Berean Christian Stores has expanded its film, music and digital business, while announcing the appointment of industry veteran Mark Beyer as senior entertainment buyer.

"We see entertainment as a growing category, representing a media that new customers are gravitating towards," said Bill Nielsen, chief operating officer of Berean Christian Stores. "We want to continue to provide an overall in-store shopping experience for our customers, as well as support several of our strategic supplier partners."

Prior to joining Berean, Beyer served in various roles at LifeWay Christian Stores and before that at Family Christian Stores.

"We are making several investments in the film, music and digital categories as we see them being a strategic opportunity for us to grow our ministry and business as we serve both today's and tomorrow's customer," Nielsen said. "Mark is a seasoned 23- year veteran with strong industry contacts and we have chosen to allow him to work out of Nashville to enable him to provide Berean with strong representation to the industry that is so firmly based in that market."

Beyer said he was "especially eager to collaborate with our vendors on some exciting ways we can help local ministries through our new Give Hope In Deed project, where each Berean store is actively involved in local Christian ministry to people who are hurting or in need."

Give Hope In Deed is an extension of the chain's Give Hope ministry, in which a Berean store partners with ministries in the community such as orphanages, schools for homeless children, crisis pregnancy centers and battered women's shelters. Throughout the year, customers donate to the ministries either monetarily or by donating clothing, food and supplies at the stores.

Starting Nov. 1, customers can purchase a product, and through Give Hope In Deed give the item to someone they know or donate it to one of the store's ministry partners.

Based in Cincinnati, the 18-outlet chain—which dates back to 1934—joined Covenant Group in June, increasing the country's second-largest independent Christian chain's membership by approximately 50%.

Click here for more information on Berean's Give Hope ministry.