"First off God is on our side." ugh. Um, God doesn't have a side.

I am torn on this issue. From a business perspective Christian retail makes sense. But Mike, isn't there a bigger issue at work here? A theological issue. Doesnt the concept of "christian" retailers help enforce a theological viewpoint that hinders the message of Christianity? An "us" and "them" framework?

Obviously, to do away with Christian retail would be an overreaction. But I just worry that the concept breeds a theology that damages the message of Jesus.

By the way, in 1969, as an Ohio State freshman who daily rode the bus to campus, I began reading the "Good News for Modern Man" New Testament. What hooked me was Matthew 24 where Christ talked about the "abomination of desolation."

That being said, one of the reasons I avoid Christian bookstores is encapsulated in the above comment by Curtis Cecil in which he proclaims,

“I am in agreement that we in the Christian Retail sector must be in high hopes. Why? First off God is on our side.”

It is this arrogant and lacking-in-grace attitude that has often resulted in a “we can sell any old garbage that we stamp the name of Jesus on”mindset. I still sense a rather insular Christian-ghetto mindset in the Christian retail community that actually does damage to the cause of Christ.

Peace bro!

Will

After listening, we have decided that our company is going to sit this recession out as well. As you pointed out, there are just to many reasons to be excited about what is going on!

If people are drawn more to spiritual things than ever, if christian products are better than ever, and if christianity has enormous visibility in the public square, then it is high time that christian communicators (writers, etc) take their work and exist squarely within the public forum. The christian publishing industry tends to ghettoize such communicators from the rest of society. It is difficult to harmonize such a separation from Jesus’ call for us to be salt and light in the world.

Some might argue that society has changed to such a degree that it necessitates a certain degree of separation. However, history has seen societies change, evolve, come and go, to the great and dreadful detriment of the church in many ways. In none of those times did the church pursue a sort of practical, everyday theology of separation akin to what we see nowadays with our separate publishers, separate music companies, etc. Furthermore, the fruitful existence of modern christian communicators who work within the secular forum argues ably against the idea of separation (Ralph Winter, Derrickson, Anne Rice, etc).

I’m sure you’ve heard this argument before, and I assume you don’t agree with it, due to the fact that you run Thomas Nelson. However, it is a discussion that needs to continue for many reasons: for the health of the church, for the health and craft of writers, and for the health of society in general.

I would propose to you the idea that Thomas Nelson start up an imprint completely separate from TN. One that exists in another locale, devoted to good literature that is not necessarily christian in content (whatever that means), but simply written from a christian worldview: the new Dickens and Buchans and Kiplings, etc. Westbow, of course, does not fulfill that ideal in the slightest, as you well know.

The bookstore (Baker) was thriving and carried tons of our fiction. As an author, there is something special to walking into a bustling CHRISTIAN bookstore that recognizes your name and is so happy to see you. I love to visit a store like that, even as a customer. A good Christian bookstore has the unique opportunity to actually minister to the hurting and show they care when a customer walks in the door. About the person not just the sale.

You’re so right about your comments. Christian retail can change someone’s life. The big box stores can’t make that claim.

Mike, your presentation was both informative and inspiring. The points you highlighted aren’t just for publishers and resellers of Christianity books — there were several key points in this for a computer book publisher like myself. Thanks for sharing!