There’s no question that Christian retailers need, more than ever, to be on top of their financial game these days. But it’s important that they don’t concentrate so much on one set of books that they forget the others.

At the end of the day, great accounting will only help them keep their doors open. It won’t remind them why they are working so hard to do so, or allow them to maximize opportunities for low- and no-cost promotions.

That’s why taking some time to focus on the actual books they are selling is so important. Let’s not just calculate, let’s celebrate.

All those different titles out on the shelves are not just units or turns, but opportunities to impact lives in a way that makes a difference. They have what I call the Peniel factor, referring to the place where Jacob was re-named Israel after wrestling with God and having his hip put out.

All those who knew him saw that he walked differently as a result—and Christian books have the power to do the same. People notice when a life is transformed by an encounter with God. If you don’t want to take my word for it, consider the recent report in The New York Times titled “Oklahoma Couple Finds Answers in a Book.”

This amounted to a 1,000-word free advert for WaterBrook Multnomah’s One Month to Live in a newspaper not always known for its receptivity to evangelical belief. But the article recounted how people’s lives across the country have been deeply affected by Kerry and Chris Shook’s 2008 debut book, which challenges readers to a 30-day review of their life priorities.

With almost 2,000 churches having planned workshops and services around the Shooks’ campaign, the book’s success was “a genuine grass-roots phenomenon, not a marketing coup,” the writer observed.

We have seen similar responses in recent years to the “Left Behind” series, The Purpose-Driven Life, The Prayer of Jabez and The Shack. In each case, the impact went far beyond the reach of good marketing. The books were propelled by word-of-mouth, readers who became unpaid evangelists because of how they had been enriched.

Christian stores need to be tapping into that desire folk have to be part of some kind of informal movement—a hunger that draws so many people to online communities and forums to post their reviews and opinions. They value the sense of being in on the start of something.

A first, simple step would be for many Christian retailers to actually post something at their own Web site and update whatever information is there. I know many have limited time for online work, but nothing says “irrelevant” like outdated or no content.

If you’re looking for a couple of examples of what can be done, Chris Jager, fiction buyer for Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich., does a great job of posting regular brief reviews and recommendations at the store’s Web site, www.bbhfiction.blogspot.com, while Byron Borger posts longer reviews at www.heartsandmindsbooks.com, the Web site for his Hearts & Minds store in Dallastown, Pa.

Then there are social networking sites like Facebook. Eden Christian Bookstore in Atlanta posts recommendations at its Facebook fan page, as does The Scroll in Tyler, Texas.

But it’s brick-and-mortar locations where Christian retailers should be able to excel in creating community. They could establish customer connection corners, where they post reviews and recommendations for and by regulars. They could include a simple review postcard with each purchase, inviting the shopper to share on it how the book helps them, and then give discount coupons to those that are selected for display each month.

By celebrating the power of books in this way, not only can Christian retailers benefit from the kind of interest titles like One Month to Live generate, but they will be refreshed and encouraged that the effort it takes to provide such a ministry is truly worthwhile.