Bloomberg's Edward Nawotka spent some time in Denver earlier this month at the International Christian Retail Show. And what was the hot topic? That Multnomah, one of the top Christian publishers that sparked a renaissance in that particular sector, is being put on the block - and Random House might be interested in buying it.

"We've long been committed to the Christian book market and are interested in growing in this area" said Stuart Applebaum, a spokesman for Random House. He would not otherwise lend credence to the rumor, but pointed out that the company already owns a Christian publishing subsidiary, WaterBrook Press, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Such interest reflects a growing market for Christian books, thans to titles like THE PRAYER OF JABEZ and Rick Warren's THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE, still considered the "gold standard" of Christian publishing with 25 million copies sold since first appearing in October 2002. But marketing tactics have changed, as Christian publishers opt for implicit, rather than explicit tactics - to the point of making Bibles that no longer look like Bibles.

"In the past, they could only find the sorts of books they wanted in Christian bookstores, some of which were small with limited stock,'' said Janet Grant, a literary agent who represents numerous Christian authors. ``But the buyers now enjoy a wealth of options, not only shopping at the local Christian bookstore but also going to Barnes & Noble, where they can pick up a book on home decorating and a book on exploring the spiritual side of their lives -- one-stop shopping at its best."