Contentious delays could help retailers with healthcare law’s implementation

Mid-sized employers have been granted another year before they will be legally required to offer health insurance to nearly all full-time employees. The Obama administration announced another delay in the employer mandate section of the Affordable Care Act—also known as Obamacare—pushing the requirement back to 2016 for companies with 50 to 99 full-time employees.

Larger companies—defined by the law as having 100 or more employees—also were granted a reprieve in the announcement. Though their implementation date remains Jan. 1, 2015—delayed by a more sweeping announcement in July from the law’s original 2014 deadline—large employers will only be required to offer insurance to 70% of full-time workers by that time, instead of the 95% originally mandated.

Small employers—those with 49 or fewer employees—will not be required to offer insurance or fill out any forms, but will instead be able to purchase health plans through new marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act. The federal small-business marketplace, which was supposed to roll out in October 2013, has been delayed until the fall.

Though the administration’s unilateral delays have raised the ire of the law’s critics and proponents alike, the employer mandate delays offer some breathing room to employers still struggling to implement the law’s requirements.  Failure to comply with the requirements can carry steep fines, and with sections of the employer mandate still being questioned on legal and moral grounds—most prominently in the upcoming Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case dealing with the contraceptive portion of the mandate—the requirement’s delays will offer more time for employers and enforcers alike to better assess and implement the law’s changes.

Distributor to serve Christian retailers’ music and DVD needs via Internet and phone following staff restructure

Provident Distribution has downsized its last three field sales representatives as part of a restructuring plan placing more emphasis on Internet and phone sales. The move is reflective of the industry-wide squeeze on the sale of recorded Christian music.

Technology is prompting other changes as well. Along with the staff reduction, Vice President of Sales Randy Davis said Provident is developing ways of participating in more live streaming of musical artists’ events and theatrical releases.

“Additionally, we continue to expand the functionality of our ‘Business to Business’ solution at TheP.com to manage their accounts and order product at their convenience,” Davis said.

A former Provident sales rep who left the company at the end of 2013 had anticipated the move, saying he and other employees had observed a downward trend in music sales the past five years.

“It’s the nature of the industry and the economy,” he said, citing the fact that more music is available through online streaming and fans purchasing recordings on iTunes and other portals. “We all sensed they were going to phase us out. We didn’t have a timeline, but the signs were there.”

Provident opted to retain three telesales reps for independent Christian retailers, who also can use TheP.com for online orders. In the past, if travel or other considerations made it more economical, the former rep said he would encourage retailers to use the ordering site after finalizing their selections. 

Although music sales had declined, Provident’s video business had increased in recent years. DVDs performed well in the home market, even with certain films that didn’t fare that well at the box office, the former rep said.

Still, the former rep sees trouble ahead for that segment of the market as well.

“I think you’ll see changes because of Netflix and all these streaming sites you can get online now,” he said. “That’s going to change people’s buying habits too.”

Although he thinks the impact of e-books affected traditional print sales much quicker, he traces the decline in recorded music sales to the advent of Napster in the late 1990s. 

Although legal challenges eventually forced the file-sharing service to stop offering free downloads, he said the early site still boosted the digital buying trend.

Provident isn’t the only Nashville distribution giant affected by these changes. 

“Capitol has cut down, and I don’t think Word has had a sales rep for the past three years,” he said. “It just got to the point where that’s what ended up happening.”

Provident Distribution is the Christian retail sales and marketing arm of Provident Music Group and Provident Films, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It represents such artists as Casting Crowns, Third Day, MercyMe and Israel Houghton. Among the movie producers it represents are Provident Films, Affirm Films/Sony Pictures Entertainment and FoxFaith/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Tie-in products available at retail for Gospel-based blockbuster movie

Son of God debuted to a $25.6 million opening weekend Feb. 28-March 2, far exceeding recent tracking estimates of $13 million and $22.5 million. This performance made the Jesus biopic the second-highest-grossing film of the weekend, just behind the Liam Neeson-fronted thriller Non-Stop, which also made its debut Feb. 28.

Produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey—the team behind The Bible miniseries—Son of God also managed to outperform the highly successful The Lego Movie, which saw its bid for a fourth consecutive weekend at the No. 1 slot come to an end.

