Marketable Christianity

The underdog of the commercial market has always been Christian merchandise, but in recent years that has changed. I know I can remember in my youth, the Christian bookstores (which is a bit of a misnomer since they a sell mostly items that aren’t books) were filled with obscure book titles, records and other commodities virtually ignored by the secular public. If I purchased a CD or a shirt sporting a witty scriptural interpretation it was usually received by my non-Christian friends with a strange look as if to ask, “Where did you get that?�

But, times have changed and the secular market can no longer shrug their shoulders at the marketability for Christian-related merchandise and goods. Once viewed as a liability for businesses is now defined as lucrative and business savvy. And by the numbers, we can safely assume that the momentum for its increased popularity is showing no signs of slowing. For instance, the Christian Music Trade Association, only a few years back, boasted of a significant increase in sales. In 1999 and 2000, the sales of Christian/Gospel albums were at somewhere around 44-46 million. But, in 2001 they soared to just under 50 million, according to the CMTA.

And we shouldn’t be surprised by these huge numbers of sales. Just think back to the 80s, for those who remember the Christian scene at the time. I am sure very few of your non-believing friends would have been familiar with the saying, “Go Rad for God.� Nor, would they have heard the newest Steve Camp song on national secular radios. However, practically everyone in the Western Hemisphere was inundated with the phrase, “What would Jesus do?� And all it takes to hear the new Switchfoot, POD, or Sixpence None the Richer is to engage in a brief sweeping through the radio dial.

With all of the hype, provided it doesn’t run out of steam, the Christian market has established itself as safe investment for now. Perhaps it is one of those phases that come with the fluctuating times. Books like The Purpose Driven Life and the Left Behind books and movies have made a dent in the secular market, but who knows for how long these titles will appeal to the consumer? Maybe it is here to stay. All I know is for now there is an unprecedented interest in Christianity and we should hold on to the reins for as long as we can.

Send This To A Friend