This is not intended as a back-handed compliment. Fact is, if anyone stepped forward claiming that they had all the solutions to the challenges that our industry is facing, I would also expect them to be able to turn base metal into gold and leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Take social media, for instance. Everyone’s excited about the potential and talking about how it upends traditional marketing practices and there are all sorts of “experts” out there hawking their advice. Sure there are some great ideas, but does anyone really have it all figured out? I think not.

So, for me, Riskey’s main qualification for the new role is not that he knows all the answers, but that, more importantly, he knows about asking the right questions. It is something he has been recognized for from his earliest days in the Christian products world.

One colleague recalls being impressed by the insightful questions Riskey asked at the prospective retailers course he attended before opening his store in Oshkosh, Wis. I appreciated the same thing during the time Riskey spent as a member of Christian Retailing’s editorial advisory board.

Perhaps it’s because he came to Christian retailing towards the end of its fat-cow years, but he has always seemed open to re-evaluating the ways things are done and not afraid to review accepted wisdom.

And, my, do we ever need to be asking some hard questions—about the church’s place in a changing culture, about the long-term impact of the economic downturn, about what makes Christian retail distinctive, about the relationship between suppliers and retailers, about what the digital revolution is going to do to traditional business models and practices. How’s that for starters?

This is not to say that Riskey and CBA have no clue, of course. He arrived at the organization as strategic solutions executive and has been a part of recent initiatives that have shown CBA to be responding to needs.

But I am encouraged beyond the specifics of Riskey’s new role, too. I believe that it is part of the emergence of what is, for me, a more open-handed, more collaborative and, yes, even more humble, trade association.

It’s not uncommon for member organizations to grow to a point where they become central, rather than the members, and you seem to end up with the tail wagging the dog. Some CBA members felt that was what happened somewhat with the association during Christian retail’s boom season, as the association’s coffers and staff swelled.

We’re now in the thin-cow days, as CBA’s shrinking staff and recent decision to sell off its building underscore. CBA can no longer afford to be high and mighty, or to be seen that way.

Naming Riskey as executive director and dispensing with the president/CEO position addresses this perception, and the shift in management style also gives more of an important role to the chairman—at least publicly. Former chairmen may have done a lot behind the scenes, but they were best known out front for using a big pair of scissors to cut the ribbon at the CBA shows.

Chair-elect George Thomsen is just the right person for this new season. He is widely recognized for his business acumen, his integrity, his ministry focus. That he is a church bookstore manager respected by independents, some of whom still find the whole church bookstore scene a little irritating, is a plus, too.

I am hopeful that this new-look CBA will also help foster some greater cooperation and collaboration with other groups in the industry. There has been talk about the need for this in the past, of course, but this new alignment might help it actually go somewhere.

CBA needs support like never before, so let me encourage you to join if you are not a member—because you need CBA like never before. If your membership has lapsed, it’s a good time to give the organization another chance. Get behind CBA and it will be able to come alongside you. Or, maybe better yet, come alongside CBA and it will be able to get behind you.

Trade show celebrates Spanish-language products

Participants from around the world will converge on Miami, May 13-18, for Expolit 2010, where convention-goers will participate in the largest trade show in the U.S. for Spanish-language Christian products.

Retailers, publishers, distributors and music label representatives active in the Christian products industry attend the convention, which draws about 3,500 people a day and is open to the public. Held at the Doubletree Miami Mart, the show has a wide international reach, drawing an average of 140 exhibitors from Latin America, Spain, England and Japan.

Encouraging retailers to attend even if they don’t speak Spanish, Marie Tamayo, vice president and director of Expolit, said the show is “the only place to know what’s happening in the Spanish Christian industry.”

For those who don’t speak Spanish, all of the show guides are bilingual, and many events, including the booksellers’ workshops, will be translated.

The $125 registration fee for the convention includes admission to all workshops, general sessions, the gala banquet and concerts. For accommodation, attendees can take advantage of a special rate at the Doubletree Miami Mart Airport Hotel and other select hotels. For more information, go to www.expolit.com.

ON THE SCHEDULE

The School for Booksellers, sponsored by the Spanish Evangelical Products Association (SEPA), takes place Thursday. Workshops are geared to bookstore owners and managers and distributors.

The keynote speakers at the General Sessions are: Marco Barrientos (Aliento Producciones) and Alberto Delgado (Alpha and Omega); author and actor Kirk Cameron (Living Waters), speaking at Friday’s Opening Celebration; author and evangelist Luis Palau (Tyndale Español), speaking Saturday; Fernando Arau, offering a comedy show, “Marriage, A History of Science and Friction,” Sunday; Priscilla Shirer (B&H International), Monday; and pastor and author Cash Luna (Editorial Vida), speaking at Tuesday’s Closing.

Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Editorial Unilit and Focus on the Family Mundo Hispano will host a mini conference on the family with speakers including Jim Daly, Focus president; Sixto Porras, co-author of Focus on the Family’s Traigamos a los pródigos de regreso al hogar (Bringing Home the Prodigals); and Norma Pantojas, author of the Editorial Unilit titles Los 30 horrores que cometen las mujeres y cómo evitarlos (30 horrible mistakes women make and how to avoid them) and Los 30 horrores que cometen los hombres y que toda mujer debe saber (30 horrible mistakes men make and how to avoid them).

SEPA’s Gala Dinner and Awards will top off Sunday evening. Jentezen Franklin, pastor, best-selling author of El ayuno (Fasting, Casa Creación/Strang Book Group) and Bible teacher on his Kingdom Connection TV program, will be the featured speaker for the annual banquet.

WHAT’S NEW

Among several new events this year is Saturday’s One World Youth Challenge 2010, “an entire day dedicated to youth,” Tamayo said. “We’re bringing different speakers that will be a part of workshops only for youth, and we’ll close the day with a big concert at 10 p.m.” Some of the topics to be addressed are eating disorders, sexuality and campus evangelism, and the late-night concert will feature artists including Funky, Vertical, Julissa, D.C. Reto and La Tribu de Benjamín.

A three-hour conference on Christian coaching is scheduled for Saturday. Based on a system used in more than 10 countries, the conference, led by Héctor and Laura Teme, will provide tools for leadership training and personal development.

For three days, Oikos Latino will be on the schedule for the first time. A seminar dedicated to the cell church in Latin America, Oikos (Greek for “household”) sessions will take place Saturday, Monday and Tuesday with cell-church movement leaders participating: William Beckham, president of TOUCH Global Ministries; Ralph Neighbour, founder of TOUCH Outreach Ministries; Joel Comiskey, president and founder of Joel Comiskey Group, a resource ministry for the cell church movement; Roberto Lay, director of TOUCH Brazil; and Mario Vega, senior pastor of Elim Church in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Visit www.expolit.com for complete show schedule and exhibitors’ list.

Show highlights

Thursday, May 13

7:30-11:30 a.m. Sales Conference for Booksellers, sponsored by Alpha and Harvest/B&H International, North Ballroom

11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Lunch and SEPA board meeting, Jacaranda

2:45-6:15 p.m. School for Booksellers, Hibiscus Ballroom

7-9:30 p.m. Trasmisión en Vivo, speaker Alberto Delgado with music by Marco Barrientos; sponsored by Enlace y Sus Amigos: Milton Valle Sonnus, East Hall

Friday, May 14

7:45-11:45 a.m. Sales Conference for Booksellers (by invitation only), Editorial Unilit, East Hall

12-2 p.m. Sales Conference for Booksellers (by invitation only), Editorial Patmos, North Ballroom

3-7 p.m. Exhibition hall open

7-9 p.m. Opening celebration, speaker Kirk Cameron (Living Waters), various sponsors, East Hall

9-11 p.m. Exhibition hall open

Saturday, May 15

7:45-9:45 a.m. Sponsored breakfast, Tyndale Español, North Ballroom

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Retornando el corazón al hogar (Turn Your Heart Toward Home), sponsored by Editorial Unilit and Focus on the Family Mundo Hispano, East Hall

10-11 a.m. Youth Challenge with Felix Parra, sponsored by One World 2010, Fashion 3 East

11 a.m.-noon Youth Challenge mini plenary, Junior Zapata and Miriam Bloise, sponsored by One World 2010, Fashion 3 East

3-7 p.m. Exhibition hall open

3:30-5 p.m. Sponsored reception (by invitation only), Editorial Vida, Fashion 3 East S1

7-10 p.m. General Session and Concert, speaker Luis Palau, East Hall

9-11 p.m. Exhibition hall open

10:30 p.m.-midnight Late-night concert for youth, East Hall

Sunday, May 16 

8:30-noon Sponsored breakfast (by invitation only), Casa Creación, North Ballroom

Noon-5 p.m. Exhibition hall open

2-4 p.m. Family afternoon: “Marriage, A Story of Science and Friction,” Fernando Arau, East Hall

7-10 p.m. Gala Banquet and Awards, speaker Jentezen Franklin, Casa Creación, East Hall

Monday, May 17

8-10 a.m. Sponsored breakfast for pastors (by invitation only), Sociedad Bíblica Americana, South Ballroom

8-10 a.m. Sponsored breakfast (by invitation only), Mundo Hispano, North Ballroom

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Special music ministry event (by invitation only), East Hall

10 a.m.-7 p.m. Exhibition hall open

1-3 p.m. Sponsored luncheon (by invitation only), B&H International, North Ballroom

