Coming to Jesus

Bauer adds religion mag Simple Grace

The magazine publisher behind celebrity titles that track Kim Kardashian and the biggest loser’s wedding plans has gotten that old time religion.

Bauer Media Groupon Friday will introduce Simple Grace, a digest size monthly aimed at the inspirational Christian market.

It will have a nationwide distribution of 200,000 and a $ 3.99cover price.

Religious publications are not rarities in the publishing world, but it is rare for a secular publisher to also produce one — and even rarer for a publisher to seek success with a news stand model similar toits In Touch and Life& Style.

“We’re using spiritual solutions to solve everyday problems,” said Carol Brooks, the editor of Woman’s World, the country’s No. 1 selling weekly newsstand title, who will double as editor of Simple Grace.

She described her own religious affiliation as “nondenominational Christian.”

Guideposts, a rival inspirational Christian title, is run by a not for profit foundation and has a 100 percent subscription circulation of 1.5 million. It was founded by the Rev. Norman Vincent Peale in1945.

“I think there is room in the marketplace for them,” Guide posts Senior Vice President Rocco Martino told The Post.

Our Daily Bread, a third inspirational Christian title, started by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938 as the Detroit Bible Class, circulates 10million free copies of the publication worldw ide in 37 languages.

Ian Scott, president of Bauer, said for the first issue he limited ad sales to three pages.

Scott said that, unlike most Bauer publications, it will build a subscription base.

“But we are going to let it grow organically,” he said. “We are not going to go out and buy subscriptions.”

“Our big investment will be in placement— trying to get good locations at supermarket checkout counters,” Scott said.