Tim Vineyard to assume presidency as Mark Scott leaves due to health issues

LifeWay Christian Stores President Mark Scott has decided to retire following several months of significant health issues.

Scott was to be replaced by Tim Vineyard, vice president of LifeWay’s technology division, according to LifeWay Christian Resources CEO Thom Rainer, effective in early October. Rainer, who has been named as acting president of the retail division until LifeWay trustees can review and affirm the change at their next scheduled meeting in February 2013.

“In his 30 years of service to LifeWay, Mark Scott has had an incalculable impact on the stores' division as well as the broader LifeWay organization,” Rainer said. “When he took over the division in 1992, there were 63 stores and 800 employees. Today we have 160 LifeWay Christian Stores with 2,400 employees.”

Rainer said Scott has made a remarkable recovery after experiencing a stroke in June, followed by heart surgery to correct the congenital condition that caused the stroke.

“Mark needs to devote significant effort to achieving 100% recovery,” Rainer said. “However, I’m very pleased that his progress to date will allow him to serve as executive consultant to me, providing LifeWay the benefit of his vast knowledge and experience.”

CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey told Christian Retailing that Scott has had “a very long and distinguished career” at LifeWay Christian Stores.

Scott is “a second-generation retailer as his father had also served Baptist Book Stores,” he said. “Over the years in working with Mark, he has become a friend. I wish Mark well as he continues to serve LifeWay in his new support role.”

Serving at LifeWay has been “the greatest adventure of my life,” Scott said. “I believe the future of LifeWay is brighter than ever as the organization continues to focus on providing the highest-quality biblical resources to individuals and churches. Working in close partnerships with our suppliers, the CBA trade organization and other industry relationships has been one of the most gratifying aspects of my role.”

Scott’s retirement leaves a “huge, strategic hole in our executive leadership team,” Rainer said, but added that “the Lord has already provided us the individual who perfectly fits these stringent qualifications. The Lord has provided Tim the experience, passion and commitment we need in a visionary executive to lead the stores division into an even brighter future.”

Before coming to LifeWay in 2000 as director of the e-business group, Vineyard served 23 years as vice president of an Apple computer retailer. He was named vice president of LifeWay’s technology division two years later, leading the development of business systems and websites, including LifeWay.com, corporate technology infrastructure, and voice and data systems.

Vineyard's background in technology “should bring added strategic impact for Lifeway as retail continues to change,” Riskey said.

Rainer said LifeWay was to quickly begin a national search for a vice president of technology.

Regent University graduate Christine Johnson has a background in retail and radio

Christine D. Johnson has been promoted to editor of Christian Retailing. Having worked with the magazine for more than 12 years, most recently as general editor, she assumed her new post in October.

A graduate of Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., with a master’s in journalism and a Certificate in Biblical Studies from Columbia Biblical Seminary (now part of Columbia International University) in Columbia, S.C., she worked in Christian shortwave radio for eight years with Far East Broadcasting Co. in Manila, Philippines, and four years in Christian and classical music radio with WARO/WWCS in the Pittsburgh area. She also taught online with the University of Maryland University College and worked with the former Zondervan Family Bookstores chain.

The magazine’s previous editor, Andy Butcher, left earlier in the year after nearly nine years at the helm.

Christian Retailing distributes nearly 6,500 copies per issue. Inspirational Gift Mart, a supplement serving the Christian gift market, also is published quarterly. Since 2001, the magazine has sponsored the Retailers Choice Awards, which were presented this year at the International Christian Retail Show in Orlando, Fla.

Johnson welcomes comments from readers of Christian Retailing and Inspirational Gift Mart. She also invites readers to subscribe to the digital edition of the magazine and to sign up for Christian Retailing Update, the magazine’s weekly e-newsletter by visiting the “Subscribe” section at www.christianretailing.com. Contact her with any suggestions or comments at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Legal action contends Christian publisher was refused a 'religious employer' exemption by 'Obamacare' mandate 

Tyndale House Publishers has filed a federal lawsuit against the Obama administration after the company was deemed “insufficiently religious” to qualify for an exemption to the nation’s healthcare overhaul law, which requires employers to provide abortion pill coverage.

Filed Oct. 2 in the District of Columbia, the suit claims the Carol Stream, Ill.-based company has been refused a “religious employer” exemption because the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) maintains that any for-profit publisher is categorically non-religious.

