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Holy Roller

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By MICHELLE BEARDEN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 10, 2008

Jack Ryan is putting a new twist on an old saying.

"Build it, and they will come," he says of the mantra from the film "Field of Dreams."

"Well, we've built it, and now we'll come to you."

It's the South Tampa Free Christian Library, the area's first bookmobile stocked with faith-based fiction and nonfiction, DVDs and reference materials. This is just the first step of a much bigger plan, but we'll get to that later.

Jack, a manager at Famous Tate Appliance in Brandon, got the idea about four years ago after reading "The Purpose-Driven Life," by Rick Warren. Start a ministry, the book suggests. Do something of value for your community.

"Right there in my living room, with my small group from Davis Islands Baptist Church, is where it came to me," he says. "I decided to set up a library for our church. That seemed like a meaningful thing to do."

But he couldn't find a program to use as a model. He quickly discovered that few churches have their own lending collections. He finally got some assistance from a neighbor to the north, Idlewild Baptist, a megachurch with a respectable library.

Then another problem. "We love your idea, Jack, but we don't have the space here," church staff told him.

A few months later, opportunity knocked. Ballast Point Baptist Church, with a dwindling membership, offered its property and building to Davis Islands Baptist. Jack got space for a library at the new location.

Then the churches began to merge, with plans to relocate everyone to the Ballast Point sanctuary. Renovations got under way, so Jack's library ended up in a storage unit on Gandy Boulevard. He and his wife, Teresa, kept a list of the books, and when a member made a request, they would drive to the unit and search the boxes to find it.

Next stop: Save the monthly rental cost. The library moved again - to the Ryan household in Riverview.

"I love books, but not that much," Teresa says. "It got a little too crowded."

Last fall, the churches united under the new name, South Tampa Fellowship. With the combined membership, space again was at a premium. Jack and Teresa's ministry needed a new permanent home, but where?

He started thinking about a bookmobile. One that could serve churches, assisted-living homes, maybe even jails. But where would the money come from? He talked about the idea with a friend, who shared his zeal for the Christian faith and good works.

"How much do you need?" the friend asked. "It's yours."

The benefactor - who has asked to remain anonymous - made it possible for the Ryans to put the new plan in full-throttle motion. The first attempt to buy a bookmobile was a disaster. He found one in Dallas for the attractive price of $9,000 and made the deal. But after flying there and seeing the vehicle, he realized it was going to take a lot more money to be usable.

Jack talked to the manager of the dealership. This is not the vehicle your salesman pitched to me on the phone, he said, and I don't feel right about this. This is God's money, not mine.

The manager immediately refunded the money - and paid Jack's return airfare to Tampa.

Back at home, Jack was getting a little down. This ministry, born in his heart and with good intentions, was becoming a difficult venture. Maybe it would cost too much and not get enough support. Still, he kept on and started searching eBay for a deal.

And there he found it: A 30-foot bookmobile from the Wayne County Public Library in Wooster, Ohio. The last bidder had offered $3,200 - woefully lower than what the owner wanted. Jack called a local mechanic to check it out, then watched as the time ticked away. No call back. In the final seconds, he closed his eyes, said a prayer and typed in $3,600.

Bingo. Jack was the proud owner of a 1987 Barth, the "Rolls-Royce of motor coaches back in the day." It cost $63,000 new.

"Then the mechanic got over there the next day and said it was a steal," Jack says. "I took a chance, and it paid off."

The South Tampa Free Christian Library rolled into service last week, with Jack in the captain's chair and Teresa at his side. First stop was South Tampa Fellowship, where patrons checked out several dozen books. They will get a month to read them.

The plan is to visit several churches in the South Tampa area. Nursing homes and other venues also are being considered. The bookmobile stocks about 2,000 titles, along with a television so the kids can watch Christian videos, with room to add 1,500 more books.

Jack buys some new titles, but many are donated. They need to reflect a certain Christian doctrine; if Jack has any concerns, he checks them against reliable sources such as Moody Bible Institute, Dallas Theological Seminary and Lifeway Christian Stores. Not a single approved book is wasted. If there are multiple copies or worn-out editions, they will be donated to homeless ministries.

He admits his timing in launching the ministry was a little off, considering that gas prices have gone through he roof. The bookmobile gets a whopping 7 miles per gallon.

"If anyone has a gas station out there and feels like they want to help us out, we'll come on by," Jack says. He's not joking.

Fran Joseph, 81, and Jess Anderson, 82, of South Tampa Fellowship, are on the receiving end of the bookmobile's good intentions. Both avid readers, the women love the personal service that comes with a roving library on wheels.

"It's the answer to our prayers," Jess says. "It's not easy getting to the library at our age and walking up and down the aisles trying to find a Christian book. Here they're all in one place."

Although Jack's idea is geared toward Christians, there's no reason why other faith groups couldn't pursue the same mission for their members. It's true - public libraries don't carry a vast selection of religious titles, and most churches, mosques and synagogues don't have the budget or space to house their own collections.

One day, Jack would like to open a free-standing Christian library, supported by donations and retail sales on the site. But for now, the bookmobile is his baby.

"Took us a while to get here, but now we're in business," he says. The moral of this tale: "If you've got a dream, don't give up."

For information on how to support the ministry or get on the revolving schedule, go to

southtampafreechristianlibrary.com or call (813) 924-8553. Take a tour of the bookmobile on Michelle Bearden's "Keeping the Faith" at 9 a.m. Sunday on WFLA-TV. She can be reached at (813) 259-7613 or at mbearden@tampatrib.com.

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