3:30-5 p.m. Sponsored reception (by invitation only), Editorial Vida, Fashion 3 East S1

5:30 p.m. Short Film: 22 Weeks

7-10 p.m. General Session, speaker Priscilla Shirer (B&H International), East Hall

9-11 p.m. Exhibition hall open

Tuesday, May 18

8-10 a.m. Annual membership breakfast, SEPA, Hibiscus

10 a.m.-7 p.m. Exhibition hall open

7-9 p.m. Closing General Session, speaker Cash Luna (Editorial Vida), East Hall

9-11 p.m. Exhibition hall open

Opportunities broaden for charismatic book sales

Four years after celebrations to mark the centennial of the modern Pentecostal movement that has profoundly reshaped the church, its leaders are more concerned about looking forward than back.

While 2006 saw a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, international gatherings in the U.S. and Sweden this year look ahead to the challenges and opportunities facing the Spirit-filled community.

At the same time publishers serving the movement—which marks its own ruby anniversary this year—have been assessing their changing part and place, in conversation with Christian Retailing.

Several thousand attendees were expected April 8-10 at Empowered 21: Global Congress on Holy Spirit Empowerment in the 21st Century.

Central to the gathering were to be discussions on finding ways for “engaging new generations in Spirit-empowered living,” organizers said.

The event was to take place at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., whose founder died last December, aged 91. One of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century, Roberts had a significant role in charismatic publishing, writing more than 130 books.

Participation in Empowered 21 reads like a who’s who of the contemporary Christian products world. The event’s leadership cabinet included authors such as Lisa Bevere, Jack Hayford, Mark Rutland, Vinson Synan and Samuel Rodriguez. Other members included worship music pioneer Michael Coleman, president of Integrity Media, and Mart Green, founder and president of the Mardel Christian and Education retail chain.

Among the keynote speakers and presenters were authors Kim Daniels, Dick Eastman, Lou Engle, Cindy Jacobs, Jentezen Franklin, David Shibley, artist Ron DiCianni and musicians Paul Baloche and Marcos Witt.

Meanwhile, Australian pastor and author Brian Houston—whose Hillsong Church in Sydney is home to the hugely influential Hillsong worship sound—is due to be one of the keynote speakers at the 22nd Pentecostal World Conference to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, Aug. 24-27.

The event is set to echo a concern of the Tulsa congress. “My passion for the Pentecostal movement is that we are prepared and ready to empower future generations,” said Houston. “While we honor the past, we want to live for today and build for tomorrow.”

Joining him in Stockholm will be other well-known authors including Hayford and evangelist Reinhard Bonnke.

BEYOND ‘SPECIAL INTEREST’

But as church leaders pray and plan, anyone setting out to assess the significance and impact of the Pentecostal movement and its charismatic offspring on Christian publishing would miss the point if they scanned only the special-interest category shelves where such titles have traditionally been placed in bookstores.

For while the space and prominence given to the section has expanded in most stores since Dennis Bennett’s groundbreaking Nine O’Clock in the Morning was first published in 1970 by Bridge-Logos, authors from the movement are increasingly found in other categories, too, as Spirit-focused publishers have also enlarged their territories.

Leading charismatic and Pentecostal authors like T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer and John Hagee regularly write on topics beyond core issues of the Spirit-filled life. Bridge-Logos Foundation and Whitaker House publish classics on holiness, while Strang Book Group’s Siloam dominates the Christian health and wellness area.

The three publishing houses were born out of the charismatic movement of the 1960s and 1970s which they and others agree has been largely mainstreamed since the early days when books about the Spirit-filled life were rejected by some stores.

“There seems to have been a blending of certain aspects of the charismatic movement into other denominations or parts of the church,” observed Rolf Zettersten, vice president and publisher at Hachette Group USA’s Christian imprint, FaithWords.

That view is born out by a 2008 report by the Barna Group that found significant Pentecostal and charismatic growth in the previous decade. Americans who identified themselves as such had increased in 10 years from 30% to 36%—or around 80 million adults—according to the study, while one in four Protestant churches was charismatic.

Charismatic- and Pentecostal-style congregations feature heavily in the annual list of largest American churches compiled by Outreach magazine, with Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, ranking No. 1 for 2009.

The growth is not limited to independent churches like Osteen’s. The U.S. Assemblies of God (AG) reported membership gains for the ninth successive year in 2009, overtaking the Presbyterian Church (USA) to become the ninth largest denomination in the country.

The AG’s rise was reported in the National Council of Churches’ 2010 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, whose editor, Eileen W. Lindner, noted: “American church membership trends have defied gravity, particularly when the Pentecostal experience is included.”

