Finding new leadership for the Christian retail industry isn't just about appointing a replacement for Bill Anderson at CBA.

Finding the right person for that position is important, for sure, but doing so will not make everything all right. What is needed isn't about an individual, it involves all of us.

We need to step back and take a broader look. We need to recognize that during Anderson's tenure at CBA there were some fundamental changes not only in the industry, but in the business world in which it operates, the church it is part of and the culture it seeks to address.

Failing to consider these shifts is like expecting a new quarterback to turn a team around single-handedly. It takes more than one player, however good they may be.

For starters, as we have noted before, CBA is no longer the exclusive hub of the Christian products world. The days when "CBA" and "Christian retail" were synonymous are over. The trade association still has an important role to play, but it needs to be redefined.

That is a reflection both of the rise of sales channels outside traditional Christian retail and the changes that have occurred within it—with the growth of the chains, the emergence of church-based stores and the reduction in the number of independents.

But those developments have in turn taken place against a broader backdrop. Think about how Internet shopping has impacted consumer behavior and customer loyalty, driving down price and pushing up breadth of choice. People can get most Christian resources pretty much anywhere.

What makes Christian retail distinctive and vital in this new world of choice?

The Web has not only impacted how people spend their money, but also where they find things out. No longer is information disseminated by a few big gatekeepers. It is leaking out all over. Businesses have begun to recognize that, trying to shake the stuffy old corporate images of the past by embracing social media. Executives tweet about their pets and their social lives to humanize their "brands."

How can Christian suppliers offer a distinct and persuasive voice in the midst of all the babble and hype?

At the same time, the church as a whole is different. Though doctrinal differences still exist, certainly, there is far greater blurring of the lines than there used to be. Unity in essentials is more important to many than division over secondary issues. Congregations may read from different translations and hold opposing views on the end times, but chances are they are singing most of the same songs.

What does this shift mean in the way important issues of church life should be presented and discussed?

In addition, there is a transition in the world of many major Christian ministries that were significant in shaping our industry. Some of those founded by high-profile figures are seeing their originators come to the end of their days and are looking to refashion themselves for a generation less impressed by big names and buzzed by words like "organic" and "authentic."

How do we make room for—and enough money to support—new voices?

Then there is the wider world. It's much more acceptable—fashionable, even—to be "spiritual" than it was 20 years ago, but it is less so to be evangelical. Being vague is vogue. Being particular is considered peculiar.

How can we be distinctive without being seen to be vindictive?

I don't pretend to be an expert, but it seems to me that the very nature of leadership has been changing, too. It's no longer just about instruction—do this, don't do that. It's more about information, inspiration and influence—enabling others to be and do all they are called to.

While all this raises important general questions about the shape and nature of the new leadership in our industry, it also leaves you and I with a personal question, too.

With leadership to be in the hands of many rather than just one or two, what is our individual role and responsibility in this new era?

For our part at Christian Retailing, we remain committed to providing news on issues, products and trends that will help others make informed decisions and a platform for insightful comment, discussion and debate. How about you? What can you bring to the rest of us?

If the Christian retail industry as we know it is to flourish, it's going to have to become something we don't know.

Say what? It's time to recognize that the times have changed irrevocably. We can't continue to try to just ride it out and wait for things to go back to the way they were. Noah was on different ground after the flood waters receded.

The general market interest in Christian consumers isn't going to go away (though it may dip some), the economic downturn seems set to have long-lasting effects on consumer habits, we can't uninvent the Internet and online sales, and we haven't yet begun to understand the impact the digital publishing revolution will have.

We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto. Nor the 1980s or 1990s.

So while we need to work hard at improving things as much as we can in our current context, through business excellence, I believe we also need to take some time to consider how things might be in the future.

And at the heart of that, I suggest, is a back-to-basics, cut-through-the-fluff evaluation of the place and purpose of Christian retail stores.

Now, the idea of such a ruthless inventory might make some people nervous, what with the competitive alternatives of Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Are we just propping up an outdated system, or do Christian stores still have a vital place and function?

Absolutely they do. But figuring out how needs to involve more than just those of us directly invested in the daily producing and selling of Christian resources. It needs to include the wider church—and that means narrowing the gap that seems to exist between it and our industry, in some quarters.

We've seen the growth of church bookstores in the last few years, of course, but for the most part, that has been centered on serving members of their own congregation, typically on-campus. What might happen if churches took a wider view?

With each of our trade associations having faced their own significant challenges in the last year—CBA, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and the Gospel Music Association—they seem to be open to greater collaboration as they move ahead.

But it would be good to see some sort of wider forum, too, where a new kind of partnership and purpose for Christian retailing could be explored.

What about the strategic position and potential of Christian stores being on the agenda of some of those cutting-edge church leadership conferences about missions and outreach?

What might a new level of partnership between Christian retail and the church look like? Maybe stores could serve as church "outposts" in some way, hosting church events in an environment that could be less threatening and more familiar to non-churchgoers than an actual church campus.

Some of this is already happening, but it's far from commonplace. Indeed, I was shocked by how few independent Christian stores reach out to local pastors and congregations, according to one of our recent surveys.

Perhaps a group of local churches could get together to somehow jointly invest in an outreach store in their local community.

OK, the idea of charismatics and Baptists agreeing on whether or not to stock books about speaking in tongues may be a stretch, but let's dream a little. And don't forget that churches of different stripes have been able to put aside differences to work together on other efforts, like citywide crusades.

Such discussions would require some within our industry to think more inclusively, letting go of old prejudices and being open to new ways of looking at the world, their work and even the Word of God.

It would surely mean they have to stop looking at churches as "the enemy" for running their own store or ordering direct from suppliers.

But it would also mean some church leaders acknowledging that "relevant" and "radical" aren't solely defined by being relentlessly trendy and that selling Christian resources doesn't have to mean selling your soul. After all, they get paid for preaching, right? I'm so tired of the old "Jesus in the temple" jibe.

There may be some lessons to be learned from the way local Christian radio and local churches have found mutual benefits from working together on things like sharathons, concerts and community calendars.

Christian retailing's new ground may be more common ground. Ultimately, I don't really know what a more cooperative future of Christian retail and churches could look like, but that's the point. Kind of scary. Kind of exciting. Kind of like God's way of doing things.

What do you think? Do you know what your pastor might say about such an approach? Join the conversation by sharing your thoughts in our online community forum at our Web site, www.christianretailing.com, or e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Transition is usually uncomfortable, but it's also a fact of life. There comes a point when a leader can go no further. We see that clearly in the Bible. When we reach that place we can be grateful for what they have done, but also be clear about what still needs to be achieved.

That does not diminish accomplishments, it just keeps them in their proper perspective. Such is the case with the recent departure of longtime CBA President and CEO Bill Anderson.

I'm reminded of the would-be lumberjack who, having failed to cut down the required number of trees in his trial, dejectedly trudged over to the hiring foreman to hand back the chainsaw he had been borrowed.

When the crew head fired up the equipment to check that it was still in working order, the exhausted applicant jumped back in alarm. "What's that noise?" he cried.

It's the comeback story of the year. The fading star, pretty much written off, finds a new burst of energy to snatch a victory and get just about everyone up on their feet cheering.

It sounds like the latest inspirational movie, but it's the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS), whose successful residency at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver last month confounded many.

Hardly a week goes by without some general news media report about the growth of Christian fiction—and that's not just articles about the phenomenal success of The Shack.

The significance and potential of the category has been underscored recently by a special consumer research presentation on the area at the International Christian Retail Show in July, and the arrival of two reports that offer more insights into the importance of inspirational fiction to Christian stores, from CBA and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).

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?