Tyndale, though, is strictly a publisher of Bibles and other Christian publications and is owned by the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which provides grants to help meet physical and spiritual needs around the world.

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which filed the suit on behalf of Tyndale, called the ruling an unconstitutional and arbitrary threat to religious freedom.

“Bible publishers should be free to do business according to the book that they publish,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Matt Bowman. “To say that a Bible publisher is not religious is patently absurd. Tyndale House is a prime example of how ridiculous and arbitrary the Obama administration’s mandate is. Americans today clearly agree with America’s founders: The federal government’s bureaucrats are not qualified to decide what faith is, who the faithful are, and where and how that faith may be lived out.”

The publisher's suit also claims the government’s refusal to exempt Tyndale is inconsistent with the myriad exceptions already granted to the contraception and other healthcare mandates, which the lawsuit says require HHS to generously interpret religiously based requests for exemptions.

“The government’s mandate exempts what it calls 'religious employers,' but denies that status to Tyndale House through its arbitrary definition,” the suit said.

The mandate went into effect Aug. 1, but HHS gave all nonprofit religious organizations until August 2013 to comply. Tyndale, though, is considered a for-profit company and ineligible for the extension. Its employees' new insurance plan year began Oct. 1, meaning Tyndale was in need of immediate relief from the court, said the suit, noting that the company has 260 full-time employees and functions as a thoroughly Christian organization.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld “Obamacare” as constitutional. Formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Obamacare includes a “preventive services” mandate issued by the HHS, which forces businesses to provide the “morning-after” and “week-after” pills—without co-pay—in their health insurance plans.

“Obamacare demands that Americans choose between two poison pills: either desert your faith by complying or resist and be punished,” Bowman said.

In September, Hobby Lobby and its sister company, Mardel Christian & Education, filed a similar suit, claiming the government mandate is forcing the company’s owners “to violate their deeply held religious beliefs under threat of heavy fines, penalties and lawsuits.” Failure to provide the drugs in the company’s health insurance plan could lead to fines of up to $1.3 million a day.

Hachette is first to use the Charisma News app that has more than 1 million screen views per month

Hachette Book Group is one of the first advertisers to use an app to advertise Joyce Meyer’s new book, Power Thoughts: 12 Strategies to Win the Battle of the Mind. (FaithWords, Nov. 6).

Most publishers are using digital—on their own websites, renting e-newsletter lists and advertising on other sites—but advertising on apps and mobile phones is new.

Charisma Media is one of the Christian media companies that has developed a mobile app (also available for iPad users) for its Charisma News website. The app is an RSS feed of 10-15 news articles a day. Since it launched in May 2010, it has had 68,000 downloads.

“We did not take any ads at first until we built an audience and learned what advertising on mobile is about,” said Steve Strang, owner of Charisma Media.

“We now have more than 1 million page views a month and we’re excited that Hachette wanted to use the app for Joyce Meyer’s new book,” Strang added. “We have had a close relationship with her as a columnist for Charisma since 2003.”

On average this year, approximately 2,100 new users are being added each month, growing monthly active users to nearly 9,500.

“Charisma Media offers a wide variety of digital products to our advertisers,” said Ann Marie Kelly, Charisma Media’s advertising manager for Ministry Today. “This includes our digital magazine, web advertising with banner ads, first-party opt-in newsletters with HTML ads and our dedicated eblast list where an advertiser can drop in their own content to reach a specific audience.

“The new advertising option for the Charisma News app will provide additional exposure for advertisers on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, and it can help expand the advertiser’s reach to a culture of smartphone users,” Kelly added. “This is a way the advertiser cannot only brand, but also it’s a quick, responsive purchase, an impulse buy of an ebook download or physical copy with ship-to-home delivery.”

The ad runs at the bottom of the app for a week when it’s replaced by another advertiser.

The app can be obtained for free through the iTunes store or by texting the word “Charisma” to the number 24587.

In addition to the Charisma News mobile app, the company also has a digital magazine app called “Charisma Digital Magazine,” which is available in any app store, including iTunes and Google Play. The download is free, but the subscription for Charisma costs $19.99.

The company also has a free app for best-selling author Dr. Don Colbert.

