Wall Street Journal: Top-Selling Pastor Goes Quarterly: Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Connection Joins a Tough Magazine Market by RUSSELL ADAMS
He has written one of the best-selling books in history. But can pastor Rick Warren sell a magazine?
The test starts this week, with the debut of Purpose Driven Connection, a quarterly publication from Reader's Digest Association to be sold as part of a bundle of multimedia products its backers hope will connect Christians to each other and God. A subscription includes access to a Facebook-like Christian social-media Web site and DVD guides for leading a prayer group.
Still, Mr. Warren, whose message emphasizes deeds over doctrine, says his book's success shows there is a huge audience of people with some connection to Christianity, or at least a willingness to embrace it. "There's a flat-out segment of Americans who are unashamed followers of Jesus Christ," Mr. Warren said. "We're not trying to make this a magazine for everybody."
With an estimated 100 million evangelical Christians in the U.S. alone, according to studies, the venture doesn't need to have broader appeal to be successful, says Alyce Alston, president of Reader's Digest's Health & Wellness and Home & Garden segments. "My focus and goal has been on creating products that have huge demand among a Christian audience," Ms. Alston says. "If I can do that well, it will monetize itself."
He has written one of the best-selling books in history. But can pastor Rick Warren sell a magazine?
The test starts this week, with the debut of Purpose Driven Connection, a quarterly publication from Reader's Digest Association to be sold as part of a bundle of multimedia products its backers hope will connect Christians to each other and God. A subscription includes access to a Facebook-like Christian social-media Web site and DVD guides for leading a prayer group.
Still, Mr. Warren, whose message emphasizes deeds over doctrine, says his book's success shows there is a huge audience of people with some connection to Christianity, or at least a willingness to embrace it. "There's a flat-out segment of Americans who are unashamed followers of Jesus Christ," Mr. Warren said. "We're not trying to make this a magazine for everybody."
With an estimated 100 million evangelical Christians in the U.S. alone, according to studies, the venture doesn't need to have broader appeal to be successful, says Alyce Alston, president of Reader's Digest's Health & Wellness and Home & Garden segments. "My focus and goal has been on creating products that have huge demand among a Christian audience," Ms. Alston says. "If I can do that well, it will monetize itself."
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