Iconic artist is still drawn to Christian retail stores
Steven Curtis Chapman sees the work of Christian retailing as an ‘incredible privilege’

STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN shares his thoughts on Christian retail and this year’s Christmas release, Joy. Chapman has sold more than 10 million records, including two RIAA-certified Platinum albums and eight RIAA-certified Gold albums. He has amassed 46 No. 1 singles, 57 GMA Dove Awards; five GRAMMY awards, an American Music Award and more than 200 songs recorded on 17 original albums in his 25-year career. In 2013, Chapman will follow the Christmas release with his first full studio release of all new material since 2007’s This Moment.

You’ve been a songwriter and singer of Christian music for quite a few years now. I’m interested in finding out what a typical experience looks like for you when you walk into a Christian retail store.

To be completely honest, I always feel a little overwhelmed when I walk into a Christian retail store because I’m immediately reminded how many great books there are that I don’t have yet. It’s a little bit of a problem because I usually have a stack of books sitting on my night stand that I haven’t finished yet, but as soon as I walk into a store, I start wanting to add more to the stack. I’m a sucker for a cool cover. Then there’s the music and the video/DVD section! Seriously though, I am always encouraged to see and be reminded how many great resources are available to encourage people on their journey (OK, sometimes I covertly check to make sure they have some of my music in stock, too).

In your entire music catalog, which record or records do you feel were most embraced by Christian retail and why?

That’s a tough question. I’ve been grateful to hear stories of how each of my records have been used by God to encourage and minister to people in unique ways. I guess if I had to pick out a few, I’d say More to This Life was one that I felt was particularly embraced by Christian retail probably in part because that record had “I Will Be Here” on it. That song seemed to connect with many people and has been used in many weddings, which has probably brought a lot of people in looking for that song and that album, particularly before the iTunes era. Then I’d say The Great Adventure was another one that seemed to be very strongly supported by Christian retail. Why that was is hard for the artist to answer, but I’d say [it] was partly because of the excitement the song “The Great Adventure” itself created among Christian music listeners and particularly youth groups and church groups. I think records like that one and Speechless created excitement among my friends at Christian retail because of songs like “Dive,” “Fingerprints of God” and “Speechless” that really seemed to connect with people.

If you could offer any advice to the readers of Christian Retailing—many who are Christian retail owners and employees—what would that be?

I’d probably just want to encourage them to know how important what they do every day really is to the building and growing of God’s kingdom. I know it’s a business and work, but we have this amazing opportunity with what we do to point people toward the eternal and precious truth of God’s love and grace, expressed in music and books and, ultimately, the Holy Bible, and that’s an incredible privilege! I would just want to remind Christian retailers to never forget what a gift we’ve been entrusted with and know that what they do really matters.

Anything you want to offer to our readers that may or may not have anything to do with Christian retail?

As always, I’d just encourage them what I need to be reminded of everyday—we are loved more than we can imagine by the God of the universe! I’d also want to remind them that the One who loves us has entrusted us with gifts and abilities that we can use uniquely to worship Him and bring Him glory, and that is ultimately what we were made for.

The music industry has shifted quite a bit in the last 10-15 years. How has this impacted you? Does this at all influence what you’re thinking about writing or recording?

Well, I can tell you I’m more humbled than ever to still be doing it. I’ve been doing this for 25 years! Can you believe that? I started when I was very, very young, of course, a child prodigy of sorts you might say. Actually, no, I wasn’t. But I have been extremely thankful for the opportunity to record and release these 17 albums and counting. I still feel God has things for me to say and share, and I want to be faithful to Him in doing so. From the beginning my goal has been to know Him and make Him known, and I want to try to be true to the writing and storytelling God has given me to do. I plan to keep doing that as long as you’ll have me.

You just wrote and recorded a Christmas record called JOY. Tell us about it; what influenced you and a couple of your favorite tracks (and why)?

After recording re:creation, I wasn’t quite sure what next step to take in my creative journey. I started exploring the idea of writing and arranging some new Christmas music. I have to admit I was kind of surprised by the joy that began to surface in the process, considering the journey my family has been on these past four-and-a-half years with the loss of our daughter Maria in the accident. I think that I just started remembering my childhood and then really celebrating my family. Even as hard as things have been, and as bittersweet as it relates to things like celebrations and holidays, we have begun to experience that the sweet is starting to trump the bitter for us more and more each year. Christmas is becoming a less hard thing for us each year. It’s not that it’s easier to get through because we are forgetting. It’s like we can remember now without it just being so painful, and the memories can be sweet. So when I started writing these new songs I was really excited. I’ve written a couple songs on this Christmas record that sound like they could of come off a Nat King Cole record or an Andy Williams album. They sound like the old stuff that I love. One of my favorite Christmas songs is Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song.” I just love that song and I love the A Charlie Brown Christmas record. Joy has seven classics I’ve redone and six new ones I’ve written, and much of the album has that cool vintage sound that just says Christmas. I can’t wait for you to hear it.

You have a new studio record out in 2013. Can you give us a sneak peek at its theme? What can listeners expect?

It’s still a little too early in the incubation to share specifics. I can say I feel like God is giving me fresh things to say and I’m emerged by the music I’m writing and the ideas that are coming.

Read more of this Q&A at www.christianretailing.com/chapman.

Market for value-driven music and movies is still strong
Christian retailers must consider how best to appeal to wider community

“The digital revolution may not be as revolutionary as believed, according to a music survey that found listeners more in tune with friends’ tips and radio than blogs and social networking.”—Edna Gunderson, USA Today

Companies like The Barna Group, Nielsen and others track the things that make us tick, drive our passion and motivate us to perform one way or the other. They help us understand those we serve and those we seek to serve.

In The TRU Study 2012 of Christian Music Consumers, a division of TNS Custom Research, “Value Monitor” indicators rank the importance of Religion and Faith, the similarity of Worldview with our parents’ generation and Traditional values. All of these come out exceptionally high among Christian music consumers when compared to the country at large.

At the same time, the indicators also show we drastically undervalue the importance of clothes or products with a particular brand (equating specific brands with quality) and that we hold the value that “Success” means making a lot of money. The importance we place on happiness skyrockets on Religious and Spiritual Fulfillment and plummets compared to the general populace on “Partying” and having material things.

Commonly, our complaints align with others on daily life in regard to sleep, money and work. We chart highest on “not having enough time in the day” and “stress.” We are more likely to view our generation as “living in dangerous times” and less likely to view opportunity for the future and focus on goals against the populace as a whole.

For the under-30 crowd, the statistics show Christian music consumers foresee having kids as more likely than our peers and that they view themselves as less likely to get divorced, fired or to have multiple/many romantic relationships.

When we look for specific behavioral activity that affects the Christian industry and those we serve, NPD Group’s recent Contemporary Christian Music Executive Summary is enlightening. Of specific note, out of the estimated 15.5 million Contemporary Christian music fans, the highest degree of separation in TV viewing habits when compared with our non-believing neighbors is watching Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) and the Gospel Music Channel (GMC). Yet even the Christian community seems to follow the trends of our society and gravitates to Country (GAC) and family/kid-friendly cable networks such as Disney XD, ABC Family, Boomerang and Nick at Nite. Interestingly, Full House (ABC) is our highest-indexing show followed by What Not to Wear (TLC).

You may ask, “So, what does that mean to our industry, our channel and your customers?” What it tells me is that the entertainment category in our industry is increasingly important for stores to consider. Not only does it mean we need to continue to support core Christian artists and programs, but we need to recognize that society trends and demands—even among the church crowd—are looking for wholesome forms of entertainment in music and movies. We as an industry need to recognize this, embrace it and perhaps grow the relevance of our retail footprint in the communities we seek to serve.

The NPD study further reveals that customer’s magazine consumption indexes highest ministry favorites like Focus on the Family and Guideposts. In addition and not so surprisingly, Southern Living ranks high with our market. Our online habits trend comparative to users as a whole on the staples of Facebook, Bing, Google and eBay, while top indices for Christian consumers against the general populace is for Christian content found at Biblegateway.com, Christianbook.com and GodTube.com.

More than 50% of us communicate connect with friends, post messages and post photos through social networking sites. We play and sing with a band, write music and lyrics, and play musical instruments other than guitar more likely than others. We like to make records and videos as a hobby. We love to meet in book clubs. And, obviously, we like to go to church.

From The Barna Group we learn that radio still ranks highest for music discovery, followed by friend and relative recommendations. For product purchases, radio has double the impact of social media, while a pastor’s recommendation trumps them all.

Why is all of this so important in the Christian products industry? Because we need to understand exactly who our customers are, what makes them tick and what they value most. What will drive them into our stores to buy our products? You see, folks, our consumption of music and video in physical format is above trends in the general market, according to Nielsen’s comprehensive consumer survey, Music 360. Ergo, our customers still find physical Christian product a value.

Christian music fans skew toward females over 25. The majority of Christian music listeners live in the South in a four-plus member household with an average income of $45,000-$74,000. While the female buyer prefers Adult Contemporary/Pop, Males purchase Rock most often. Live music events are most attended by 18-34 year olds followed by the 45-and-older crowd. Teens up to age 54 are mostly likely to purchase T-shirts at a concert while 55 and up will purchase CDs/DVDs.

These are the people who are consumers of the products we create and sell. These are the hungry—looking for spiritual truth through many forms of entertainment. These are the sons and daughters of our Creator who are looking to raise their families and enjoy for themselves Christ-centered alternatives to what the world is offering. Like the study shows, they desire wholesome products from many providers and look for it in many areas.