Charisma Media has been publishing Christian Retailing since 1986.

Baker Book House manager has 'keen awareness' of issues facing the industry

Sue Smith, store manager of Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich., has been elected as the next CBA board chairman. Smith, a CBA board member for the past three years, will assume the key role at the retailers' organization Oct. 1, 2013, when current Chairman George Thomsen's term ends.

CBA has also added two new board members, Robin Hogan and Tim Marshall, both of whom began their three-year terms Oct. 1.

In an editorial in the October issue of the trade association's Retailers + Resources magazine, Thomsen wrote that Smith is “a wonderful Christian woman and an outstanding retailer from a long-standing, traditional retail establishment.”

“Since 1998, I've made a trip to Grand Rapids every May and have visited Sue's store,” said Thomsen, general manager of Harvest Bookstore in Riverside, Calif. “It's a great store, currently in the process of being made even better via a major renovation. Sue is a manager who can be found working in the store and isn't afraid to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty.

“She's been an involved and valuable member of CBA's board,” he added. “She's demonstrated a keen awareness of the issues facing our industry, and has a heartfelt concern for CBA member retailers. Sue is well-known and respected among retailers, suppliers, authors and CBA staff alike. It's my firm belief that Sue will be an outstanding chairman in leading CBA into the future.”

Smith, 50, who has served Baker Book House store manager since May 2005, told Christian Retailing that she wants “to listen to stores.”

“My goal is to call and visit stores when I can to let them know that CBA is here and cares about them,” she said. “I want to connect with them, pray with them and listen to where they need help and how we as an association can make a difference.

“The main goal of the chairman is to manage the board and to maintain the integrity of the board’s process,” Smith added. “George has done this well as he has led the ship through turbulent waters. We are healthier now as an association and an industry. ... I am honored to be working with him and certainly will have a hard time filling his shoes as he exits this position next year.”

Thomsen has served as CBA chairman since October 2009—the first year as chairman-elect, completing the unexpired term of Jim Whitaker, and the last three years in his own term.

Since he was appointed to the board in 2008, Thomsen has seen the departure of longtime President and CEO Bill Anderson, the sale of the organization's headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the adoption of a new management model with Curtis Riskey appointed as executive director.

“CBA has also eliminated all its debt and is now debt free,” Thomsen wrote. “We've continued to modify ICRS (International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) to better understand the changing needs of our industry. CBA has created and continues to develop our winter Next conference to help equip retailers to meet the needs of today and tomorrow's marketplace. Through all of these events, the Lord has been faithful and granted us with great favor as we've sought His will and counsel.”

Representing independent retailers, Hogan took the place of Danni Schneidt-Hill, owner of Promises "His" Coffee & Cottage Shoppe in Malta, Mt., whose term on the board ended Sept. 30. She has managed the bookstore at the Christian Cultural Center (CCC) in Brooklyn, N.Y., since 2006. A member of CCC for more than 20 years, Hogan had volunteered at the bookstore for eight years before assuming the manager role at the store.

Marshall, senior vice president of sales and brand management for Word Entertainment, replaced Daywind Music Group Music Director Ed Leonard, whose term on the board also ended Sept. 30.

Marshall also heads up Word Distribution as well as the marketing division of Word Label Group and its roster of artists, including Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Chris August, Group 1 Crew, Sidewalk Prophets and Point of Grace.

An industry executive for nearly 25 years, he started his Christian music career at Sparrow Records, with stops along the way at the Gospel Music Association, Integrity Music and Provident Distribution before coming to Word Entertainment in 2005.

Former retailer credited for bringing 'significant positive changes' to trade association

CBA promoted Curtis Riskey from executive director to president during its board meeting in October in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“The appointment is an affirmation by the board of Riskey’s leadership, role in the industry and job performance in running the association these past three years,” said CBA board Chairman George Thomsen.

Credited for bringing “significant positive changes,” Riskey served as interim executive director after the unexpected resignation of longtime President and CEO Bill Anderson in October 2009. He was appointed as executive director in March 2010 with CBA adopting a new management model. Riskey has seen the sale of the organization's headquarters in Colorado Springs and CBA has also eliminated all of its debt and is now debt free, the association said.

Thomsen told Christian Retailing that Riskey was named executive director "during a time of transition that required greater CBA board oversight.”

