussing ancillary points rather than source points. What I have to say will resolve the question asked in the OP of that thread, and give the foundational reasons behind many of the answers that were given. And I very seriously doubt that anyone will disagree with the conclusions at the end.

 

[Greg J.]

Unfortunately lots and lots of people will disagree with you no matter what you write. People read the same passages and see completely different things. Our patterns of logic vary widely. On top of that, many hurt people (that would be all of us) subconsciously look hard for a reason to disagree to make themselves feel better, rather than kindly, generously, and lovingly support your efforts and point out all the ideas they agree with. (Interestingly, that stems from wanting to help other people.)

 

[AFrazier]

Unfortunately lots and lots of people will disagree with you no matter what you write. People read the same passages and see completely different things. Our patterns of logic vary widely. On top of that, many hurt people (that would be all of us) subconsciously look hard for a reason to disagree to make themselves feel better, rather than kindly, generously, and lovingly support your efforts and point out all the ideas they agree with. (Interestingly, that stems from wanting to help other people.)

I don't disagree with you. There are some people who are natural-born nay-sayers. But the A to B to C of this will make sense to just about anyone. The only negative feedback I've gotten thus far has to do with stuff they think should be added, rather than points they disagree with. It's not a book intended to argue or change existing doctrine. All it does is organize the pieces so people can make better and more confident sense of what they already know or have been taught.

And yet, despite that, you're still right. Someone will inevitably disagree, just because. I'm prepared for that. And I've already mentally shrugged it off. You can't please everyone.