That greater openness to charismatic belief and practice has meant that “the lines have continued to blur” in publishing, said Zettersten. These days, “a lot of charismatic authors don’t want to be identified as being ‘charismatic’ authors because they say that is restricting them to a smaller audience,” he added.

At retail, Zettersten observed, “charismatic books aren’t considered special interest any more, they are part of the Christian Living category. They really have gone mainstream as far as the booksellers are concerned.”

As a result, sales data does not tell the whole story. “Many authors who historically might have been categorized in ‘Charismatic’ are now finding their titles in ‘Christian Life,’ ‘Inspirational’,” said said Michael Covington, information and education director for the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).

A BROADER AUDIENCE

The mainstreaming has meant some adapting. At Regal Books, “we work with the author to state things in a way that would be broadly acceptable to the reading audience,” said President Bill Greig III. “We work with them to use language that is more widely acceptable; we would use biblical language, quite frankly.”

As the trade book division of historic curriculum publisher Gospel Light, Regal took some heat when it “kind of fell into” publishing books by the likes of C. Peter Wagner and Neil T. Anderson in the 1990s. “We had retailers and distributors saying, ‘Are you turning charismatic?’ and my answer was always, ‘No, we are are for the whole church; we want to publish great books,’” Greig said.

Despite the mainstreaming, publishers agreed that there is still a place for a specific category for some charismatic titles. “There are ways to communicate certain subjects in a broader, less ghetto-izing or arcane way,” said Jane Campbell, editorial director at Baker Publishing Group’s Chosen Books.

“Other subjects, however, are still more sensitive or a little harder hitting.”

Jonathan Nori, COO at Destiny Image Publishers, noted that “many of today’s ‘charismatics’ were not even around when the movement began and don’t identify themselves as such.” However, that did not mean moving away from issues core to the movement, he added.

“Those ‘core issues’ are where we have found the most success,” he said. “If someone isn’t interested in a book about speaking in tongues, they won’t buy it. But someone interested in that subject? They don’t want a message that’s been watered down to try and make it more ‘palatable’ to those who disagree.”

Some core charismatic titles have found acceptance beyond their expected constituency. John Eckhardt’s 2008 Prayers That Rout Demons has been “embraced across the board,” said Tessie DeVore, vice president of Strang Communications’ Strang Book Group. Along with Prayers that Break Curses, released in January, it has been successful “even in surprising markets like the Catholic one.”

Strang Communications founder and CEO Steve Strang underscored that the charismatic movement—for which he launched Charisma magazine in 1975—has produced a market hungry for more than just “real narrow, special-interest books.”

Strang, whose company also publishes Christian Retailing magazine, said: “The Spirit-filled community has affected the church in lots of ways. It has encouraged Christians to pursue greater intimacy with Jesus, closer study of the Word and believing it, quite literally. There has been standing for biblical values, worship and prayer and the presence of God—all these areas have been heavily influenced by the charismatic movement.”

Whitaker House Vice President Bob Whitaker Jr. also noted how the charismatic movement has had an indirect spillover impact in publishing.

“What I find interesting in the bookselling world is that charismatic readers are much more apt to pick up another author, even knowing that they might have a bias against the gifts of the Spirit,” he said, “whereas a more fundamentalist reader wouldn’t even think about picking up a book by a known charismatic, even if it is not on that subject.”

With a new generation of charismatics and Pentecostals emerging, backlist titles that address foundational truths of the movement remain strong. Meyer’s Battlefield of the Mind, first published in 1995, was the top-selling charismatic title of 2009 according to the ECPA’s PubTrack Christian sales charts. A sequel, Power Thoughts, is due from FaithWords later this year.

Meyer was also last year’s top-selling charismatic PubTrack Christian author, just ahead of Joel Osteen. But in third place was Smith Wigglesworth, the British Pentecostal pioneer who died in 1947, while at No. 8 on the list was Kenneth E. Hagin, who died in 2003.

Faith Library Publications (FLP), which Hagin founded, is different from most other charismatic publishers in not having diversified beyond its core audience. “We believe that there are still people out there in all markets that need to hear the word of faith taught, so our goal is to get it out to as many people as possible,” said Brian Cumberland, FLP manager.

In the final quarter of 2009, for the first time “after years of trying,” the publisher had four titles accepted by Barnes & Noble. A book signing in Tulsa—FLP’s home—for a title by Hagin’s son, Kenneth W. Hagin, saw more than 400 sales.

CHANGING EMPHASES

Topics and trends have changed through the years. In the early days there was an emphasis on first-person narratives like Bennett’s Nine O’Clock in the Morning (Bridge-Logos), Pat Boone’s A New Song (Creation House) and Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place (Chosen).

As the market became “glutted” with such accounts, the company and others “found a much more receptive market for expositional ‘teaching’ books,” Chosen’s Campbell noted. Prayer and spiritual warfare were a major focus, followed by prophecy and dreams.

