Presbyterian Publishing

What Presbyterian Publishing does

Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious publisher headquartered at 100 Witherspoon Street in Louisville, Kentucky, and the official denominational publisher of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Formally incorporated in 1994 though rooted in the 1833 Presbyterian Tract Society, PPC operates a portfolio of imprints: Westminster John Knox Press (academic theology, preaching, and general reader books, tracing publishing history to 1838), Flyaway Books (children's books launched in 2017), Growing Faith Resources (official PC(USA) curriculum in English, Spanish, and Korean), PC(USA) Store (official denominational retail), The Thoughtful Christian (Bible study and ministry resources), and the daily devotional 'These Days.' The company also publishes the official PC(USA) hymnal, Glory to God.

PPC's core product is publishing — approximately 50 new titles per year against a backlist of 2,500+ titles distributed worldwide — supplemented by curriculum and devotional content. The underlying technology is a direct-to-consumer publishing and curriculum platform consisting of five branded e-commerce websites (wjkbooks.com, flyawaybooks.com, pcusastore.com, thethoughtfulchristian.com, and the Growing Faith Resources curriculum portal) plus social media and email channels. The company is exploring multimedia, video, and distance-based curriculum delivery as part of its 'Third Century' expansion. No proprietary technology, AI/ML, or platform integrations are disclosed.

PPC operates a direct-to-consumer revenue model driven primarily by one-time book and curriculum purchases, supported by charitable donations as a 501(c)(3). The company is self-funded from sales and receives no PC(USA) mission funding. Distribution occurs through its own storefronts and the PC(USA) denomination's retail channel, with worldwide delivery of the title catalog. Customer segments span academics and seminarians, clergy and church leaders, progressive general readers, and children and families, with the official PC(USA) denomination serving as both anchor customer and governance body.

Name

Presbyterian Publishing

Legal name

Presbyterian Publishing Corporation

Website

https://ppcbooks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Presbyterian Publishing Corporation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious publisher and the official publishing arm of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), producing books, curriculum, and hymnals under multiple imprints including Westminster John Knox Press and Flyaway Books for scholars, clergy, congregations, and general readers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (51312), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD), Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC), Worship & Liturgy Publishing (Liturgical Texts, Missals, Service Books, Hymnals) (MPAJAHAE), Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB), Religious Children’s Publishing (Faith-Based Kids & YA) (MPAJAHAJ), Religious & Spiritual Books Retail (CRALAAAE)

Keywords

• Religious book publishing
• Theological curriculum
• Church educational resources
• Children religious books
• Denominational publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of published books across multiple imprints including Westminster John Knox Press (academic, preaching, and general reader books) and Flyaway Books (children's books). Includes both new title sales and backlist titles.
2. Curriculum Sales: Revenue from selling curriculum and study materials through Growing Faith Resources for children, youth, and adults in English, Spanish, and Korean. Includes official PC(USA) curriculum and materials.
3. Hymnal Sales: Revenue from selling Glory to God hymnal, the official hymnal for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) denomination.
4. Donations and Philanthropy: As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, PPC receives charitable donations to support operations and expansion initiatives. Currently running a $3 million campaign for third century of service. The company is self-funded from sales and has no claim on PC(USA) mission funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Presbyterian Publishing Corporation publishes and sells academic theological books, preaching commentaries, progressive social justice titles, and children's books through the Westminster John Knox Press and Flyaway Books imprints. It also publishes official Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) curriculum in English, Spanish, and Korean through Growing Faith Resources, the Glory to God denominational hymnal, and the These Days daily devotional, distributing worldwide through its own branded e-commerce websites to scholars, clergy, congregations, and general readers.

Product overview

Presbyterian Publishing Corporation operates as a nonprofit religious publisher with a multi-imprint portfolio. The company publishes approximately 50 new books per year and maintains a backlist of 2,500 titles. Its main book imprint is Westminster John Knox Press (WJK), serving academics, clergy, and general readers with biblical studies, theology, preaching resources, and social justice titles. Growing Faith Resources provides official PC(USA) curriculum in English, Spanish, and Korean for children, youth, and adults. Flyaway Books, launched in 2017, is the children's book imprint focusing on diversity and inclusion. The company also operates retail platforms (PC(USA) Store, The Thoughtful Christian) and publishes the denomination's hymnal Glory to God. The portfolio includes venerated commentary series like Interpretation and Feasting on the Word.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Westminster John Knox Press: Main book imprint noted for academic works in biblical studies and theology, preaching resources, social justice publications, and new theological voices.
• Flyaway Books
• Growing Faith Resources
• PC(USA) Store
• The Thoughtful Christian
• These Days

Products and services

• Westminster John Knox Press PPC's main book imprint publishing academic works in biblical studies and theology, preaching resources, social justice and progressive religion titles, and new theological voices for scholars, clergy, students, and general readers, with worldwide distribution.
• Flyaway Books Award-winning children's book imprint that embraces diversity, inclusivity, compassion, and care for the world; books explore social justice and contemporary issues, retell familiar religious stories, and carry universal themes appealing to readers with any or no religious background.
• Growing Faith Resources

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• William B. Eerdmans Publishing: Independent Grand Rapids publisher of academic theology, biblical studies, and church/ministry books. Closely comparable to WJK in editorial seriousness, backlist longevity, and target audience of academics and clergy.
• Paulist Press: Catholic/ecumenical publisher producing academic theology, biblical studies, and interfaith resources. Comparable to WJK as a theologically rigorous ecumenical academic publisher serving seminaries and clergy audiences.
• Baker Publishing Group: Grand Rapids-based evangelical publisher with strong academic theology, biblical studies, and ministry resources through its Baker Academic and Revell/Bethany House imprints — closely comparable to WJK's academic and preaching lineup, serving overlapping seminary and clergy audiences.
• Abingdon Press: Official publishing arm of The United Methodist Church — a direct denominational-peer analog to PPC's PC(USA) role. Publishes academic theology, preaching resources, curriculum, and children's books for United Methodist congregations and broader ecumenical market.
• Chalice Press: Publishing arm of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), producing progressive/mainline Christian books, curriculum, and leader resources. Direct structural analog to PPC as a progressive mainline denominational publisher with curriculum and hymnal offerings.
• InterVarsity Press (IVP): Nonprofit academic Christian publisher known for evangelical theological works, biblical studies, and IVP Academic imprint. Mirrors WJK's positioning as a theologically serious academic publisher serving seminaries and scholars.
• Upper Room Books: Publishing arm of Discipleship Ministries (United Methodist), focused on devotionals, spiritual formation, Bible study, and leader resources. Comparable in devotional offerings (e.g., PPC's These Days) and curriculum-adjacent leader resources.

Emerging players

• Broadleaf Books: Independent progressive Christian publisher focused on social justice, inclusivity, and contemporary theology — closely aligned with PPC's progressive WJK and Flyaway Books positioning, but operating without a denominational anchor.

Broad incumbents

• Zondervan (HarperCollins Christian Publishing): One of the largest Christian book publishers in the U.S., part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Competes directly with WJK in academic theology, preaching resources, and Bible study, but with substantially greater scale, marketing budget, and trade distribution.

Regional players

• Orbis Books: Publishing ministry of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers focused on liberation theology, global Christianity, and social justice — overlapping WJK's progressive theology catalog with a more globally focused editorial lens.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjQ8eCZxBm5sYwsB2qqgd8A
• Facebookfacebook.com/wjkbooks
• Instagraminstagram.com/wjkbooks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

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 Presbyterian Publishing