WESTMONT, IL—Two InterVarsity Press titles were honored with 2017 Logos Bookstore Association Awards.

Barefoot: A Story of Surrendering to God by Sharon Garlough Brown received the 2017 Logos Award for Best Fiction. Barefoot is the third book in the Sensible Shoes Series, which follows the journeys of Hannah, Meg, Mara, and Charissa as they gain a new understanding of friendship, spiritual truths, and a deeper life with God.

Emily P. Freeman, author of Simply Tuesday, said, “During a difficult year of loss in my own life, I found great comfort in this fictional tale of four friends with true-to-life faith. The way they relate with Christ and one another in grief, disappointment, celebration, and joy served as a kind companion to me personally, as well as a creative reminder of some of my favorite spiritual practices.”

The 2017 Logos Bookstore Association Award for the Christianity/Culture category went to Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering by renowned international artist Makoto Fujimura. Inspired by Shusaku Endo’s novel Silence, first published in 1966 and one of the greatest works of twentieth-century Japanese literature, Fujimura took on a pilgrimage of grappling with the nature of art, the significance of pain, and his own cultural heritage.

Fujimura served as a consultant on the 2016 film Silence directed by Martin Scorsese, who said, “Makoto Fujimura is a remarkable artist and writer, and his engagement with the writings of the great Shusaku Endo—and Silence in particular—is deep and impassioned, as you will discover on every page of this book. By way of response to a great artist, Fujimura has created a quietly eloquent meditation on art and faith, and where they converge.”

Jeff Crosby, IVP’s publisher, said, “We have had a long, fruitful, and enjoyable association with Logos Bookstores, from the earliest years in Ann Arbor through to the current time. We are deeply grateful for their recognition of these important and beautifully-executed books by Makoto Fujimura and Sharon Garlough Brown. Logos continues to select, promote, sell, and—through these awards—honor thoughtful Christian books that make an impact on readers.”

For a complete list of IVP award winners visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.

Contact: Krista Clayton | 630.734.4013 | kclayton@ivpress.com

Uhrichsville, OH—Barbour Publishing is pleased to announce its transition to an employee owned company effective June 30, 2017.

“The incredibly talented Barbour team is responsible for the success of the company through the years,” says company President & CEO Timothy H. Martins. “The ESOP provides a long-term business succession path that ensures opportunity for all employees to benefit from continued success in the years to come.”

No immediate changes to the company’s management team or business strategy are planned in connection with the ESOP formation. Martins will continue as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. The company will continue to operate from its 60,000 square foot office and distribution facility in Uhrichsville, Ohio.

Barbour Publishing, founded by industry veteran Hugh R. Barbour in 1981, was acquired by company CEO Timothy H. Martins in October 2000. The company publishes 180-200 books and Bibles a year focused on inspiring the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

Media Contact: Shalyn Sattler
ssattler@barbourbooks.com 740.922.6045 X 109

Close friends and South Carolina Congressmen Tim Scott and Trey Gowdy to release Indivisible: Overcoming Our Differences, One Friendship at a Time on April 3, 2018

Carol Stream, Ill. (July 11, 2017) – Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) has announced that Tyndale Momentum has acquired U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and U.S. Representative Trey Gowdy (R-South Carolina) and the two close friends and members of Congress are joining forces to release Indivisible: Overcoming Our Differences, One Friendship at a Time (ISBN 978-1-4964-3041-0, HC $26.99). Tyndale has scheduled their joint memoir to release April 3, 2018. In addition, The Indivisible Challenge: A Six-Week Guide to True Reconciliation—One Friendship at a Time (978-1-4964-3068-7, SC $12.99), a small group guide for bridging racial, ethnic and other divides in a community, will release in April 2018 as well. The two-book deal was negotiated by Greg Johnson, President of WordServe Literary.

Tim Scott and Trey Gowdy have a collective goal to start a reconciliation movement. Scott, a black U.S. Senator, and Gowdy, a white member of the U.S. House of Representatives, first met in the fall of 2010, when they entered Congress as freshmen. Their journey toward a deep friendship has blossomed despite their different backgrounds, viewpoints, and stances on certain issues. After the Charleston Emmanuel AME church-shooting in their home state of South Carolina, they became determined to foster healing and reconciliation across racial, ethnic, ideological and other divides in our country. Scott and Gowdy model for us what moving toward reconciliation and true friendship can look like.

During the past several years, our nation has witnessed an increase in unrest. As we grapple with finding a way forward, the story of Tim Scott and Trey Gowdy’s friendship provides a beacon of hope in an increasingly apprehensive world. Their book, and companion study guide, will provide a positive step toward reconciliation.

