Nazarene Publishing House
American religious publishing organization and publishing arm of the Church of the Nazarene, rebranded in North America as The Foundry Publishing.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Nazarene Publishing House (NPH) is a religious publishing organization associated with the Church of the Nazarene. It was created in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1912 after the denomination consolidated three publishing companies that had been established by different Nazarene parent bodies in Rhode Island, Texas, and Los Angeles. The consolidation was recommended at the Church of the Nazarene's Third General Assembly in Nashville in 1911, with the goal of creating one central publishing company and combining the denomination's newspapers into a stronger publication operation. The new organization was established at 2923 Troost Avenue in Kansas City. Clarence J. Kinne, an ordained Nazarene minister, served as its first manager. NPH's early publishing program included denominational newspapers and magazines. The Herald of Holiness began publication in April 1912 under editor B. F. Haynes. The Other Sheep began in 1913 under founding editor Charles Allen McConnell, who later managed NPH from 1916 to 1918. The Other Sheep was subsequently renamed World Mission. Both publications continued until 1999, when they were replaced by Holiness Today. Over the years, Herald of Holiness also appeared in Spanish, Portuguese, and French editions. NPH expanded beyond periodicals into books, music, Bible-study and Sunday-school materials, youth ministry resources, and other resources for churches and individuals. Its principal book imprint was Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City. In 1930, NPH purchased Lillenas Publishing, a music publisher founded in Indianapolis in 1925 by Nazarene minister and composer Haldor Lillenas. Lillenas became a major part of the organization's music publishing activity and maintained a substantial catalog of song copyrights. Its stated focus was worship material for small and medium-sized churches, with revenues supporting mission, education, compassionate-ministry, and humanitarian efforts. Other publishing labels associated with NPH included WordAction, which supplied Wesleyan-Holiness Sunday-school curriculum and small-group, devotional, children’s, youth, and adult resources; Barefoot Ministries, which focused on youth-ministry materials; and Casa Nazarena de Publicaciones, which produced Spanish-language resources. WordAction curriculum was developed cooperatively with several holiness and evangelical church bodies, including the Church of the Nazarene, The Salvation Army, the Wesleyans, Evangelical Friends, Free Methodists, and Evangelical United Methodists. At the height of its printing capacity, NPH reportedly produced more than 25 million pieces of literature annually and processed more than 250,000 orders each year from more than 11,000 churches representing multiple denominations. The organization later adjusted its operations in response to the shift from physical printing toward digital distribution. In early 2016, it moved its administrative offices from the long-standing Troost facility to a nearby location while retaining ownership of the original printing facility. Mark Brown became president during this transition. NPH faced a major strategic turning point in 2014, when the Church of the Nazarene's Board of General Superintendents announced a preliminary plan to close the organization, citing changing cultural circumstances and changes within the church. That plan was withdrawn in November 2014 in favor of restructuring. The subsequent restructuring and digital-era repositioning led to a rebranding process beginning in 2017. In February 2018, the North American operation changed its doing-business-as name to The Foundry Publishing. The NPH name continued to be used for non-North American entities and activities. The organization remains a distinct corporate entity from the Church of the Nazarene, with its own board of directors, while remaining accountable to the denomination and subject to oversight by one of its six general superintendents.
History
The history of Nazarene Publishing House is closely connected with the institutional development of the Church of the Nazarene. Before 1912, three publishing companies operated in different parts of the United States, each associated with a Nazarene parent body. At the denomination's Third General Assembly in Nashville in 1911, delegates recommended consolidating these operations into one central publishing company and merging the denomination's separate newspapers into a stronger unified paper. The resulting Pentecostal Nazarene Publishing House was established in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1912 at 2923 Troost Avenue. Clarence J. Kinne, an ordained Nazarene minister, was its first manager. The organization immediately became a vehicle for denominational communication. The Herald of Holiness, edited by B. F. Haynes, issued its first number in April 1912. The Other Sheep followed in 1913 under founding editor Charles Allen McConnell. The latter publication was later renamed World Mission. McConnell served as NPH manager from 1916 to 1918. Herald of Holiness and World Mission remained in publication until 1999, when the denomination replaced them with Holiness Today. Herald of Holiness also appeared in Spanish, Portuguese, and French editions at various points. NPH's scope broadened over time from denominational newspapers to a broad publishing program. Its labels issued books, church education resources, music, youth-ministry materials, periodicals, and materials for congregational and individual use. Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City became the organization's principal book imprint. The acquisition of Lillenas Publishing in 1930 strengthened its music operation. Lillenas had been founded in Indianapolis in 1925 by Haldor Lillenas, a Nazarene minister and composer. The imprint developed a large catalog of church songs and arrangements and emphasized worship resources for small and medium-sized congregations. The publishing house also operated or used specialized labels for particular audiences. WordAction supplied Bible-based, Wesleyan-Holiness curriculum for children, youth, and adults, along with small-group and devotional resources. Its curriculum was produced through cooperation among several holiness and evangelical bodies rather than for the Church of the Nazarene alone. Barefoot Ministries focused on youth ministry. Casa Nazarena de Publicaciones produced Spanish-language resources. Together, these activities made NPH a multi-format religious publisher serving denominational, congregational, and broader Christian audiences. The physical scale of the organization was significant. At its peak, its printing capabilities supported production of more than 25 million pieces of literature per year. It also processed more than 250,000 orders annually from more than 11,000 churches, including churches from denominations beyond the Church of the Nazarene. These figures reflected the role of NPH as both a publisher and a distribution operation. The emergence of digital distribution and changes in church publishing created pressure for operational adaptation. In October 2014, the Board of General Superintendents announced a preliminary decision to close NPH on December 1 of that year. The announcement attributed the proposal to shifting cultural circumstances and changes in the church. On November 7, 2014, the board announced that the organization would instead be restructured. The restructuring represented a decision to adapt the publishing operation rather than end it. In early 2016, NPH relocated its administrative offices a short distance from the Troost facility. It retained ownership of the original printing plant while adjusting its administrative footprint. Mark Brown became president during this period. The organization also began changing its operating model in response to the growing importance of digital distribution. A rebranding process began in 2017. In February 2018, the North American operation adopted The Foundry Publishing as its doing-business-as name. The change applied to North American publishing activity, while NPH continued to be used for non-North American entities. The transition also affected product branding: WordAction curriculum was replaced by The Foundry Publishing branding, with new adult curriculum using the Foundry name beginning in September 2018. NPH is not identical to the Church of the Nazarene as a corporate entity. It has its own board of directors, but it remains accountable to the denomination and to one of the Church of the Nazarene's six general superintendents, who provides oversight. This structure allows the publisher to operate as a distinct organization while maintaining a defined denominational relationship.
