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Moments after the doors of the Beijing International Book Fair opened to the public in September 1998, a breathless young woman stood at the booth of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). “I’m interested in your books,” she said, eagerly eyeing the gleaming titles. Then she glanced furtively over her shoulder. Obviously reluctant to spend a suspicious amount of time in a Christian booth, she whispered, “I’ll come back later.”

Not all visitors to ECPA’s exhibition that year were so shy. Some lingered for hours, reading books and talking with the Americans and Hong Kong Chinese Christians lounging about the booth.

ECPA has exhibited at every Beijing International Book Fair since 1991. Each year, more Christian publishers associated with ECPA make the trip to China. At the ninth biennial Beijing International Book Fair in May, twenty-five publishing representatives were on hand.

In North America and Europe, Christian publishers are becoming increasingly aware of a global market for Christian books and other printed matter.

Those who would like to enter this market face some daunting challenges. At a May meeting of ECPA focusing on global publishing concerns, I was asked to join a panel discussing future challenges to Christian publishing across the world. I mentioned three issues.

Globalization. Everyone is talking about globalization-some are screaming about it. Despite the resistance to globalization on the part of many people, there seems to be a growing acceptance of certain cultural morays, standards and styles which could lead us to believe people and cultures are more alike than they really are.

In Europe and elsewhere, Hollywood movie and music industries have made an enormous impact. MTV is pervasive worldwide. For years, everywhere one went in Eastern Europe, MTV was blaring, drowning out conversation in restaurants and public places. Yet, the entertainment industry affects peoples and cultures largely on a superficial level. Deep down, people groups hold very different attitudes and opinions. They have different personal and societal expectations and cultural norms.

Christian publishers, like secular ones, may be tempted to think “one size fits all” and that it is unnecessary to invest the time, energy and finances required to develop a strong indigenous publishing industry. Why not just translate our good English books and magazines and distribute them “over there,” the reasoning goes. Indigenous publishing may come to be seen as an unnecessary and expensive luxury which can easily be dispensed with. This would be a great disservice to the people who need literature that speaks not only their language, but understands their heart.

Shift in Christian Gravity. The fact that the center of Christian gravity is shifting from the West to the South and East must and will influence Christian publishing. The last half century has seen tremendous growth of Christianity outside of Europe and North America. At the same time, the strength of the Christian faith has ebbed in North America and Europe. This is especially true in Europe, which many people consider post-Christian-I prefer to think of it as pre-Christian (for the second time).

As Christians in the so-called Third-world gain access to communication, their voices will begin to be heard. Those Christian publishers in the West who are listening will have an opportunity to publish materials with potential to enrich Christians and Christian discussion worldwide.

At this point the Western voice dominates, despite the fact that the Western church represents a rapidly declining percentage of Christians worldwide.

Publishers who are willing to keep their ear to the ground and take a chance on a non-Western author-or a non-Western publisher-have the potential to do real service to the body of Christ worldwide-and prove to the non-Christian world that Christianity is not a “white man’s religion.”

The world needs to see that non-Western Christians can be taken seriously and can contribute to Christian thought and discussion worldwide. Some of us need to help remove the obstacles from those whose lights should be allowed to shine more brightly.

Nationalism. At the same time that everyone is talking about globalization and standardization-the McDonald-ization of the world-people everywhere are becoming more nationalistic.

Dozens of countries today harbor rebel groups demanding independent states. People groups who for decades or even centuries were able to live and function together in a single country suddenly cannot bear to share a backyard fence. Relationships, families and countries are being torn apart. And violence against minority groups in many so-called civilized countries is on the upswing.

How will Christians respond to this challenge of the present and the future? So far, they have responded largely by taking sides and becoming part of the problem.

Do Christian publishers have a responsibility to speak prophetically to this situation? I believe so. But it will take effort to find those voices which will command respect and can speak peace into the storm. It will take creativity and godly wisdom to find ways to package and distribute the product so it can make a difference.

This matter of nationalism and ethnic division is only one of many difficult challenges facing the world today. Speaking prophetically is not usually especially good for the bottom line. Look how often Old Testament prophets had their books banned-and burned!

I’m not suggesting that publishers speak prophetically to every situation that arises. But can we be alert to situations where a voice should be raised and make an investment in speaking to that issue where the Christian voice must be heard? Is it part of our God-given responsibility as publishers? I think it is.

August 23, 2002