“The board established an executive committee that met frequently with the executive director,” he said. “Because of his positive performance and significant positive changes in the association, Curtis was named president. We look forward to continued positive performance from Curtis and the team in Colorado Springs in the years to come.

“The compensation for Curtis is commensurate with his skills, abilities and performance, but [it] actually is on the low side for equivalent pay standards for associations of CBA's size,” added Thomsen, who declined to offer specifics.

Riskey, 45, said he was “humbled and honored” by the support of the CBA board. He added that CBA will be focusing on strategic direction and growth for the industry of Christian retailers and their trading partners who create Christian resources and materials.

“The work we do as an industry is part of the mission of the church as it supports faith-building, personal growth and cultural revitalization,” Riskey said. “CBA is an advocate for the industry where individual ministry and excellence of industry businesses continue to make a difference in people’s everyday faith.”

Riskey joined CBA in September 2007 for the newly created position of strategic solutions executive, relocating with his wife, Barbara, and three children to Colorado Springs from Oshkosh, Wis., where he owned BASIC (Brothers and Sisters in Christ) Books and Café.

In July 2010, Riskey shuttered the 10-year-old, 12,000-square-foot store, citing the difficulties of running the business from a distance four months after taking on the leadership of the Christian retailers' association.

Riskey, a former Christian Retailing editorial advisory board member, has a business degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) President and CEO Mark Kuyper said he was “thrilled for Curtis and for the Christian retail community.”

“Curtis is a very bright, experienced, strategic, creative and spiritually driven leader,” he said. “He is also committed to professional, personal and spiritual growth.

Curtis is an excellent representative and advocate for the Christian retailers.

“Every chance he gets, he has championed their unique role as ministry partners for the church, distribution outlets for suppliers, and most of all, a place of peace and support for consumers, including Christian Store Week,” Kuyper added. “Curtis has also done an excellent job of right-sizing [CBA] and managing it to health.

Dwight Baker, president of Baker Publishing Group, “enthusiastically supports” Riskey's promotion.

“You may certainly include me with Curtis’ fan club,” he said. “He is a blessing to CBA and the community of Christian book folks.”

Bill Greig III, president of Gospel Light, said Riskey deserved his promotion.

“Curtis has earned this important position through his valuable Christian retailing experience, his position under Bill Anderson's leadership as well as his strong leadership of CBA through the significant transitions of the past several years,” Greig said. “Curtis has a tremendously positive and creative attitude and outlook, which is needed to lead CBA through these challenging years.”

Munce Group President Kirk Blank said Riskey was “attentive to the suggestions and constructive criticism” of the marketing group's advisory board when he joined CBA five years ago.

"Curtis was asked to change the policy of the CBA Store Locator to include all independent Christian stores, regardless if they were members of CBA,” Blank recalled. “Within a few months, the change was implemented. That meant a lot to us and the Munce Group advisory board.”

Darren Henry, president of Advocate Distribution Solutions, a division of Send The Light Distribution, said he was impressed with Riskey when he met him as a prospective Christian retailer in the late 1990s.

“Curtis always strikes me as a person of energy and integrity, and while the CBA clearly faces some challenges. I believe Curtis can lead the association and its membership into new seasons of success,” said Henry, who was a field sales representative for Multnomah Publishers when he met Riskey.

Elmbrook carries a depth and breadth of books, Bibles

From a simple booktable to 4,200 square feet, Elmbrook Church Bookstore has grown substantially through its more than 40 years serving suburban Milwaukee. Formerly known as Garden of Readin’—playing off of the biblical Garden of Eden—the store in Brookfield, Wis., is part of Elmbrook Church, where about 6,000 attend one of its four worship services each weekend.

“We’re one of the few Christian stores left in the Milwaukee area,” said Dave Borleis, who co-manages the store with Deb Jacot.

The store is strong in books, Bibles and music, but also has a buyer for gifts.

“Books are our main staple,” said Jacot, who has worked at the store for 25 years. “They want us to be a bookstore.”

The congregation the store serves, now led by senior pastor Philip Griffin and lead pastor Scott Arbeiter, grew significantly under former pastor Stuart Briscoe and his wife, Jill, well known in the Christian market for their many books and the Telling the Truth Bible-teaching ministry. In 1971, Briscoe asked church member Pearl Graves to set up a booktable to accommodate sales of his books and then provided her with $500 to invest in books by other authors.

