The History of Christian Publishing
Since Christianity’s beginning, Christian writing has existed although not initially in printed form. Early Christian writers focused on penning letters and texts to strengthen the faith of followers of Christ. Their works ultimately became the New Testament. Scholars attribute thirteen books of the Bible to Paul, each of which began as a letter to congregations and fellow believers during his years of ministry.
The creative mind of Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized Christian publishing. His invention of the movable type printing press in the mid-15th century allowed production of the Gutenberg Bible, one of the first major works printed in the Western World. This printing press provided the means for mass production of religious texts.
Modern Christian Publishing
Today the Christian publishing industry makes billions of dollars in annual sales. and comprises a significant segment of the publishing industry. Christian publishing, valued at $1.2 billion in 2020, sold over 179 million copies of religious books yearly at that point. But, due to major changes, this industry no longer resembles what it was like 25 years ago.
Two specific developments have altered Christian publishing to an extensive degree. First, religious publishing has undergone massive consolidation. Some of the most successful Christian publishers currently include Baker Publishing Group, Moody Publishers, Multnomah, Thomas Nelson, Tyndale House Publishers, Zondervan. and HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Second, the rise of the internet revolutionized bookselling. It led to the folding of thousands of religious bookstores and entry of religious books into the mainstream market. At one time, some 80% of Christian books moved through Christian retailers with the number down now to not more than 20% of sales. As of 2020, under 1,000 Christian bookstores operated in the United States in the face of competition from Amazon’s online sales and from secular outlets.
Soaring Bible Sales
Despite the transformation of the Christian publishing industry in recent years, the sale of religious books hasn’t been negatively impacted. According to market research, Bible sales are soaring in the US and outperforming the sales growth of other physical books. Through October 2024, the total print books sales in this country increased by less than 1% while Bibles sales climbed by 22% as compared to the same time period in 2023. Consumers purchased a total of 14.2 million Bibles in 2023. These figures indicate new sales of the Good Book grew 21 times more than overall new book sales or a enormous 2,100%.
J. Mark Bertrand, who produces a Bible design blog assesses the soaring Bible sales in glowing terms. “We’re in a golden age of Bible publishing,” he says. “It’s never been as good as it is.” Why such an increase at this point in time? Uncertainty in the world given current events and more interest in the Bible stirred by podcasts and social media influencers are likely factors in the sales surge.
It’s Not Just Bible Sales
Christian publishers don’t just sell the Good Book. Their products cover a wide range, including Bibles, fiction, non-fiction, Christian living, personal growth, and religious education. Christian living books serve as the bread and butter for many religious publishing houses. Pastor Rick Warren’s 2002 bestseller The Purpose Driven Life, with over 35 million copies sold, became a worldwide phenomenon. Bible studies also offer printed materials for Christian publishers to sell. Beth Moore’s work in this area, for example, is reported to have sold more than 17.5 million copies
Some of the most successful authors in the Christian publishing industry include Max Lucado, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, and T.D. Jakes. The sales strength of female Christian authors has expanded enormously in the past 25 years, with women over the age of 35 being the most frequent buyers of religious books. In particular, they primarily buy and read the publishing house staple Christian living offerings.
The Future of Christian Publishing
Two issues appear key for Christian publishers moving into the future. First, how do they identify readers and connect with them? The availability of social media and online platforms gives Christian publishers the ability for connection with readers and the opportunity to market their books. But these tools in turn impact how the publishers interact with the authors of the material they publish. Authors will be expected to have a significant platform prior to publication as measured in social media followers and appearances (conferences, podcasts, speaking events) promoted online.
The second issue is the format of the product a publisher offers. Christian publishers have embraced digital publishing, with the increasingly popular audiobook and ebook formats in addition to the traditional printed book. These technological options allow publishers to produce books which can be read or heard on various devices and thus reach a wider audience.
Christian Publishing – Beyond Soaring Bible Sales
Although the format of Christian books and the manner of marketing them have changed drastically in the last two plus decades, Christian publishing is still alive and well. In fact, Bible sales are soaring, likely driven by uncertainty in the world which appears likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Whether it’s the Good Book or other religious writings that are selling, getting God’s word out into the world is a good thing for their readers and for publishers.
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