European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 18, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 the stars and stripes monday september 18, 1978 Christian Book Boom Industry registers massive growth by . Mason United press International publishers in the $600-million-a-year Chris Titian boo Selling Industry admit they were Given a boost by such controversial born again Fig Resas Anita Bryant Larry Flynt and Chuck Colson. The phenomenal growth of the Industry was evident to the 7,500 persons who attended this year Christian booksellers association Trade show in Denver. The variety of wares shown by nearly 400 exhibitors ranged from Billy Graham s Book bom again to soul Singer Andre Crouch s gospel music and fris bees and dog to shirts bearing Eye catching Evangeli Cal slogans. I would estimate $60 million in wholesale orders we rewritten up said Gary Foster the Cuba s publications director after the four Day convention closed. He deem Pha sized the so called gospel gimmicks saying the represented Only about 5 percent of the products on Dis play. Cuba executive vice president John Bass who Esti mated retail sales would run Well Over $600 million this year predicted continuing growth for the next decade. The main Cuba markets married women aged 21-40 and youths aged 16-22, both show Long term growth due to interest patterns he said. We re predicting a decade of growth if we just reach those we Are presently  Bass said today s Christian books and music Appe Almore to the general Public. Until 1955, denominational publishing houses accounted for about 90 percent of Christian literature sales and the material was written by theologians and minis ters who were rather ethereal he said. Today s books Are addressing such family and social issues As divorce homosexuality and  Bass and William Barbour president of new York based Fleming h. Revell publishing co.,agreed the Well publicized conversions of Flynt publisher of Hustler Magazine and watergate conspirators Colson and Jeb Stuart Magruder helped in crease sales. They said however the Public s attention was caught earlier by revelations of Dale Evans Rogers Roger stau Bach Johnny Cash and Norma Zimmer. These people have written deeply personal books that revealed their True selves said Bass. People relate to the heartaches and struggles of others and when these people stepped Forward to share their lives and their belief in Christ people  it s understandable that people would think of jump ing on the bandwagon said Barbour. Part of the lord s plan is that we look to our heroes who Are Willingto stand up and be counted for  Barbour a fervent believer that his business is a divine inspired ministry said he was t worried about secular publishers getting into the Christian Book peddling business. What difference does it make where it s coming from As Long As it is getting into the hands of non christians he asked. The evangelical publishers have less peaks and valleys because we re not in  the business. You can be in this business and not be a Christian said Barbour. But then it would just be a business and not a  Barbour also credited growth of the Industry to modern language translations of the Bible and the Charis Matic movement in which christians proclaim spiritual gifts of Prophesy Healing or speaking in tongues. The charismatic movement is getting a great recep Tion in traditionally frigid areas of roman catholicism and High Episcopalian ism he said. Fifteen years ago the word of god could not be read by the average Man on the Street. Then tyndale tyndale House publishers came out with the living Bible and 20million copies have been sold Barbour denied the majority of Christian Book authors were in it for the  Helen Steiner Rice who is in her 70s, could t care less about her income he said. She believes the lord i keeping her alive so she can write her inspirational poems. Corrie ten Boom receives Only a Small salary from a Trust set up through her royalties and the rest goes to prison  ten Boom a dutch woman imprisoned with her sister in a nazi concentration Camp when they were caught hiding jews in their Home was honoured by the Cuba former Book the hiding place which later was made into a movie. Word inc., which derives 65 percent of its sales from records and tapes imported gospel music superstars Evie Tournquist Andre Crouch and . Thomas to sign autographs for the Christian Book store operators and their families. Four years ago we made a commitment to get into the contemporary music area said san Moser word s vice president of marketing. Before that the business was gospel oriented toward adults but the younger people have 40 percent of the purchasing  Moser who estimated record sales tripled from 1974 to1978, also said his business was a ministry. Nothing ministers like music he said. It s a Way in which a lot of people reach a spiritual decision. We also have found that the performers with the highest level of commitment to Christ Are those who reach the  new York times i i i be time publishers say they got a sales boost from controversial born again christians such As Chuck Colson Larry Flynt and Anita Bryant shown Here praying with her family. At wits end by Erm Bombeck everyone at one time or another has had Todeal with peer pressure. Somewhere there is an invisible prevailing dominant Force that dictates that we either act like the majority of people act or we re subject to censure. You either fight pm or join  Jane Howard s Book families she touched upon one form of it when she described an agnostic divorce who moved to Atlanta from Minneapolis. She got so tied of having neighbors ask which was the Church of her Choice that she finally hit upon a plan to get them off her  sunday morning she and her children would Don their Best clothes at half after ten and pull out of the driveway in their car to return a couple of hours later. It was a sunday ritual. They never told anyone that they spent the entire Tim eat Dunkin donuts. An elderly woman once confided to me that she go so bored with people who appraised her White hair her age and her status As a grandmother and said with Shock you re kidding about not being Able to knit Aren t you that she finally bought a knitting bag with Little legs on it filled it with yarn and car ried it everywhere she went to Ward off people Benton her conversion. Somehow i always feel sorry for the non Drinker at cocktail party when he or she announces just some thing non alcoholic  better to admit he drinks the blood of an of or request Hemlock Over ice than to bring the room Down on him. It is incomprehensible to anyone that in this Day and age of legalized alcohol there is someone who does t indulge. I be seen people one at a time try to break the Mysti que of someone who stands around with a soft drink All night. My Uncle had a problem too offers  la bet it s an allergy in t it i knew it. You re on a diet. Don t you know scotch has fewer calories than. I know one Teet Taler who starts out the evening Spil Ling his diet cola on the Rug. It seems to make everyone feel better about him. C 1978 Field enterprises. Inc