As the church grew, the store also increased its floor space. The booktable developed into a 600-square-foot store and later occupied a former nursery of 1,000 square feet.

Graves served on the board of CBA and hosted first-time visitors to its summer convention. When Deb Jacot—now the store’s co-manager—attended, she met Graves, who represented CBA in the area where Jacot’s store, Grace Church of Edina in Minneapolis, was located. When Jacot, who has also worked with Northwestern Bookstores, arranged to visit the Garden of Readin’ for some tips on running her church’s store, she was offered a management position. Within the year after Jacot took the job, Graves retired, and from 1988 to 2000, Jacot co-managed Garden of Readin’ with Noreen Zimdars.

In 1996, at a time when the church had grown significantly, the store was offered 4,200 square feet, a significant jump from its previous 1,000 square feet. Garden of Readin’ then needed more help, and Borleis, who had worked part-time at the store while getting his business and marketing degree, came on board full-time as assistant manager just prior to the store’s big move. Four years later when Zimdars left, Borleis, who has worked in sporting goods, jewelry and other retail outlets, took her place co-managing with Jacot.

A self-described “music nut,” Borleis appreciates the CD-burning technology the store uses with Integra Interactive’s myMedia BurnBar. CDs by such recording artists as Keith & Kristyn Getty, TobyMac and Lecrae are available at the store, along with a wide variety of accompaniment tracks and other music. The store also sells tickets to the many concerts, Christian and country, the church hosts in its 3,000-seat sanctuary. The church has hosted artists ranging from Third Day and MercyMe to Josh Turner and Charlie Daniels. CDs and DVDs of special church events are also available.

Known by its original name until February 2010, Elmbrook Church Bookstore aims “to provide a variety of resources that direct people into a growing and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” Books by the Briscoes and by authors who attend the church as well as Elmbrook ministry materials are available, as are theological works used by Trinity University students who can take accredited courses offered at the church.

The church principally uses the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, though the English Standard Version (ESV) has also been used from the pulpit. The NIV is the top-selling version at the store, with the ESV second and the New Living Translation falling into third. The breadth of Bibles on the store’s shelves also include the King James and New King James Version translations, The Message and the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

Elmbrook sells a substantial number of Bible studies as small group participation is encouraged at the church. The store used to have a healthy business with Sunday school and Vacation Bible School curricula, but as more and more churches opted to write their own programs—as Elmbrook itself does—or order them direct through publishers, Elmbrook opted to halt its popular January VBS workshop, which drew up to 200 people and served other area churches, and no longer retains a staff person in charge of curricula. However, the store still special-orders curricula upon request.

Best-sellers at the store include products that many other stores also see selling, including Jesus Calling, Not a Fan, Crazy Love, Action Bible and Heaven Is for Real, which has recently tapered off in sales. The store hosts book signings, including local writers as well as best-selling authors such as Beverly Lewis, William P. Young, Lee Strobel and N.T. Wright, and has participated in CBA’s Christian Store Week (formerly Christian Store Day) for three consecutive years.

The store also carries a limited range of gifts, including cards, journals, mugs, plaques, framed art and jewelry from companies such as DaySpring, Howard’s Jewelry, Bob Siemon Designs, Dicksons and P. Graham Dunn. The store has also sold higher-end items from a local jewelry maker and is also considering adding fair trade gifts to its offerings next year.

Elmbrook maintains a good working relationship with other area stores, which include a few Family Christian Stores, Northwestern Publishing House’s store and Giving Tree, which serves the Catholic population in large part.

“We’ve always tried to have sort of a team atmosphere among the different Christian stores that have been in this area and we still want to continue to have that even though there’s fewer of them, and I think that’s helped us tremendously too,” Borleis said.

Elmbrook 

Years in existence: 41

Size: 4,200 square feet

Staff: two full-time, five part-time and five volunteers

Opening hours: Sunday, 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Monday, noon-7 p.m.; Tuesday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (during the school year); Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Some Christian publishers encourage thoughtful political engagement

With the U.S. presidential election this month, Christian retailers in red or blue states have the goods to prompt political discussion—that is, if shoppers want them.

