The seven-day 40th Christian Joint Book Fair kicked off in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, from October 22 to 28, with an opening ceremony held on the first day. 

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, this year’s fair features a series of events under the theme “Stand by Me”, emphasizing how Christian literature accompanies readers in their spiritual growth.

More than 20 guests attended the opening ceremony, including Rev. Wong Wai-lam (黃煒霖), Chairman of the Christian Publishers Association; Rev. Hui Chiu-ying(許朝英), advisor and former president of Alliance Press; Dr. Lee Chi-kong(李志剛), pastor of Saddleback Church Hong Kong; Rev. Leung Mei-ying(梁美英) of Dao Sheng publishing House; and Mr. Leung Pak-kin(梁柏堅), General Director of Breakthrough. The lively gathering was filled with enthusiasm and thanksgiving.

During the ceremony, each guest selected a favorite book and held a placard inscribed with a personal endorsement. Together, they proclaimed the slogan: “With gratitude—40 years of companionship through words. Amen!” This symbolic moment marked the beginning of a new journey of spiritual reading.

Dr. Lee Chi-kong: The immersive experience of reading cannot be replaced

In an era dominated by digital technology, many have questioned the future of printed books. However, keynote speaker Dr. Lee Chi-kong expressed optimism:

“The role of printed books will change, but they will not disappear.”

He explained that purely informational books may decline, while publishers should shift toward experience-centered works that engage readers’ senses through the texture of paper, the weight of the book, the scent of ink, and the craftsmanship of binding.

“Reading a book is not merely about gathering information,” Lee said. “It’s about allowing knowledge to merge with feeling—immersing ourselves in the reading experience. This kind of experience is unique to each person and cannot be replaced.”

To promote reading within the church, Dr. Lee encouraged congregations to establish church libraries, providing a space where believers can discover meaningful books each week. He also introduced a leadership training curriculum developed jointly by Saddleback Church Hong Kong and Golden Gate Theological Seminary in the U.S., designed to equip church leaders with theological knowledge and leadership skills to foster healthy church growth.

Special exhibit: World’s thinnest Bible on display

For the first time, the Amity Foundation of Nanjing collaborated with the Christian Publishers Association to showcase at the fair the world’s first Bible printed on 19-gram ultra-thin paper. The exhibit also included a live printing demonstration, attracting much attention.

Mr. Fung Siu-hei（馮兆熙）, advisor to the Christian Publishers Association, noted that the Amity Printing Company produces one of the largest volumes of Bibles in the world. Many of the Bibles currently in circulation were printed by Amity, making its participation in this year’s exhibition particularly meaningful for local Christians.

Four decades of Christian publishing in Hong Kong

The Christian Joint Book Fair traces its roots back to 1985, when the first Christian Culture Festival was held at City Hall. It later moved to the Tsim Sha Tsui Kaifong Welfare Association Hall and has accompanied readers of different generations for more than three decades.

This year’s fair features 35 publishers, including Tao Sheng Publishing House（道聲出版社）,  Virtue & Wisdom Link（德慧文化）, Grace Publishing House（恩道出版）, Olive Press（橄欖文化）, Alliance Press（基道出版社）, Aurora Creative Media（極光創作）, Peace Market（和平市集）, Baptist Press（浸信會出版社）, Short-term Mission Centre（短宣中心）, Art and Literature Publishing（文藝出版社）, Religious Education Centre（宗教教育中心）, Hong Kong Bible Society（香港讀經會）, Tien Dao Christian Media（天道書樓）, Glory Ministries（榮耀事工）, Alliance Communications（宣道傳意）, Chinese Bible International（漢語聖經協會）, Asia Lutheran Seminary（亞洲路德宗神學院）, and Logos Chinese Bible Software（Logos中文聖經軟件）.

Official website: christianbookfair.hk