The first Charisma Book Expo, a new-style trade event celebrating the charismatic publishing market that combined an industry focus with general public celebrations, ended on the weekend drawing mostly positive reviews from participants.

More than 1,000 people attended the four-day event at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta, which featured retail and publishing workshops, evening services, an exhibit hall and opportunities for personal ministry.

“I think that it exceeded our expectations in just about every area but attendance,” said Stephen Strang, president and CEO of Strang Communications. The Lake Mary, Fla.-based publisher sponsored the expo along with seven other leading suppliers of charismatic products.

“It was a first effort, and maybe our expectations were higher than they should have been, but I am happy with it, and almost without exception the exhibitors seemed happy,” Strang added. “There was a real good spirit in the services and on the exhibits floor.”

Tim Peterson, director of marketing for Bethany House-part of Baker Publishing Group, one of the co-sponsors-said sales had been disappointing, but “I'm personally glad to see the investment in the charismatic marketplace, and I think we look forward to better opportunities in the future to do similar things.”

Jim Pitman, director of world missions and publisher for CLC International, said that although sales had been slower than expected, “we have made a lot of great contacts. … I was really impressed with the number of people who are really interested in deeper-life Christian books, going beyond a lot of the shallower stuff that might be available.”

Keynote morning sessions and evening celebrations featured addresses by R.T. Kendall, George Bloomer, Zachery Tims, Kim Daniels and John Bevere. Musical guests included Judy Jacobs, Marco Barrientos and Martha Munizzi, while Lemstone Vice President Phil Darr and Integra GP Co-presidents David and Michelle Amster were among the industry workshop presenters.

The evening celebrations were broadcast live on the Internet by streamingfaith.com and recorded by DayStar Television for screening at a later date.

Attendees came from Norway, Nigeria and South Africa. Janice Walker of Elijah's Mantle Inc., in Austell, Ga., said the expo had “inspired” her. “To talk to the different publishers was so encouraging.”

Evergreen Press Publisher Brian Banashek said: “I would have come just for the meeting, for what God did in my heart. I feel energized-my vision has been renewed, my spirit lifted up.”

Strang said that the event had been organized to try to help grow the market. “I think that the long-term results will take time to analyze, but it pretty much came off as planned. The expo would “probably” be held again, he said, but a final decision would not be made until there had been a chance to evaluate responses from exhibitors and visitors.

Strang Communications-publisher of Christian Retailing-sponsored the expo along with Baker Publishing Group, Faith Library Publications, FaithWords, Harrison House, Integrity Media and Whitaker House/Anchor Distributors.

Read a full report on the event in the Nov. 13 issue of Christian Retailing.

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