The State of "Christian" Publishing

Yesterday I read a most grievous Christianity Today article on the current state of Christian publishing. A few statistics are quite alarming. The number of independent Christian bookstores has dramatically decreased over the past few years. This is attributed to two primary causes: 1) the internet, and 2) the big bookseller chains. This in turn has decreased the membership in CBA.

In another article in the same issue there was a discussion about the future of the Christian publishing business. It seems altogether possible that traditional, conservative Christian publishers may one day soon be merged with the big, secular publishing houses.

Does any of this concern you? Do you see a greater bias entering the picture? Perhaps. But fear not. God can overcome all this if your voice is one He wants heard. But the thing that digs at me the most is this:

That Christians seem so willing to allow this to happen at all and see nothing wrong with mixing their business with the business of the world seems to add another blemish upon the Body of Christ. How can we ensure a pure and unspotted voice when our objectivity to the Word of God will almost surely be brought into question by those who agent, publish, and sell our works? It's one thing to be under this scrutiny by those who are also under God's authority and Holy Spirit direction, but quite another by those who are of this world, led by the father of lies.

There are many Christians out there with a voice. With Christian publishing becoming more of a business than a ministry now, the wilderness is just getting a little larger every day. Beware my friends, Jesus is coming again very soon. Be watching; be praying; be unspotted; be ready, and; be bold to speak and write the truth, taking it first before the throne to ensure your message is pleasing to God and according to His will.