|
So you made it through all 1,189 words and are hungry for more? You're curious about the stubborn bikerider, the array of seductive hitchhikers, the mysterious riding partner, and the twists and turns of the tale. You want to know more about the past, present and possibilities of this modern day fable. You've come to the right place. On this site you'll find all kinds of challenging new ideas, thought-provoking quotes and verses, and even some ways that you can help spread the potentially life-changing story of Once Upon a Tandem . And thanks for going the extra mile to explore this site. Your next step should be to ask yourself which of your friends, colleagues and relatives are still riding solo.
Okay, so someone told you about the story and you're curious. Or you heard it used as a sermon illustration and you want more details. Or you heard the story on the radio and you want to read it for yourself. Curiosity is good. It might be God making you spiritually thirsty, and reading Once Upon a Tandem may quench that thirst (or more likely it will make you hungry for more). In any case, don't stop here. You've come this far, so our recommendation is for you to get a hold of the book and read it. Buy it. Borrow it. Go the bookstore and just stand in the aisle and read it. It'll only take 4 1/2 minutes. (Then, of course, you'll want to buy it to read again or pass on to a friend.) In any case, on this website don't expect to find the complete text or all 49 illustrations from the book. (Sorry.) Because, practically speaking, in addition to spreading the story, we would like to sell a few copies. (We're actually thinking that many of the copies sold have a chance to be read be a dozen people or more.)
Many folks around the country are discovering that Once Upon a Tandem is good business. Maybe you're a bookstore owner who wants to ride the growing wave of tandem buzz. (Contact Jay, he'll make sure you're well stocked.) Maybe you're a radio station that wants to schedule an interview with the author or request one of our limited edition CDs that includes an audio version of the book and a scratch track of the song, “Once Upon a Tandem.” (Drop a note to contact @onceuponatandem.com.) Maybe you're captivated by Rex Bohn's illustrations and want to hire him for your next graphic arts project. See more of his work (and his other amusing illustration styles) at www.RexBohn.com . Maybe you're an entrepreneur that has a spin-off idea for extending the reach of the Tandem fable – posters, t-shirts, pins, bracelets, greeting cards, or other gift items. Also contact the author. Maybe you're a writer with your own idea for a similar book. There's some helpful info for new authors on the Howard website. In any case, don't hesitate to recognize and take full advantage of the business potential of the Once Upon a Tandem trademark. But just remember, if you do make a bundle selling the book or a spin-off product, it's all God's provision and not really yours to keep anyway. Tithe generously. Share extravagantly.
We do too. “Tandem” is a book that needs to be shared. Now, we realize it will never have the far-reaching scope of W.W.J.D. or The Prayer of Jabez. And, book sales will be a drop in the ocean compared to the Left Behind series. But, we have the sense that Once upon a Tandem may grab a niche of its own because it is simultaneously charmingly simple and yet marvelously complex. We pray that many people of influence (including you) see the potential.
An interim study for your small group. It's a spiritual diagnostic tool. Go through it with your small group and have each member rank where they are on the road of life. Take a week off between your regular studies, and just spend an hour or two debating the twists and turns of the Tandem fable. You'll initiate some great discussion and you'll find out quite a bit about where your members are spiritually. (And, really, you only need one copy and you can pass it around.) Read the fable to your child. It's a bedtime story for kids from 4 to 10 years old. Talk about the meaning behind the story. Ask them about the characters. Ask questions: Who's on the bike? Who are the hitchhikers? Who's the last hitchhiker? Why didn't the bike rider hear Jesus whispering from the back seat? Why would Jesus ever take you down a bumpy road or through a dark tunnel? Who is steering your tandem? Your kids just may open up like never before. Youth Pastors/Teachers, Get Creative! It's an event. Have one of your more outgoing students ride a tandem bike right into the middle of your community center. Then act out the entire fable. Identify the many nasty, dangerous, and alluring hitchhikers that can so easily distract our youth. Improvise a drama that has students as hitchhikers. Have some be invited on to the back seat by the driver. Have some con, seduce, or fight their way on. You can easily label those hitchhikers: sex, drugs, alcohol, varsity sports, extreme sports, the media, honor roll, eating disorders, parental expectations, and more. Your teens will cheer when Jesus finally climbs on. And they'll be moved when He takes the front seat. You can go through the entire
book in one evening. Or break it up into a month long series. Or maybe even plan a bike ride or bike overnite with your group, stopping along the way to read from the book and discuss it with the riders. You may even want to produce your own video of “Once Upon a Tandem. (We'd love to see the finished product.)
Parents, leave a copy out for your teen to find It's a foot in the door. Set the book on the kitchen counter. Your teenager will find it and read it. And they'll totally get it. Won't that make for a great conversation? Pass the book on to a friend. It's an outreach tool. Buy a couple copies to give away. Or better, lend out copies of the book and tell each person you need it back in a week. (That gives you an excuse to follow up!) Give the book to your pastor. It's a thank you gift. If Once Upon a Tandem has meant something to you, don't you think there are others in your congregation that also would love to be challenged by the story? Your pastor might choose to make it the core theme of an entire sermon. Or at least it can be used as an illustration of how all of us need to surrender to Jesus. Your pastor will appreciate the thought – and the easy-to-read length won't disrupt his busy schedule. Keep a copy for yourself. It's a reminder. The book is worth reading every once in a while, just to remind ourselves of all Jesus did for us, how he saved us, how he lives in us, and how we need to be strong for the journey. Re-read it often. You'll pick up something new each time you do. Share the story on the air You may have stumbled inadvertently onto this website, but there also may be a reason you're here.
Are you looking for guidance? God has a purpose for your life. “The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
Are you looking for truth? God wants to give you answers. “If you need wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask him, and he will gladly tell you.”
Are you hurting? God wants to comfort you. “I will turn mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.”
Are you confused? God wants you to know and experience the truth. “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'”
Are you afraid your sins are unforgivable? God wants you back! “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Are you lonely? God will never leave you. “Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.”
Need to dig deeper? Read the Gospel of John. Read Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, Chapter 5 through 7. Read some of Paul's letters to the early churches including Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. Find a local church that teaches from God's Word, the Bible. Talk to the manager at your local Christian bookstore. Read More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell. Listen to Christian radio. Find a good station at christianradio.com. (And, oh yeah, if you're still not sure why you ended up on this website, maybe it's because you're supposed to read the book. ) |
