It’s Why We Do What We Do.

We’re gathering inspirational stories from retailers and customers from all over to share the real ministry impact that happens in Christian retail stores.

Watch or read some of the testimonials we've gathered so far. Have a story of your own? Encourage fellow retailers by clicking on the button below to share your story.

  

Testimonial of a Retail Store Customer

I started the New Year with the most amazing experience.

Numerous times I’ve walked into your store to buy shirts for my two girls, ages 8 and 6. But on January 1st, a young employee of yours prayed with my two girls and spoke to me about a personal experience she was going through. She then asked if I “knew Christ as my Savior.” I was a bit taken aback. How could this teenage girl know how much pain I was in?

Throughout the years of my so-called Christian walk, I obsessed about one thing and one thing only: my love for pain killers. Much to the disappointment of my husband, this obsession took first place to everything else: my marriage, my children, work, and even church. To give you an example of what this drive did to me, I quite often found myself thinking that I’d have to sacrifice my children for this obsession—and that it was fine to do that. Naturally, I thought and worried about the tragedy that my girls would grow up to be if this came true—but I’d have to live with that. As I said, I was driven, single-mindedly, by one thing…and it wasn’t Christ. But that didn’t concern me. It should have, but didn’t. I just didn’t care.

Don’t get me wrong. My mind bought into everything, but my heart was woefully detached and rebellious. I was, in a word, not a true Christian. I was leading a small group and had been attending church religiously, but my heart was not transformed. Two weeks prior to coming into the store, my husband discovered (quite innocently) that I’d been unfaithful to him. Not physically, but emotionally. His world fell apart, and so did mine. He wanted a divorce. I collapsed, overwhelmed by the reality of what was happening.

That day, after coming to your store, I went home, and I prayed the Sinner’s Prayer. I made a decision to accept Christ again, believing He died for my sins. I know that I’m a sinner and that confessing Christ as my Savior would lead me to Him.

Thank you! Yesterday, my husband came back home, and I’ll be going into rehab in two days. I pray that God continues to bless your store, because God is using people like that young girl to bring people back to His arms.

 

Testimonial of a Retail Store Owner

On a summer day in the mid 70s, a young man in his 20s walked into a Christian bookstore. A typical product of his time, he'd sampled drugs, protested against the war in Vietnam, and was steeped in the occult and Eastern religious philosophies—not exactly your average Christian-bookstore customer, but he was being courted by the Holy Spirit. He walked around, not knowing what he was looking for, but curious to see what he could find. I don't know if anyone asked to help him, but eventually he found a book, paid for it, and walked out.

The book was titled Jesus Now by a Jesuit priest, an academic man of the cloth whose primary message was the insufficiencies of the very Eastern truisms the young man had been entertaining for so long. He read the book quickly and soon found himself questioning his current beliefs, but a gospel message was lacking in the Jesuit's writings. The young man continued in his search.

A few days later in another town, and another Christian bookstore, this young man again found himself “just looking.” He went home with a little collection of Psalms from the Living Bible entitled "Psalms for the Thankful Soul." It was a book of whimsical illustrations accompanied by short segments of Psalms. He read it often, and found it very enjoyable and uplifting. But he still didn't know what he was looking for.

After one more store, one more book, many more prayers of loved ones, along with the Holy Spirit's continued gentle tug, the young man finally read a book that told him the whole story—of how he was a sinner in need of a savior—how he'd been walking and living in darkness and there was One ready to escort him to the kingdom of light.

As the young man read the last few pages of the book and laid it on the dresser, he realized he was changed. Somewhere in the pages of that last book he'd made the transition from dark to light; he'd recognized the truth. The Savior had been revealed to him, and he was no longer what he had been.

It was nearly 30 years ago when I finished that third book. The prayers of my family and friends had their culmination in three little books that would forever affect my life. I'm sure that the clerks who made the displays that caught my eye, or placed the book on the shelf where I found it, or took my money as I purchased it, had little idea of the impact of what was possibly just a "job" to them.

Three little books. Three Christian bookstores. One changed life. The next time you’re feeling weary of putting labels on a new shipment, or emptying yet another cart of books, or of the often less-than-patient Christmas shoppers at your register, I hope you'll take some time to reflect. Perhaps you might be the one who shelves that book that changes not only someone's life—but someone's Eternity!

 

Testimonial of a Church Store Manager

After working in publishing for close to 10 years, I was asked to manage a Christian bookstore. I must admit that the retail side of life was foreign and daunting, but the one part of my job I instantly loved was working with the many wonderful customers who frequent our store. It’s my honor to share Jesus with those whose life experiences bring them to a store that provides materials that can help in every area of their lives.

One Sunday, a lovely woman was standing next to the Marriage & Family section of our store perusing the available selections. As she stood there, I could see that she was silently crying. The tears weren’t my only outward clue, but they gave me the opportunity to open up a loving conversation. I joined her with a box of tissues and was quite surprised to find that she recently went trough the exact same thing I’d gone through five years earlier. I was blessed to have the opportunity to love on her and share how God was putting my life back together. I have no doubt that God orchestrated our meeting—and He does this kind of thing in the store every day.

This retail world is a rewarding business—one I enjoy sharing every chance I get. Every day I have the opportunity to impact lives for God’s Kingdom. What a rich and blessed life!