World's Largest Missions Bookstore Set to Open

Dec 14, 2009 07:49 AM EST

In two weeks, the world’s largest mission-focused bookstore will open in St. Louis at the Urbana 09 conference.

For five days only, Urbana attendees can browse through 900 unique titles available at the 30,000-square-foot bookstore. The store, sponsored by InterVarsity Press, will feature both IVP titles as well as books from other publishers.

Urbana is one of the country’s largest student missions conferences. This year, organizers expect about 18,000 people from every state and many nations to attend the Dec. 27-31 event. The four main focuses at the upcoming Urbana conference are: movement of peoples, money in terms of missions funding, environmental stewardship, and divisions between peoples.

Many titles by conference speakers and of the key issues addressed at the conference will be available at the bookstore. Several authors will also be doing book signings in the store while featured “Books of the Day” will be sold at deep discounts, according to IVP.

Founded in 1947, InterVarsity Press serves as the publishing arm of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, the organizer of the Urbana conference. The publisher seeks to print thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord.

The first InterVarsity student missions conference was held in Toronto in 1946. The student ministry says more than 240,000 people have been challenged to participate in mission works through the conferences. Urbana conferences take place once every three years.