Introduction

Christians in America are often known as having created their own "ghetto" where they hide out as much as possible without having real contact with everyone else. One of the greatest helpers of this mentality are the small but vocal "Christian Bookstores."

What are Christian Bookstores?

A Christian Bookstore is essentially a place where people of the Christian faith can find products that either other Christian people created or that relate to the Christian faith in some way. Many Christian bookstores sell books, music, gift items, and Christian education programs for Sunday school and Vaccation Bible School¹. Some Christian bookstores even carry some items that are not Christian specific, such as office supplies. Most of the bookstores are fairly small. The average size would average to be your average Hallmark card store. There are a few larger ones that would compare in size to a third to half the size of a Giant² food store.

Books

As obvious by the titled "Christian Bookstore," books are the main items stocked. Bibles, of course, are a major part of Christian bookstores, often earning thier own department and staff person to look after them. Other book categories include Christian fiction, theology, bible studies, social issues, childrens books, and more.

Some more ground breaking Christian Bookstores stock non-Christian books for either informative purposes like the Koran, or because they are just good books, like some of the classics like Mark Twain and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Music

One of the biggest growing aspects of Christian bookstores is the CCM (contemporary Christian music) industry. While CCM often gets lumped as it's own genre, the actual musical spectrum of CCM ranges from black gospel to death metal³. Christian bookstores categorize thier music by the style. There will be seperate shelves for pop, hardcore/metal, folk, alternative, insperational, gospel, and more. This is done so that when customers ask for a specific style, the employee can show them straight to the appropriate shelf.

Gifts

Ceramic statues of Jesus and necklaces with WWJD⁴ layered in gold litter this section of a Christian bookstore. Precious Moments statues and fancy pens with scripture inscribed on them. If an item is created to sit on a shelf and collect dust or is too expensive for practical use, chances are it'll find it's way to the gift department. Bookstore employees wince when little children run through the gift section because any little bump will send a whole shelf of fragile glass crashing into the carpet below. Most items are bought as gifts to other people instead of for themself.

One of the worst things that would be considered a part of the gift department is the concept of "Christian food." The mints that have scripture on them or granola bars with 7 foods listed in the bible. These "novelty" foods are usually priced insanely high and taste fairly bland.

Other Items

There are other items that most Christian bookstores carry. The little trinkets for kids, such as plastic cars proclaiming, "Jesus is number 1!" or a recorder that says "Praise Jesus with Music!". Funny wind-up fans that say "Jesus is cool!". If a pun can be put on a normal toy with a Christian message, it can and will be made and sold.

One Christian bookstore⁵ even sells office supplies. There are no akward "Christianizing" message on them or crosses. They're just there. But why? So that people don't have to shop at traditional office supply stores and risk coming into contact with "evil."

Conclution

Despite the emphasis on making sure everything sold is good and clean for the average Christian consumer, there are some decent products sold in these Christian bookstores which would never make thier way into the giant superstores. Musically, there are a number of decent cds for any fan of good music. Fans of metal will appriciate Extol's cd "Undecieved." Havalina's quirky cd "Space Love and Bullfighting" masters alternative music with a cultural twist. Simularly, there are some good books writen by the authors Frank Peretti or Randy Alcorn. The trick is wading through all the typical Christian overtones to find them.