EVANGELICALS: BEYOND THE LABEL — More than words: Publishers a powerful force

The Rev. Billy Graham. The huge-selling “Left Behind” books. Christianity Today magazine. Horror movie director Wes Craven. Thousands of missionaries. And millions of Bibles.

All are products of evangelical institutions in the Chicago area.

“Because of the publications, the educational institutions, I think the case can be made that there’s a different kind of, longer-term, cultural-rather-than-political influence [here],” said historian Mark Noll, co-founder of Wheaton College’s Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals.

“This is one of the hotbeds of evangelical Christian publishing,” Lynn Garrett, religion editor for Publisher’s Weekly, said of the Chicago area, which is home to Tyndale House, Intervarsity Press and several other evangelical Christian publishing houses. “The most culturally influential one at the moment, and for the last several years, is Tyndale House because of “Left Behind.” That has been a phenomenal success story.”

Tyndale, the 43-year-old publisher in Carol Stream, has sold more than 64 million books and other products from the “Left Behind” series of apocalyptic Christian novels written by Jerry Jenkins — an alumnus of Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute — and Tim LaHaye. The success of the series, which began in 1995, is often credited with sparking a boom in the publishing of religious-themed books in the secular marketplace.

Down the street from Tyndale House is Christianity Today, the leading evangelical magazine, founded by Graham in 1956. “Our influence is more that of commenting on, providing thoughtful leadership on, and helping people to think through, issues, but not so much being the standard that everyone has to salute,” said David Neff, its editor in chief.

The Chicago area is also home to what some call the big three in Christian higher education: Moody, Trinity International University and Wheaton College. “Wheaton is kind of the gold standard,” Neff said.

Perhaps best known for its alumnus Graham, Wheaton has produced many graduates who have had influence in politics, ministry, academics, even show business.

“The primary way Wheaton makes a difference in this world is by sending wave upon wave of extremely gifted, bright young people who are really committed Christians into every walk of life,” said Duane Litfin, Wheaton’s president.

Trinity has trained many of those who are leading evangelical churches worldwide, including Willow Creek’s Bill Hybels. And Moody, founded by evangelist D.L. Moody in 1886, produces more missionaries than perhaps any school of its kind.

“We have over 25,000 graduates right now active in some ministry all over the globe,” said Joe Stowell, Moody’s president, who’ll retire at the end of the month. “There isn’t a continent . . . where Moody grads are not busy serving and working.”