Book printing for churches and ministries

Churches and ministries have been making books for a very long time, and for good reason. A book goes home with people. It sits on a nightstand and gets opened again on a hard day. Whether you are printing a devotional for your congregation, a small group study, a children's curriculum or a history for your church's anniversary, this guide walks you through planning it well.

What churches print

• Devotionals. Daily readings for a season such as Advent or Lent, or for a full year.
• Small group and Bible study guides. Lessons, discussion questions and space to write.
• Sermon series companions. A book that goes deeper on what is taught on Sunday.
• Children's and family curriculum. Take-home books, activity books and picture books.
• Church history and anniversary books. Photos, stories and milestones, often as a keepsake hardcover.
• Memorial and tribute books. Celebrating a founding pastor or a beloved member.
• Prayer journals and notebooks. Guided prompts or blank pages for your people to fill.

Start with the people who will use it

Before you choose a size or binding, picture who will hold the book and how.

• Will they write in it? Leave wide margins and lined space, and think about a binding that stays open. Spiral binding lies flat.
• Will they carry it every week? A smaller, lighter paperback is easier to bring to group.
• Is it a keepsake? A hardcover with a dust jacket feels like something to keep for a lifetime.
• Will kids use it? Sturdy covers and heavier paper hold up to small hands.

Plan around your ministry calendar

Church books usually have a date that cannot move: the first Sunday of Advent, Easter, a fall kickoff, an anniversary service. Work backward from that date.

Standard printing typically takes 60 to 90 days from approval to delivery, and gives you the lowest price per book. Before that, leave time for writing, editing, design, your proof and your quote. For a fall series, that often means finishing files in late spring. For Advent, aim for midsummer. See standard or short run for planning a date, and the rush and short run options when time is tight.

Count copies with your people in mind

Start with attendance and the number of small groups, then add copies for guests, new members, staff, volunteers and a few to give away. If the book will be used year after year, like an onboarding guide or a children's curriculum, a larger run lowers the cost per book. Our guide to how many copies to order walks through the math.

Scripture, quotes and permissions

Most Bible translations let you quote a limited number of verses with the right copyright notice, and require permission beyond that. Check the permissions page for the translation you use, and put the notice on your copyright page. The same goes for song lyrics, which almost always need permission, and for photos of people, especially children. Our guide to ISBNs, barcodes and copyright covers the copyright page.

You only need an ISBN if the book will be sold through stores. A book given or sold within your church does not need one.

Getting the files ready

Many church books are designed by a staff member or a volunteer, often in Canva, Word or InDesign. That is completely fine. A few things make the biggest difference:

• Bleed on any photo or color that touches the edge of the page.
• A safe area that keeps words away from the trim and the spine.
• Sharp photos. Images pulled from the web often print soft. See the 300 DPI guide.

The free file checklist lists every setting on two pages. When you upload, we check every page and explain anything that needs a fix in plain words. If your team would rather hand the design off, we can help with that too. See need help with your files.

Printing with us

We have printed more than 100,000 books, and church and ministry books are some of our favorites. Start a novel or nonfiction book for a devotional or study guide, or tell us about a custom project such as a spiral bound journal or an anniversary hardcover. You will see a free digital proof of every page and your cover, and a real person will price your book: one all in price with shipping included.

The book you are making will be in someone's hands on the day they need it most. We would be honored to help you print it.