The Christian products industry has always been and hopefully always will be a true source of solid products for adults and children alike. Our customers will have purchased 7 million units of music titles through the Christian retail channel as of press time, and we will see upwards of 6 million units of DVD/Home Entertainment.

Consider these statistics from some of our industry’s best-known brands and new releases making an impact this year:

• Courageous has led the charge with more than 500,000 units across the counter in its first four months and is well on its way to a million in sales.
• Our friends Bob & Larry and the VeggieTales release of Robin Good will scan more than 100,000 units this year.
• October Baby has made a big impact in the lives of our most defenseless, and sales continue to climb in only its first few weeks in retail.
• We have welcomed new, traffic-driving music releases from top-sellers Wow Hits 2012, TobyMac, Third Day, Kari Jobe, Mercy Me and Francesca Battistelli.

You see, we still serve members of a community that looks very much like our neighbors, yet has a worldview that draws them to the content of your store. We have traffic-drawing releases that are ripe for your customers and are exactly what they want—from a shop ethos based on values just like their own. So, don’t lose heart as technology innovations change seemingly at the blink of an eye. Know your customer and serve them! And, remember, as Mark Twain so eloquently stated upon hearing that his obituary had been published in the mainstream media: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

Defending the faith, thinking practically and looking up
Recommended reads for your business life

The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God by Lee Strobel (Zondervan, 978-0-310-24144-7, 2004).

This book has really helped me in strengthening my faith in God. There was a time when I questioned His existence because I was being bombarded by the “facts” of evolution and secular theories. I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking knowledge in defending his or her faith. 

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins Publishers, 978-0-060-57263-1, 2003) 

No matter how many times I read this book, I always reach a new revelation. Lewis uses practical thinking, which is golden in our world of philosophizing and over-analyzing. Pull out a pen, put on the audiobook and get ready to think!

Heaven by Randy Alcorn (Tyndale House Publishers, 978-0-842-37942-7, 2004)

Heaven is one of those books that can change the way you live. It is rare to find theological research on the topic of heaven. Based on Scripture and a life dedicated to the study of life after death, Alcorn paints a vibrant and tangible picture of heaven. For the first time, it's like heaven is a real place to me, not just some floaty, cloudy thing!

Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert J. Morgan (Thomas Nelson, 978-0-785-24939-9, 2003)

This is for every writer of any kind! It's a book of hymns, their history and their composers. There is something about a hymn that brings me to a simple appreciation for the cross, and learning about the struggles of their writers just gives me a deeper love for the Jesus they sing about. 

Fiction that draws on heritage of the American West appeals to men and women

Cowboys and Indians may be the stuff of Gunsmoke and Bonanza reruns, but readers may be hard-pressed to find Westerns in the Christian retail market—that is, Western fiction in the traditional sense.

The committee that oversees the Christy Award—the well-recognized honor given to writers of fiction from a Christian worldview—only offered an award in the Western category in 2002 and 2003.

“There simply weren't enough entries to have a viable category, especially compared to the other categories, so we moved westerns into historical,” said Donna Kehoe, executive director of the awards program.

The late Stephen Bly was dominant in the category then and was a Christy Award winner. His wife and other family members helped to finish his last novel after his death, Stuart Brannon’s Final Shot, released by Greenbrier Books in March.

Western fiction does seem to be experiencing a bit of a resurgence of late. A touch of romance seems to have enlivened the category—for female readers at least.

COWBOY CRUSHES

Charlene Patterson, acquisitions editor, fiction for Bethany House, finds Western a “difficult category to describe.”

“Some people define Westerns as primarily male-focused, with gunfights and sheriffs and battles with Indians, along the lines of the movies Open Range or 3:10 to Yuma,” Patterson said. “Others define Westerns as anything set on the Western frontier, like Love Comes Softy or Tracie Peterson’s current series, ‘Land of the Lone Star.’ We don’t think of ourselves as publishing Westerns at Bethany House, but we do publish many historical romances with a Western setting that defines the story.”

The Baker Publishing Group division doesn’t expect to publish many classic Westerns in the future, she said, because “they haven’t proven popular with our readership.” Instead, it is opting for “historical fiction with cowboys, ranches, frontier settings and, of course, romance will continue to be among the core type of book we publish.”

Two of the house’s relatively new, but increasingly popular authors in this genre are Karen Witemeyer, who, Patterson said, “uses frontier Texas settings in her books, and readers respond well to her rugged heroes and strong heroines,” and Mary Connealy, who is gaining a following for her “romantic comedy with cowboys.”

In Connealy’s fiction, “you’ll find everything from ranches to Indians to gunplay to rowdy cowboys in her stories, though they are underscored by humor and sweet romance,” Patterson noted.

Robin Lee Hatcher (Betrayal, Zondervan) observed that “women had a great deal to do with the settling and civilizing of the West. Romances are about hope for the future––and it was hope for the future that drew so many to begin again in the West.”

“The American cowboy has always been a strong romantic figure and history gives us endless tales of the resilient women who tamed the west alongside them,” said Regina Jennings (Sixty Acres and a Bride, Bethany House). “Expansive settings, determined characters and perilous journeys provide all the elements needed for a hearty romance. Besides, assumedly any bachelor living in town in the 19th century was either on his way to the altar or being stalked by mothers with marriageable daughters. In contrast, the elusive cowboy who wandered into civilization represented an unknown that sent hearts a-fluttering. He’s tough, he’s lonely … but he values his freedom. What woman could resist such a challenge?”

BRAND OWNERSHIP

When it comes to Westerns, branding doesn’t just refer to the practice of claiming cattle as the rancher’s own. An author’s ownership of his or her own brand may mean name recognition and higher sales, though some authors have chosen to stray off the ranch.

Abingdon Press has published two Western romance series by Shelley Gray (“The Heart of a Hero”) and Margaret Daley (“The Men of the Texas Rangers”), two authors who have written other types of fiction as well. Gray is known for her Amish fiction, while Daley has written romance and romantic suspense.

“Westerns have had limited popularity in recent years, so many writers have had other genres that have helped pay the bills,” said Ramona Richards, senior acquisitions editor, fiction, at Abingdon Press. But, she added, “specializing does help build the brand, and I am hoping to acquire writers in the future who specialize in this brand.”

Patterson of Bethany House believes strongly, though, that branding is key in Western and other fiction.

“Most of our historical writers stay within their genre and within similar story settings, which is something we encourage,” she said. “A brand is a very important thing. Readers want to know what they are getting when they pick up a book, and strong branding makes it easier for booksellers to make recommendations to their customers.”

SIX FEET UNDER

When Sherri Shackelford (Winning the Widow’s Heart, Love Inspired Historical) started writing five years ago, she was told the Western was “dead and buried.” But she believes that “the popularity of Christian fiction, especially Christian romantic fiction, has created a vast new audience for the Western.”

Darlene Franklin was “part of Moody’s reentry into fiction” with the six-book series “Texas Trails,” with books written by Franklin, Susan Page Davis and Vickie McDonough. With its stories spanning four generations of a Texas family, the series was published under new imprint River North.

“With the explosion of Christian romance in recent years, more and more authors are writing Westerns than ever before,” Franklin said. “Love Inspired, in particular, remains hungry for new voices with their expanded Historical line and the addition of Heartsong (formerly with Barbour).”

Abingdon Press is also seeing a significant number of authors who want to contribute to the genre, Richards said.

Perhaps Witemeyer (Short-Straw Bride, Bethany House) best sums up the state of Christian Western fiction.

“There are fewer new authors for true, non-romance-centered Westerns,” she said. “The market for these stories has been shrinking since the days of Louie L’Amour and Zane Grey. However, in the realm of Western romance, there are new authors being added all the time.”

HEROES AND VILLAINS

One critical element of the Western genre is setting.

“Setting is key,” Witemeyer said. “Texas, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado—places known for their cowboy heritage. Harsh landscapes that cause their own hardships for the characters add to the flavor of the novel. Horses, boots, guns—all necessary ingredients. However, the most essential element is a cowboy hero who follows the cowboy code: honor, chivalry, integrity.”

Victoria Bylin (Brides of the West, Love Inspired Historical) also believes a good western needs a strong hero.

“I want the hero to be brave, principled and strong in the face of danger,” she said. “In some ways, this is a statement of the Christian faith, and it’s why westerns fit so well in the inspirational market.”

Davis also sees setting as crucial, “whether it’s an accurate picture of a particular area and moment, or a representation of the average American’s idea of the West,” she said. “Personally, I need historical accuracy before I’ll dub a book a ‘good’ Western. But action is nearly as important as the setting. A slow-moving Western won’t make it in today’s market.”

Abingdon’s Richards points out that in a Western, “the West really must be a distinct third character, and an author should understand it as much as she/he does the hero and heroine.”

“Setting is often a villain in these stories as characters band together against the harsh elements,” Shackelford said. “There's a sense of wildness surrounding the Western genre—untamed people against an untamed land.” 

A BREED APART

As with any category, retailers familiar with the authors and the works themselves can build sales as they recommend Westerns to customers looking for a new read.

“Don’t separate out the westerns and send them to a little corner of their own,” Davis said. “There are many fine historical novels out there that happen to be westerns. Present them as the newest good book, not the latest western.”

Erica Vetsch (A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas, Barbour Publishing) offered several suggestions for stores, including posting author-comparison lists and appealing to women looking for a gift for their husbands, fathers or sons.

