Christian Booksellers Face Crisis Of Faith: Move To Mainstream Has Invited Mainstream Competition

The Washington Post ^ | July 14, 2007 | Dale Hanson Bourke

[Alex Murphy]

ATLANTA -- Here at the International Christian Retail Show it is, to borrow a phrase from Charles Dickens, the best of times or the worst of times, depending on whom you ask.

Two years ago organizers stopped calling this expo the Christian Booksellers Convention. Book and Bible publishers are no longer the dominant force. They now share the exhibit floor with a dizzying array of T-shirt manufacturers, greeting card companies and even Christian candymakers.

Book publishers point out that Christian retailers are no longer their primary sales channel. Online sellers such as Amazon.com, and such "big box" stores as Wal-Mart, account for an increasing percentage of their profits -- and their attention.

The result has been a consolidation of Christian publishers and a closing of Christian bookstores. And yet, in a market where such words as "hope," "faith" and "grace" appear in hundreds of titles, there is always reason to believe.

To many, this is not just any business; it's God's business. To others, it is an opportunity to capitalize on the growing awareness of faith and the powerful political and social force of evangelicals. "The Prayer of Jabez" and the "Left Behind" series are just two examples of tsunami-like book sales that confounded the historically secular publishing industry in the past decade.

But the different approaches can create tension. Bill Anderson, president of CBA, the organization of Christian retailers that hosts the convention, said, "We represent stores where 'Christian' is a commitment, not a category."

Anderson admits that such competitors as Barnes & Noble and Borders, along with online outlets, have cut into sales at Christian stores, resulting in closure or consolidation for many of them.

On the Christian publishing side, the story is even more volatile. Best-selling inspirational titles caught the attention of major secular publishers....

[Lee N. Field]

The "Den of Thieves Retail Show" (Chris Rosebrough, from his A Little Leaven blog.)