A VeggieTales Easter card will release this spring as part of a new partnership with DaySpring that will also see Hallmark's Christian subsidiary produce song cards, everyday and seasonal counter cards, ornaments, partyware and gift wrap.

The Web cast is scheduled for 11 a.m., PST, at www.thomaskinkade.com.

Released Sept. 28, the marriage book written by the film's co-producing brothers Stephen and Alex Kendrick has spent 20 weeks on the list and has nearly 2.2 million copies in print, B&H officials said. The Love Dare was ranked No. 1 on the list the week of Oct. 10.

That's the hope of many Christian publishers and retailers, who have told Christian Retailing that Bibles and books offering biblical financial and other help have seen a spike in sales in light of the harshest economic crisis since the Great Depression.

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is hoping to boost attendance and draw media attention for its new, consumer-oriented Christian Book Expo (CBE) this month by featuring well-known atheist Christopher Hitchens.

Scheduled for March 19-22 in Dallas, CBE will feature the discussion panel “Does the God of Christianity Exist, and What Difference Does It Make?” with Hitchens—author of God Is Not Great (Twelve/Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group USA)—debating Douglas Wilson, author of Is Christianity Good for the World? (Canon Press); Lee Strobel, author of The Case for the Real Jesus (Zondervan); William Lane Craig, author of Reasonable Faith (Crossway Books & Bibles); and James Denison, author of Wrestling With God (Tyndale House Publishers).

“It will … help Christians defend their faith,” ECPA President Mark Kuyper told Christian Retailing. “People have probably never heard an apologetic debate on this level before. … The discussion panel topics and panelists selected are sure to garner the attention of book lovers and media alike.”

The other panels include “The Emerging Church,” “A Guided Tour of Heaven and Hell,” “Living Christianly in a Post-Christian Culture” and “What Is the Gospel?” CBE will also feature a screening of Collision, a documentary of a debate between Hitchens and Wilson.

To be held at the Dallas Convention Center, CBE will feature numerous authors speaking, signing books, conducting workshops and meeting consumers, a KidZone program, a Bible exhibit and worship events as well as an exhibition floor.

Single-day admission will be $29, with a three-day ticket costing $59. A $5-off coupon will be available through churches, with a further $5 coupon to be offered by publishers, ministries and retailers, ECPA said. Attendees who are under 17 will be allowed in free.

Although the economy is in a tailspin, Kuyper is hoping for up to 20,000 attendees at CBE.

“I feel encouraged about attendee turnout because it’s such an extreme value,” Kuyper said. “This is probably the largest Christian conference. With 150 workshops by more than 220 authors, and discount prices as low as $19, that’s an extreme value in the world of Christian conferences. An event like this is just what people are looking for because they’re getting a lot of value for the money. More than anything, the economy could drive attendance.”

As far as exhibitors, approximately 64 publishers, writers groups and publishing-affiliated companies have committed to participate, Kuyper said. Some publishers have joined forces to be able to participate in the event. Kuyper noted that Focus on the Family opted out of using a 1,000-square-foot area, instead deciding to work out of the Tyndale House Publishers booth.

“It’s a first-time event, and there’s an element of risk involved,” he said. “A handful of smaller publishers have come in and gone out. Basically, they said, ‘In our current economy, we’re having to cut back.’ ”

Organizers have reserved almost 400,000 square feet of space at the Dallas Convention Center. “The convention services company said that we’re doing much better than any first-year show and in this economy, it’s phenomenal,” Kuyper said.

Through its CBE partners—Christianity Today magazine, Christian Book Distributors, GodTube.com and Family Christian Stores—ECPA has been promoting the event to churches and consumers, who can purchase products at the event. Family will handle sales from the booths of 14 publishers. Additionally, Logos Bookstore in Dallas will handle sales for InterVarsity Press.

Kuyper is also hoping for increased interest in ECPA’s annual book awards at CBE. Thomas Nelson and Baker Publishing Group lead the field in this year’s Christian Book Awards.

Two hundred and eighteen titles published in 2008 were reviewed by 72 judges, with the winners to be announced the first night of CBE, March 19. The awards were previously announced at the International Christian Retail Show.

International shoppers at second annual Marketsquare event looking for books, Bibles, gifts

With American bookstores feeling the pinch of an economic downtown, Christian suppliers are finding windows of opportunity in developing countries that are reporting retail growth.

Recently released statistics compiled from surveys conducted at the Christian Trade Association International’s (CTAI) second annual Marketsquare International document a growth trend in certain markets, including Nigeria and South Africa.

Of the 74 international buyers attending the show, 24% reported growth and 37% reported strong growth.