“Offer a classic movie night at the store,” Vetsch said. “Show a movie like Shane or She Wore A Yellow Ribbon or El Dorado, then over some refreshments, talk about some of the new western fiction in the CBA [market] and encourage the patrons to talk about favorite westerns, books and movies.”

Frontliners should take note of the two different kinds of Western readers before making their recommendations.

“Readers of straight westerns are a different breed than readers of western romance,” Witemeyer said. “With such a large percentage of Christian readers being women, the level of romance in a book might be a bigger selling point at first. However, if readers get hooked on the western settings and rugged heroes found in romance, they might be more open to the grittier storylines of the straight westerns.”

Overall, growing readership for the category may mean emphasizing the universality of its themes. Henry McLaughlin (Journey to Riverbend, Tyndale House Publishers) said he believes the genre can capture new readers “by exploring universal themes such as good and evil, right and wrong through interesting characters; themes that apply across all genres, by keeping the stories exciting through plot twists, character growth in responding to challenges and making the stakes as high as possible, including physical death or spiritual loss.”

Davis also believes the category has broad appeal.

“Western fiction resonates with many, many people,” Davis said. “Most Americans view the West as a vital part of our heritage, even if they are only familiar with it through films and television. Many of us can identify with one of the iconic western characters—the intuitive scout, the loyal cowpuncher, the troubled drifter, the determined pioneer. I don’t think this genre will ever go away.”

Getting back to the lost art of making disciples

Publish. The word is defined as “to make public, or generally known; the activities, process or business models of a publisher.” As publishers, we are in the midst of the most significant and rapid change this industry has ever seen. Dr. Leonard Sweet calls it “moving from Gutenburg to Google.” We all know the process and business models are changing at a mind-numbing pace, but the goal remains the same: take the messenger’s message and make it public or generally known. Still, some days it’s easy to feel like this challenge is new and unprecedented. It is, but it’s not. Let me try and explain.

I love to ride my Harley through the mountains of Colorado. Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Harley Davidson museum in Milwaukee, Wis. I was curious to learn the history behind this truly American success story. While there I found these words etched in display glass next to the first motorcycle they built in 1903:

“The pace of change in the technological progress in the final decades of the 19th century was dizzying. Electricity was tamed, the gasoline engine, the radio, the telephone, and dozens of new devices were invented in quick succession. Life in Milwaukee was changing just as fast. Having made its name from processing the fruits of the land, milling grain, packing meats, and brewing beer, the city earned a new reputation for making iron and shaping it into machinery. By 1900 Milwaukee had so many shops, mills, and foundries that it took the nickname ‘Machine Shop of the World.’ Aspiring inventors Bill Harley and Arthur Davidson were working in Milwaukee machine shops, both dreaming of building a motorized bicycle. They were in the right place at the right time to realize their vision.”

Those last two lines about bowled me over. Bill Harley and Arthur Davidson found themselves in a time very similar to our own. But they held fast to their aspirations and dreams and discovered they were right where they needed to be to see those become reality. But they had to stay with it and not give in to fear.

I couldn’t get away from the parallels for Christian publishing. As Christian publishers, we find ourselves moving at this dizzying pace, oftentimes not knowing the next best step. We’re all having to learn new ways of doing things, but our aspirations and dreams are constant: to make the message known. So the challenge for all us—from CEOs to copyeditors to online marketing specialists to authors and speakers—is to believe that we’re also in the right place at the right time, and if we’re faithful, the vision will be realized.

In some ways, it’s not unlike the time when Jesus prepared to ascend back to the Father’s side. I bet the disciples thought the pace of those days was dizzying and everything was about to change. What did Jesus do? He told them not to be afraid and then He told them His dream, His aspiration: that they would go and make disciples. He left, but He promised to always be with them and that His Kingdom would be realized.

Here at David C Cook, the process of publishing has changed, and we are diligently embracing the changes and new opportunities to do our part to equip local churches on a global scale, for making and teaching disciples who obediently transform today’s generations. That’s our mission, our dream, and we believe we’re in the right place at the right time.

When I arrived at David C Cook over six years ago, I had a word in my head I could not shake. I believed it defined our organization’s reason for existence. Today, I’m more committed to that word than ever because I believe it is also the primary purpose of the church. That word is “DiscipleShaping.”

I have to tell you that word came from a long season of wrestling to clearly hear God’s voice. I had been journaling for some time and I clearly remember writing down the question: “How am I listening to God?” I was convinced that God was trying to speak to me on a single matter, one focused on how God would have me best serve the local church on a global scale. This wrestling began years before I came to David C Cook. I knew God was preparing me for a change, but it turned out it wasn’t the change I was looking for. Deep in my spirit, I heard “No, Cris, you’re not listening.”

I’ll never forget that Thursday evening at the Opryland Hotel, after many months of intentional work to reduce the clutter of other voices from books, magazines, TV and newspapers, and all the music that surrounded me in those days. I had walked back to my hotel room and in angry frustration called out to God: “What are you trying to tell me, God? How much longer must I wait?” As I was heading home the next day, I made a quick stop at the office and received a phone call, one still I refer to as a “blinding flash of the obvious.” In order to do what I knew God wanted me to do, I was going to have leave my current position and my hometown and take the helm of a 135-year-old organization known as David C Cook. And this is where I would receive instruction on the word—DiscipleShaping—as God’s agenda for David C Cook.

If asked to define that word, I’d say this: DiscipleShaping is “to equip the Church with Christ-centered resources for making and teaching today’s disciples who obediently transform today’s generations.” Essentially we are here to publish leadership and discipleship resources to the Church with a capital ‘C’ through the church with a small ‘c’ on a global scale. We are focused on God’s great dream, the Great Commission: DiscipleShaping!

Things have not been easy these six years. We’ve been through difficult days like many of our fellow publishers, and I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of them. But each day begins with a choice: fear or faith. If faith is the essence of things unseen, then this time in the history of publishing is tailor-made for faith. Rather than give in to the pressures and anxieties, we’re fixing our eyes on Christ and taking each new step one day at a time.

We’ve been privileged to partner with such godly communicators as Francis Chan, Leonard Sweet, Tullian Tchividjian, Britt Merrick, James MacDonald, Stasi Eldredge and Becky Harling. These and others are helping us help them as we all do our part to publish—to make the message known. And its not just any message, but the good news, the joy-filled truth that God so loved this world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will never die but have everlasting life.

Is it a dizzying time? Sure. I’ve about decided it always has been. But the daily choice of faith over fear allows God the freedom to work through our efforts to bring transformation to a world desperately looking for a dream to believe in. And we have the distinct opportunity to present the message the world has always needed. It’s the right time and you’re in the right place. Don’t give up the good fight!

Helping parents lead their families

MICHELLE ANTHONY is family ministry architect at David C Cook. A wife and mother, she also serves as the family ministry ambassador for ROCKHARBOR Church in Costa Mesa, Calif.

In what ways has God specifically impassioned your heart for the family and today’s generation?

I feel impassioned that they would hear God’s voice in a personal relationship, and be able to discern His voice among all the other voices clamoring for their attention. I also long for this generation to have a desire to obey God’s voice when they hear it—aligning their will to His call. Lastly, my hope would be that children and families would learn to obey God in the power of His Spirit and the strength He offers, rather than merely adopting a “try-harder” type of Christianity. All of these things are deeply rooted in relationship rather than religious behavior.

Many people are describing the focus on family ministry in today’s churches a movement of God. Do you agree with this and why?

I do agree. I think that one reason we describe it as a movement of God is based on the breadth of it. Before there was a champion or before there were adequate resources, God was awakening His people to this passion all across the globe. There are churches and individuals in cities and countries too numerous to count with common language and vision for families—that’s a God-sized phenomena.

Secondly, I see this focus on family as a movement because of the depth of it. Partnering with parents in the current definition of “family” is choosing to walk into deep waters with them. I believe that out of God’s love and grace, He has initiated healing in our families. But, the issues facing the 21st-century family are something that only God can heal, and no clever program or eloquent author will be able to address the level of redemption that is needed without Him at the helm.

You seek to inspire the church and parents to each play their unique roles in passing on their faith to the next generation. How do you see their roles as distinct and as complementary?

These roles are distinct in that God designed the family to be the heartbeat of faith formation (Ps. 78, Deut. 6). The home was God’s design for faith to be passed on from generation to generation. However, sin corrupts and distorts God’s perfect plans for us, and parents, even in biblical eras, neglected to succeed in this endeavor. The church was commissioned to spread this good news and equip the saints to do the work of the Lord (Eph. 4).

Practically speaking, their roles are complementary in that both the home and the church are instruments of proclaiming Christ to a new generation. But it is the church that is tasked with making sure that our ministries strategically equip parents and grandparents to have the tools necessary to raise spiritually healthy families.

You have used the term “spiritual parenting” to refer to the type of parenting that we need in our homes today. What do you mean by this, and how does one become a spiritual parent?

Well, first of all, “spiritual parenting” is not perfect parenting. Often we think of something spiritual as something that is more holy. Yet, “spiritual parenting” is parenting with an eternal perspective—parenting with eternity in mind, rather than just trying to make it through another day. As parents, we can become consumed with the temporal things in raising children—household duties, meals, homework, errands, sporting events and so on. But, God calls us to see every moment as an opportunity to impact faith formation. He wants us to redeem the time for something greater than today.

We become “spiritual parents” when we align our efforts with God’s plan. We ask ourselves in every moment, “God, what are you doing in the life of my child, and how can I come alongside of that?”

What are some of the greatest challenges ministry leaders will face in faith formation of today’s generation? How can leaders overcome these?