In publishing Indivisible, Tyndale House Publishers continues its efforts to facilitate productive discussions about the divisions in America. In addition to publishing a number of books on the topic, Tyndale hosted Under Our Skin: A Forum on Race and Faith (http://www.underourskinforum.com/) in February 2017, with NFL Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, ESPN’s Sage Steele, Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, Emmy Award–winning broadcaster James Brown, and Baltimore Ravens tight end and author Benjamin Watson, among others.

Tyndale will support Indivisible with a national publicity tour and an extensive marketing campaign.

US Senator Tim Scott is working daily to ensure that every American has the opportunity to succeed. Growing up poor in a single-parent household in North Charleston, SC, he learned the importance of faith, hard work, and living within your means. As a teenager, Scott had the good fortune of meeting a strong, conservative mentor, John Moniz. Moniz helped instill in him the notion that you can think your way out of poverty, and Scott grew from his humble beginnings to build one of the most successful Allstate insurance agencies in South Carolina. He was sworn in to the US Senate in January 2013, and since then he has launched his Opportunity Agenda, a new way forward that includes robust initiatives that give American students and workers the greatest chance to succeed. Prior to his election to the Senate, Scott served one term in the US House of Representatives, where he was a member of House leadership and sat on the influential House Rules Committee. He also served on the Charleston County Council for thirteen years, including four terms as chairman, and in the South Carolina House of Representatives for two years, where he was elected chairman of the freshman caucus and house whip. He was the owner of Tim Scott Allstate and a partner in the Pathway Real Estate Group.

US Representative Trey Gowdy graduated from Spartanburg High School in 1982, from Baylor University in 1986 with a degree in history, and from the University of South Carolina School Of Law in 1989, where he was a member of the scholastic honor society, “Order of the Wig and Robe.” After graduating from law school, Gowdy clerked for state and federal judges on both the trial and appellate levels. From 1994 to 2000, he served as a federal prosecutor, dealing with a full range of federal crimes. In 2000, he ran for 7th Circuit Solicitor (district attorney) where he led an office of twenty-five attorneys and sixty-five total employees. In 2010, Gowdy was elected to U.S. Congress. He has served on various House committees, including Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; Committee on Judiciary; Committee on Ethics; Committee on Education and the Workforce; and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Gowdy was selected as chairman of the Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi. Trey is married to Terri Dillard Gowdy, and they have two children: Watson and Abigail.

Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is one of the largest privately held Christian publishers of books, Bibles, and digital media in the world. Tyndale Momentum, Tyndale’s nonfiction imprint, is the publisher of many New York Times bestsellers and is known for integrity in building lasting personal relationships with authors and agents. Tyndale extends the ministry of its authors by contributing most of its profits to the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which makes grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world. Originally founded to publish The Living Bible, a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible that became a global publishing phenomenon, Tyndale now publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), the translation of choice for millions of people.

Indivisible: Overcoming Our Differences, One Friendship 
by Tim Scott and Trey Gowdy
ISBN: 978-1-4964-3041-0
Hardcover: $26.99
April 3, 2018
TyndaleMomentum.com

(Phoenix, AZ) Steve Laube, president of The Steve Laube Agency, has announced the hiring of Bob Hostetler as a literary agent.

Bob is a thirty-year veteran of the Christian publishing industry. His fifty books, which include Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (among a dozen he has co-authored with Josh McDowell) and The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional, have sold millions of copies. His writing has twice earned Christian publishing’s Gold Medallion award, four Ohio Associated Press awards for best broadcast writing, a Selah “Book of the Year” award, and an Amy Foundation Award.

Bob served from 2000-2011 as the founding pastor of Cobblestone Community Church in Oxford, Ohio. He is a frequent speaker at churches, retreats, and conferences around the world. He and his wife, Robin, recently celebrated their fortieth anniversary.

“I’ve been looking for ways to increase the services our agency provides to current and potential clients,” Steve Laube said. “By adding Bob to our agency, we can expand our role in helping to maximize our client’s sales, work with authors to develop their publishing efforts, and extend their reach in multiple markets. Bob’s strengths are his understanding of the writing and editing process, what it takes to be successful in the current publishing environment, and how all the pieces of the publishing “puzzle” fit together. He helps us to fulfill our mission to help change the world, word by word.”

Founded in 2004, The Steve Laube Agency has had a profound impact through securing publishing contracts for over 1,000 new books. These include bestselling titles from authors like Lisa Bergren, Nancy Pearcey, Lynette Eason, William Lane Craig, Bill & Pam Farrel, A.W. Tozer, Elizabeth Camden, Mary Hunt, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Hugh Ross, Ronie Kendig, Susie Larson, Deborah Raney, Timothy P. Smith, Chris Hudson, Roseanna White, Stephen M. Miller, and Susan May Warren.

