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CURRENTLY IN BOOKS
What’s inside the Christian bookstore

Rick Cogbill

You’ve heard it before: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But should we evaluate Christian bookstores by the covers they sell?

Twenty-five years ago, the local Christian bookstore was known as the place to buy Bibles, whether it was the King James Version, complete with maps and red lettering, or the hot-selling Living Bible. Next to the Bibles were study and reference books, including Strong’s, Young’s and Cruden’s concordances, Unger’s Bible Handbook and the Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Now, however, the shelves are stocked with Christian fiction and greeting cards. What has brought about these changes?

Mel Zachary, owner of Lifesong Christian Books in Penticton, B.C., has been in the Christian retail industry for over 17 years. “(When) we first started,” he says, “we did a lot of business in reference books and Bibles. Christian fiction was still fairly new, and there was a lot more emphasis on the Christian bookstore being the resource centre for Bible study materials and gospel tracts. Where we have come to now is stores with Christian products, less and less books, and more and more gift items” – and, of course, fiction.

Looking like a mini-version of Chapters, the Christian novel section offers everything from romance to science fiction – secret underground laboratories in the US Midwest, top secret military projects above the Arctic Circle, treachery on the high seas, secret plots in national capitals and theological discussions with beings from other planets.

“We’re finding many people are not interested in studying the Bible,” comments Zachary. “Some of them are doing their daily readings, but they’re doing it because they have to. They read a Psalm or a chapter in Matthew, and that’s their daily devotional. They’re not spending time studying it.”

On the positive side, there is a lot more resource material available to help the Christian deal with the effects of living in a sinful world. Seventeen years ago, Christian books focused on theology, living right and day-by-day encouragement. Now Christian books address sexual abuse, abortion, eating disorders, grief and raising children. There is hardly a subject that isn’t covered.

Meeting needs is not the only reason Christian bookstores have changed. There are also economic pressures. Faced with high rents for good locations, taxes on inventory and stiff price competition, the simple fact is that the stores need the gifts, music and romance novels to pay the bills. Selling a commentary once every four or five years will not keep a store in business. So, the stores stock “stuff that sells” rather than resources which would be much more helpful.

Zachary uses the analogy of a train running on the two tracks of ministry and business. Both must be working. “If we don’t take care of business principles, the train will run off the track. If we focus strictly on business and making money, our ministry (will be) ineffective.”

Like it or not, the Christian bookstore is a reflection of the Christian buying public. If it’s true that only 50% of believers read their Bibles, then perhaps we are getting what we’re asking for.

Rick Cogbill is a freelance writer from Summerland, B.C.

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Last modified November 21, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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