Ministry leaders are dealing with extraordinary challenges in our churches today. There is an apathetic, and even antagonistic, condition in this generation toward the gospel. We are dealing with more addiction, depression and sexual promiscuity than the generations that have preceded us. The family unit is complicated and fragmented, and young people are busy, distracted and disengaged. All of these issues create an unbelievable vortex of complexity for ministry leaders who are often ill-prepared for this type of mission field.

The hope that ministry leaders will have in reaching this generation will be in joining forces in laser-focused efforts, that cross-denominational, generational and programmatic barriers to present the gospel authentically through discipleship. We will need to eliminate the excess in our ministries and become united and focused in order to have a lasting impact.

In what ways do you feel that the church has become misguided or distracted in their mission to a young generation?

We have become misguided in that we have not accurately understood how faith formation works. Unfortunately we got off track when we largely adopted a religious system in our Christian education programs and called that faith. We focused on a model that encouraged behavior modification through memorization, information and attendance, while often neglecting spiritual formation through genuine discipleship, inward transformation and community.

We have been distracted by preservation. When a previous generation seeks to “preserve what they had,” their eyes are focused in the rearview mirror instead of the windshield. The windshield shows us where we are going and is a bigger perspective. The rearview mirror is small and, while important, keeps us tethered to the past.

How can Christian retailers assist congregations who are making an effort to come alongside parents in learning to spiritually lead their families?

Christian retailers play a significant role in assisting churches, attendees and leaders in providing resources that are current and relevant to the topics that are most beneficial to the Christian community. Often retailers lead the way in helping churches to even understand what these issues are in the first place. The resources are important, but even further, retailers can hold book signings or partner with local churches for conferences and events to help promote conversations about the topics that effect leadership.

For the issue of parents leading their families spiritually, retailers can provide books, family night resources, as well as provide local opportunities that engage parents in a local church that might provide message series, classes and events to enhance spiritual conversations and faith in the family.

You are passionate about how we teach God’s Word to children. Explain how your approach can impact young hearts and minds and why it’s important to you.

I am passionate about God’s Word and its impact on children. I believe that it’s important for children to see the Bible as one story of love and redemption where God is the main character. Often, we teach His Word as a collection of stories where Moses is the main character one day and Peter is the main character another. In reality, those people merely play a supporting actor role in God’s big story, and when told in a chronological manner, we can ask ourselves at every page, “What do I know about God from this?” rather than, “How can I be more like so-and-so?” It is then that we begin to see ourselves as playing a part in a huge storyline that is still being written. This is important because one way will allow kids to understand history, while the other will engage kids to actually be a part of it.

Some have said that your concept of “creating environments” in their home is freeing to them as parents. What are these environments, and how do they bring spiritual health and freedom to parents?

The environments are described in my book Spiritual Parenting and really have to do with how we view our role as parents. If it is God’s role to do [handle?] the supernatural and bring about transformation in my child (at best, I can only control behavior), then it begs the question, “What is my role?” I see the role of parenting as one of creating an environment in my home where God can do what He does best—change hearts and lives.

It’s freeing because I am no longer the one trying to manufacture faith through good behavior or controlling circumstances, but rather focusing on a climate in my home that puts God and His character on display. My children simply get to live in the path of the divine, and it’s His divinity, through grace, that changes them.

What do you feel is the greatest obstacle in parents assuming their God-given role to spiritually lead their families?

This obstacle is multifaceted because there are many contributing factors, but the greatest obstacle is that parents are not awakened to this God-given role. Christian parents have historically felt satisfied if they dropped their children off at a weekly Sunday school program, led and taught a moral life, and included prayer at meals and bedtime.

Biblically speaking, a Christian parent is one who is actively engaged in spiritual conversations and teaching in every moment throughout the week, erasing the line between sacred and secular, while choosing to disciple their children in active engagement of spiritual disciplines, which include prayer, reading and studying God’s Word, service, community, confession and worship, just to name a few. Unfortunately parents are too busy and ill-equipped to assume this type of a role and will need the church to come alongside to help them, with God’s Spirit to become awakened [in them].

Read more of this Q&A online at www.christianretailing.com/anthony.

Managing our response to inevitable change

Paradigm shift, downsizing, long tail, “co-opetition,” change management—the buzzwords created and used in business today are just a way of helping us cope with and describe our response to the changes that are being thrust upon us. In spite of the last entry on the list above, many of the changes that life throws our way aren’t really manageable, are they? Instead, many times what we are forced to do in business, as in life, is manage our response to change.

I have been around the Christian bookselling world for more than half of my adult life (yes, I am over 40). Starting out in the early ’90s as a book buyer for an independent Christian bookstore was an eye-opening experience. The industry was in its heyday and Christian bookstores (we were still called that back then) all seemed to be doing very well. I was around during the “stack-’em-high and watch-’em-fly” craze all the way through to the “Just-In-Time inventory management” days (a much-needed change-response to bloated inventories and high-return rates).

In 2006, I moved to a new position with the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), where I learned that publishing and retailing are completely different worlds. That’s not to say that there aren’t competent, skilled, dedicated and mission-minded individuals in both arenas, only that the actual business processes conducted by each were completely different, and necessarily so. The lines that separated the two were distinct, the roles were well-rehearsed and executed.

Last year I made yet another move, this time to David C Cook. Designated the director of digital content, my new job included the role of “strategist,” someone who could evaluate all of the changes taking place and recommend a course of action, a change-response, to the rapid expansion occurring in the digital marketplace. It’s in this role that I can finally see the common change-response that publishers and retailers must adopt.

I propose that our common change-response should be as follows: To survive in the digital age, publishers and retailers must add value between the author and the consumer.

Consumers seek out value, plain and simple. Notice I didn’t say gimmicks and tricks, but true value. In publishing, that value exists in the way we connect content creators to our expert ability to help craft a story, design a product and bring it to the marketplace.

Retailers have the same challenge before them, respond to the change by leveraging the ways you add value to the equation. There are many ways a retailer can do this, and they are as unique as each individual market they serve. Having said that, I don’t want to leave you without some practical ideas of what this might look like.

Here are three strategies you might consider:

Dig deep. As a Christian bookseller, readers need to know that you are a content expert. Consider placing more emphasis in your store on merchandising hand-selected backlist and lesser-known authors. These titles can practically serve as an exclusive product, as you can be sure your digital competition isn’t doing anything to feature them.

Welcome the little children. The digital space just doesn’t have a good solution for delivering printed content to children. Besides this, kids are tactile creatures; it’s why we’re always telling them, “Look with your eyes, not with your hands.” Make sure your kids’ section is front and center. Let kids touch and then follow up those touches with a gentle nudge to mom or dad who will help them make that purchase decision.

Host the party. Some of my fondest memories as a retailer were the impromptu Bible studies, prayer meetings and discussion groups that would just “happen” in our store. This is really something I think Christian retailers should capitalize on—make your store the place for folks to gather. Be careful though, doing this intentionally means you cannot meddle too much in what it looks like. Instead, seek out “tribal leaders” in your community—people who are leading the discussions—and offer them your store as a place to visit.

It’s true that the digital shift has brought about unprecedented change. With that change are sure to come more adjustments to your product mix, but it should not affect how you add value—by intentionally loving and serving your customers.

Leading people, adapting to change and staying healthy

Launching a Leadership Revolution: Mastering the Five Levels of Influence by Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward (Business Plus, 978-0-446-58071-7, 2007)

Sooner or later, we are all called to lead in some capacity. Leadership skills are vital in corporate settings, small businesses, church or community organizations and even within the home. Brady and Woodward have recognized this need and have jointly created an in-depth, step-by-step guide for developing leadership skills.

Utilizing an abundance of historical examples, the authors have developed a unique five-step plan that charts a course for creating and maintaining strong leadership in any organization. The plan guides the reader through the “Five Levels of Influence”:

• Learning: a leader must be able to learn from anyone
• Performing: persevere through failure to find success
• Leading: extend your ability by expanding your team
• Developing Leaders: learn to trust your people 
• Develop Leaders who Develop Leaders: create a legacy

This book is full of prescriptive advice, quotes and anecdotes that illustrate the authors’ principles.

This is the best book I’ve read on leadership to date! It addresses the priorities and practical issues of what a leader is, what a leader brings to his team/organization, what a leader does and how a leader grows, all the while using historical examples from real people like Winston Churchill, William Wilberforce, the apostle Paul, Theodore Roosevelt and more.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey (Free Press, 978-0-743-26951-3, 2004)

Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, he reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, service and human dignity—principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.

When I first read this book as a young man, it completely changed the way I viewed managing time and leading people. This is an absolute must-read for future leaders. Just last week I gave this book to my nephew, who is a youth pastor in a small church in Michigan.

Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda by Henry & Richard Blackaby (B&H Books, 978-1-433-66918-7, 2011)

Drawing on their own extensive leadership experience as well as their ministry to leaders in all walks of life, the authors Blackaby offer insightful counsel into the ways God develops, guides and empowers spiritual leaders. Clear guidance is given as to how leaders can make a positive impact on the people and organizations they are currently leading.

One of the best reads on vision came from this book in the chapter “The Leaders Vision: Where Do Leaders Get It and How Do They Communicate It?” The other chapter that spoke to me was “The Leader’s Schedule: Doing What’s Important.” These two chapters alone were worth the price of the book!

