B&H Publishing Group
A Christian publishing group and imprint portfolio operated by Lifeway Christian Resources.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
B&H Publishing Group is the publishing division and principal publishing brand of Lifeway Christian Resources, the nonprofit Christian media and ministry organization affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Its catalog is centered on Protestant Christian resources, including trade books, Bible studies, Bible translations, commentaries, academic works, children's titles, Spanish-language publications, and materials for church and ministry audiences. The group operates through several recognizable imprints, including B&H Books, B&H Academic, B&H Kids, B&H Español, and Holman Bible Publishers. The brand's institutional history is connected to the Southern Baptist Convention's long-running publishing activity. Publishing work associated with the convention developed during the nineteenth century, including activity linked to the Sunday School Board and earlier Baptist educational initiatives. The Sunday School Board was established in 1891 and eventually became the main organizational home for the convention's publishing operations. During the twentieth century, the organization used the Broadman name for many of its publications. In 1979, it acquired the Bible-publishing business of A. J. Holman, an established American Bible publisher. The Holman and Broadman operations were combined in 1993 under the name Broadman & Holman. That name was later shortened to B&H, creating the modern publishing identity. B&H's role within Lifeway is broader than that of a conventional trade publisher. It supplies books and other resources to individual readers, pastors, churches, students, academics, families, and small groups, while also supporting Lifeway's wider mission of Christian education and congregational ministry. Its publications have included Bible translations and study editions, theological and biblical commentaries, discipleship resources, devotional works, practical ministry books, children's books, and textbooks for Christian higher education. Holman Bible Publishers is particularly associated with Bible publishing, including the Christian Standard Bible, while B&H Academic focuses on scholarly and educational works in biblical studies, theology, Christian history, and related disciplines. The group has historically benefited from Lifeway's distribution, retail, church-service, and digital infrastructure. Lifeway sold B&H products through its former LifeWay Christian Stores as well as through e-commerce and other distribution channels. After Lifeway closed its physical stores in 2019, B&H's commercial context shifted further toward online, wholesale, church, and broader trade distribution. B&H also publishes works by authors and organizations outside the Southern Baptist Convention, although the wider Lifeway product policy has generally favored a conservative evangelical and Baptist theological orientation. B&H is therefore best understood as both a publishing house and a denominationally connected publishing platform. Its identity combines the commercial functions of a Christian trade publisher with the educational and ministry objectives of Lifeway. The brand remains active, with a portfolio spanning consumer books, Bibles, academic publishing, children's publishing, and Spanish-language resources.
History
B&H Publishing Group developed from the publishing operations of the Southern Baptist Convention and its affiliated educational institutions. One early strand of this history reaches back to 1863, when publishing activity was associated with the Sunday School Board formed at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina. Some early figures connected with this work included John Albert Broadus and Basil Manly Jr. The publishing operations were later absorbed into other Southern Baptist structures before the convention established the Sunday School Board in 1891. The 1891 board became the central institutional base for Southern Baptist publishing and Christian education. Its output served churches, Sunday schools, families, and ministry leaders, and contributed to the convention's broader effort to provide religious literature and educational materials. During the twentieth century, the board used the Broadman name for a substantial part of its publishing program. Broadman publications eventually included books, Bible-related resources, study materials, and other works intended for Christian readers and congregational use. A major change came in 1979, when the Sunday School Board acquired the publishing activities of A. J. Holman from J. B. Lippincott & Co. Holman had an established history as a Bible publisher and had itself acquired publishing activities associated with the Sower family. The transaction expanded the board's presence in Bible publishing and added a distinct publishing heritage to the existing Broadman operation. In 1993, the Holman Bible Company and Broadman Press were combined under the name Broadman & Holman. The combined identity reflected the integration of general Christian publishing and Bible publishing within one Lifeway division. The Broadman & Holman name was subsequently shortened to B&H. Under the modern B&H structure, publishing was organized into specialized imprints and lines. B&H Books, also referred to as B&H Publishing, serves the general Christian trade. B&H Academic develops scholarly books, textbooks, and educational resources by biblical scholars, theologians, and Christian academics. B&H Kids focuses on children's books and family-oriented resources. B&H Español serves Spanish-language readers, while Holman Bible Publishers continues the Holman tradition in Bibles and Bible-related publications. B&H's most prominent Bible association is the Christian Standard Bible, a translation published under the Holman Bible Publishers imprint. The Christian Standard Bible succeeded the Holman Christian Standard Bible and became part of Lifeway's broader program of Bible publishing, study resources, and commentaries. The catalog also includes Christian living books, devotionals, discipleship materials, ministry resources, and works addressing church life and theology. For much of its history, B&H benefited from Lifeway's physical retail network. Lifeway operated LifeWay Christian Stores, which sold B&H titles alongside products from other Christian publishers and suppliers. The stores were closed in 2019 as Lifeway moved toward e-commerce and other distribution arrangements. This transition changed the retail environment around B&H but did not eliminate the publishing group or its imprints. B&H operates within Lifeway's denominational and theological context. Lifeway is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention but is self-funded through sales rather than receiving operating funds through the convention's Cooperative Program. Its product policies have generally favored conservative evangelical Christian teaching, and the organization has sometimes withdrawn titles when an author's public position was judged inconsistent with those policies. B&H consequently combines a trade-publishing function with the educational, ecclesial, and doctrinal priorities of its parent organization. Its continuing portfolio spans consumer books, Bibles, academic publishing, children's resources, Spanish-language works, and materials for churches and Christian ministries.