More recently, Chosen has returned to releasing two or three first-person “memoir” books a year, “having a great time with them and enjoying hearing how they are connecting with readers,” Campbell said.

Early works are finding a new audience, too; Bridge-Logos sold 18,000 copies of Nine O’Clock in the Morning last year.

In addition to the greater openness of stores to Pentecostal and charismatic belief, Zettersten said that he saw another factor at play in stores’ embracing the movement and its authors. “There is an economic reality that if you are going to sell Christian books, you can’t ignore one of the largest categories in that market,” he said.

“Given how hard it is for booksellers these days, particularly the independents, I think they take a look at these authors and realize there’s nothing in there that’s offensive and they won’t jeopardize anyone’s faith because they sell those books.”

At Destiny Image, Nori observed that “most bookstores have recognized that those who are ‘hungry’ and identify with the ‘charismatic movement’ make excellent repeat customers.”

Pentecostal and charismatic authors are driving a significant part of many publishers’ international growth. Destiny Image and Whitaker House had two of the largest display booths at Marketsquare International, the winter event for overseas buyers held in Atlanta in January.

“Our sales have remained strong, particularly internationally—that’s where the church growth is,” Whitaker said. Destiny Image also saw “a growing demand for charismatic titles internationally, both in English and translations, Nori said.

FLP’s Cumberland predicted continued growth across all markets. “I have always thought that the charismatic movement was just a return to things that were certainly occurring in the book of Acts,” he said. “I don’t see that is supposed to stop or it has.”

Whitaker agreed: “The truth continues to sell. You really can’t change God’s Word, but you can try to present it in a fresh way.”

Top 10 publishers’ Pentecostal and charismatic market share, 2009

Strang Book

Group 22%

Destiny Image Publishers 16%

Whitaker House 16%

Harrison House Pu

blishers 10%

FaithWords 9%

Simon & Schuster 8%

Baker Publishing Group 5%

Faith Library Publications

3%

Gospel Light Publications 2%

Thomas Nelson 2%

CBA's new leader, personal product picks and a look at major new releases—listen in as the Christian Retailing editorial team looks to the month ahead.

{mp3}aprilroundtable1{/mp3}

Click here to download the file.

TYPE: Chain
Region: Midwest
Location: On a major street, next to store
advertised by gigantic barstools at one end of the parking lot.
APPEARANCE:
INVENTORY:
STAFF:

We've been so concerned about the falling trees, in recent times, that I fear that we have lost sight of the forest.

But it's time to recognize that any discussion about the future of Christian retailing needs to include more than just those of us directly involved in it.

It's time to step back and look at the bigger picture. It's time to remember the bigger story of which we are part. It's time to broaden the conversation.

And we now have an opportunity to do just that, exploring what kind of role Christian stores might have to play in what God is doing and wants to do on a wider scale in the United States—including through their doors.

If we don't, my fear is that we are going to spend all our time mending our leaky umbrella and then turn round and go outside to find it's stopped raining.

The kind of thinking out loud I have in mind was well-captured recently in a blog by a pastor in my U.K. homeland. Simon Jones wrote that it was high time for some "fresh mission thinking and creative partnership between churches and the high (main) street."

After all, he observed, "our neighbors are regularly on the high street and rarely in our (church) buildings. The high street offers something they want. Analysts argue that shopping is a leisure activity and a source of 'spiritual' fulfillment in the absence of traditional organized religion.

"Missional thinkers have been rightly identifying consumerism as a rival god over recent years, which makes the high street the place where we should be—as Paul was in amongst the idols of Athens—living and modeling a different form of spirituality to our neighbors.

"And where better to do this than in a retail space that offers coffee, conversation, Internet access, books for browsing and buying, people to pray, space for groups to gather on a regular basis. The Christian bookshop could become a vital missional space with a bit of imagination on the part of church leaders and Christian retailers."

Admittedly, the church and cultural context is a little different over there, but the broad strokes apply. Jones closed his comments by wondering: "So are we up for this or will we all be lamenting the passing of the Christian presence on the high street the next time we gather at a conference to talk about how to do mission?"

Having expressed similar thinking in this column—that the strategic potential of Christian stores should be on the agenda of some of our national church leadership conferences about missions and outreach—I was interested to learn about two organizations meeting recently to—as the organizers put it—"dialog, discuss and prayerfully design a strategy of how to 'love America to Christ' through evangelism in the next decade."

These two groups were the National City Impact Roundtable (NCIR), a network for "cityreachers" whose focus is to reach whole communities for Christ, and the Mission America Coalition (MAC), which brings together hundreds of denominational and ministry leaders to develop collaborative prayer and evangelism efforts.