None of These Diseases: The Bible’s Health Secrets for the 21st Century by S.I. McMillen, M.D., & David E. Stern, M.D. (Revell/Baker Publishing Group, 978-0-800-75719-9, 2000)

Asserting that the truth of the Bible holds the key to healthy living, None of These Diseases identifies how many life-threatening medical conditions could be prevented through living a committed Christian life and following the instructions in the Old and New Testament.

As a young man, the examples in this book of how we get and prevent diseases served to strengthen my faith in the creator God and validate the more obscure passages in the Bible, particularly in Leviticus. They also helped me understand the absolute and profound wisdom of God in the creation of the human race and how I could better care for my body as the temple of the living God.

‘Umbrella’ speculative fiction category covers the gamut from sci-fi to steampunk

Frank Peretti has been credited with starting today’s trend in Christian speculative fiction with This Present Darkness (Crossway, 1986), with names like Tosca Lee, Stephen Lawhead, Mike Duran and Jill Williamson following his lead, building the category that includes supernatural fiction as one of its offshoots.

Jeff Gerke, who founded a company that specializes in what’s come to be known as “spec-fic,” said that it is “an umbrella term that encompasses science fiction, fantasy, supernatural fiction, paranormal, time travel, superhero, urban fantasy, horror, alternate history, steampunk and pretty much anything else weird.”

The head of Marcher Lord Press said that “at least two subgenres” are added in the Christian market: End Times fiction and spiritual warfare fiction.

SUSPENDING DISBELIEF

“Both speculative and supernatural fiction ask the reader to suspend disbelief and engage with story elements that are outside the range of standard experience,” said Amanda Bostic, acquisitions editor at Thomas Nelson. “In spec, that may include the more fantastical elements of travel to alternate worlds, interaction with unknown species or the currently popular dystopian stories that imagine a future where society is vastly different than the one we know. Supernatural fiction involves a very specific suspension of disbelief in that the unseen in the spiritual realms becomes seen.”

Along with angels, evil beings, science fiction, fantasy, spiritual warfare and allegory, Julie Gwinn, marketing manager for fiction at B&H Publishing Group, observes that spec-fic may include “even the manifestation of spiritual gifts in the form of ‘powers.’ ”

Author Steve Rzasa (Crosswind, Marcher Lord Press) further explains the distinction between speculative and supernatural fiction.

“Supernatural fiction brings to mind works that take place in the here and now, but pull back the veil to reveal the workings behind the face of our world—angels and demons, yes, and all manner of spiritual warfare,” he said. “Supernatural answers the question, what could be happening that we don't see? Speculative answers the question, what if?”

GAINING GROUND

Speculative fiction has “massive” readership in the general market, said best-selling author James L. Rubart (Soul’s Gate, Thomas Nelson), who is hopeful it will grow more in the Christian market.

Author Kat Heckenbach (Seeking Unseen, Splashdown Books) notes that the genre appeals to readers from all walks of life: “You may think it’s the guy that dresses up as a Star Trek character at a science fiction convention—and you’d likely be right. But it’s also businessmen, homeschool moms, teens. The readers of spec-fic span so many demographics.”

John W. Otte (Failstate, Marcher Lord Press) agreed that there is a wide range of readers.

“While it may seem like this is a genre that would appeal mostly to men, I was involved with a blog tour and the participants were mostly women,” he said. “But the one demographic that this seems to appeal to most is young adults. If you go the Teen Fiction section in a bookstore, most of them would fall under the category of speculative fiction.”

With a middle-American mom as her protagonist, novels by Sharon Hinck (The Restorer, Marcher Lord Press, first published by NavPress) were “targeted at the core CBA readership of adult women,” she said. “I’ve had great response from this demographic, as they enjoyed an imaginative story and identifying with the main character. However, I soon learned that a strong secondary readership of teens enjoyed the books. After several book tours, lots of emails from readers and various speaking events, I’ve found many homeschool families seem to embrace speculative fiction—all ages in the family.”

Although early pioneers of spec-fic may include G.K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Madeline L’Engle, Bostic sees This Present Darkness as the starting point of the genre in the Christian market, but said its growth is hard to quantify.

“It’s difficult to put an exact figure on the growth since most reports don’t break out either speculative or supernatural as their own categories, but the number of titles that include these elements is a clear indicator of the interest in the genre,” she said. “The fact that supernatural fiction delves into the mysteries of our faith and can so easily be infused into other genres is a large part of the reason these novels have been of interest to readers for the past 35 years.”

However, Gerke has observed that some Christians—and not just readers—wish to avoid this category.

“In Christian publishing, there has been a resistance to speculative fiction by Christian authors,” he said. “I think this is due to the suspicion, in certain corners of Christendom, of magic. Publishers and bookstore managers—and the people who shop at those stores—may have had negative reactions to such things, especially as they had been presented in the ’60s and ’70s, so Christian novels that ‘seem New Age’ to those folks are looked down upon and effectively boycotted.”

While certain authors seem to “get a pass for some reason,” he said, “their popularity has not resulted in a warmer welcome for other books like those from different authors.”

Rather than the “bonnet and buggy” crowd, the reader who prefers Christian speculative fiction may be described “the Christian geek,” Gerke said. “I like to define the target readership for Marcher Lord Press as Christians who would go to Comic-CON if given half a chance. Christians who shop at ThinkGeek.com. Christians who watch Big Bang Theory. It’s essentially the Christians who love the same things their secular counterparts do—Star Wars, The Hunger Games, etc.—but who prefer to see it coming from the Christian worldview and perhaps without the objectionable content.”

In business now for four years, Marcher Lord is releasing its first hardcover Dec. 1, Vox Day’s Throne of Bones. Book one of a series, Throne of Bones is “the Christian answer to the epic fantasy of George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones,” Gerke said, referring to the novel on which an original HBO series was based.

“There is a market for this type of storytelling, and to make it work in CBA, we need to add biblical truth to these stories as the underlying thread that holds it together,” B&H’s Gwinn said.

MARKETING CHALLENGES

Works in this genre have often come from independent publishers or small presses, and fans often find each other online through blogs such as Where the Map Ends, The Anomaly or the Lost Genre Guild.

A former software developer, author Kerry Nietz (Freeheads, Marcher Lord Press) believes the genre has grown significantly in the last few years “because the delivery mechanisms—both POD [print on demand] and e-books—have become so much more accessible.”

The category seems to have a strong future, particularly considering the draw it has for today’s youth. Heckenbach, who teaches a creative writing class for homeschoolers teens, can attest to its popularity.

“All eight students are Christians, and six of those eight prefer to read and write spec-fic. I've found that pretty representative of the Christian teen writers I know in general.

“What is going to happen to the Christian market when all these teens grow up and flood the market with their manuscripts? I'll tell you what—those same once-teens-now-adults will also be taking active roles in publishing and marketing, and our footing will solidify because the demand will be taken more seriously by some real out-of-the-box thinkers.”

How deliberate development and thoughtful selling ensures this mainstay reaches readers

As the calendar turns to 2013, Christian retailers know sales of devotionals will likely hit their high point. Stores have additional opportunities to recommend devotionals to shoppers seeking gifts for Christmas as well as tools to re-ignite their own Scripture study. Store personnel who know the offerings and employ trusted sales techniques position their stores for the highest possible devotional sales throughout the year.

Many publishers see spikes in devotional sales for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduation, as “a lot of devotionals are bought as gifts, and gifts are a year-round need,” said Barb Sherrill, vice president of marketing at Harvest House Publishers.

Mike Scalzo, manager of the Family Christian Store in Altamonte Springs, Fla., observed that often a customer comes in looking for a gift and ultimately purchases a devotional as at least part of the gift.

“In my opinion,” said Ken Flanders, owner of The Olive Branch in Dublin, Ga., “there are two main reasons a customer comes in for a devotional book—other than people who read them regularly and are just looking for the next one. One is that they are hurting or know someone who hurts and they want something to help. The other reason is they are looking for a gift for someone and they want a devotional that’s entertaining in some way, whether it’s a sports devotional or has some other unique flair.”

Publishers continue to think strategically about what customers really want in devotionals. Marketing Manager April Kimura-Anderson reports that Tyndale House Publishers has “noticed an increased interest in devotionals that inspire people to slow down so they can experience God in intimate and deep ways. People are looking for a counterbalance to the constant demands of our instant, always-on culture.”

Bill Westfall, vice president of sales at Barbour Books, has seen customers connecting with all types of devotional titles.

“Some are author-driven, some are classic titles that have a proven track record, and … themed titles have done well, especially if they are targeted to a specific audience such as women and mothers,” he said.

Other publishing approaches are brand development, targeting niche readers, tie-ins to other media and best-seller reissues.

AUTHOR-DRIVEN

Among titles by notable authors is the Game Plan for Life: Chalk Talks Devotional (Zondervan, August). Author Joe Gibbs is a three-time Super Bowl champion coach and three-time NASCAR champion team owner. A companion to the Game Plan for Life NIV Bible, Gibbs’ devotional is designed for men of all walks of life.

For women, two new titles are offered by well-known authors. The Women’s Devotional Guide to the Bible by Jane Syswerda (Thomas Nelson), co-author of Women of the Bible, builds on the same five-day prayer-and-study approach used in Women of the Bible and provides Bible study strategies for busy women.

In the Stillness of Quiet Moments by Emilie Barnes (Harvest House Publishers) attempts to capture “two aspects of a woman’s day—her stillness and her quite moments,” which Barnes says are fleeting in the daily bustle of life.

