There is a tension present nearly every time I talk with a fellow believer about self-publishing. The tension is found in the headline above. To put it in question form:

Are your publishing pursuits a business or are they ministry?

Of course, the answer is seldom that easy. Far more often, it’s a combination of both. The desire to publish is a desire to spread the message that God has laid on your heart to the people He’s given you a burden for. It’s a desire to do that in a way that allows your ministry / career / self to grow.

How do you do that?

As I teach self-publishing classes, I’m constantly reminded (and reminding people in my classes!) of the need to evaluate costs, likely sales, and the impact that those numbers will have on your ministry. If you’ve done the math, then even if publishing the book is going to be (by the math) a losing proposition, at least you were aware ahead of time. And that’s just good stewardship!

Andrew Mackay

I’m a publishing specialist with BelieversPress. As an all around book geek, I enthuse over good writing, good books, and learning how to make them happen. I put those passions to work everyday at BelieversPress, helping over 240 authors get their books from manuscript to finished book.