Reflections on 50 Years of Christian Publishing

Where has the time gone and how did we get here? As we celebrate 50 years of Christian publishing, it is appropriate for us to look carefully at what God has entrusted to us at Harvest House. Over a span of some 18,300 days of outreach, what stands out as significant in the calling we have been given?

As I reflect on our years of service to our authors and the Christian community at large, I am reminded of the often-cited passage of Jude 1:3, where we read that all believers are to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” But why this solemn mindset?

Harvest House was founded at a most interesting time. Following a period of civil unrest in the 1960s, the Jesus movement sprung on the scene like wildfire in the 1970s. Evangelical Christianity was, for the most part, well tolerated and even well received as millions were coming to rest in their own “common salvation” that Jude mentions earlier in this verse. The secular culture was relatively kind toward Christian views then and up to the end of the millennium.

Looking back, I have often thought about how unique that timeframe was compared to the ages since Christ died and saved us from our sins. Through the centuries, Christians have regularly been belittled, persecuted, and even killed for openly sharing about their faith. That has been the norm. But that hasn’t been the case for many of us who grew up in a country where the Judeo-Christian worldview was readily accepted and even favored. Truly, we had it good during this moment in time.

However, over the last few decades, we have returned to the norm—more and more, Christians are hated by the culture because the culture hates Jesus. In light of this, the calling of Jude 1:3 makes more sense, as does Philippians 3:20 (“our citizenship is in heaven”). First Peter 4:12 states that we should “not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you…as though some strange thing were happening to you.” We should not be surprised by what is happening around us.

In a world that is lost, confused, hates God, and therefore hates us, whether the times have been relatively good, as they have been, or whether they are becoming increasingly evil, as they are now, we must continue to earnestly contend for the faith.

As I reflect on our 50-year history, 43 of which I have been present, I believe we have done just that to the best of our abilities. Though we have not been perfect, we have earnestly sought to safeguard the truth, to never compromise the gospel message, and to rejoice in our common salvation while proclaiming Jesus Christ as the answer to every human need in the books we have had the privilege of publishing.

In many ways, this task has become more difficult. The last three-plus decades of the previous century made it easy for us, as Christians, to become complacent about our role as ambassadors and about where our true citizenship lies. When the culture was more tolerant, we could easily be lulled to sleep, not realizing that our expectations of the Christian life were amiss, and that the Bible clearly warns about the believers’ difficult walk, our true reality. As Jesus said, “In the world you [will] have tribulation” (John 16:33).

Today, we are in a serious battle—a battle that has never changed—and we press on to an even greater degree as the times become more evil. We press on to support authors and book projects that courageously and responsibly affirm the faith. As Jude 1:3 says, this faith is worth contending for. Thankfully, our message is clear, it has been delivered in the work of Christ, and that work will never change!

We have been so blessed over these 50 years to support good words from authors who have skillfully shared the good news of the gospel and helped people grow spiritually strong while pointing them to Jesus. Now may God give us the compassion and the courage to carry that legacy forward for the next 50 years!