My name is Chris Bartels. I know you represent some extraordinary Christian authors, and I certainly don’t presume to place myself among them. Over the past several years, however, I finally put years of Bible study and countless challenging conversations with friends into a collection of short books that grew out of my own desire to understand the difficult questions of the Christian faith before attempting to answer them for anyone else. After receiving encouraging feedback from a few readers, I thought they might interest you and be helpful to others.
I’ve been self-publishing in one form or another since the early 1990s, partly because I always dreamed of becoming a represented author, but mostly because I genuinely enjoy writing and seeing ideas take shape in finished form. In fact, in the early 2000s, I sold roughly 500 copies of my novel, Jake and the Eyes of Kek, through a single bookstore in Grand Marais, Minnesota. You may have heard of me :)… I thoroughly enjoyed the signings and readings, although I eventually had to admit I was losing about $0.34 on every copy. Even so, it was worth every cent.
The books I mention to you have never been traditionally published or meaningfully promoted, and each can be considered through a platform I created called Matter of Fact Books (https://matteroffactbooks.com). Below are the three titles I believe may be of most interest.
“If You Are an Atheist, Discover If You Are Certain or Merely Committed” explores why belief in an intelligent Creator may be far more rational than many people assume. It is written not only for atheists, but also for agnostics, skeptics, and Christians who want greater confidence that their faith rests on more than tradition.
Next in the series is “If God Exists, Which One Is Real?” It asks whether all religions ultimately lead to God or whether one truly reveals who He is. Rather than beginning with conclusions, it examines how religions develop, why billions embrace them, and how we might honestly evaluate competing claims to divine revelation.
And finally, although not part of the series, “Pride & Humility: A Biblical Investigation from Eden to Eternity” is probably the book closest to my heart. It follows the thread of pride and humility throughout the story of Scripture, arguing that true humility cannot be understood apart from Jesus Christ. More than a book about humility, it is an invitation to see Christ more clearly.
Thank you sincerely for taking a few minutes to read this note, Mr. Gates. If you think these books could be of value in some way, I would be grateful for the opportunity to talk.
Have a wonderful day,
Chris Bartels
Matter of Fact Books
c@cjbartels.com
—or—
cjb@matteroffactbooks.com
612 478 8047