In a statement regarding the second-biggest U.S. bookstore chain's filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Feb. 16, the retailers' trade association said that Borders having to close 200 of its 642 stores "will be a loss of opportunities for the sale and distribution of Christian books and Bibles to a world in desperate need of them."

At the same time, the store closings "present opportunity for others, including independent retailers, to step in and fill the gap," CBA said. "We have many independent retailers who, like Borders, work hard to build customer relationships and practice excellent retail. Christian retailers have an advantage in that they are excellent evangelists for Christian products."

But the retailers' trade group warned that "customer loyalty only goes so far." "Customers are telling us today is that if we are to continue to be successful we need to do those things—and much more," CBA said. "We can't ignore the need to be in the e-commerce game, nor can we stick our heads in the sand and hope that e-books are a short-lived fad. The transference of music sales from CDs to digital downloads was no fluke. If we do not adapt to the changing marketplace, our influence will diminish or disappear altogether.

"We must make strategic decisions and implement the right changes if we are to keep our customer base strong and remain relevant as Christian retailers, and as stewards of God's truth in print and in digital form," CBA added.

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