Contact:  Steve Laube
Phone: 602-336-8910  e-mail: krichards@stevelaube.com

Award-winning titles to be featured in upcoming issue of Focus on the Family magazine

Carol Steam, Ill. (July 12, 2017) — Three children’s titles from Tyndale House Publishers have been named to PluggedIn.com’s list of 10 Family-Friendly Picture Books from 2016 (formerly Thriving Family’s list). The award-winning titles include Be Still by Kathryn O’Brien and two Flipside Stories by Dandi Daley Mackall: Jonah and the Fish and The Lost Lamb and the Good Shepherd. The top-10 list will be published in the August/September 2017 issue of Focus on the Family magazine.

In an e-mail statement, Focus on the Family Editorial Director of Parenting Content Sheila Seifert wrote, “My editorial team and I have reviewed hundreds of picture books published in 2016 to find what we consider to be the 10 best family-friendly picture books for our audience.” Tyndale’s contributions to this list are representative of the publishing house’s goal of producing quality literature that helps make biblical truth accessible to readers of all ages. “We are so honored to be a part of Focus on the Family’s Top 10 Family-Friendly Picture Books with not only one but three books,” writes Linda Howard, Associate Publisher for Children and Youth at Tyndale House Publishers. “We are praying that God will use these stories to help bring little ones and their parents to a deeper relationship with Him.”

O’Brien’s Be Still is an engaging introduction to Psalm 46:10, designed to help children memorize Scripture by teaching the meaning of the verse, one word at a time, before presenting the whole passage. Mackall’s Jonah and the Fish and The Lost Lamb and the Good Shepherd are part of the Tyndale Kids Flipside Stories series, which makes use of an innovative format to tell the same story from two different biblical points of view by literally flipping the book over.

Reviews of the 10 Family-Friendly Picture Books from 2016 will be posted online at http://www.pluggedin.com/editor-picks-picture-books by August 1, 2017. To learn more about any of Tyndale’s titles, visit www.tyndale.com.

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN—Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, an independent family-owned publisher since 1911, has hired Tracy Danz as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. As Vice President, he also joins the Eerdmans Board of Directors.

Danz brings decades of experience to the role, having spent his whole career working in various aspects of the book industry. The majority of his work has been with HarperCollins, where he has served as Vice President and Publisher of Zondervan and Director of Marketing for HarperCollins Christian, among other roles.

“I am so pleased to be joining Eerdmans in this role,” said Danz. “It is wonderful to align with a company whose mission is rooted in the Christian tradition yet with a keen eye toward the future.”

President and publisher Anita Eerdmans added, “From his years of experience in the world of publishing and bookselling, Tracy has gained a remarkable breadth and depth of knowledge in both our industry and the particular markets we serve. He is a very welcome addition to our team!”

Danz began work for Eerdmans in June.

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company is an independent publisher of religious books, from academic works in theology, biblical studies, religious history and reference to popular titles in spirituality, social and cultural criticism, and literature. Founded in 1911, the company has developed a reputation for publishing excellent literary and intellectual works that offer a myriad of responsible viewpoints from across the religious spectrum. For more information visit www.eerdmans.com.

WESTMONT, IL—InterVarsity Press (IVP-USA) is pleased to announce that through an expanded partnership with Inter-Varsity Press (IVP-UK) and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) it will soon be distributing a wealth of thoughtful Christian titles from the United Kingdom to readers throughout the United States and Canada.

Up until a few years ago IVP-USA’s books were represented in Europe by IVP-UK through its Partnership Distribution program. In October 2015, when IVP-UK came under the management of SPCK, IVP-USA also partnered with SPCK to make its stock of books available through Macmillan Distribution Limited (MDL) with SPCK offering sales representation to key accounts and local shops in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. Now IVP-USA and SPCK will expand their partnership by having IVP-USA serve as the distributor of SPCK and IVP-UK titles throughout North America.

SPCK, the United Kingdom’s leading Christian publisher, has been around since 1698, making it the third oldest English publishing house still operating today. Over the centuries SPCK has distributed over thirty million books and has provided the means for translating the Book of Common Prayer into more than two hundred languages.

“SPCK is a company with a long and storied tradition of publishing quality books for the theological academy and the global church,” said Jeff Crosby, IVP-USA’s publisher, in announcing this new partnership. “The addition of the IVP-UK imprint to what SPCK has long published made our alliance for North American distribution a win-win proposition. I’m delighted to expand the partnership that was already in place for UK distribution of our titles and work even more closely with Sam Richardson, Alexandra McDonald, Steve Mitchell, and their entire team in London. We look forward to a fruitful and profitable relationship as we bring their titles to market here in the United States and Canada.”

Alexandra McDonald, commercial director for SPCK and IVP-UK, said, “SPCK and IVP-UK are thrilled to be partnering with IVP-USA to distribute its range of books in the United States. We feel an affinity with IVP-USA across our lists of books which allows us to create a new partnership to complement our range of titles and roster of authors and enable our books to reach new readers.”

