Ligonier Ministries Acquires Soli Deo Gloria Ministries

[fredtgreco]

Ligonier Ministries acquired Soli Deo Gloria Ministries (SDG), a publishing ministry that specializes in reprinting classic Puritan manuscripts, on September 22, 2004. SDG Ministries will become a division of Ligonier Ministries. The founder and president of SDG, Dr. Don Kistler, will become the managing editor of that division. Dr. Kistler founded SDG in 1984 at Grace Community Church, in southern California. SDG became an independent ministry and moved to western Pennsylvania in 1986. It published its first book, The Saints´ Happiness in 1988. SDG has reprinted more than 250 titles and sold 650,000 volumes around the world. For more information go to Ligonier Ministries (www.ligonier.org) or call 800-435-4343.

 

[Bladestunner316]

This is good it is probably a result of the damages from the hurricanes. I hope this will allow them to lower prices on the books.

blade

 

[dkicklig]

I thing this is great for both organizations. Soli Deo will have a much broader audience, and Ligonier got a treasure trove of material, and probably all for a song.

 

[Bladestunner316]

I like in the sense that I see it better that all christian ministries show a more united stand together.

blade

 

[Craig]

Or, it's frightening just how all these "ministries" really do look like businesses.

 

[dkicklig]

I've worked for 2 Christian ministries/businesses. It's a very fine line they walk. Neither of them did it very well. To me there is nothing wrong with making a profit, as long as those profits are used for ministry purposes (ie expansion, greater ability to give things away for free, production of new material, etc.).
However if the bottom line drives the direction of a ministry/business, it has crossed the line. For example, a drop in profits may not mean you need to be more sales oriented. Maybe it's time to reorganize.
My alma mater (Moody Bible Institute) found themselves in this situation. Revenues and donations were down, so rather than increase sales force or hike tuition, they sold off ancillary ministries (bookstores and radio stations) so they could concentrate on the core ministry of education.