For the past (almost) 6 years, I’ve had a membership at a website called christianaudio.com. It’s an audiobook website focusing on titles centered around the Christian faith. The membership is $14.95/month, for which you get 4 “credits” in your account. The credits can then be spent on books as you like. (You can also purchase books outright if you’ve used up all your available credits). Depending on how long they are and how new they are, books tend to range from $7.98 (or 2 credits) to $14.98 (or 4 credits). Some short books are $4.98 (or 1 credit). Credits can be saved up and accumulated over multiple months if desired, and there’s also an option to purchase 8 additional credits for $24.95 at any time. In addition, there’s a free download each month, which might be a newer book being promoted by its publisher, or an older classic such as ‘The Confessions of St. Augustine’.

If one practices patience, there are some pretty good deals to be had. There are regular promotions where books on a certain topic (e.g., the reformation), or from a certain author, are offered at half price. And every June and December, there’s a semi-annual half-price sale on nearly everything.

I’ll admit that the site features some titles popular among the evangelical subculture that, like the evangelical subculture, often have little if anything to do with actual, biblical Christianity. But there are plenty of solid theological and biblically orthodox titles to be had.

One of the things I appreciate most about christianaudio.com is that the books are in a standard, non-DRM’d, MP3 format, so once you download them, they’re yours, and you can listen to them wherever and however you want. There are apps available for streaming your purchases, but I much prefer storing and listening to them locally. That approach also provides insurance, allowing you to have the books backed up locally in case christianaudio.com ever goes out of business.

I mostly listen in the car, usually copying 2-3 books at a time to a re-writeable CD. I’ve found that it’s far more edifying to my head and my heart than the radio (whether that be classic rock, talk radio, or Christian radio). Sometimes I’ll listen at home as I’m cooking or cleaning, instead of having the TV on.

As believers in – and followers of – Jesus, we’re to be growing in knowledge, in wisdom, and in maturity, becoming more like Him each day. The world would pull us away from that end. But as it says in Romans 2:12, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”