Budgets cuts meant that many of you were not able to attend the recent International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in Denver. You missed out on walking the show floor, seeing new vendors and new products and taking advantage of the specials on offer. But all is not lost.

Christian Retailing and The Church Bookstore magazines have a solution for you-and it is as easy as a click of your computer mouse. Simply go to www.Christianretailing.com, and follow the link to "VCRS 2009," and you will find yourself at the Virtual Christian Retailing Show.

Here you will find a virtual world of showrooms with product presentations, links to catalogs, special offers and focus on specific products. The neat thing is that the timing is up to you-you can visit at any time that is most convenient to you.

Thursday, Aug. 20, at Gateway Church's Southlake Campus in Southlake, Texas, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Topics and vendors to be confirmed. Will include discussion and training for church coffee bar managers and staff.

Contact regional director Bobby Williams at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For every Sunday and every midweek service that your ministry holds, your church bookstore has the unique opportunity to add a special, personalized item to the inventory mix: The messages delivered by your pastor or minister via CD or cassette tape. Though many church bookstores sprout from their pastor's media ministry, few truly recognize the gem that glistens within their own doors.

If your pastor preaches two-thirds of the Sundays in a year, then you have at least 28 different messages on various subjects that can be categorized and developed into life-changing products. For example, your pastor may have preached two messages on how to love your neighbor. Take these two messages and combine them into a CD or cassette album with a well-designed cover.

Got an idea from your store to share in a Picture of the Week? Send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This happens occasionally, and there is a simple remedy. Call the publisher or distributor to say that you received a product you did not order, and tell them that you want them to credit your account and pick up the item.

By practicing a few safeguards when ordering, you can prevent any confusion during this process. in the form of a copy of it sent to you via fax or e-mail. This is also a good practice for confirming the invoice's total.

When your product arrives, check it as soon as possible to ensure that it is accurate. If it isn't, find documents that confirm the error, and track down where the mistake was made.

Always keep full documentation of orders that you make. After placing the order, ask for a confirmation shipment with the wrong products.

Got a question for Betty Bookstore? Write to her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Blacks held the highest scores of the country's four main ethnic groups (also white, Hispanic and Asian) in eight of nine areas of religious belief in the recent Barna poll-and were found to have stronger beliefs than they did in the early 1990s.

While 49% of the total U.S. population said they held the Bible to be totally accurate in all the principles it teaches, only 46% of whites did-compared to 66% of blacks. For 11% of the total population and whites, "faith" was their highest priority in life, while 18% of blacks felt the same way.

Share your thoughts, ideas and experiences with others at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

"I remember your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them."

Psalm 119:52, NIV