Publishing Church Books and Ministry Resources
The short answer
Churches publish devotionals, sermon-series books, study guides, training workbooks and more. The work is editing the raw material for print, choosing a bulk quantity, and deciding where the book will be sold, which tells you whether you need an ISBN.
Updated October 2026 · By Harmony Publishing
Why churches publish
Books.by lists the common church publications: daily devotionals, sermon-series compilations, church anniversary histories, Bible study guides, ministry training workbooks, prayer journals, children's ministry materials, worship songbooks and memorial tribute books.
Turning a sermon series into a book
Books.by warns that sermon transcripts need adapting for print: pulpit cadence, repetition and callbacks read clunky on the page. Budget for a copyedit or a writer to adapt the material, and assign one editor so voice and formatting stay consistent.
Ministry workbooks and training materials
Training workbooks are used the same way as study guides: written in, opened flat and carried around. Our guide to Bible study guides covers page counts, binding and write-in space.
Bulk printing: how church orders work
Volume discounts are standard in church publishing. Examples published by other companies:
- OnPress, a US printer, says volume discounts commonly start at 10 copies and it offers volume discounts from 100 books for congregation-wide studies. It lists a minimum order of one book and specialises in small-to-medium orders of up to 5,000 copies, with split shipments and a complimentary file check.
- ChurchSource, a publisher-direct supplier, says its bulk discounts start at just 10 copies, with savings of 35 to 50% on Bible studies and books for groups.
- Logos for Church lists 10% off for 2 to 10 copies and 20% off for 11 or more.
- Church Works Media lists print devotionals at $4.99 each for 1 to 9 copies, $4.50 for 10 to 49, $3.99 for 50 to 199 and $3.50 for 200 or more.
Those are other companies' published terms, shown as examples of how tiers work. They are not Harmony prices, and terms change, so check each company's current page.
At Harmony, tell us the quantity and the date of your church event and ask for a church-event quantity. Our printing page and the packages page explain the options and prices.
How many copies should you order?
Start from who the book is for. A small-group rollout needs one copy per participant plus spares for leaders; a congregation-wide study needs one per household or member. Because tiers reward larger orders, price two or three quantities before you commit.
Is an ISBN required?
That depends on where the book will be sold. Books sold through retailers, online stores and ebook platforms are listed by ISBN, so plan for one if you want the book beyond your own congregation. Our ISBN page explains what an ISBN is and who owns it.
Keeping a church publishing project on track
Books.by suggests a few habits:
- Assign one editor for voice and formatting consistency.
- Set deadlines with a buffer.
- Work in shared documents.
- Lock a style guide early: the Scripture translation you quote and how you capitalise divine pronouns.
Publishing a faith book with Harmony
Harmony Publishing is a self-publishing company, and authors keep 100% of their royalties and rights. For church and ministry books we edit the material for print, including Scripture-citation checks, design the cover and interior, supply the ISBN, and print in paperback or hardcover, from small batches to larger runs. Ask for a church-event quantity, and see the packages page for what each package includes and its price.
Related guides and services
Frequently asked questions
Can we print in bulk for the whole congregation?
Yes. Ask Harmony for a church-event quantity. Other suppliers publish tiers that start at 10 copies, so it is worth comparing quantities.
How do we turn a sermon series into a book?
Adapt the transcripts for the page rather than printing them as spoken, because pulpit cadence and repetition read clunky in print. Budget for a copyedit and use one editor throughout.
Do we need an ISBN?
If the book will be sold through retailers or online stores it will need one. See our ISBN page for what an ISBN is and who owns it.