Amid a groundswell of support from Son of God came out of the gates strong with an estimated $9.5 million in box office receipts opening day, just behind the $10.1 million Non-Stop earned that day. Though Son of God didn’t manage to overtake Neeson’s thriller, the biblical film’s earnings grew substantially throughout the weekend.

The Gospel-based drama’s opening weekend viewership was 62% female, with 82% being 25 years of age or older, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com Filmgoers gave the movie an “A-” CinemaScore.

With no major star driving the film’s appeal, an expansive grass-roots effort has led the push for Son of God. Christian retailers, churches, organizations, radio stations, bloggers and others have helped market the movie, buy out theaters for dedicated screenings and distribute tickets to patrons in the lead-up to the film’s release.

Though no DVD release date has yet been announced, several tie-in products are available. Current offerings include a Son of God novelization written by Burnett and Downey (FaithWords), Rick Warren’s Son of God: The Life of Jesus in You Bible study materials (B&H Books) and the Son of God: Music Inspired by the Epic Motion Picture audio CD (Word Entertainment/Word Distribution).

Family Christian exclusive joins ‘Unstoppable’ with chart-topping sales

Kirk Cameron’s Mercy Rule has debuted as the highest-selling DVD in Christian retail in its first week. Released Feb. 14 by the actor’s CAMFAM Studios, Mercy Rule follows on the heels of Cameron’s Unstoppable, which was also the No. 1 best-selling DVD in Christian retail during its release week in late January.

Mercy Rule is available on DVD from Family Christian Stores, the film’s exclusive brick-and-mortar retailer.

“Mercy Rule has truly struck a chord with Family Christian customers,” said Family Christian CEO Cliff Bartow. It is a movie that the whole family can enjoy, and its message of families supporting each other through life’s challenges really resonates with our customers.”

Mercy Rule tells the story of a father and son who are facing their own unique challenges. The father (Cameron) is working to save his business from a corrupt lobbyist. The son is trying to find his place on his Little League baseball team. Behind both is a loyal, encouraging family.

“Our hope is that Mercy Rule can be to families what Fireproof was to marriages,” said Cameron, who plays husband to his real-life wife, Chelsea, in the film.

The movie also includes a discussion guide that helps families who want to start conversations around the themes in the film.

“Christian families are clamoring for high-quality, faith- and family-friendly entertainment,” Bartow said. “Through our partnership with CAMFAM Studios, Family Christian looks forward to continuing to deliver the best in Christian entertainment to our customers for years to come.”

Family Christian will donate a portion of the sale of each Mercy Rule DVD to support the Camerons’ Camp Firefly, which provides seriously ill children and their families an all-expenses-paid vacation at the camp.

Cameron’s previous work Unstoppable, a joint production with Liberty University, was the No. 1-ranked DVD for two weeks after its release.

B&H Publishing called ‘powerful force in Christian publishing’

LifeWay Christian Resources President and CEO Thom Rainer praised the work of B&H Publishing Group and cited the growth of LifeWay Christian Stores in his state of the ministry report, according to Baptist Press. The report was presented at a Feb. 3-4 meeting in Nashville.

“B&H Publishing is an incredible story of growth,” he said. “B&H is now a powerful force in Christian publishing.” 

Rainer particularly noted the advances of the church resources division.

“Our church resources division has turned around a nearly 30-year decline in use of our ongoing Bible study resources in order to get more resources into more churches and the Bible into the hands of more people,” Rainer said. “And Ministry Grid, launched last fall, is the most massive resource we’ve ever produced with thousands of training videos for the local church available anytime, anywhere.”

Rainer also cited last year’s growth of LifeWay Christian Stores, which acquired the 17-store Berean chain and opened nine additional locations. There are now 186 LifeWay Christian Stores in 29 states.

“The Berean acquisition was an incredible endeavor that required cooperation by all of LifeWay—from everyone in the stores division to IT [information technology] and human resources and from finance to legal services.” 

Rainer spoke of his approach to his approach to leadership overall in the report.

“My consistent prayer since coming to LifeWay eight years ago is that I would lead LifeWay with wisdom,” Rainer said. “I don’t want to lead out of my own strength or ability, but with God’s wisdom. And I believe He has shown us His favor in so many ways.”

Rainer said his executive leadership team is “constantly asking honest questions about everything we do at LifeWay. ‘Is LifeWay doing what we should be doing—what God wants us to do?’ We want to be a leader instead of a follower—an influencer instead of simply a reactor.”