Contacting the organizers of the NCIR's "Convergence" meeting and the MAC's "Accelerate 2010" gathering, held in March, I wondered whether Christian retail stores figured on the agenda or in the program in any way?

The short answer turned out to be, no. But as I chatted with Eric Welch, one of the MAC leaders, it became, why not?

As we talked about the dual place Christian stores can hold in a community—as a midway point between church and home for people who may be more comfortable and familiar with stepping into a place of business than a house of worship, and neutral ground on which different churches could come together—he acknowledged their strategic potential.

Welch followed up by suggesting there might be value in adding a network specifically related to Christian retailing to the others he serves as national facilitator for MAC's roster of almost 30 existing networks.

In the past few years these have grown to include groups focused on everything from arts and entertainment to emergency preparedness, "marketplace" business ministries and prison ministries. They exist to "provide ongoing opportunities for connection, cooperation and collaboration," serving as "forums for sharing ideas, discussing topical issues (and) strengthening collective response to common challenges."

Welch suggested that a similar network for Christian retailing might aim to "mobilize Christians to share the Gospel story clearly with those around them through Christian products and services" and "promote collaborative relationships between Christian retailers and cityreaching networks." Sounds good to me.

I'm hoping that CBA may consider exploring how it could be part of this possibility, but I think that it is one that goes beyond just the trade association. We need rank-and-file participation, not just representatives.

So, what do you think? While we have many important issues to deal with in the here and now, shouldn't we also be taking some time to look to the future? Would you like to be part of some possibility thinking? If you feel a stirring to explore some of this, make contact with Eric Welch (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and me (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Plan ahead to make the most of this year's annual event for stores

Training, fellowship, inspiration and business await retailers at Christian Retailing's The Gathering 2010, to be held at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky.

In its sixth year, The Gathering is open to all Christian retailers and suppliers. The April 21-23 event will feature guest speakers Brian Zahnd, founder and senior pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri, and author of What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life (Strang Book Group), and Kyle Idleman, teaching minister at Southeast, where more than 18,000 people attend.

Wednesday evening, George Thomsen, chair-elect and independent retailer director of CBA and manager of The Harvest Store in Riverside, Calif., will field questions from retailers in a town hall-style session.

Suppliers of gifts, books, Bibles, DVDs and more—including Thomas Nelson, NOTW, Tyndale House Publishers, Zondervan and Word Distribution—will be part of the exhibit floor.

Retailers will also have the opportunity to meet some of their favorite authors and artists Thursday evening at the annual Author/Artist Autograph Party & Dessert Extravaganza. Following dinner and the evening program, the authors and artists will be available for signing.

Before the dessert reception that evening, the 2010 Christian Retailing Retailers Choice Awards will be presented, honoring the best new releases of 2009 as voted on by retailers.

In addition, annual awards will be presented for Church Bookstore of the Year—large, medium and small—and for Salesman of the Year and Vendor of the Year.

Attendees will have the opportunity to take a close look at the award-winning store, which occupies close to 3,000 square feet of space and aims to provide its customers with the preaching and teaching of Southeast Christian in various formats.

The Amazing Race

Once again this year, retailers will be invited to participate in The Amazing Race, with cash incentives for stores helping to offset the $150 (before April 15) or $175 (after April 15) registration fee for The Gathering. Attending stores have the opportunity to earn $100 in cash by meeting and/or placing orders with 30 different exhibitors Thursday or Friday morning.

Exhibitors will sign the retailer's Game Card if an order is placed or a qualifying visit is made. If not placing an order, stores must listen to a 5- to 10-minute sales presentation on the exhibitor's products. On Friday afternoon, prior to leaving the event, stores can redeem their game cards for their cash awards.

Food 4 thought

The Gathering will afford retailers opportunities to consider the future of the Christian products industry. During lunch Wednesday, Christian Retailing Editor Andy Butcher will emcee a discussion with Joe Questel of Symtio, a Christian e-book provider launched by Zondervan.

During lunch Thursday, Jerry Bloom, president of Treasures Media in Racine, Wis., will discuss how stores can use remainder books as part of their overall sales strategy.

Training on tap

The Prospective Store Managers School, to be held Tuesday, April 20, just prior to The Gathering 2010 is another opportunity for training. The school, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., requires a separate registration of $60 before April 15 and $70 thereafter.

Retailers Heidi Macias—manager of Books of Hope at Community of Hope Church in Rosemount, Minn., and Region 6 (Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin) director for the Church Bookstore Network—and Julie Swecker, manager of Daily Bread Books at Hosanna! Lutheran Church in Lakeville, Minn., will offer advice and instruction to new retailers on six different topics.

They will address creating a business plan and mission statement; a store's legal and financial requirements; managing money with sales forecasts and personnel, purchasing and expense budgets; the importance of maintaining strong relationships with church leadership, congregation members, store staff and volunteers, and outside vendors; putting in place a marketing plan that establishes a store's identity; and store design and inventory.