“We look around America and see what’s happening and assume what’s happening here is happening around the world and to a certain extent, it’s true,” Jim Powell, president of CTAI, told Christian Retailing. “I think there are places in Africa, Asia, Latin America (that) are seeing reasonable sales growth despite what we’re experiencing in the United States.”

When asked for their product interests, (90%) of Marketsquare attendees said they were interested in purchasing books, followed by Bibles (81%), gifts (52%) with music, cards and apparel at 29% each and 29% planning to negotiate translation rights. Companies that participated in Marketsquare—held Jan. 14-17 in Atlanta—included Dicksons, Zondervan, Thomas Nelson, Harvest House Publishers, Brownlow Gifts, DaySpring Cards and Strang Communications.

Powell said he was “very pleased” with the turnout. A “different kind of buyer” is present at Marketsquare, he pointed out, explaining that a buyer he knows routinely ships a 40-foot container of product from the U.S. and many overseas retailers buy in bulk from the exhibitors.

On the floor, some exhibitors reported traffic as “slow” during various parts of the event, but several were more enthusiastic about their sales.

“It was really busy in the booth,” said Michele Maguire, national account manager at Standard Publishing, a first-time exhibitor. “We made good contacts, written some orders.”

Most of the buyers at Marketsquare (95%) said they attend CBA’s annual International Christian Retail Show in July, but they still felt it was important to attend a winter show as well.

Although visa problems last year allowed for only a couple of attendees from Nigeria, this year the country had the largest constituency. Edith Anyiwo, president of Joshua’s Bookmart in Puyallup, Nigeria, said she enjoyed Marketsquare because it saved money and energy.

“Most of my suppliers are here and it’s not as big as the usual book convention,” she said. “It’s easier for me to walk around, and it’s cost-effective.”

Powell said tentative plans were being made for Marketsquare International 2010, and he anticipated returning to Atlanta, which he said is a “perfect international hub.”

Popularity of pro-marriage film ‘indicates a broad market’ for faith-based entertainment

After shocking Hollywood by becoming the top independent movie release of 2008, the surprise hit drama Fireproof has made a big splash again, with its DVD release.

Released on video Jan. 27, Fireproof (Provident Films/Provident-Integrity Distribution) had the best first-week results ever in the Christian retail channel, breaking the previous DVD sales record set by Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (Big Idea/Word Distribution) in 2004, according to Provident Films.

Fireproof—which stars Kirk Cameron as a firefighter who seeks God to rescue his marriage—finished atop the SoundScan Christian Videos list for sales the week ending Feb. 1.

Additionally, the pro-marriage film was ranked No. 2 in DVD sales among mass-market retailers during its first week out. Fireproof also was the fourth-most rented DVD nationwide during the same time period, according to Provident Films.

“We are thrilled with the response both at Christian retail and mass-market retailers,” said Bob Rubin, executive vice president for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, which distributed the DVD at mass-market retail. “This strong sales performance is especially impressive in light of today’s economic climate and clearly indicates a broad market for faith-based entertainment.”

Fireproof also won this year’s John Templeton Foundation Epiphany Prize for Inspiring Movie. The film received the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Film during the 17th Annual Movieguide Faith & Values Awards & Report to the Entertainment Industry, held Feb. 12 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Fireproof has made $33.3 million since it debuted at No. 4 last September with $6.8 million total receipts in just 839 theaters, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.

“Fireproof had the highest pre-sell of any Christian DVD ever,” Christian Book Distributors President Ray Hendrickson told Christian Retailing. “The Love Dare sales have been excellent.”

The Love Dare (B&H Books/B&H Publishing Group)—a book that was a focal point of the movie and written by the film’s co-producing brothers Stephen and Alex Kendrick—has sold more than a million copies, B&H officials said. Ranked near the top of the New York Times Paperback Advice best-seller list since its release last September, The Love Dare has also been a fixture in the top 10 best-seller lists of CBA and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

Nearly 500 people attended a special DVD release party Jan. 26 at Christian Supply in Spartanburg, S.C., which featured Stephen Kendrick as well as several Fireproof cast members, including Erin Bethea, Ken Bevel, Harris Malcom and Jason McLeod.

Before Fireproof hit theaters last fall, Christian Supply owner Chuck Wallington sent out a personal message in an e-mail, challenging ministry leaders to see the film and then generate support for the movie.

“He’s (Wallington) been a great partner throughout the film, so the guys wanted to make the trip (to Christian Supply) to honor a retailer (who was) working so hard to get the word out about the film,” Monique Sondag, a publicist for Fireproof, told Christian Retailing.