With just a slight modification of the number belted out by the convent's fictitious sisters in The Sound of Music, they may have wondered, How Do We Solve a Problem Like Marie?

That would be Marie Osmond, rather than Maria (Rainer), at ICRS in Denver to talk about her forthcoming inspirational CD.

While the character portrayed by Julie Andrews was best known as "a flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp!", Marie is widely recognized as a singer, TV host, reality star, successful dieter ... and Mormon.

Hence the revival of the old debate about who and what should be found inside the walls of a Christian retail store. While the issue may not be new, it does have some fresh relevance as our industry continues to adapt to a changing market.

Depending on who you talk to, Christian retailers struggling with falling sales and dwindling traffic should widen their gates to draw in more visitors (welcome, Marie!) or focus in more aggressively on their core constituency, setting themselves apart from what you can find everywhere else (sorry, Ms. Osmond, no entry!).

Most recently, our latest Vital Signs industry survey has found slightly more than half of stores narrowing down their product selection compared to a couple of years ago, while the same percentage of Christian retail consumers had been widening the scope of what they were looking for over the same period.

Clearly we are not going to resolve this issue to everyone's satisfaction, but let's aim to at least hear the others' case and agree to disagree agreeably. Too often there's a harshness to the way we choose to differ in our industry.

We can be a bit quick to make judgments about actions without discerning the heart of those concerned. For instance, one terrific store I know of carries a few books that would be widely considered heresy. Why? Because it's known for its depth and breadth of academic religious materials and draws liberal Christians that staff are then able to engage in gentle dialogue.

Those readers are going to find those materials somewhere, so why not in an environment that could offer some challenge? Obviously such an approach depends very much on the store and its constituency and is not appropriate everywhere, but let's not just dismiss it out of hand.

I'm reminded of a missionary group that took a very different approach to the staging of a psychic fair, one time. While other Christians in the area rallied outside the venue to hand out leaflets warning about the dangers of the occult and praying, this other team rented a booth inside, at the event. Their clever display declared "the mystery of God revealed," a reference to Jesus from Colossians 2, and they got to talk with many festival-goers about Him.

So, what's right for one may not be for another—but that doesn't necessarily mean it is wrong. We're sometimes too quick to make hard and fast rules—usually for others. But we need to remember that we are all part of the body, and maybe be a little less hasty in wanting to chop bits off.

Clearly (I trust) I am not advocating anything-goes. Let's not start carrying Playboy to draw some more male customers and try to sell them a John Eldredge book.

Yes, we need to be wise and discerning, but let's remember shepherds and police officers. For one, a crook is a good thing; for the other a bad thing. We need both vocations. But I'd be more comfortable in a Christian bookstore that feels like a shepherd's fold rather than a police station.

So, back to Marie Osmond. If the album promotes Mormon beliefs directly, then stores may want to pass—unless they happen to serve a significant Mormon clientele, in which case just maybe there's an opportunity for some conversation.

But if she is singing classic Christian hymns, are they somehow tainted because she's Mormon? What about some of the other celebrity albums of gospel or Christmas greats out there on the shelves of Christian stores, by artists with no or vague faith?

Until we come up with a P.O.S. application that can tell us for definite whether an inventory item is "God-approved" or not, we are going to have to leave it up to individual choice. Yes there are lines, but where to draw them seems to depend a bit on where you are standing and who you are serving. Paul was hardly wishy-washy in what he believed, but he also became "all things to all men" to win some (1 Cor. 9).

Mostly, let's make decisions for ourselves and trust others, prayerfully, to theirs. Remember that at his post-resurrection breakfast on the beach, Peter wanted to know what was planned for the other disciples. "What is that to you?" Jesus replied. "You must follow me."