Tuesday night, after the Prospective Store Managers School and prior to the start of The Gathering, attendees will also be invited to a special church service also open to the public.

At The Gathering, workshops will be led by various presenters, including Terri Williams of Tony Evans' Oak Cliff Christian Fellowship in Dallas and Scott Etheridge, sales consultant for Thomas Nelson.

And for the first time, the education track during The Gathering will offer classes for church librarians and coffee bar personnel in each of the workshop sessions.

The final workshop will be a super session on children's products. Speaker Mary Manz Simon, a children's author and market expert, will focus on an overview of the children's department in today's economy, addressing such questions as: Do summer reading programs, loyalty perks and customization make a difference?

Details, details

Within driving distance of major cities, the church is located just off of I-64 and close to I-65. Southwest Airlines also flies into Louisville.

Several hotels near the church offer affordable rates for Gathering-goers. See the rates at www.christianretailing.com.

Shuttle service from the hotels is provided to Southeast Christian Church. The church also will provide shuttle service to the airport at the close of The Gathering.

As for meals, complementary breakfasts are offered at the hotels, while lunch and dinner will be provided as part of the event.

A tour of the host church campus is scheduled for Tuesday morning. While it is important to wear comfortable shoes, the church does have elevators and escalators.

Retailers who have previously attended The Gathering have often expressed appreciation for the time with their fellow retailers. This year there is a designated time where retailers can meet with other stores from their own region.

How much does it cost?

Registration for The Gathering 2010 is $150 (before April 15) or $175 (after April 15), but stores can attend free of charge by visiting the Virtual Christian Restock Connection and placing a qualifying order, a one-time order of $500 with one of the participating vendors. Click here for details.

The Prospective Store Managers School requires a separate registration of $60 before April 15 and $70 thereafter.

Workshops

Session 1

Coffee Bar 101: How and Where to Start

Facilitator: Patrick Burns, Trinity Fellowship, Amarillo, Texas

Learn the basics of running a coffee bar in your store.

Match Made in Heaven? Church Stores & Libraries

Facilitator: Dan Ray, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Liberty, Mo.

Addresses such topics as the rewards of providing appropriate resources to your clientele and how church bookstores and libraries can enhance each other's efforts.

Volunteers: Recruiting and Training

Facilitator: Terri Williams, Oak Cliff Christian Fellowship, Dallas, and Church Bookstore Network liaison to African-American churches

Learn how to recruit, retail and care for volunteers.

Using New Technology to Market and Sell

Facilitator: Susan Chipman, Granger Community Church, Granger, Ind.

Learn how to use Amazon to increase sales and decrease inventory, and how to use Facebook and Twitter for marketing.

It's in the Bag: Packaging to Perfection

Facilitator: Deb & Kelly Graham,
Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas

Discover how bags, sacks and gift baskets can speak volumes about your store.

The Bible: The Core of Our Stores' Purpose

Facilitator: Dean Cook, Thomas
Nelson

Simple tips and training tools to help staff facilitate the purchase of a Bible.

Session 2

Coffee Bar 201: Fine-Tuning Your Operation

Facilitator: Patrick Burns, Trinity Fellowship, Amarillo, Texas

Hiring staff and finding with volunteers, plus discussion on the operation of a café.

Management 101: Being the Best You Can Be

Facilitator: George Thomsen, chair-elect, CBA

Managing Your Library Inventory: What To Buy, To Keep and Weed Out

Facilitator: Dan Ray, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Liberty, Mo.

Offers useful ways for libraries to keep inventory in check.

Other Options for Churches: Independents Owning Church Stores

Facilitator: Bill Tilley, The Faithful Source, Ashburn, Va.

The future is now. Learn how you can own and operate a bookstore in a church. Make it a win-win for you and the church.

Building Bridges with Your Church Ministries

Facilitator: Sara Peters, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Ky.

Ministries within the church can be our best customers. Find out how to build relationships with other ministries and show how you really are the best resource.

Buying For and Marketing to Youth

Facilitator: Anthony Artry, Abundant Living Family Church, Rancho
Cucamonga, Calif.

Discover ways to order product, including music, that will appeal to 21st-century youth. Marketing ideas and the importance of controlling inventory in the area of youth product and music will be discussed.

Session 3

Coffee Bar Meets Ministry: Making Your Coffee Bar a Viable Part of Your Church Ministry

Facilitator: Patrick Burns, Trinity Fellowship, Amarillo, TX

Is your coffee bar meeting ministry needs? This module will look at how to make this happen, while offering innovative ways to attract groups within the church.

Special Events: Bookstores and Libraries Can Sponsor Them Together

Facilitator: Dan Ray, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Liberty, Mo.

