
Jack Sharpe and his beautiful wife, Jean, spent Texas’s worst snowstorm in a hundred years in our cabin near our home in East Texas. I believe in divine appointments like Bill Bright used to call them. Jack and Jean spent the last twenty-plus years resurrecting books, the classics for kids.
So, was it really an accident we met? Heck, no! (Jack is in Texas for a couple more weeks. Now is a great time to invite him to your Sunday school class, book club, curriculum summit, or homeschooling event.)
Resurrecting Books
You know what a nut I am for books of any kind, but books that teach good old common sense values to kids? Along with accurate history. Appreciation for all the multitude of cultures mankind imagined over the centuries. Add to that respect for God. Oh my!
Naturally, I couldn’t wait to catch Jack and Jean’s story in an interview. Who are these people and how did they know children’s books needed rescuing back in the 80s?
Ironically, the Sharpes traveled to Texas to escape North Dakota’s frigid winter months. They are part of Bethlehem Books. Many homeschoolers will recognize Bethlehem’s name.
In this episode, I learn a new word, oblate. And Jack explains how normal people can foster community, uniting in spite of differences. Yep, he and his wife live in community with families who share everything and built a “rescue mission” for resurrecting classic literature. Amazing stuff! Find more Fireside Talk Radio podcasts.
Bethlehem Books
“For those of you who don’t know us—Bethlehem Books is a small, home-grown publishing company dedicated to restoring to children and families a treasury of wholesome, character-building literature. We are more than just a business. Our work springs from the heart of the Bethlehem Community of Benedictine Oblates, a lay group of families and single people which began in 1971,” reads Bethlehem’s opening statement.
With the Sharps close by, Dave and I took the opportunity to ask Jack lots of questions. Especially about creating community, while overcoming division. Almost instantly, we grew to respect the scholarly, yet practical way he thinks about faith. Plus, in a real boon to us, Jack showed David how to fix busted pipes.
All the while, Jean devotes herself to the many behind-the-scenes tasks necessary when rescuing classic children’s literature. With Easter around the corner, I like to think of her work as resurrecting books. (Find more on peaceful celebrations of Easter with DIY Stations of the Cross.)
Creating Community
“Actually, in the late 60s and early 70s when we began community was a buzzword at that time,” explains Jack. “There were all kinds of intentional Christian communities all over America. Dozens and dozens of them. We just happened to be one.”
The Sharpes live in a community of believers in North Dakota similar to L’Abri. (If you’re familiar with the work of Francis Schaeffer, you’ll know what I mean. The Sharpes even spent some time with the Schaffers early in their community experience.)
In the early days, Jean’s parents were simply hosting young people who stayed in their home. Originally, they came together to “try to live the Christian life 24/7.” For us, Jack explained why the idea seemed novel at the time.
Christian Beyond Sunday
“You know, for our church upbringing, you went to church on Sunday, you went to prayer meeting on Wednesday nights, and what did you do with the rest of the week to serve the Lord? That’s what we were up against.” As the ministry grew, they had up to 80 young people spread out among the homes of their members at any given time.
“Young people could come in, kind of try to live together, work together, sharing income,” reports Jack. “We were sharing our incomes, which was very radical, frankly, at that time.” (Find more on teaching kiddos the value of sacrifice.) After a decade, some of their members felt it was time to rethink their six months at a time commitment. Keep reading....