| Christian retail is a hot market. Mainstream stores | | | | 2. As the world gets increasingly troublesome and |
| such as Wal-Mart, Target, and even grocery stores | | | | America becomes all the more engrossed in a global |
| throughout the nation are profiting from the sale of | | | | war on terror, people are fearing for their lives. |
| Christian books, music, and DVDs. | | | | As life becomes more precious and sacred once |
| Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, brings in annual | | | | again, people are awakening to their mortality and |
| sales from Christian merchandise in excess of $1 | | | | becoming spiritual. People want to know about the |
| billion annually. It shouldn't come as a surprise from | | | | end-times, the end of the age, how they ought to |
| both a business and values based perspective. | | | | live, and want to be adequately prepared for major |
| Wal-Mart's founder Sam Walton always wanted to | | | | global occurences lest they be caught unaware. |
| reflect the values of his customers and uphold | | | | 3. Marriages and families are falling apart like never |
| morality to support their local community. | | | | before. |
| With Wal-Mart, Target, and grocery stores such as | | | | As marriages and the family structure is disintegrating |
| Publix in the south selling Christian books and | | | | due to increased immorality throughout the land, |
| merchandise, consumers have more options. That | | | | many are running back to the Bible and its ageless |
| means the some 8,000 small Christian retailers | | | | truths. When your life, marriage, and family begins |
| scattered across the U.S. can no longer charge | | | | falling apart you will humble yourself and seek help. |
| obscene retail prices for wholesome God fearing | | | | Many are doing so through self-help Christian books |
| merchandise. This is good for consumers. | | | | with timeless truths. |
| Furthermore where the big retailers like Wal-Mart and | | | | 4. Parents are having a difficult time rearing their |
| Target fail to have product depth, smaller retailers | | | | children in a secularized culture that is trying to |
| can provide additional attention to Christian | | | | swallow them up. |
| customers seeking enriching spiritual materials and | | | | MTV, hip-hop music, dance clubs, ghetto dress codes, |
| music. | | | | and foul talking youth are frightening parents. Many |
| Why are Christian self-help books and music | | | | are seeking guidance from spiritual authors who |
| flourishing across the country and getting the | | | | address issues they face on a daily basis. Tough talk |
| attention of major retailers? | | | | is needed and when Pastors shun their responsibility, |
| 1. People are spiritually hungry and not being | | | | mature parents run to bookshelves seeking answers |
| sufficiently fed on Sundays at church. | | | | and guidance. |
| Most people physically eat three meals a day. How | | | | The Christian retail industry is estimated to be a $3 |
| then spiritually can we be expected to live on one | | | | billion business annually, according to the Christian |
| small snack a week spiritually? Many churches don't | | | | Booksellers Association. Beyond Bibles and books, |
| allow for very long sermons any more. Pastors are | | | | retailers are doing very well selling Christian apparel, |
| afraid people will leave and therefore have shortened | | | | music, videos, gifts, artwork, software and a variety |
| their messages. Many in the pulpit are trying to be | | | | of children's products. |
| entertaining and thereby have minimized their ability | | | | Christians want to follow the great commandment |
| to equip and empower God's people. | | | | given by Jesus to love their neighbor and seek to |
| Those who are spiritually hungry are therefore | | | | begin by showing them the way to salvation through |
| running to Christian bookstores to obtain edifying and | | | | Christ. Creating a culture of our own, Christians and |
| enriching materials to empower them to serve God. | | | | retailers are successfully impacting the world and |
| Beyond churchgoers are those spiritually desirous of a | | | | awaking the lost to the reality of the risen Christ. |
| relationship with God who never attend church. They | | | | Nothing is more satisfying than to see people excited |
| too are seeking stimulating spiritual material to | | | | about the love of God and newness of life in Christ. |
| awaken and feed their spirit. | | | | |