A panel of bookstore managers and library directors. You will also learn how to manage competition between the bookstore and library.

Stirring the Store: Merchandising Your Store

Facilitator: Dena Meade, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Ky.

Learn to create a fresh look in your store to sell gifts and books. Stir things up, give it eye appeal and watch it sell.

Wise Buys and Wise Buyers: The Key to Financial Success

Facilitator: Troy Baker, Tyndale House Publishers

Buying wisely and controlling the inventory are keys to financial success. Learn how to deal with the available buying options.

Churches: A Whole New Market

Facilitator: Scott Etheridge, Thomas Nelson

This workshop will give you the necessary tools to reach out to other small- to medium-size churches in your community.

Church Bookstore Roundtable

Facilitator: Rusty Miller, Cherry Hills Community Church, Highlands Ranch, Colo., and Rick Jones,
Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, Tenn.

A directed discussion on topics including customer service, frequent buyer programs, coupons and discounts.

Friday Super Session

Children's Products

Facilitator: Mary Manz Simon, children's author and expert

An overview of the children's department in today's post-recession economy.

Schedule

Tuesday, April 20

11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Prospective Store Managers School: Managing a Successful Church Bookstore

Separate registration required.

Wednesday, April 21

7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Registration opens, Southeast Christian Church lobby

7:30-8:45 a.m. Shuttle service to church

7:45-8:45 a.m. Meet with stores from your region

9 a.m.-10 a.m. Tour of Southeast Christian Church

10:15-11:30 a.m. A call to our industry and prayer for stores

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Food 4 Thought Luncheon—e-books

1:15-2:15 p.m. Session 1 Workshops

2:30-3:30 p.m. Session 2 Workshops

4-5 p.m. Session 3 Workshops

5:15-6:45 p.m. Food 4 Though Dinner

7-9 p.m. Special evening event: ”Not a Fan” with Kyle Idleman

9-9:30 p.m. Shuttle service to select hotels

Thursday, April 22, 2010

7:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Registration

8:15-8:45 a.m. Shuttle service to church

8:45-9:05 a.m. Worship

9:05-9:25 a.m. Brian Zahnd, senior pastor of Word of Life Church in Saint Joseph, Mo., and author of Unconditional? (Charisma House/Strang Book Group)

9:25-9:30 a.m. Announcements

9:30 a.m.-noon Exhibit hall opens

Noon-1:15 p.m. Food 4 Thought Luncheon—bargain books

1:15-6 p.m. Exhibit hall re-opens

6-7:30 p.m. Dinner/Retailers Choice Awards and evening with authors and artists

7:30-9:30 p.m. Autograph party

9-9:30 p.m. Shuttle service to select hotels

Friday, April 23

7:30 a.m.-noon Registration

7:30- 8:45 a.m. Shuttle service

7:45-8:40 a.m. Meet with stores from your region

8:45-9:05 a.m. Worship

9:05-9:25 a.m. Guest speaker

9:25-9:30 a.m. Announcements

9:30 a.m.-noon Exhibit hall open

Noon-1:20 p.m. Food 4 Thought Luncheon—potpourri

1:30-2:30 p.m. Workshop presentation: Children's Products Super Session

2:30-3 p.m. Final wrap-up

3 p.m. Conference ends

3 p.m. Shuttle service to Louisville International Airport (SDF)

Exhibitors

AMG Publishers

Angela Courte International

Art of the Spirit

Bec & Chelle Candles

Bookstore Manager

Bridge Logos Publishers

Bridgestone Multimedia Group

CBA

CMD Gifts

Creation By Design

Crossway Books & Bibles

DaySpring Cards

Dierdre Handcrafted Jewelry

Discovery House Music

Euforma

Every Good Gift

Foundation Publications

Gospel Light

Hachette Book Group USA

His Gem

Innovative

Inspired Faith

InterVarsity Press

JHouse Publishing

Kerusso

Kingdom Retail Solutions

Kingstone Media Group

Lighthouse Christian Products

New Day Christian Distributors

New Hope Publishers

New Leaf Publishing Group

No Greater Joy

NOTW/Truth Soul Armor

One Touch Awakening

Petragraphics

Prayer Shop Publishers

Revelation Marketing Group

Right Stuff Kids

Rose Publishing

SAS & Associates/Wholesale Christian Books

SDS Design

Servant Marketing

Show Offs Art

Spring Arbor

Standard Publishing

STL Distribution

Strang Book Group

Symtio

Thomas Nelson

Tree of Life Books

Tyndale House Publishers

Vatican Library Collection
Wingspread Publishers

Word Distribution

Waterbrook Multnomah
Publishing Group

Word of Life

Zondervan

List accurate at press time. For a full list, click here.