Blogger: Rachel Kent
Bethany House hosts a prayer day on their blog the first Sunday of every month for the authors with releases that month. How cool is that?! I know many CBA publishing houses spend time in prayer about books they are producing or they are thinking of producing and the authors they work with. I believe that we could spend more time in prayer for our publishing houses and editors, too.
Prayer makes a difference, and if we were to add our publishing houses to our personal prayer lists, I think the impact on CBA could be huge. It can be our inclination to complain about how slow publishing is or how the marketing isn’t going as well as it could be for our title. A publishing house can perform poorly in one or more areas, but there are many individuals working in many different departments, trying hard to work together to get these books out to readers. And our CBA publishers are unique because they have the goal of reaching readers with the life-changing message of God through the books they are producing. Which is our goal as Christian writers and agents, too.
I also think that spending time in prayer for our publishing houses will help our relationships with them. If we are praying for the houses we are working with, the mindset toward these places will be more focused on Christ’s love and the shared faith instead of being quick to jump to negative conclusions and accusations. There are times for disagreements–nobody is perfect and no publishing house is either–but through spending time praying for our publishing houses we should be able to better remember to approach any interaction with the house in a way that is pleasing to God.
I am going to commit to praying more for our CBA publishers and the individuals who work at them. Even if you don’t yet have a publishing house, would you join me in praying for Christian publishers? I believe these houses are reaching the world with the message of Christ, and we can help with our prayers. If you already pray for Christian publishing, thank you! I am sure your prayers have made an impact.
Dear God, Please bless those who are working for you at Christian publishing houses. Allow their efforts to spread the message of Christ to be fruitful. Please help the departments to work well together so that there is unity among your workers. We love you and praise your name. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
I pray regularly for my future agent and editor, but not my future publisher. Will, do, Rachel.
* What if we all, as we finish reading a book, offered a prayer for its publisher–sound minds, wise decisions, prosperity to continue the business, impact for eternity? Count me in!
Shirlee, this also is a bold challenge. I can pray for that book’s publisher, for the author(s), for everyone else who will read it. Opportunities for prayer abound, if only I can get the scales off my eyes to see them. Thank you for this little kick in the pants!
Sounds great! 🙂
Great focus, Shirlee. Thanks for the nudge. I’m in.
Thank you so much, Rachel. You made me stop and pray right now! And that is always a good thing.
Thanks! 🙂
Same here, Kristen. All words hold power, and none so powerful as prayer. 🙂
Good morning Rachel, and thank you for bringing this to our attention. I confess, I had no idea Bethany did this every month. What a wonderful testimony. Then, to my shame, I recalled about my own attitude toward publishing houses and the way I am inclined to grouse and grumble about “those people.” “Do all things without grumbling or complaining.” (Ph. 2:14) What a bold challenge you have laid down for us – a challenge to pray FOR them rather than murmur ABOUT them. The publishing house is not my enemy. They are a ministry and I should hold them up in prayer.
Thanks, Damon!
Great thoughts, Rachel. We might also pray for ABA and ‘mainstream’ media, especially when they take small but – for them – bold steps in acknowledging faith.
Definitely! We should be praying for them, too!
As a CBA publishing house employee, I’m thankful for prayers offered up for those of us in the industry, especially by writers who are deeply involved in the process. Rachel’s requests are all great, and I’d add that we could always use prayer for wisdom and reminders of the end goal in the middle of daily tasks. Thanks for praying!
Thank you, Amy.
Thanks for stopping by and for your note, Amy! We will be praying!
Rachel, beautiful. I feel so far from ever getting to work with a publisher. But wow, they have impacted my life greatly. There is a sweetness to a Christian bookstore, and there is also a sweetness, a fragrant aroma, to the aisle or two of Christian books in a secular bookstore. And I love that Christian publishing not only reaches those with the life-changing message of Christ, but they also reach Christians with hope and encouragement. I’ll commit to praying. 🙂
Thank you!
Lord, also bless the agents who do the difficult work of standing between the authors and the publishing houses. You said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” We know that sometimes agents need to do battle and sometimes they work to bring peace, but we also know that it’s a difficult job and takes much discernment. Grant them wisdom, in Your name.
A team of people from ACFW prayers every Monday for the industry. Anyone is welcome to join us in that “gift-giving,” even if not an ACFW member. We pray wherever we are just sometime every Monday. If you have a specific prayer for the industry (retailers and librarians, esp.), I can pass that prayer on to them, if you’d like. It’s an honor to pray. It’s a necessity in good times as well as rough times.
Prayer can help the good times from becoming rough times. (I have to confess, though, I don’t pray enough.)
Rachel,
Thank you for passing along the idea to pray for publishing houses, writers, agents and editors.
*The National Day of Prayer is May 4 this year, and two of the seven centers of power often named as needing prayer are: media and business. Publishing houses, Christian or not, certainly fall into those categories. Although I’ve participated in prayer events on the National Day of Prayer, I never thought to pray for publishing houses and those involved in writing. That’s a shame, because look at all the influence writers and publishers have on the culture, particularly writers in the entertainment business.
Great advice.
I pray for *my* future publisher, but this puts a much more important focus on things.
Thank you, Rachel.
Thanks for this post, Rachel. My publisher just transitioned from imprint to publishing house last month, and I was strongly prompted just this morning to pray for the success of that transition and the impact of the publisher and other authors. Your words are timely and apt.
Love your heart, Rachel. Thanks for this powerful suggestion. I’m making a change today!
I pray for my own publishers , but never thought of praying for the whole industry. I’ll start doing that. After all, publishers get books out there that can change the world.
It is indeed a good start, we should pray for Christian publishers.
Since April 2017, I finish writing the novel Momentary Troubles, I have been praying for Christian publishing houses in the U.S. to publish for the Creator instead of the created and to lead readers’ taste for loving truth instead of being led by readers for loving trends, for the kingdom of heaven is near (Matthew 4:17).
We are nearer to the Lord. In limited lifetime, we shall live for Him, write for His kingdom & righteousness (Matthew 6:33), and bring more readers worldwide from darkness to the Light.
American publishers in Christ are the ones who have been given and entrusted much, so much will be demanded and asked from them (Luke 12:48). Let’s pray constantly to change the reality that the publishing market worldwide is misled by various idols, self-centered lust, and dark forces.
Reminder and remember, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14)
Great idea.