As you may know, the Springs of Living Water Tape Library of Richardson Springs, California operated as one of the largest Christian tape lending libraries in the world, and it remains so today. With messages from hundreds of Christian teachers/speakers, many of which are well known, and on a multitude of subjects, this collection has significant potential to greatly benefit many, as I have been personally helped and encouraged over many years of correspondence with this ministry.
The Springs Of Living Water Tape Library ministry was started in 1968 by Bill Blackwood. He began recording the speakers that came to the Springs of Living Water Christian Conference Center in Richardson Springs California, and lending them out two at a time to people who wanted to borrow them. At that time he determined to make them available at no cost to our members, and so it remains today.
But of course there are costs involved. In fact it costs more to run a lending library than it does to sell tapes. This is so because of postage costs, record keeping, handling the tapes going out and coming in, replacement of broken or lost tapes, broken boxes, etc. Since there is no group or organization supporting or backing us, where does this money come from ? It comes exclusively from our membership. We praise the Lord for the generous support from our members that have enabled us to do this for the past twenty-nine years. To give you an idea of the costs involved they may be listed on the order form that you will receive with your tapes.
The mail ministry of the tape library was discontinued for some time after the Springs of Living Water ministry in Richardson Springs merged with YWAM (Youth With A Mission), and they concentrated their efforts in other areas. After a few years of relative inactivity of the library, in 1992 copies of the tapes remaining in the collection were offered to us, and after much prayer and I believe confirmation of direction from God, we accepted. Though saddened by the recent passing of its founder and director Bill Blackwood, I feel as if we are now picking up the torch, and that the Lord is also bringing this ministry into His Resurrection Life !
We have added our own collection and resumed the mail ministry of the Springs of Living Water Tape Library, later incorporating the Rheo Angelia collection as well.
Added to the tapes listed in the original SLW catalog is our collection, which includes small quantities from various speakers, with larger numbers of tapes from particularly Bob Mumford, Chuck Missler, Arthur Katz, Paris Reidhead, and L.G. Parkhurst Jr. (on the teachings of Charles Finney). Also included is a complete Dramatized Bible, music tapes and kids items many of which are single copy and not for sale (designated with a “^” or “NFS” in the catalogs), and other uncopyable items such as books and even Nintendo games.
A complete single volume catalogue will be generated when our collection is solidified.
We are also continuing the “revolving cassette plan” policy, whereby with your initial order you request and receive four tapes, then when you return two, we will send out two more (suggested lending period is three weeks, but we have no overdue fines or anything). This way you will have two in your possession at all times.
The complete catalog will be the result of the combination of three library collections, built from 1) the Springs of Living Water Tape Library at Richardson Springs Catalog Volume XIV with Catalog Supplement 1987-1, 2) the Rheo Angelia Tape Library of the Adobe Christian Center of Petaluma, California and 3) our own previous collection with new updates, most recently published as a Supplement to the SLW catalog, Volume XIV6e.
There is some new news which further complicates this task. The YWAM Battlecreek Mission Tape Library is now also discontinuing their mail lending and we'll be taking over the mail lending operation of their ministry as well.
We humbly request your prayerful support as we strive to effectively operate this ministry to build up our brethren in the Lord for His service through the wisdom, knowledge, experience and anointing contained in these messages.
Praise The Lord ! May God Bless you, strengthen and encourage you for His service.
