It is not a frequent question, but sometimes people ask, AWhy do you charge for some of your tapes?@ The answer is simple enough. We charge for them so we can make them available. But before I elaborate on that, I really should address two scriptures that are sometimes advanced to suggest that one should not sell biblical materials.

The first comes from the book of Proverbs: "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding" (Proverbs 23:23). This passage is telling us to get hold of the truth and keep it. It means that we shouldn=t sell it in the sense of disposing of it. Taken too literally, this passage would even prohibit the selling of a book that discusses the truth or conveys truth. It would even prohibit the selling of a Bible. You would not even be able to buy a Bible because no one would be selling them! There is nothing in this passage to say that it is wrong to sell a cassette tape with a sermon on it. In fact, it plainly tells you to buy it if it is the truth.

The other scripture is from the words of Jesus:"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8 KJV). The first thing to know about this passage is that it is specific to the occasion. On this first Amissionary journey,@ Jesus is sending out the twelve with a restrictive set of instructions so they can learn some important lessons. To take an all inclusive and literal view of this passage and to apply to all the saints everywhere at all times would mean we could not take the gospel to the Gentiles. Here is what Jesus said: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not@ (Matthew 10:5 KJV).

What is of special interest, though, in this passage is that Jesus sent these fellows out broke, without a penny. The people to whom they were preaching the gospel were expected to support them: AProvide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat@ (Verses 9,10). When Jesus sent out the seventy at a different time, His instructions were slightly different, though He sent them out broke again. This time He told them to find a house where they were welcome and stay there: AAnd in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house@ (Luke 10:7).

What Jesus establishes here is that the teacher of the truth deserves to be supported by the people he is serving. And if they don=t support him he is free to go somewhere else (verse 10). But Jesus instructions varied depending on the circumstances. Later, sending out the same group He had sent before, He told them this: AWhen I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one@ (Luke 22:35,36).

So how should we apply the verse, AFreely ye have received, freely give.@ The answer is that we give as freely as we can. People can receive as many as six free tapes a month from this ministry, sometimes more. We have a weekly tape program so the scattered brethren will have tapes for the Sabbath and there is no charge for the service. And every new sermon or Bible study we do is first offered free of charge to our mailing list in letters sent out twice a month. Our children=s lessons are given free of charge to children who cannot afford them. In addition, we have a radio program that goes out daily in many areas, and that program is free to all who want to listen. On every program as it is aired, the listener has the opportunity to order a cassette tape of that program and one other tape or item of literature, all free.

Now here is our problem. We have on our shelves well over a thousand sermons and radio programs. All of them have been offered free in the past but to make them all available free of charge all the time would break the bank. Bear in mind that nearly 80% of the people on our mailing list have never given a dime to CEM.

We decided to take a page from a familiar Blue Bell Ice Cream commercial which said, AWe eat all we can and sell the rest.@ Our policy is to give away all we can and sell the rest. So we publish catalogs and flyers making our archive tapes available for a fee. We also have a policy of providing limited numbers of these tapes free to those who can=t afford them. Many other ministries also have backlogs of tapes available and they don=t sell them. But neither do they tell you about them. Keeping your tapes out of sight because you can=t afford to give them away does not seem to be a good example of AFreely you have received, freely give.@

So this is why we sell our archival tapes. We want to make them as freely available as our resources allow. We hope you understand.