The 146-year-old publication that launched Standard Publishing will switch to a monthly schedule starting in September.

Believed to be the nation's oldest Protestant weekly publication, Christian Standard magazine has been continuously published since its first weekly issue rolled off printing presses April 7, 1866. It has produced issues every single week for 146 years, except for two weeks in 1937, when a flood put its presses underwater, Standard said.

The Cincinnati-based company's decision to move the publication to a monthly format indicates "a redefinition" that positions the magazine for a strong future, according to Publisher and Editor Mark A. Taylor. The new monthly will have a total of 68 pages, allowing for more substantive treatment of subjects, including longer articles in some cases..

"The new format will be something like most weekly issues of TIME magazine," Taylor said. "But the changes will be more than in appearance."

Christian Standard's weekly publication coincided for many years with its use in conjunction with adult Sunday school materials, and many churches ordered it along with their quarterly Sunday school curriculum.

Increasingly, however, churches are moving to other models that emphasize small group or other types of fellowship groups for adults, Standard said.

In the new format, each issue will include special treatment of its cover theme, as well as other articles about current issues or church practices. The September issue, focusing on money and stewardship, kicks off the new approach.

Click here for more information about Christian Standard or follow the magazine on Facebook. 

B&H Publishing Group recently announced the launch of B&H Kids, a new children's imprint.

Releasing this fall, the first titles will feature two film tie-ins, including Firebird by Brent McCorkle and Amy Parker (October)—a story featured in the forthcoming movie Unconditional. The other tie-in release is Courageous Teens by Michael Catt and Amy Parker (September), the latest in a string of products based on the 2011 Sherwood Pictures movie Courageous.

Also coming out this fall are the Read-to-Me Toddlers Bible (available in English and Spanish with associated apps, September) and The 365 Day Children's Bible Storybook (December). Several complete Bibles for kids featuring "a unique range of classic and modern designs" will be published in winter 2013, the publisher said.

Dan Lynch, who was previously at Word Records and Tommy Nelson, the children's imprint of Thomas Nelson, heads B&H Kids as lead acquisitions editor. Vice president of marketing is Mary Katharine Hunt, formerly a director for LifeWay Kids (which develops church curriculum for children), a division of Lifeway Christian Resources and the parent company of B&H Publishing. Other B&H Kids employees include acquisitions editor Dawn Woods, formerly of Thomas Nelson, and marketing strategist Shannon Kozee, who most recently was a marketing manager at Big Idea, the parent company of VeggieTales.

B&H Kids is "taking off in a big way with a strong commitment to fun and innovative content and tools to engage children," Lynch said. "Whether it's print or digital, a book or an app, our products are especially geared to help parents and leaders interact with kids in ways that truly make an impact, a powerful difference in their lives."

The NIV Journey Bible (Zondervan) topped the Bible best-sellers from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). The list from ECPA tracks sales for the week ending July 14, according to Pubtrack Christian data.

The Top 20 General best-sellers are: 1. Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 2. Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman (Zondervan); 3. Boundaries, Henry Cloud, John Townsend (Zondervan); 4. The Harbinger, Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine/Charisma House Book Group); 5. Coming Home, Karen Kingsbury (Zondervan); 6. Jesus Calling, Young, large print deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 7. The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing); 8. Jesus Calling, Young, deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 9. Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo (Thomas Nelson); 10. Love Does, Bob Goff (Thomas Nelson); 11. Kingdom Man, Tony Evans (Tyndale House Publishers); 12. Crazy Love, Francis Chan (David C Cook); 13. The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson (Zondervan); 14. Battlefield of the Mind, Joyce Meyer (FaithWords); 15. KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2012-2013, softcover edition (Standard Publishing); 16. Implosion, Joel C. Rosenberg (Tyndale); 17. One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp (Zondervan); 18. The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers, Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing); 19. NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2012-2013, softcover edition (Standard Publishing); and 20. KJV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2012-2013, large print softcover edition (Standard Publishing).

The Top 10 Fiction best-sellers are: 1. The Harbinger; 2. Coming Home; 3. Loving, "Bailey Flanigan Series," No. 4, Karen Kingsbury (Zondervan); 4. The Betrayal, "Precinct 11 Series," No. 2, Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale); 5. Her Mother's Hope, "Marta's Legacy Series" No. 1, Francine Rivers (Tyndale); 6. Her Daughter's Dream, "Marta's Legacy Series" No. 2, Rivers (Tyndale); 7. The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club, Wanda E. Brunstetter (Barbour Publishing); 8. Lethal Legacy, "Guardians of Justice" No. 3, Irene Hannon (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 9. Blue Moon Promise, "Under Texas Stars" No. 1, Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson); and 10. Dry as Rain, Gina Holmes (Tyndale).

The top five Bibles are: 1. The NIV Journey Bible, softcover, New International Version; 2. The Story, hardcover, New International Version (Zondervan); 3. ICB Big Red Holy Bible, softcover, International Children's Bible (Thomas Nelson); 4. NIV Adventure Bible, hardcover, (Zonderkidz); and 5. ESV Pew & Worship Bible, hardcover, English Standard Version (Crossway).

Christians are embracing computer tablets and e-readers at a faster pace than most consumers, according to CBA-commissioned research by the Barna Group (BG).

BG President David Kinnaman summarized the findings of The Rise of E-Reading: What Digital Content Means for Customer Loyalty, Products and Retailing study in a video presentation July 15 during the opening general session of the International Christian Retail Show in Orlando, Fla.

