21st Century Christian

What 21st Century Christian does

21st Century Christian, Inc. is a privately held Christian publishing company and retailer founded in 1938 and headquartered at 4108 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, Tennessee. The company produces and distributes Bible curriculum, study books, reference works, Bibles, Vacation Bible School programs, and church supplies for historically a cappella Churches of Christ in the United States—a Restoration Movement denomination comprising more than 10,000 congregations and over 1 million members. Its core product portfolio includes the Immerse in His Word, LifeLINKS to God, CONNECT, FLEX (41+ titles), and Cornerstone of Our Faith (28 titles) curriculum lines; the Promise VBS Vacation Bible School program; and the International English (IEB) Study Bible, which it distributes under a partnership with International Bible Translators, Inc.

The company's technology stack centers on a Lightspeed-powered e-commerce storefront (21stcc.com), native iOS and Android shopping apps, and the Lesson-DL.com digital resource portal that replaced legacy CD-ROM distribution for downloadable audio and printable curriculum assets. Content is authored by members of the a cappella Churches of Christ, providing doctrinal specificity that general-market publishers do not match. Products are priced as one-time purchases (e.g., $5.99 per FLEX study, $9.99 per Simple Studies volume, $59.99 VBS starter kit, $74.99–$94.99 IEB Study Bible) with no recurring subscription layer.

Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer across five channels: the 21stcc.com e-commerce site, mobile apps, a physical retail store in Nashville, toll-free phone ordering (800-251-2477), and a resumed annual print catalog distributed via direct mail. Marketing is content-led through the company's Info Blog and email newsletter, with seasonal VBS campaigns and ministry partnership features. The company operates with 11–50 employees and is led by David Evans, President and owner.

Name

21st Century Christian

Legal name

21st Century Christian, Inc.

Website

https://21stcc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

21st Century Christian is a Nashville-based Christian publisher and retailer, founded in 1938, producing Bible curriculum, study books, the IEB Study Bible, and Vacation Bible School programs for historically a cappella Churches of Christ congregations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Publishing and Religious Education Materials

NAICS

Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers (424920)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD), Religious Reference & Study Tools Publishing (Commentaries, Concordances, Lexicons) (MPAJAHAL), Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB), Religious & Spiritual Books Retail (CRALAAAE), Religious & Specialty Publishing Distribution (CRAOALAD)

Keywords

• Bible curriculum publishing
• Church educational materials
• Vacation Bible School programs
• Christian study books
• Communion supplies retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time product sales of Bible curriculum, books, Bibles, church supplies, and media products. Revenue generated from individual item purchases with no subscription component for most products. Includes physical goods (books, communion supplies) and digital products (downloadable resources, study materials).
2. Retail Storefront: Walk-in retail sales at their Nashville, TN physical store location with direct customer service during business hours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

21st Century Christian publishes and retails Bible curriculum, study books, Bibles, and church supplies, with proprietary curriculum series (Immerse in His Word, LifeLINKS to God, CONNECT, FLEX, Cornerstone of Our Faith, Simple Studies), Vacation Bible School programs under the Promise VBS sub-brand, and distribution of the International English Bible Study Bible and pre-filled communion products. Sales are one-time purchases fulfilled through the company's e-commerce site, mobile apps, physical Nashville store, phone ordering, and direct mail catalog to members of Churches of Christ.

Product overview

21st Century Christian is a Christian publishing company and retailer serving churches of Christ since 1938, offering a comprehensive portfolio of Bible curriculum, study materials, Bibles, church supplies, and media products. The core product offerings include multiple curriculum series (Immerse in His Word, LifeLINKS to God, CONNECT for youth, FLEX undated studies, and Cornerstone of Our Faith) designed for adults, teens, and children across Sunday School and small group settings. Vacation Bible School programs are delivered through Promise VBS, with themed materials like Fruit Full and Redemption Ranch. The company also publishes and distributes the International English Bible (IEB) Study Bible and various Bible study titles. Church supplies include communion products (Fellowship Cups, World Communion Cups, Simply Communion). Digital resources are accessible through Lesson-DL.com for curriculum downloads and a mobile app for online shopping. Products are sold through an e-commerce platform powered by Lightspeed.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Promise VBS: Vacation Bible School program offered by 21st Century Christian
• Immerse in His Word
• LifeLINKS to God
• FLEX
• Cornerstone of Our Faith
• CONNECT

