Keeper of "The Faith":
Invitations to the White House are becoming regular occurrences for
Stephen Strang. The former journalist, 54, has been a Bush favorite
ever since his homegrown Christian publishing house, Strang
Communications, released The Faith of George W. Bush, the first
spiritual biography of the President, in 2003. "We didn't write it to
help Bush, but it no doubt helped elect him," declares Strang.
In the world of Christian publishing, Strang combines a sense of
mission with sharp business acumen. Over the past 30 years, he has
built his company, based in Lake Mary, Fla., into a $33 million
business that churns out seven magazines and 100 books a year. Niche
offerings like The Bible Cure health series are wildly successful,
but the company is seeking more crossover hits like G.P. Taylor's
Shadowmancer, which has been hailed as Harry Potter's "Christian
cousin." Strang's lead publication, Charisma, chronicles the
fast-growing charismatic movement and has become powerful enough to
wrangle a Bush interview last year.