The man who helped design an award-winning church bookstore has taken over the running of the operation.

Longtime design consultant Barney Paradise is the new director of resource ministries at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas. The church’s Passages store was named Mid-Sized Church Bookstore of the Year for 2010 by The Church Bookstore magazine.

Paradise has assumed leadership of the bookstore ministry—which includes a location on a satellite campus and plans for another—from Bobby Williams. A former regional director of the Church Bookstore Network, Williams has been named director of Gateway Publishing Create for the growing church.

Through his own Design Identity consultancy and previous work with other design groups, Paradise has been involved in designing around 300 Christian retail and church stores. Paradise has assigned the day-to-day running of his business to two staff, but will be involved in new projects from time to time.

Paradise said that he was excited by his new role, which he was invited to consider when Williams moved to another ministry in the church.

“I think that the church bookstore is developing into the true retail ministry arm of the church,” Paradise said. “It’s making sure that the proper resources that are going to empower and edify people in their growth with Christ are getting into their hands.”

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