David Ecklebarger, a pioneer of the Christian literary industry in the Hispanic world, dies
The Hispanic Evangelical community in the United States and Latin America mourns the death of David Ecklebarger, a central figure in the spread of the Christian message.
Founder of Spanish House Ministries and Editorial Unilit, Ecklebarger died Wednesday, leaving an indelible mark on the distribution and publication of Christian literature in Spanish, impacting millions of Spanish speakers.
According to a statement from Unilit Publishing, the visionary's leadership was instrumental in establishing a centralized international distribution system. The document highlights that "his life and vision marked a before and after in the distribution and publication of Christian literature in Spanish worldwide," consolidating an industry that, before his arrival, faced great logistical challenges.
Marie Tamayo-Griffin, who was his right-hand woman and director of the Expolit Congress held in Miami, Florida, for almost three decades, shared moving memories of her mentor in exclusive statements to Diario Cristiano Internacional.
Marie described him as a man with an intact capacity for wonder at the power of the Gospel, capable of being deeply broken when he heard testimonies of conversion.
"He was desperate to take the Gospel everywhere, anyway, he always had projects coming up and all the projects had to do with evangelism," Tamayo-Griffin recalled.
According to Tamayo-Griffin, Ecklebarger not only sought commercial success but also prioritized the spiritual impact of each published work, even above the financial interests of his own companies.
That passion was born on the mission field in Panama during the 1960s, where Ecklebarger experienced a shortage of resources in Spanish. This need led him to found Spanish House in Miami in 1974, under the innovative concept of "One Order, One Import, One Check," making it easier for local bookstores to access a diverse catalog efficiently.
Tamayo-Griffin also underscored Ecklebarger's deep connection to the Hispanic world, stating that "David loved Latin America and had a very special gift when he talked about injecting all of us with that love, that desperate passion for people to know about Christ."
His influence shaped a generation of publishers and distributors who today lead the market.
Ecklebarger's legacy culminated in an important cycle in 2024, the year in which Unilit Publishing celebrated 50 years of continuous service.
Although the Expolit Congress closed its doors after the official separation of the publisher in 2023, its missionary spirit lives on in every Bible and book that continues to circulate in airports, bookstores and mass markets in more than a hundred countries.
This article was originally published at CP Español.
Javier Bolaños is a journalist with more than 20 years of experience in radio, television and written press. He has extensive knowledge of the Latin American reality, having traveled to most all of the countries of the region. He has been the regional producer for Latin America of Global News Alliance (GNA), a news agency that is a partner of Christian Daily International.
He was general producer of CBN News' Mundo Cristiano news program for 10 years and until recently also served as director of Evangélico Digital, an online publication focused on Latin America linked to the Spanish Evangelical Alliance. He has been an international correspondent for various media outlets covering presidential elections, natural disasters and major sporting events such as the Olympics and World Cups.
You can contact him at: javier.b@christiandaily.com