Kinnaman shared that some 44% of pastors, 30% of Christian store shoppers and 25% of practicing Catholics reported that they owned a mobile tablet device or e-reader, compared to 18% of shoppers who don't visit Christian stores.

The survey found that the most popular device was the iPad—44% among Christian store shoppers. Additionally, nearly 70% of Christian store shoppers said they would definitely or probably buy an ebook or digital download from a Christian store. Kinnaman, co-author of unChristian (Baker Books/Baker Publishing Group), encouraged Christian retailers in attendance to embrace the technological changes, master digital marketing and choose how they want to compete in the rapidly changing retail market.

More than 800 Christian stores are now able to sell ebooks through their own store websites, which increasingly puts brick-and-mortar stores at the center of reader and consumer engagement. The physical store is still the best option for book discovery and sales, according to Curtis Riskey, CBA executive director. During the "Stores as Ministry Connectors" General Session, he said brick-and-mortar stores are increasingly offering "a sense of place and engagement" that online stores are unable to fully provide.

Click here for more information on The Rise of E-Reading study. 

For the second year in a row, the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) closed Wednesday with attendance up and with upbeat reviews from retailers and suppliers.

Primarily representing buyers, professional attendance at the show in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., held July 15-18, was 1,756, 0.5% over last year when the event was in Atlanta. Total attendance was up 1.5% to 4,990, while international attendance was down 14.6% to 368 attendees from 59 countries.

Given the challenging economy and other factors impacting retailing in general, "I believe the retailers who are here have a renewed passion," CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey, told Christian Retailing near the show's end. "The idea of fair trade in Christian retailing seems to align with [retailers' mission] and create a sweet spot. I would have to say that the show was a success. ... I feel very happy and fortunate that was attendance up."

George Thomsen, chairman of the CBA board and general manager of Harvest Bookstore in Riverside, Calif., added: "I had vendors I tried to see and I wasn't able to see them because they were booked with appointments. Overall, the show was positive and upbeat."

Russ Schwartz, vice president of independent retail sales for Thomas Nelson, said the company had more than 150 meetings in its conference area on the exhibit floor with people across all Christian retail sales channels, plus impromptu meetings in the hall. "It's been great," he said. "We met with our valuable partners to find new ways to grow our business together and continue to do business."

John Whitaker, vice president of Anchor Distributors, said the company's large booth, which it shared with sister company Whitaker House, had busy traffic. "It was a good show, and better than last year," he said.

Bill White, director of sales for apparel company NOTW, said the show was "the best ICRS we've attended in seven years." "It's been busy," he said. "We've been penned in with the constant traffic. The retailers here are the survivors, the remnant. They're the ones figuring out ways to make it work."

Joshua Williams—manager of The Salt Shaker Christian Bookstore in Enumclaw, Wash., an hour south of Seattle—said ICRS was a great show. "I did a lot more buying this year since the recession hit in 2008," he said. "I was excited to get new products."

Read our complete coverage of ICRS in the September issue of Christian Retailing.

Retailers have chosen the winners in the 12th annual Retailers Choice Awards, sponsored by Christian Retailing magazine. Winners were selected from among the 300-plus products nominated in 41 categories.

Three companies tied for the most wins overall at six each: Baker Publishing Group, David C Cook and Zondervan. Tyndale House Publishers received five awards, while Thomas Nelson and B&H Publishing Group each had four. In gifts, Lighthouse Christian Products was the top supplier, winning two of the five categories.

The awards were presented Tuesday, July 17, during the International Christian Retail Show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Worship leader Ricardo Sanchez—author, GRAMMY nominee and Dove Award-winning songwriter—joined Christian Retailing in the presentation.

Zondervan’s Chriscynethia Floyd, who was on hand to receive the company’s multiple awards, entertained attendees when she took a hint from emcee Sanchez and “Tebowed” after receiving the award for Through My Eyes: Young Readers Edition in the Youth/Teen category.

Introduced in 2001, the Retailers Choice Awards have been increasingly acknowledged as an important way of recognizing some of the most significant new life-changing products in the Christian retail industry. Retailers were asked to judge nominations on the impact they have had on staff and customers, including their ability to speak to people’s hearts and evoke emotion; open people’s minds to new ways of thinking; and encourage and affirm Christ-like living.

For more information, visit www.retailerschoiceawards.com.

Approximately two-dozen retailers received a dose of “usable ideas” Tuesday from experts in the Christian product industry.

The workshop “Retailer Rx: Ask the Experts” sought to help retailers discuss and overcome critical operational challenges by connecting with personnel in marketing and events, gift merchandising, lease negotiations, technology and store operations.

The informal session featured Suzanne Kuhn, owner of author events company Suzy Q, with 20 years’ experience with a regional bookstore chain; Sherry Morris, marketing manager for Carpentree; Dale Willerton, founder and president of The Lease Coach; Tim Johnson, president of Ideakindler; and Sue Smith, store manager of Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Louis McBride, Bible academic buyer for Baker Book House, told Christian Retailing that he “came to learn how to increase our social media.”

“Suzanne Kuhn provided more than I could have imagined in a short amount of time,” he said. “I'm informed and inspired.”

Cathy Stricklin, owner of the Lord's Store in Tridelphia, W.Va., which will open in October, added the workshop with her daughter, Rachel.

“I like that we were able to speak with each speaker/specialist. The speakers offered down-to-earth, simple suggestions. They were usable ideas.”