Banking on her best-seller Unglued, popular women’s nonfiction author Lysa TerKeurst sees her Unglued Devotional: 60 Days of Imperfect Progress (Zondervan) release in December. TerKeurst has a strong platform as a national speaker and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Worship leader and best-selling recording artist Paul Baloche has penned thoughts and prayers that complement his album of the same name. The Same Love: A Devotion released last month from David C Cook.

Author Jim George also has quite a following. His Harvest House title A Man After God’s Own Heart Devotional, which released in October, speaks to the key areas of every man’s life and to his purpose.

Franklin Graham is another name that sells books. Graham’s new 31-day devotional, The Sower: Finding Yourself in the Parables of Jesus, gives step-by-step instruction as well as daily inspiration for following in Jesus’ footsteps. Written with Donna Lee Toney, the hardcover from Worthy Publishing (EMI CMG Distribution) released last month.

Best-selling author Melody Carlson’s Devotions for Real Life (Revell/Baker Publishing Group) released last month. Carlson has career sales of more than 5 million copies.

BRAND BUILDING

Publishers often use a multi-pronged approach to brand development by creating related books and companion products for an already successful title. Numerous releases this year extend existing brands. A prime example is a set of devotionals which build on the popularity of the Jesus Calling franchise by missionary Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson).

The phenomenon began in 2004 with the publication of Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence. After years of journaling her own thoughts and questions, Young had begun listening to God with pen in hand and writing what she believed He was saying to her. Sales indicate that readers are evidently drawn to her approach because the first devotional quickly appeared on major best-seller lists.

Young’s second and third devotionals, Dear Jesus: Seeking His Light in Your Life and Jesus Lives: Seeing His Love in Your Life, hit the market in 2007 and 2009, respectively. Since then, Thomas Nelson has created a Facebook page and an app for Jesus Calling because “today’s readers get content in a variety of ways,” said Laura Minchew, senior vice president and publisher of specialty publishing at Thomas Nelson. The line with its multiple products, including the Jesus Calling Devotional Bible, have now topped 5 million worldwide.

In 2010, young readers got their own version of Young’s debut book with the release of Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids, which has also become a favorite, as evidence by Christian market best-seller charts.

Then last month, Thomas Nelson released Jesus Today: Experience Hope Through His Presence, as well as two other age-appropriate additions to the line: Jesus Calling: Teen Edition and Jesus Calling Bible Storybook for young children.

No doubt other Christian retailers agree with Scalzo, who sees Jesus Calling as one of the best-selling devotionals he has observed in his 20 years in Christian retail. Of the brand’s popularity he said: “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The success of another Thomas Nelson title, Heaven Is for Real, has prompted the creation of a companion title, Heaven Changes Everything: A Devotional Reader (October). The New York Times best-seller written by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent tells the story of Todd and Sonja Burpo’s son’s journey to heaven and back at age 4. A DVD-based conversation kit and a children’s version of the book are also part of the line, which also includes an e-version of the book with sales topping 1 million.

The new devotional offers 50 inspirational readings based on excerpts from Colton’s story, relevant scriptures, take-away thoughts for reader application and features Sonja’s voice for the first time.

Another prolific brand is the One Year line by Tyndale House Publishers. With the first title created by Ken Taylor in 1985, One Year Bibles are organized to make reading through the Scriptures in one year achievable with short daily readings. Multiple translations are available, and themed editions exist for men, women, couples, preschoolers and more. Formats include hardcover, softcover and e-editions.

Kimura-Anderson attributes the One Year success to “its simple title and format. You can pick it up on any given day and find a relevant, short devotion … and if you desire to go deeper, you can read the Scripture passages and surrounding verses.”

“We sell a lot of the One Year [brand] throughout the year because it meets a lot of people’s needs,” said Bruce Anderson, owner of two Alpha & Omega Parable Chrisian Stores in Rochester, N.Y.

This year Tyndale added several titles to the line. The One Year Devotions for Women (September) is written by Ann Spangler, co-author with Jane Syswerda of the best-selling Women of the Bible devotional. In the new release, Spangler asks “How can I experience more of God’s peace in my own life?” Kimura-Anderson says the new devotional “is a year-long quest for that peace.”

The One Year Father-Daughter Devotions (Tyndale, October) by Jesse Florea, Leon C. Wirth and Bob Smithouser—three fathers who create youth products at Focus on the Family—is designed to foster communication and strengthen bonds between fathers and their tween or teen girls. Beginning with short stories and written in a conversational tone, entries also provide discussion questions, related Scripture passages and activities or applications of daily lessons.

The One Year Unlocking the Bible Devotional (Tyndale, October) is written by pastor Colin S. Smith (with Tim Augustyn), host of the national radio program “Unlocking the Bible.” Designed in a page-a-day format, the entries guide readers through the larger story of the Bible mainly using the New Living Translation.

Tyndale’s 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life by life-coaching pioneer Tommy Newberry (October) is based on the message of his New York Times 2007 best-seller, The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life. The publisher’s product description makes a direct connection to the previous title, stating that readers of The 4:8 Principle “will love the reminders and reinforcements provided in 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life, while new readers will be introduced to the life-changing power of The 4:8 Principle for the first time.”

Stormie Omartian’s “The Power of a Praying” line with Harvest House Publishers seems to have a life of its own. With its latest version released in April, The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional has sold more than 13.5 million copies alone. The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional Journal is to release in February.

WaterBrook Press has extended the nonfiction brand of Joanna Weaver’s popular Bethany trilogy by releasing At the Feet of Jesus: Daily Devotions to Nurture a Mary Heart (October). Drawn from Weaver’s best-selling books Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, Having a Mary Spirit and Lazarus Awakening, the devotions in the new book are designed to help readers set aside responsibilities and spend time sitting at Jesus’ feet.

This month, the release of Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts Devotional: Reflections on Finding Everyday Graces (Zondervan, November) promises to be a favorite among fans of her New York Times best-seller, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. In the 2011 book, Voskamp reflects on the stories of everyday life and chronicles the gifts of God. She encourages the expression of gratitude for life as it is in order to discover life longed for.

The One Thousand Gifts Devotional comprises 60 devotions inspired by the initial book. A special section provides space for readers to write their own thoughts of gratitude inspired by the daily scriptures and prayers.

TARGET-TAILORED

With some devotionals aimed for a specific readership, retailers are best equipped to recommend targeted titles when they know something about the intended end-user.

Expressly for couples in any stage of life is Bill and Pam Farrel’s A Couple’s Journey with God (Harvest House). These authors of the best-selling Men Are Like Waffles—Women Are Like Spaghetti have written devotions for a couple to do together to strengthen their bond.

Busy families are the intended audience for Instant Family Devotions: 52 Bible Discussions for Anytime, Anywhere Use by Mike Nappa and Jill Wuellner (Baker Books). They require no preparation and can be used in a variety of settings to spark biblical discussions between parents and children. This title is also a brand extension, utilizing the same approach from Instant Small Group: 52 Sessions for Anytime, Anywhere Use (2011), also by Nappa.

For teens and tweens, is Jay Strack’s Impact: The Student Leadership Devotional (Thomas Nelson), a companion to Impact: The Student Leadership Bible. Based on the premise that teens want to change the world but don’t know how, the devotional aims to equip teens as leaders, servants and world-changers.

To guide grandmothers in devotions with their grandchildren, children’s author Crystal Bowman offers My Grandma and Me (Tyndale, October). This hardcover, full-color 68-page book includes a number of tools, like rhymes, prayers and interactive songs, helping grandma pass on her faith. The introduction also provides ideas for connecting with grandkids across long distances using the phone or Skype.

For history fans, J. Stephen Lang has penned The Christian History Devotional with its 365 readings and prayers. Drawing from 2,000 years of history, Lang provides readers with stories ranging from missions to martyrdom in the December release from Thomas Nelson.

Some products serve even more narrow niche audiences. For example, widows are encouraged in Margaret Nyman’s Hope for an Aching Heart: Uplifting Devotions for Widows (Discovery House Publishers, August), while job seekers and career changers are the unique target for Help Wanted: Devotions for Job Seekers by Aaron M. Basko (Judson Press, October).

MEDIA-THEMED

With a clear media tie-in, A Hobbit Devotional by Ed Strauss (September, Barbour Publishing) was released in anticipation of the December major motion picture, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey from New Line Cinema. The book features 60 entries that each relate one scene from J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit to a modern situation readers might face, plus an applicable scripture or Bible story. Readers will also find a glossary of terms and a timeline for the Tolkien classic, further tying the devotional to the original work.

Barbour’s Senior Editor for Nonfiction Paul Muckley explains that since the author is a big Tolkien fan, “the devotional flows out of his longtime reading and study of all things Hobbit-related,” and that Strauss “has done a tremendous job of spinning real-life applications from scenes in the story.”

Because of Strauss’ experience writing for the youth audience, Muckley sees this title as doing especially well with readers in the teen years through the early 30s.

Based on the self-publishing phenomenon that is The Shack, The Shack: Reflections for Every Day of the Year targets fans of author William P. Young and his creative brand of fiction. The new title from Windblown Media releases this month.

UPDATED OFFERINGS

Titles with strong sales histories are often updated and re-released. One substantial new devotional on the market this season is Billy Graham’s Hope for Each Day: Morning and Evening Devotions (Thomas Nelson). This 784-page leather book includes two daily readings and is a combination of two of Graham’s previous devotionals.

For single women, Harvest House is re-releasing a title by writer, singer and speaker Michelle McKinney Hammond. Now called Sassy, Single, and Satisfied Devotional: Secrets to Loving the Life You’re Living, the devotional is based on Hammond’s nonfiction book Sassy, Single, and Satisfied, which sold more than 200,000 copies.