- 2018
The Foundry Publishing becomes the North American DBA
[1]The organization changed its North American doing-business-as name to The Foundry Publishing while retaining NPH for non-North American entities.
- 2017
Rebranding process begins
[1]NPH began transitioning its North American publishing identity toward The Foundry Publishing.
- 2016
Administrative offices relocated
[1]NPH moved its administrative offices near the Troost site and retained ownership of the original printing facility.
- 2014
Closure proposal replaced by restructuring
[1]After a preliminary closure announcement, church leadership chose to restructure NPH instead.
- 1999
Herald of Holiness and World Mission discontinued
[1]The two long-running publications were discontinued and replaced by Holiness Today.
- 1930
NPH acquires Lillenas Publishing
[1]NPH purchased Lillenas Publishing, expanding its role in church music and worship-resource publishing.
- 1925
Lillenas Publishing founded
[1]Haldor Lillenas founded Lillenas Publishing in Indianapolis, creating the music-publishing business later acquired by NPH.
- 1913
The Other Sheep begins publication
[1]Charles Allen McConnell launched The Other Sheep, later renamed World Mission.
- 1912
Pentecostal Nazarene Publishing House established
[1]The consolidated publishing organization opened at 2923 Troost Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, with Clarence J. Kinne as its first manager.
- 1912
Herald of Holiness begins publication
[1]The new weekly denominational paper published its first issue in April under editor B. F. Haynes.
Products and positioning
A denominationally accountable publisher serving Wesleyan-Holiness churches and the wider Christian market through books, curriculum, music, periodicals, and ministry resources, with a later strategic shift toward digital distribution and the North American Foundry Publishing identity.
Book publishing
Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City
Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City was the principal book-publishing label associated with NPH. It published Christian books and Wesleyan-Holiness materials for church leaders, congregations, and general readers. The imprint formed part of NPH's move beyond denominational periodicals into a broader religious publishing portfolio.
Church music publishing · 1925
Lillenas
Lillenas is the music-publishing operation founded by Haldor Lillenas in 1925 and acquired by NPH in 1930. It publishes worship resources, musical arrangements, and church music for congregations, with a stated emphasis on serving small and medium-sized churches. The reference material describes a catalog containing more than 20,000 song copyrights and service to churches internationally.
Christian education curriculum
WordAction
WordAction provided Bible-based Wesleyan-Holiness curriculum for children, youth, and adults, together with small-group resources and devotional materials. Its curriculum was developed cooperatively with several holiness and evangelical denominations. The WordAction identity was replaced by The Foundry Publishing for new curriculum branding beginning in 2018.
Youth ministry resources
Barefoot Ministries
Barefoot Ministries was an NPH-associated label focused on youth-ministry resources. Its materials formed part of the organization's specialized ministry publishing portfolio, alongside church curriculum, books, music, and devotional products.
Spanish-language religious publishing
Casa Nazarena de Publicaciones
Casa Nazarena de Publicaciones produced Spanish-language Christian and denominational materials. It represented NPH's multilingual publishing activity and its continuing relationship with Church of the Nazarene work outside the English-language North American market.
Religious periodical · 1999
Holiness Today
Holiness Today replaced Herald of Holiness and World Mission in 1999 as a principal denominational publication. It consolidated the communication role previously served by the two earlier periodicals.
Brand decisions
2018
Adopt The Foundry Publishing as the North American DBAStrategyBackground
NPH had begun a rebranding process as it repositioned its publishing activities for changing distribution and ministry needs.
Action taken
The North American operation changed its doing-business-as name to The Foundry Publishing, while NPH continued to be used for non-North American entities.
Aftermath
WordAction curriculum also transitioned to The Foundry Publishing branding, including new adult curriculum released under the name in September 2018.
2016
Relocate administrative offices while retaining the printing facilityStrategyBackground
NPH was adjusting its operations as digital distribution changed the publishing industry.
Action taken
The organization moved its administrative offices to a nearby location while retaining ownership of the original Troost Avenue printing facility.
Aftermath
The move accompanied a broader operational transition and the appointment of Mark Brown as president.
2014
Replace proposed closure with restructuringStrategyBackground
Church leadership initially proposed closing NPH amid changing cultural circumstances and changes in the church.
Action taken
The Board of General Superintendents withdrew the closure course and announced that NPH would instead be restructured.
Aftermath
The restructuring was followed by operational changes, a move toward adaptation to digital distribution, and the later North American rebrand as The Foundry Publishing.
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