Research roundup
Faith, business, and author income, by the numbers.
Published research shows most Christian business leaders treat work as service and spiritual discipline, while most authors with only a few books earn little from royalties alone.
Book Profits Club collected these statistics because together they make the case for a faith aligned business: believers want purpose in their work, and authors need more than book sales to sustain it. Every figure below is attributed to its published source; none are Book Profits Club’s own numbers.
Last updated: November 2026
What does research say about faith and business?
It says faith and business are already connected for many leaders.In a survey reported by Houston Christian University's Center for Christianity in Business, 86 percent of Christian business leaders said business leadership is about service and upholding moral and ethical values.
The same research cites findings that only 25 percent of working adults have a strong sense of purpose in their work, which is the gap a faith aligned business aims to close.
Statistics
Faith at work
How Christian business leaders connect their faith to their work, and how many workers find purpose at all.
86%
of Christian business leaders said business leadership is about service and upholding moral and ethical values.
Source: Center for Christianity in Business, Houston Christian University
83%
of Christian business leaders said hard work is a spiritual discipline.
Source: Center for Christianity in Business, Houston Christian University
63%
of Christian business leaders said their businesses should reflect God’s character in creativity, excellence, and love.
Source: Center for Christianity in Business, Houston Christian University
25%
of working adults have a strong sense of purpose in their work, and only 18 percent say their job has a purpose they personally believe in, according to research cited in the same article.
Source: Center for Christianity in Business, Houston Christian University
Statistics
Faith, media, and technology
What Christians and pastors report about AI and Christian media, which shapes how faith-driven authors communicate.
45%
of heavy consumers of Christian media say the content can be divisive, and 40 percent say it sometimes makes Christians look bad.
Source: Barna Group, Insights on Tech, Media and Faith in 2026
1 in 3
practicing Christians want guidance from their pastors on navigating AI, while only 12 percent of pastors feel comfortable teaching about it.
Source: Barna Group, Insights on Tech, Media and Faith in 2026
41%
of pastors report using AI for Bible study preparation.
Source: Barna Group, Insights on Tech, Media and Faith in 2026
Statistics
Indie author income
What independent authors earn and expect, and why a business beyond royalties matters for authors with few titles.
<$100
a month is what authors with one to three books overwhelmingly earn, while 40 percent of those with 25 or more titles earn more than $5,000 a month.
Source: Alliance of Independent Authors, reporting on Written Word Media
60+
titles is what authors earning $10,000 or more a month generally have.
Source: Alliance of Independent Authors, reporting on Written Word Media
50%
of roughly 600 indie authors surveyed mid-year expect their income to increase in the next 12 months.
4 tiers
of author income: just starting out at $500 a month or less, building momentum at $500 to $2,500, got traction at $2,500 to $10,000, and living the dream at $10,000 or more.
$5B
in author payouts passed by Kindle Unlimited, cited among new money-making options for authors.
Source: Alliance of Independent Authors
What it means
What these numbers mean for faith-driven authors
One well-known entrepreneur, quoted by Faith Driven Entrepreneur, once said that selling a business and taking home $100M was the worst decision they ever made. Money alone does not settle the question of purpose.
For authors, the numbers point the same way from the other side: royalties from a few books rarely sustain a life, so purpose needs a business model. Book Profits Club teaches that model, from turning readers into clients to building recurring revenue. Read the pillar guide on faith aligned business for authors or see how authors turn readers into clients.
FAQ
Questions about the numbers
- What do Christian business leaders believe about work?
- A survey reported by the Center for Christianity in Business at Houston Christian University found that 83 percent of Christian business leaders called hard work a spiritual discipline, 86 percent said business leadership is about service and upholding moral and ethical values, and 63 percent said their businesses should reflect God’s character in creativity, excellence, and love.
- How much do indie authors earn?
- Income varies a great deal. Reporting on Written Word Media survey data, the Alliance of Independent Authors noted that authors with one to three books overwhelmingly earn under $100 a month, while 40 percent of those with 25 or more titles earn more than $5,000 a month. Written Word Media groups authors into tiers from $500 a month or less up to $10,000 or more.
- Why turn readers into clients instead of only selling books?
- Because royalties alone are slow for most authors with few titles. Reporting from the Alliance of Independent Authors shows authors with one to three books overwhelmingly earn under $100 a month. Book Profits Club teaches authors to turn readers into clients through coaching offers, masterminds, and speaking, so one book can anchor a real business.
- Does a faith aligned business mean caring less about profit?
- No. Book Profits Club says its members refuse to compromise their values for profit, not that they avoid profit. Its Faith and Business Alignment training aims to build a business that honors both profit and purpose, and the club measures success by who you impact as well as what you earn.
- How do I build a faith aligned business as an author?
- Start by writing down what you will and will not do for money, then build offers that serve your readers honestly. Book Profits Club supports this with a Faith and Business Alignment training, weekday Morning Devotionals, and a peer community of authors who refuse to compromise their values for profit.
Purpose needs a plan.
Book Profits Club helps authors build the business that lets their message last. Join free.