“We wanted to be sure that all those readers clearly understood this is a devotional by the same author of a book they absolutely loved,” Sherrill said. “They’re going to find the same passion and biblical insights in this devotional that they truly resonated with in that book.”

GROWING SALES

For retailers trying to increase sales in this category, Minchew notes that “merchandising is critical.” Thomas Nelson’s J. Countryman program consists of floor spinners and dedicated shelving sections.

The spinner “has increased gift books and devotional sales by as much as 93%,” and “in the accounts that chose the dedicated section, sales still increased 38%,” Minchew reported.

Sherrill of Harvest House mentions boutiquing devotionals as gifts with other gift items and emphasizes store placement.

“In addition to placing all devotionals in a devotional section in the book area, spread them throughout the categories. … If you have a section for a specific reader in your store, be sure the devotional targeted to them appears in that section.”

Westfall suggests stores might promote free imprinting with the purchase of leather or leather-like devotionals to increase sales. Barbour’s Daily Wisdom for Women is an example of an annual devotional with an imprintable cover.

Family Christian’s Scalzo said he and his team members do suggestive selling of devotionals.

“If we see a customer come up with a Bible, we might suggest a devotional book to go along with that Bible,” he said.

Anderson and his store staff do the same, especially for children’s products.

“We often recommend the spiral-bound devotionals for kids by Legacy Press as First Communion gifts anytime throughout the school year, but especially in the spring,” he said.

Brand continuation is key within children’s products as well, as evidenced by three new releases. Tyndale’s 90 Devotions for Kids is the first in a line of devotionals as part of the Adventures in Odyssey (AIO) mega-brand, marking its 25th anniversary this year.

“Parents are searching for trustworthy devotional material to share with their family,” said Linda Howard, senior product development manager, “and they can be assured of sound biblical principles from an AIO branded product.”

At Thomas Nelson, Max Lucado’s brand Grace for the Moment, which has sold more than 3 million copies, has been adapted by Tama Fortner for children, extending its reach. The company has also released the Read and Share Bedtime Bible and Devotional by Gwen Ellis in its Read and Share line, which has sold more than 1 million products.

Thomas Nelson has also updated the covers of Sheila Walsh’s devotional Bibles, God’s Little Princess Devotional Bible and God’s Mighty Warrior Devotional Bible, releasing ?.

For boys, an updated version is available of Heads Up! Sports Devotions for All-Star Kids (Zondervan). First published in 2000 and written by David Branon, a former coach and managing editor of a sports magazine, this offering combines biblical principles with stories of athletes and sporting events to inspire kids, including reluctant readers.

From New Growth Press, Old Story New (October) is Marty Machowski’s second volume of family devotionals, following Long Story Short, both of which use a 10-minute-per-day structure revealing the gospel story to kids.

Since devotionals go hand-in-hand with Bibles, many publishers merge the two into one product. Some of the same publishing strategies that apply to devotional books also apply to devotional Bibles.

For example, author-driven titles are available, like the Oswald Chambers Devotional Bible (Crossway) and three Thomas Nelson products: the Charles Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible, Max Lucado’s Grace for the Moment Daily Bible and Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling Devotional Bible.

Following are some new titles, which take the form of updated classics and best-sellers:

Moody Publishers continues to publish Gary Chapman’s Love Languages titles with The Love Languages Devotional Bible, released in hardcover last month.

Our Daily Bread Devotional Bible by RBC Ministries (Tyndale House Publishers, October). For more than 50 years, RBC ministries has been publishing daily devotions read by millions. Now the widely used devotional Our Daily Bread is paired with Tyndale’s New Living Translation of the Bible, providing 365 readings.

The Women of Faith Devotional Bible (Thomas Nelson), using the New King James Version, has sold more than a quarter-million copies to date. This year a plum leather-look version is another option in the product line.

VBS publishers employ more digital content to reach the younger set

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a product that connects stores with local churches, and churches to the families in their communities. As VBS comes into the digital age, suppliers are utilizing technology to connect retail, church leaders and consumers, and keep the VBS dialogue going all year long.

Christian Retailing talked with three publisher representatives about the ways that VBS products are evolving and expanding.

Taking part in the conversation were:

• ROBB FAUST, assistant brand manager, Standard Publishing
• ROBERTA LEHMAN, marketing specialist, Lifeway Kids
• CRYSTAL MCDOWELL, VBS editor, Urban Ministries Inc. (UMI)
• KAREN MCGRAW, associate managing editor, VBS for Gospel Light
• SHANNON VELASQUEZ, public relations/special events manager, VBS/women’s ministry, Group Publishing

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: What makes VBS continue to be a viable product for churches and Christian stores?

ROBERTA LEHMAN: VBS is the most effective outreach event of the year for many churches. VBS gives churches opportunities to cultivate and establish ongoing relationships with all who attend. On average, 10% of kids who attend VBS are unchurched. For the average VBS, 10% equals 10 people. Discovering new 10 people plus their family members is a big deal!

CRYSTAL MCDOWELL: I think VBS remains popular because you still have children who are available over the summer, and parents are always looking for something different and fun to make Jesus exciting.

KAREN MCGRAW: VBS is a prime opportunity for churches to reach out to unchurched kids and their families—and it’s a great program for kids who go to church on a regular basis. Any time God’s people can get together and lavish love on God’s children—that’s a great place to be.

SHANNON VELASQUEZ: I think there is that one point in a life where someone can be reached with the gospel message, and we know that often the easiest time to receive it is as a child, so to get children to have one entire week of VBS, where the gospel is the focus, is just huge.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: How much is VBS still about evangelizing unchurched kids?

FAUST: The great thing about this year’s VBS for us is that kids are 

learning how to practically serve every day. The first day they are learning to serve their families. The second day they are serving their friends, then their neighbors, then their community, then Jesus. Every day they have a lesson on the topic of serving, then a service challenge to go home and do, so it doesn’t matter if the kids are in church, they can serve others and learn to serve Jesus. We are also introducing a missions component this year with Back2Back Ministries (back2backministries.org). They help orphan kids in Mexico, and the VBS offerings will go to Mexico to help these kids. All week long at VBS, kids will see the missions DVD in the opener. It is the story of Joel, and they will follow his story all week long.

LEHMAN: We call LifeWay’s VBS “The Evangelistic VBS.” All aspects of our VBS include age-appropriate outreach. Everything we do in VBS ties into the biblical content, and there is a special message on day three designed to teach grade school-age kids the ABCs of Becoming a Christian. The VBS scripture for 2013 is 2 Tim. 1:7.

MCDOWELL: I have seen that VBS brings in a lot of the kids already in the church, but leaders are still encouraging them to bring friends to VBS. If they bring a friend or two, you are teaching the kids to reach out to other kids with the gospel. By even just inviting them, they are practicing evangelism.

MCGRAW: At Gospel Light, we definitely develop VBS curriculum for unchurched kids. We realize that a number of churches have more “churched” kids attending than not, but for many, many churches, VBS is still their biggest outreach event of the year. We write all of our materials to address the needs of unchurched kids. And every lesson in Gospel Light’s VBS has evangelistic opportunities written for VBS leaders to talk to kids about becoming members of God’s family.

VELASQUEZ: We have tremendous success reaching out to kids who have never been to church before because we design our VBS with one simple Bible point that is reinforced in every rotation activity. It appeals to kids who go to church, but is also simple enough that even kids who have never heard of any of this before can get it. The one simple daily Bible point is pivotal for us.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: What brand-new elements are you introducing for 2013?

FAUST: We have two themes this year, which is new for Standard. We have God’s Backyard Bible Camp: Under the Stars and God’s Backyard Bible Camp: Under the Sun. Fifty-three percent of churches now hold VBS in the evenings, so the Under the Stars kit is geared specifically for that timeframe, although it can be used during the day too, but all the Bible stories in that kit take place sometime in the evening. We also decided this year to offer everything in one kit. We used to offer a basic kit and a power kit, but now everything you need to hold VBS is all in one kit and is still just $199.99, although it includes more than $500 in resources. We completely redesigned our materials, so that instead of a big leader’s guide, we are offering leaflets, booklets and cards for each day that you can tuck right into your Bible. There are newly formatted bundles for each age group, including a preschool bundle, elementary/preteen bundle and teen bundle. We also include a DVD set that contains a missions DVD, planning DVD, music DVD, bonus music CD-ROM and an exportable media disc with all mp3s and mp4s of the music and videos. Another disc set included in the kit contains all the teaching resources and leader’s guides as pdf files, so if you need an extra guide, you just print it off. Everything you need to lead and plan our VBS is now in one kit.

LEHMAN: New for 2013 is the Backyard Kids Club. Many churches are looking for ways to take VBS outside their church and into their communities. Our VBS 2013 Backyard Kids Club Director’s Guide and Backyard Kids Club Kit provide portable resources that can be used easily wherever there is a group of kids gathered. The VBS 2013 Backyard Kids Club Kit is an all-in-one box designed for a club of about 20 kids. The VBS 2013 Backyard Kids Club Director’s Guide provides step-by-step guidance to the person or team who will be coordinating and planning the Backyard Kids Club. It’s all based on the Colossal Coaster World theme and coordinates well with the numerous accessories, decorations and promotional tools available.

