Spanish products showed the greatest growth among LifeWay Christian Stores' product lines this year, according to LifeWay Christian Resources (LCR) officials.

LCR's international ministry is placing special emphasis on the Hispanic markets in the U.S., Latin America and Spain, where there are more than 25 million Spanish-speaking Christians and 265,000 Latino evangelical churches, LCR said. The growth in Spanish products was followed by the gifts, Bible and book product lines, respectively.

LifeWay Christian Resources also reported strong ministry results at its semiannual trustee meeting, Sept. 10-11. Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LCR, told trustees that LifeWay's Sunday school resources led the way in transformational ministry.

At the semiannual trustee meeting, LCR Vice President Mark Scott said new LifeWay stores opened in Oxford, Ala.; Birmingham, Ala.; Lynchburg, Va.; Atlanta; Fredericksburg, Va.; Rogers, Ark.; and Mount Juliet, Tenn.

Four trade stores were acquired, with the first in May in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Scott noted that three other stores were acquired Sept. 10 in Chambersburg, Pa.; York, Pa.; and Hagerstown, Md.

Six LifeWay stores were relocated for greater ministry opportunities in Birmingham, Ala.; Arlington, Texas; San Antonio; Lexington, Ky.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and Denver, LCR officials said.