Moody Publishers has sold nearly 29,000 copies of How Should Christians Vote? by Tony Evans (May), with Family Christian Stores a top customer. Amy E. Black, a Wheaton College professor of political science, has also published with Moody. Her Honoring God in Red or Blue: Approaching Politics With Humility, Grace, and Reason (May) encourages the Christian to be a voice of reason in the political fray.

“Grateful to have two highly educated and well-spoken authors addressing this important topic,” Janis Backing, publicity manager for Moody Publishers, said the two “approach the subject from a different perspective, but each one provides helpful information about the important role we play as citizen and a Christian in every election. They each challenge readers to consider a variety of issues as they work through the process of choosing a party or candidate.”

InterVarsity Press addresses political matters from differing perspectives as well. One of its most recent titles is A Free People’s Suicide: Sustainable Freedom and the American Future (IVP Books, July) in which author and sociologist Os Guinness argues that the American experiment in freedom is at risk.

“In some quarters, our book by Ron Sider titled Fixing the Moral Deficit is quite popular,” said Jeff Crosby, associate publisher and director of sales and marketing. “It addresses a different set of core issues than Guinness and from a somewhat different political or ideological perspective, and yet there is an overlap and both fit well within the broadly evangelical framework that InterVarsity Press is known for.” 

InterVarsity has also published What Mormons Believe by Robert M. Bowman Jr. (IVP Books, August), which contrasts Christianity with Mormonism, the faith practiced by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. In June, Worthy Publishing issued The Mormonizing of America by best-selling biographer Stephen Mansfield. And in October, Kregel Publications offered an updated and expanded edition of Answering Mormons’ Questions by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson.

Mardel’s 35 stores were seeing a “pick up” in the sale of political/election titles closer to the election, said Kevin McDonell, merchandise manager. McDonell sees Joel C. Rosenberg’s Implosion: Can America Recover From its Economic and Spiritual Challenges in Time? (Tyndale House Publishers, June) as a success, along with Indivisible: Restoring Faith, Family and Freedom Before It’s Too Late by James Robison and Jay W. Richards (FaithWords, February).

As in previous years, Logos of Dallas hasn’t seen a strong performance in political book sales. However, owner Rick Lewis sees two titles “ahead of the pack” at his store: A Free People’s Suicide and How Do You Kill 11 Million People? Why the Truth Matters More Than You Think by Andy Andrews (Thomas Nelson, January).

The late Grant R. Jeffrey’s One Nation, Under Attack: How Big-Government Liberals are Destroying the America You Love (WaterBrook Press, October), takes a battle-ready approach.

“Christians, like all Americans, are hammered by political slogans and propaganda, usually rendered in a few lines and out of context,” said Ron Lee, senior editor at WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. “Rarely do they have a chance to read an in-depth treatment that takes a careful look at the bigger picture, examining the story behind the story. And hardly ever do we see an analysis of America’s economic and political challenges viewed in light of biblical prophecy. That is one of the things that Grant Jeffrey brings to the discussion that makes this book important.”

Church Supply Source serves retailers, while POD option aids publishers

Send The Light Distribution’s new Church Supply Source initiative will enable retailers to build church supply sales, while Ingram’s advances in color print-on-demand technology provides a high-speed solution for publishers around the world.

Aiming to help Christian retailers serve churches in their area, Send The Light developed the store-church program to help retailers identify and contact churches to keep them informed of the church supplies they carry.

“We hope to be able to give the stores new resources that will help them to easily approach area churches with information about their offerings,” said Karen Bilbrey, director of business development at Send The Light, which stocks more than 5,000 SKUs of church supply products.

A dedicated web page—Churchsupplies.stl-distribution.com—makes available to stores free downloadable flyers to customize and take on visits to churches. The site also will showcase monthly specials and resources such as advice on what product to carry and ideas and practices that are working for other stores.

“Retailers that I have met with were thrilled to have some assistance in these challenging times when many have had to cut back on staff due to budgets,” Bilbrey said.

Mark Phillips, vice president of sales and marketing at Send The Light, said the initiative is “geared to helping stores develop new business in an area they might not feel comfortable with striking out on their own.”

Feedback shows that stores are “increasing their sales with just a small amount of effort,” he said. “Church supplies is one genre that cannot lose ground due to being digitized, so developing that partnership between stores and area churches is a vital part of retailers being able to improve sales through this market.”