MCDOWELL: I think our new element would be our DVD. Our theme for 2013 is Jesus Family Reunion: The Remix. We had a Jesus Family Reunion VBS in 2006, and it was very successful. This year, we are taking each theme and relating it on the DVD to a family situation. In the lessons, we also picked family situations in the Bible that can be used to understand things like forgiving and obeying.

MCGRAW: In addition to adding more resources to some of our electronic products, we’ve created a brand-new Parent Pocket Guide to help churches extend the VBS lessons beyond the threshold of the church. The Parent Pocket Guide gives parents all the information they need to reinforce the lessons their kids are getting at VBS. Our student guides also include a fun family activity to further promote involvement of the whole family.

VELASQUEZ: We introduced Imagination Station last year, and it is coming back this year. We reimagined crafts and introduced science, fun gizmos and experiments that flew off the shelves. This year, for our Kingdom Rock VBS, we are reimagining our student books and how to get them back home so kids can continue learning and talk to parents or friends and family member. We are also reimagining our Bible Memory Buddies.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: Is your VBS focused primarily on elementary ages? How does it work for nursery kids and teens?

FAUST: We have a book called Beyond Your Backyard that is an adult VBS curriculum. … Our kits also have preschool, elementary/preteen and teen components and leader’s guides. We have a VBS designed for preschool through adult.

LEHMAN: LifeWay’s VBS provides content for all ages. Babies, 1s, 2s, 3s through Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, Grades 3 and 4, Grades 5 and 6, Youth, Adults and also children and adults with special needs. We also provide a full line of Spanish VBS resources. LifeWay’s Youth VBS is perfect for preparing youth to serve during children’s VBS. It’s also great for retreats, Bible studies or as a weeklong youth VBS program.

MCDOWELL: We want VBS to reach the whole family. We created lessons with family situations from the Bible that can be used from preschoolers all the way to teens. Our VBS is geared toward the black community, and that is shown on our DVD and in the music. I think about where the black community is when I write the lessons, but the message is for everybody—it’s Jesus.

MCGRAW: We don’t think of VBS as a program just for elementary children. It’s a program for the whole family. Whether as a team member or as a kid attending VBS, everyone can be involved. Even those parents who can’t participate by volunteering can be involved through our Parent Newsletters, the new Parent Pocket Guide and the family activities provided on the student guides. Not to mention attending Closing Programs and other family-oriented VBS events. Gospel Light has a number of products for preschoolers. The Pony Corral Teacher’s Guide has Bible stories and Bible Learning Activities geared for children from 3 years old through Kindergarten. We also have Pony Corral Fun Pages for each child for each day of VBS. Also included in our Director’s Planning Guide is the Nursery and Toddler Guide. We recognize the need for churches to provide quality care for the little ones whose parents volunteer at VBS. We also have youth and adult guides provided by our Regal book division. These Bible studies are designed to take the Bible content covered in VBS to a deeper level. Our focus is always on providing curriculum that is age-appropriate.

VELASQUEZ: With our VBS programs we really encourage older kids to come back and help. We call ours the easy VBS program because you just have to learn one simple Bible point. And if you are a crew leader, you have a group of five kids that you are taking through the rotations. If you are a helper at the Imagination Station, you stay there the whole time. We also offer a program for teens every year called Unlimited Youth that comes out with our traditional VBS.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: How is VBS turning to the digital age? Are you, the developers, putting more online? In addition to websites, how are you utilizing the web in other ways as well as media?

FAUST: It’s exciting for us that Yancey did our music again, and she produced all the music videos herself. Some have kids doing motions. Some feature Yancey, and some just have the words, so churches have a variety of options. Yancey has already posted clips on YouTube and is getting a lot of hits there. We are also putting some on Facebook and seeing traffic increase. There are eight new songs from Yancey, and they are reproducible.

LEHMAN: Many of LifeWay’s VBS resources are available for download from lifeway.com/vbs. Clip art, videos and other helpful free resources are available at lifeway.com/vbs. We also have an ongoing Lifeway VBS blog that offers ideas and creates community (http://lifewayvbs.wordpress.com/). You can follow LifeWay VBS on Facebook and Twitter, and our VBS Blog has something new each day.

MCDOWELL: I know that we are working on media right now, using Twitter and Facebook more this year. We want to try to be more out-of-the-box.

Online and other electronic resources are something we are constantly working on improving. In addition to our reproducible Music & More CD, which churches are free to reproduce for every family that attends VBS, we have a CD-ROM in our Director’s Planning Guide that includes dozens of forms and checklists for the director, volunteer and parent newsletters, as well as training articles that can be either printed out or emailed to team members. We also have a variety of music and skits DVDs and a brand-new Rip-Roarin’ Multimedia CD-ROM that churches can use in conjunction with presentation software to display images on screens during large-group assembly times. As far as social media goes, we have our websites, gospellightvbs.com and myvbsparty.com. We also have a Facebook page, Pinterest page and Twitter accounts (@Gospel_Light; @HenriettaMears).

VELASQUEZ: Technology is so big for kids these days, so we reimagined our Chatter Chipmunk puppet, and he went digital because animation is so cool to kids. We also have an online presence (4everybuddy.com) that kids can go to every day after VBS and see video trailers and play games to reinforce the points they’ve learned. For our friends in ministry, Facebook has become a huge thing for us. We have seen a tremendous increase, I think because it’s an easy, informal way to communicate. Also, we have all of our decorating tips on Youtube, and the videos are a big hit. Families who participated in our VBS find us on Facebook too. Recently, a mom wrote to tell us thank-you for VBS, because her 3-year-old daughter attended last year and then was diagnosed with cancer. The little girl—even at 3—remembered our Bible point, which was “Trust in God.” That is just one of example of why I love VBS.

Leveraging spiritual partnerships in your community

Every Christian retailer is searching for cost-effective ways to increase the awareness of their store’s offerings to the best customer base in their community. One approach that is often overlooked, perhaps because it is not a derivative of the latest social media or advertising trends, is partnering with churches and ministries in your community. After all, most Sundays, the biggest block of your potential customer base is sitting in local church congregations; the challenge is how to reach them with the message of your products and your store.

Admittedly, having been a very involved partner in the spiritual community of our rather small town for in 60 years does give us an advantage, but these relationships and partnerships can and should be nurtured, whether you’ve just opened or have been serving your area for decades. It only makes sense and can be a win-win for both parties when done properly.

Understand this: Most churches and ministries are actively looking for ways to deepen the spiritual experiences of their members. As the local Christian retailer, you have resources that can help them do just that, at no additional cost to them in terms of dollars or time invested! In order for these partnerships to work, however, it requires some investment of time and work on your part.

We have had great success in the last eight to nine years, for example, by sponsoring an annual back-to-school party in our store parking lot. Named “PrayBack” by the local youth pastors, we normally have 500-700 middle school and high school kids gather in our parking lot in mid-August the first Wednesday night after school resumes. For many weeks prior, the youth pastors are announcing each week that everyone is to “meet at Christian Supply” for this event. In many cases, the senior pastor even announces it from the pulpit to the entire congregation, an invaluable endorsement of our store, not to mention the free word-of-mouth publicity it generates—in addition to good will from appreciative parents!

In order to make this happen, we have to invest in a small honorarium for a local praise band to lead worship, and rent a generator to run the sound system. We also have to coordinate the date by hosting a set-up lunch several weeks in advance with the local youth pastors, and secure a flatbed trailer (normally donated) for a “stage.” The entire event costs us less than $800 and brings hundreds of youth to our store at the very beginning of the new school year. It’s a great way for us to connect with them as their new year begins.

This fall, we will be hosting a church event for our entire community. When contacted by the publisher about having best-selling author Max Lucado come for an in-store signing, we instead offered to move the event to a local church to enlarge our prospective crowd. The event, which will be called “The Grace Event,” will not only serve to promote his new release, Grace, but will also give us a high profile in the community as the store that is the sponsor of the entire evening. The anticipated crowd is 1,500-2,000, far in excess of what we could have reasonably expected in our store for a traditional signing. As an added benefit, the local church that is hosting it will be promoting it for many weeks in advance to their entire membership of some 5,000.

While some planning, creative thinking and energy are all required in order to partner with local churches and ministries, the rewards can be highly productive and lasting. Summer is a slower time for most of us. Why not take advantage of this and use some of that “down time” this summer for you and your staff to brainstorm a bit about how you can better connect and partner with churches in your area, to the benefit of both parties?

Recommended reads for your business life

The Singer: A Classic Retelling of Cosmic Conflict by Calvin Miller (IVP Books, 978-0-830-82285-0).

“It’s the story of Jesus in poetic form, and … one of the greatest creative pieces I have ever read.”

Killing Giants, Pulling Thorns by Charles R. Swindoll (Zondervan, 978-0-310-42040-8).

“It’s actually a coffee table book, not a thick study book Swindoll is known for. For me, Chuck is the model of really clear, engaging communication. He doesn’t sacrifice biblical loyalty and accuracy for great creativity.”

Peculiar Treasures: A Biblical Who’s Who by Frederick Buechner (HarperOne, 978-0-060-61141-5).

“This book is such fun writing. It basically includes one-page character sketches of favorite biblical characters. I couldn’t put it down. It wasn’t exactly a Bible study, and it was a tad irreverent. It made me think, Is it really OK to write like this? I loved it.”

The Message of Romans by John R.W. Stott (IVP Academic, 978-0-830-81246-2).

“This book from ‘The Bible Speaks Today’ series brought me to a deeper understanding of grace. Stott’s verse-by-verse explanation modeled biblical teaching for me. He gave a clear dissection of Scripture. Personally, this book helped me trust the grace of God.”