More than 70 people attending the first regional gathering of the Church Bookstore Network heard yesterday how they were part of an exciting move of God.

Church bookstores were “becoming a force, a force for God,” Bernard Hellendoorn told those who took part in the special half-day event that preceded the opening of the Charisma Book Expo in Atlanta.

Hellendoorn, a former bookstore manager for preacher Charles Stanley's InTouch Ministries and who now leads the Ecclesia Group, which offers consulting services to churches looking to develop bookstore operations, took part in a Q-and-A session addressing issues such as distribution, planning and staffing.

Also on the advice panel was Richard Shuport, the former owner of three Atlanta-area Christian retail stores, who said he sensed the same significance about the church bookstore movement as he had when independent Christian retail stores started to rise in the 1970s.

“You are in the beginning of what is getting ready to happen,” he said. “You are at the right place at the right time; this is going to explode. You have no idea what this industry is going to be like in churches 10 years from now. I'm excited about where you are.”

A third of those attending the gathering, hosted by network president Geni Hulsey, were from churches that just started or were getting ready to start stores. Representatives from the Mardel and LifeWay Christian chains also took part in the event at the Marriott Atlanta Airport hotel.

“I'm very excited to be here,” said Nanniene Culpepper, director of bookstore operations at Gospel Tabernacle's churches in Atlanta and Stone Mountain, Ga. “It was good to learn that I am on the right track. I am very excited to be part of this growth in the church bookstores because it means we can be a blessing.”

Attendees enjoyed learning more about how to handle the key issues that church bookstores face. “I'm glad that not-for-profit and for-profit issues were clearly explained,” said Martha PorterHill from Faith Tabernacle Bookstore in Chicago. “People (think sales tax shouldn't be charged) while in church. But it's for-profit; it's for the kingdom. Buyers and managers can explain that to customers.”

PorterHill said she wished she'd been told about tax issues and especially discounting when she started out.

James Rolle, prospective church retailer from Lithonia, Ga., said he learned “a lot of do's and don'ts since we're just beginning to start our church bookstore,” noting that Hulsey emphasized the need for integrity.

Further regional meetings are planned for the network, which was founded earlier this year to support and encourage church bookstores. The event was sponsored by Strang Communications, publisher of The Church Bookstore magazine.

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