- 2019
Physical LifeWay stores closed
[1]Lifeway announced the closure of its remaining physical stores and a stronger focus on e-commerce and other channels used to distribute products including B&H titles.
- 2002
Serendipity House acquired by Lifeway
[1]Lifeway acquired Serendipity House, a publisher known for small-group Bible studies, expanding the parent organization's study-resource portfolio.
- 1998
Lifeway retail rebranding completed
[1]The retail rebranding period concluded, further separating the LifeWay corporate identity from the B&H publishing identity.
- 1996
Lifeway retail rebranding begins
[1]The Sunday School Board began rebranding its stores under the LifeWay name, consolidating the public identity of the parent organization.
- 1993
Broadman & Holman formed
[1]Holman Bible Company and Broadman Press were combined under the Broadman & Holman name.
- 1979
A. J. Holman acquired
[1]The Sunday School Board acquired A. J. Holman from J. B. Lippincott & Co., strengthening its Bible-publishing capabilities.
- 1971
LifeWay name begins appearing on selected materials
[1]The LifeWay name began to be used on some materials and in selected retail markets, signaling the broader identity of the organization that housed B&H.
- 1891
Southern Baptist Sunday School Board established
[1]The Southern Baptist Convention established the Sunday School Board, which became the principal institutional home for the convention's publishing program.
- 1863
Early Southern Baptist publishing activity begins
[1]Publishing work later connected with B&H's institutional lineage was associated with the Sunday School Board formed at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Products and positioning
Christian publishing with a conservative evangelical and Southern Baptist institutional orientation, spanning trade, Bible, academic, children's, and ministry resources.
Christian trade publishing
B&H Books
B&H Books is the group's general Christian publishing line. It publishes books for Christian readers on subjects such as biblical interpretation, theology, discipleship, devotional practice, church life, leadership, family, and Christian living. The line functions as the principal consumer-facing expression of the B&H publishing identity.
Bible publishing
Holman Bible Publishers
Holman Bible Publishers carries forward the Bible-publishing heritage acquired through A. J. Holman. Its catalog includes Bible translations, study Bibles, reference editions, and related biblical resources. The imprint is associated with the Christian Standard Bible and with commentaries and other tools supporting personal study, teaching, and church ministry.
Bible translation
Christian Standard Bible
The Christian Standard Bible is a modern English Bible translation published through the Holman Bible Publishers line. It succeeded the Holman Christian Standard Bible and is offered in multiple formats and study editions for individual readers, churches, students, and ministry leaders.
Academic publishing
B&H Academic
B&H Academic publishes scholarly and educational works in biblical studies, theology, Christian history, ministry, and related fields. Its list includes textbooks, academic monographs, and works by Christian scholars intended for seminaries, colleges, universities, pastors, and advanced students.
Children's publishing
B&H Kids
B&H Kids is the children's publishing imprint. It develops Bible storybooks, picture books, early-reader materials, activity resources, and other Christian titles for children and families, extending the group's publishing program into family and children's ministry.
Spanish-language Christian publishing
B&H Español
B&H Español publishes Christian resources for Spanish-language readers. The imprint broadens the group's reach beyond English-language publishing and may serve churches, families, ministry leaders, and individual readers in Spanish-speaking communities.
Brand decisions
2019
Shift distribution away from physical storesStrategyBackground
Lifeway faced changing retail conditions and announced staff reductions and selected store closures before deciding to end its physical retail presence.
Action taken
Lifeway closed its LifeWay Christian Stores and emphasized e-commerce and other distribution channels.
Aftermath
B&H continued as Lifeway's publishing division, but its products were distributed in an environment less dependent on Lifeway-owned bookstores.
1993
Combine Broadman and Holman publishingStrategyBackground
The organization had separate Broadman and Holman publishing histories and needed a unified structure for its Christian trade and Bible programs.
Action taken
Holman Bible Company and Broadman Press were merged under the Broadman & Holman name.
Aftermath
The combined operation established the immediate predecessor of the B&H brand and provided a single platform for books, Bibles, and related Christian resources.
1979
Acquire A. J. HolmanM&ABackground
The Southern Baptist publishing organization sought to strengthen its Bible-publishing operations by acquiring A. J. Holman from J. B. Lippincott & Co.
Action taken
The organization acquired A. J. Holman's publishing activities and later integrated them with its Broadman publishing operations.
Aftermath
The acquisition supplied the Holman heritage that became a major component of Broadman & Holman and, later, B&H.
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