Products and services

• Immerse in His Word Quarterly children's Bible curriculum published by 21st Century Christian, offering classroom teaching materials with free second-hour content for younger age groups and online helps for teachers and families. For Churches of Christ Sunday school programs.
• LifeLINKS to God Full Bible coverage curriculum with creative, customizable lessons designed to be easy to teach and relevant for today's learners across all age groups. Aimed at Churches of Christ Sunday school programs.
• CONNECT Youth ministry curriculum equipping leaders to address real-life challenges with teens and providing practical guidance for difficult conversations. For teen Bible class and youth ministry programs.
• FLEX Bible Study Series Undated adult Bible study series suitable for lecture, small group, or personal study with 13-week studies including discussion questions, priced at $5.99 per book. Currently offers 41+ titles with new titles added annually. Optional PowerPoint downloads available for $4.99. For adult Bible classes, small groups, and individuals.
• Cornerstone of Our Faith Undated topical and textual Bible study series suitable for lecture, small group, or personal study with 13-week studies. Currently offers 28 titles with new releases added over time. For adult Bible classes and small groups.
• Fruit Full VBS 2026 Vacation Bible School program themed around the Fruit of the Spirit with a state-fair atmosphere, including five lessons with ESV Scripture, decorations, activities, and multimedia options. Starter Kit priced at $59.99 includes six student books, six teacher manuals, adult book, and visual aids.
• International English Bible (IEB) Study Bible Study Bible written at accessible reading level using a 4,000-word vocabulary with 18,000+ footnotes, available in genuine leather ($94.99), bonded leather ($74.99), and softcover Ministry Edition ($34.99) bindings with 12.5-point font. Optional name imprinting available for $7 per name with 10-14 additional days. For individual readers and churches.
• Fellowship Cups Pre-filled communion cups combining bread and Concord grape juice in a compact, convenient design for church communion services. 500-pack priced at $97.99 with free UPS shipping in continental US.
• World Communion Cups Pre-filled communion cups with bread and Concord grape juice for church communion services, shipped directly from manufacturing facility in Indiana. Priced at $240.00.
• Simply Communion Prefilled Cups Pre-filled communion cups that are quiet, easy to use, and fit standard communion trays, available in different quantities. Priced at $220.00. For churches conducting communion services.
• Simple Studies Series Bible study series designed to make study less overwhelming through a seven-step approach (Prepare, Write, Rewrite, Explore, Accept, Share, Go Deeper). Three volumes available: Grace, Peace, and Mercy at $9.99 each. Print-on-demand titles ship within five business days.
• Faces Near the Cross Bible study journeying through the lives of people whose stories intersected with Jesus during the hours leading up to His crucifixion. For personal or group study.
• Going Forth Series Bible study series including titles such as Numbers: Wisdom as You Worship, designed to help readers see ways to apply biblical wisdom. For personal study and small groups.
• 21st Century Christian Mobile App Mobile application for Android and Apple/iPhone devices enabling online shopping for books, Bible studies, and church supplies, providing a full catalog browsing and purchasing experience.
• Lesson-DL.com Digital Resource Portal Online platform for accessing downloadable audio tracks and printable files for Immerse in His Word and LifeLINKS to God curriculum, replacing the prior CD-ROM distribution format. For teachers, families, and curriculum users.
• 21st Century Christian Online Store Online retail platform powered by Lightspeed offering thousands of items from multiple publishers including curriculum, Bibles, books, church supplies, and media, with product search, shopping cart, account management, order tracking, and wish lists.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Bible Translators, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor21st Century Christian is the official distributor of the International English (IEB) Study Bibles. They distribute various Bible translations including bonded leather, genuine leather, and softcover Ministry Edition versions. The IEB is written at an accessible reading level using a vocabulary of only 4,000 words.
• Promise VBScoreTechnology or IntegrationPromise VBS works with 21st Century Christian to supply Vacation Bible School curriculum to congregations. 21st Century Christian markets and distributes Promise VBS themes including Fruit Full (2026), Turnabout Pointe (2024), Redemption Ranch, and other seasonal VBS programs. Promise VBS designs the curriculum themes while 21st Century Christian handles distribution.
• God's Word for WarriorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMinistry Impact Partner - a Christian ministry organization featured on 21st Century Christian's website as part of their ministry partnership program.
• Hope for Haiti's ChildrenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMinistry Impact Partner - a Christian ministry organization featured on 21st Century Christian's website as part of their ministry partnership program.
• Various PublishersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with various publishers allows 21st Century Christian to make special order requests on behalf of customers, including rush-order packages and items not typically stocked. They can drop-ship products directly to customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• B&H Publishing Group: Trade and ministry publisher of Bibles, Bible studies, and ministry resources. Comparable in Bible publishing (IEB distribution at 21stCC) and ministry/study content categories.
• David C Cook: Broad Christian curriculum and VBS publisher serving multiple denominations with deep catalog and digital tools (Sparkhouse). Comparable through curriculum series, VBS offerings, and Bible distribution.
• Abingdon Press: United Methodist-affiliated publisher of Bible studies, curriculum, and ministry resources. Comparable in publishing Bible studies and adult/children's ministry curricula for a denominational audience.
• Concordia Publishing House: Denomination-affiliated (LCMS) publisher of Sunday School curriculum, VBS, Bibles, and church supplies. Highly comparable business model — single-denomination publisher-retailer serving churches with curriculum and supplies.
• LifeWay Christian Resources: Large Southern Baptist-affiliated publisher and retailer of Bibles, curriculum, VBS, and church supplies. Comparable as a multi-channel publisher-retailer of Christian education materials, though denominational focus differs.
• Group Publishing: Major publisher of Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, and children's ministry curriculum serving interdenominational Christian churches. Closest competitor in the VBS space where 21st Century Christian competes via Promise VBS.
• Standard Publishing (David C Cook): Long-established Christian curriculum publisher (Standard Publishing) now part of David C Cook, producing Sunday School and VBS materials for a broader Christian audience. Comparable in curriculum and VBS product categories, though at a much larger scale and broader denominational reach.

Others

• Christianbook.com (CBD): Large online retailer of Christian books, Bibles, curriculum, and church supplies. Comparable as a multi-channel retailer overlapping 21st Century Christian's e-commerce catalog, Bible, and church supply assortment.

Direct peers

• Gospel Advocate Company: Another long-standing publisher and supplier serving Churches of Christ with curriculum, Bibles, periodicals, and study materials. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping denominational focus, similar product mix, and similar niche specialization.
• House to House / Heart to Heart: Publisher of periodicals and Bible study materials targeted at Churches of Christ. Comparable through shared denomination focus, print-and-digital publishing model, and church-distribution channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 21st Century Christian