Atop the Bestseller List

For five of the last six weeks, Baptizing America has accomplished something no other Chalice Press book has done, at least in recent memory.

Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood’s book – about Christian Nationalism in Protestant churches and how you can help weed it out – has dominated the bestseller lists.

The Oklahoma non-fiction bestseller list.

It’s true! Since July 21 Baptizing America appeared alongside Killers of the Flower Moon (inspiration for the Oscar-nominated epic), Hillbilly Elegy (a backlist title by a current vice-presidential candidate), and 100 Things to Do in Oklahoma City Before You Die, 3^rd edition (because there are enough new things to do in OKC to merit a third edition). In that same period, only six other books have more than one appearance on the list, and Baptizing America has more than any other.

While we’d love it, we don’t expect to see Baptizing America on the bestseller’s lists you’re used to — the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, etc. Those lists are drawn from a huge swath of both brick-and-mortar and online bookstores from across the country. It’s easier for little blips, like what has happened in Oklahoma over the last month, to affect the smaller lists than it is to hit the big-name charts. But we are celebrating nonetheless!

So how did Baptizing America make such an impact in, of all places, Oklahoma? While we don’t know all the elements at play, we have a pretty good idea.

• The Oklahoma bestsellers list is based on the total number of sales at four bookstores in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Edmond, and Ponca City. That focuses the field quite a bit.
• We know through networking and social media that congregations in at least three of those cities have organized book clubs that include Baptizing America on their reading list. We believe those small groups have ordered their books at these stores.
• Brian is going to Tulsa in September to present. These readers are planning ahead! Brian better be ready for an inquisitive crowd that knows its stuff.

I’ve seen this combination first-hand. In 2019 I did an event at a Tulsa church for America’s Holy Ground: 61 Faithful Reflections on America’s National Parks, which I co-wrote with Bruce Barkhauer. At that event, the church worked with Magic City Books, one of the four bookstores in the bestseller pool — and when they sold out, we pulled more copies from the trunk of my car. A week later, America’s Holy Ground was the best-selling non-fiction book in Oklahoma.

It was a glorious week! We were off the chart a week later, never to return, which makes what Baptizing America has done all the more amazing.

Chalice authors are happy to talk about their books, and we encourage them to make sure books are available especially when they appear in person. The best plan is to find a local store that participates in bestseller lists. It’s not always possible, but it’s worth the effort.

Where you buy your books matters. Buying directly from ChalicePress.com means the most financial support for the authors sharing their ideas and for our ministry. If you are compelled to buy elsewhere, though, shop local and visit your hometown bookstore. If you don’t find it on the shelf, ask them to order it — the bookstore can get any book that’s in print, and they’ll be happy for your support.

Wherever you buy books, we’re thankful for your support. Beyond that, we hope we’re creating resources to help you make the world a better place for you, your family, your church, and your community.