He also announced a new LifeWay partnership with Big Oak Ranch, a national ministry to abandoned and neglected children in Alabama. Employees are being given opportunities to donate and provide support for Big Oak.

Trustees at the meeting also approved a response to a motion from last summer’s Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) meeting that SBC entities report how they are assisting churches in “the challenge of ministry to those suffering from mental health issues.”

LifeWay plans to provide a variety of resources to assist individuals and churches in ministering to persons with mental health challenges.

LifeWay’s board also heard reports from the ministry’s executive leadership team, one of which pointed to the organization’s strong financial start to the fiscal year.

International Mission Board partnership an ‘overwhelming success’

LifeWay Christian Stores set a goal last fall of donating 100,000 Hindi language Bibles across South Asia, but customers gave enough for twice that many.

“LifeWay has proven once again it is an organization with a heart for the world,” said Tom Eliff, president of the International Mission Board (IMB). “Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine The Thomas Project would be such an overwhelming success.”

Named for the disciple believed to have been the first Christian missionary to the region, The Thomas Project invited customers at LifeWay’s 186 stores to purchase a Bible for $5 to send to South Asia.

Considering similar initiatives in the past had sold considerably fewer Bibles, the original goal was a significant one for The Thomas Project, a joint venture with LifeWay Christian Stores, B&H Publishing Group and IMB.

This time, however, customers engaged more deeply with the project, giving enough for 200,000 Bibles. Churches continued to donate even after the initiative ended in November, with one church donating enough in January to print 1,200 Bibles.

“We are indeed grateful for the opportunity to partner in ministry with our customers and the IMB through The Thomas Project,” said Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. “The response has been amazing, thanks to the Lord’s blessings and the tremendous generosity of our customers who truly have a compassion for the lost and confidence in the Word of God.”

A LifeWay employee mission team will go to South Asia this spring to help IMB workers distribute the Bibles.

“It is especially gratifying that some of our own LifeWay employees will be joining workers in the field to help distribute the Bibles that are so desperately needed,” said Tim Vineyard, vice president of LifeWay Christian Stores. “Our prayer will be that each Bible donated will have a life changing impact on the individuals who receive them.”

The mission team will visit locations strategically selected by IMB and work through local church leaders and believers to distribute the Bibles. Additionally, they will be involved in direct evangelism and training.

“This has been a year of immense blessings and we cannot keep it to ourselves,” said B&H Senior Vice President of Sales Craig Featherstone, who will be on the team to India alongside Bob Van Fleteren, B&H Vice President of International Sales. “Bob and I are so thankful to be able to see God work in this initiative and see the people of South Asia blessed with these Bibles.”

“God has honored the heart desire of both LifeWay and IMB to see the gospel penetrate the unengaged unreached people groups in South Asia,” Eliff said. “We can only dream what will happen as these Hindi Bible are distributed to the new believers and the lost, as well.”

Influence Music label follows in the vein of ‘We Believe’ release with works of ‘Holy Spirit-inspired creativity’

Influence Resources, an imprint of My Healthy Church serving “Spirit-empowered believers,” has announced the creation of a music division, Influence Music.

The launch of Influence Music comes on the heels of We Believe, a joint release produced by Influence Resources and Integrity Music, which debuted at No. 1 on SoundScan’s Praise and Worship chart in August 2013. The live worship album showcased original music from leading ministries and set the tone for the kind of work Influence Music will champion as a label.

Influence Music will be distributed by My Healthy Church, a leading provider of Christian church supplies, ministry resources and curriculum. Additionally, Influence Music will provide music publishing administration services for select churches and artists.

Sol Arledge, COO of My Healthy Church, says the timing of the launch is perfect.

“The amount of Holy Spirit-inspired creativity coming from our churches and universities is astounding,” Arledge said. “Combined with the marketing and distribution channels already developed by My Healthy Church, we have a truly unique opportunity to serve the church with outstanding worship music.”

The individuals at the heart of this effort are John Hartley and Malcolm du Plessis. Hartley, who also served as producer on We Believe, has worked in Christian music for decades, first as a member of British duo Phil and John, and later as a mentor and producer for artists like Leigh Nash, Aaron Keyes and Matt Redman.

A songwriter, band manager and pioneer of multicultural, multilingual worship, du Plessis also consulted with labels such as Kingsway Music, Integrity Music and Capitol Christian Music Group.

Influence Music’s first release is set for August.