Send The Light, Anchor Distributors and Spring Arbor, part of Ingram Content Group, all now offer print-on-demand (POD) services. Ingram recently announced significant advances in color POD technology, allowing for a much greater range of color books to be quickly printed and distributed around the world.

“High-speed color inkjet printing is poised to be a real opportunity for publishers looking for more efficiency in book manufacturing and the print supply chain overall,” said Phil Ollila, Ingram’s chief content officer. “Through our new inkjet color option, publishers can use print-on-demand for a whole new range of titles.”

Ingram’s print-on-demand unit, Lightning Source, recently launched its new standard inkjet color book option for publishers. Promising that savings will be passed from Ingram to the publisher, POD books from Lightning Source are to be competitively priced.

O’Reilly Media has worked with Ingram to beta-test the distributor’s new color inkjet offering.

“I’ve seen the first editions off the press, and the quality is excellent,” said O’Reilly President Laura Baldwin. “In a changing market, Ingram’s new color POD gives us another option to bring more color books to more readers worldwide while simultaneously lowering our costs.”

Lightning Source is manufacturing color books using inkjet technology for publishers worldwide from its Tennessee location, complementing its current premium color offering. Plans are in place to expand the inkjet capability to its Pennsylvania location by the end of the year and internationally in early 2013, the company said.

Ingram has also made ordering easier for retailers. With a simplified search mechanism added earlier this year, the redesigned iPage is “more Amazon-like,” said Ingram Chief Commercial Officer Shawn Everson. ? It also is more customizable and has an extended title base.

Additonally, stores can now monitor the site to see where an order is in process, and in January, Ingram plans to institute a new tool to further simplify the ordering process.

Thomas Nelson Chairman Michael Hyatt keynotes Dallas gala

American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) announced the winners of the Carol Awards for fiction at its conference gala in Dallas. Michael Hyatt, former chairman and CEO, was keynote speaker at the Sept. 22 event that honored titles from a number of publishers, including Thomas Nelson and Zondervan, both now under the HarperCollins umbrella, and Baker Publishing Group.

Drawing from Eccl. 7:10, Hyatt encouraged attendees to lean into the changes in the publishing world.

“You resist the changes and hope we’ll go back to the old days,” Hyatt said to the ACFW conference audience and the publishing industry it represented, “but you won’t go as far as if you lean into the change.”

He asserted that people still “need stories to sort out the meaning of what

they’re experiencing”—a mission ACFW member writers are only too happy to help fulfill.

The Carol Award—formerly the ACFW’s Book of the Year Award and renamed to honor Christian fiction pioneer editor Carol Johnson—honors the highest achievement for published authors of Christian fiction.

The 2012 winners were:

HarperCollins: Debut Novel: Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott (Thomas Nelson); Long Historical: Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott (Thomas Nelson); Romantic Suspense: Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson); Mystery: Falling to Pieces: A Shipshewana Amish Mystery by Vannetta Chapman (Zondervan); Young Adult: The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan).

Baker Publishing Group: Long Contemporary: The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Revell); Short Historical: The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh (Revell); Long Historical Romance: To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House).

Tyndale House Publishers: Long Contemporary Romance: My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren.

Barbour Publishing: Novellas: An Accidental Christmas from A Biltmore Christmas by Diane T. Ashley/Aaron McCarver.

Harlequin: Short Contemporary: Lakeside Reunion by Lisa Jordan (Love Inspired); Short Contemporary Suspense: Nightwatch by Valerie Hansen (Love Inspired Suspense).

Marcher Lord Press: Speculative Fiction: Broken Sight by Steve Rzasa.

B&H Books: Suspense/Thriller: Fallen Angel by Major Jeff Struecker/Alton Gansky.

Penguin Group (USA): Women’s Fiction: Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate (Penguin Praise/Berkley).

Other awards presented were: Lifetime Achievement Award: Allen Arnold; Editor of the Year: Julee Schwarzburg; Agent of the Year: Nicole Resciniti (The Seymour Agency); Mentor of the Year: Allison Pittman; and Member Service Award: Jeanne Marie Leach.

More than 700 ACFW members, industry guests and publishing professionals attended the gala that capped the largest conference focused exclusively on Christian fiction.