Titles that will now be readily available to North American readers include the following:

• Creation, Power & Truth by N.T. Wright
• A Celtic Liturgy by Pat Robson
• A trilogy of classics in spirituality and spiritual formation, which includes The Living Flame of Love by John of the Cross, Introduction to the Devout Life by Francis de Sales, and Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich
• Places of Pilgrimage by Ian Scott Massie
• Come, Lord Jesus by Stephen Motyer
• Aidan, Bede, Cuthbert: Three Inspirational Saints by David Adam
• But is it True: Honest Responses to 10 Popular Objections to the Christian Faith by Michael Ots

“I have long admired the unique perspectives of SPCK and IVP-UK books,” said Justin Paul Lawrence, director of sales at IVP-USA. “Both lines mesh naturally with many of the key areas in which we already publish. I am excited to be able to connect North American readers even more to writers like Tom Wright, Tim Chester, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, and Michael Reeves. Given that InterVarsity Christian Fellowship was originally a British import, this partnership makes a lot of sense and will hopefully be profitable for both presses.”

IVP-USA and IVP-UK both have their roots in the International Fellowship for Evangelical Students, known as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the United States and the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship in the United Kingdom. They have historically been linked as the primary publishers in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively, for authors like John Stott and series such as the New Studies in Biblical Theology and the Bible Speaks Today.

“The long-standing friendship between IVP-UK and IVP-USA has grown and deepened as we both continue our work of publishing books full of biblical truth, wisdom, and encouragement,” said Steve Mitchell, publisher for IVP-UK. “We base our vision and mission on the foundation of Scripture, and we look forward to this new chapter in our shared story which will allow us to offer to the church in the USA and Canada an even broader selection of IVP-UK titles.”

Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.

Contact: Krista Clayton | 630.734.4013 | kclayton@ivpress.com

“I’m praying you’ll be beckoned away each day from the fast-paced, temporal whirlwind of lesser (though necessary) tasks and be refocused on greater things—things that aren’t applauded and appreciated by most, but are eternally recognized by One . . . the One who makes life worth living. The One who wants to Awaken you each day to the sound of His voice.” – Priscilla Shirer, Awaken

Nashville, Tenn. (July 2017)—New York Times bestselling author and Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer is set to release her first devotional for women, Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks (August 15, 2017, B&H Publishing). Awaken is Shirer’s latest book release following the international success of the award-winning Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer (October 2015, B&H Publishing).

Shirer, a gifted and experienced Bible teacher known for her faithfulness to the Scriptures, hopes to get women “alone with God, with His Word, eager to hear his voice, and prepared to humbly and obediently respond.” Shirer’s heart for women’s ministry is evident in Awaken’s 90 devotions, which she describes as “personal whispers from God’s Spirit to my own soul over the last decade.”

“My prayer is that these passages bring an added layer of dimension, or even just some renewed direction, to women as they spend time with the Savior over the next 90 days,” Shirer says. “Whether young or old, I pray that readers be encouraged and realigned toward the simple beauty of sitting with Him, hearing Him, speaking to Him, and being enlightened by His love letter to them.”

Shirer has written multiple bestselling books and Bible studies, including the 2016 ECPA “Christian Book of the Year” Fervent. She regularly speaks to thousands at conference venues and churches around the world and recently starred in the #1 box office feature “War Room.”

LifeWay Christian Stores is running an exclusive presale discount on Awaken until the release of the book. From July 3 to August 15, Awaken will be discounted from $16.99 to $9.99.

For more information about Awaken, please visit http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/awaken.

Priscilla Shirer is a wife and a mom first, but put a Bible in her hand and a message in her heart and you’ll see why thousands meet God in powerful, personal ways at her conferences and through her Bible studies.  For the past twenty years, Priscilla has been in full-time ministry to women. She and her husband, Jerry, have founded Going Beyond Ministries and count it as their privilege to serve believers across the entire spectrum of the body of Christ. Priscilla is the author of more than a dozen books and Bible studies on a myriad of topics and biblical characters including Discerning the Voice of God, The Exodus, The Armor of God, Jonah and Gideon.  Priscilla is passionate about ministry, but prioritizes her calling as wife and mother above all. Between writing and studying, she spends her days cleaning up after (and trying to satisfy the appetites of) three rapidly growing sons–Jackson, Jerry Jr., and Jude.

B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a team of mission-minded people with a passion for taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters® we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church, and academic markets, titles include The New York Times No. 1 bestsellers The Love Dare and The Vow, #1 CBA bestseller I Am a Church Member as well as the newly-revised Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version.

Media Contact: Jenaye White
Jenaye.White@BHPublishingGroup.com  615-251- 2964  www.bhpublishinggroup.com