A Legacy of Devotion: Celebrating the Remarkable Life of Oswald Chambers, author of My Utmost for His Highest

One remarkable life.
One untimely death.
One small book.
Still changing lives.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., August 4, 2017—Discovery House, the exclusive North American publisher of My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, is celebrating the life of Chambers and his century-long legacy with the release of several new titles this fall, as well as limited editions of his most-loved work.

Chambers’s timeless devotional My Utmost for His Highest, in both its beloved classic edition and its updated-language version, still unpacks deep Biblical truths and shapes the faith of countless readers, just as it has done over decades of publication. Each of these Limited Editions is available in October 2017.

With a new foreword written by Luke Smallbone of popular Christian band For King and Country, these special editions honor Chambers’s life and inspirational meditations on Scripture, faith, and each individual’s walk with God.

Additionally, Word Records, along with Discovery House, presents an extraordinary musical expression of worship and devotion to accompany Chambers’s beloved devotional. Join some of Christian music’s most prominent recording artists, including For King and Country, Blanca, Big Daddy Weave, and others in this collection of new songs inspired by My Utmost for His Highest. (Available through Word Records.)

Released alongside the My Utmost for His Highest limited editions will be Utmost Ongoing: Reflections on the Legacy of Oswald Chambers, a collection of testimonials by a diverse group of Christ followers and Chambers fans. The popular devotional has been instrumental in the development of Christians, young and old, for generations. Utmost Ongoing offers contemporary Christian figures the opportunity to share the immense impact of Chambers’s work on their walk with Christ, finding their calling, and answering God’s prompting in their daily lives.

From renowned author, singer, artist, and radio personality Joni Erickson Tada to 9/11 Pentagon survivor Alan Personius Utmost Ongoing contributors’ pieces focus on a quote from Chambers’s devotional, highlighting their personal insights and stories in relation to the beloved classic. The book illustrates the powerful, life-altering effect of Oswald Chambers’s timeless wisdom.

Following these releases, author Paul Kent outlines the remarkable story of Oswald Chambers in his work, Oswald Chambers: A Life in Pictures. The keepsake coffee table book, available in November, is the perfect companion to Chambers’s My Utmost for His Highest, highlighting photographs of the most influential figures in his life, as well as excerpts from his personal letters and his books.

This pictorial chronicle follows Chambers through his life, from his childhood and educational experiences to his travels and the ministry of his adult years.

My Utmost for His Highest, Classic Limited Edition 
978-1627077408
Paperback
$9.99
Release: October 2017

My Utmost for His Highest, Updated Limited Edition
978-1627077354
Paperback
$9.99
Release: October 2017

Utmost Ongoing: Reflections on the Legacy of Oswald Chambers
978-1627076791
Paperback
$14.99
Release: October 2017

Oswald Chambers: A Life in Pictures
Paul Kent
978-1627077330
Hardcover
$24.99
Release: November 2017

Contact:  Karen Campbell Media, Inc.  616-309-4390  www.karencampbellmedia.com

 

Anderson, Ind., August 3, 2017—Warner Press continues to grow its church and ministry books category with the recent release of Go, by Rachael Groll. Go will add depth to teaching resources for the church, bringing together new ideas and solid experience while working with often overlooked youth. Groll’s book can transform entire communities through a hands-on sidewalk ministry.

“We live in a world full of lost and broken kids, many who will never darken the doors of our churches,” said Rachael Groll. “Ignoring that fact won’t make it go away. We don’t have the option not to go.”

Rachael Groll is a Children’s and Outreach Pastor at Living Waters Church in Meadville, Pa. Her outreach program received national attention when the Christian law group, Alliance Defending Freedom, stood behind the church when local governing agencies tried to shut the program down. ADF helped Living Waters regain the right to continue the outreach programs, and thus, the ministry has grown, reaching even more areas of the community. Rachael has shared some of her experiences on social media and her blog, RachaelGroll.org. Networking with children’s pastors across the nation, she has helped others start Sidewalk Sunday schools and outreach ministries, and has recently begun a new role in public speaking.

“Whether someone has been a children’s pastor for years or is just beginning in ministry, Go will educate, encourage, and inspire,” said editor, Robin Fogle. “Not only does Rachael Groll offer practical advice and action steps for starting a SidewalkSunday school ministry, she provides ample evidence that this approach truly changes the lives of children and families. We need to stop waiting for that perfect moment, expensive equipment, and predetermined number of skilled volunteers. Just cast all the excuses aside, trust God, and GO!”

Appealing to anyone involved in children’s ministry, Go builds on Groll’s personal outreach ministry by taking the gospel outside the four walls of a church to kids in the streets. Groll gives practical tools and personal examples to start a youth outreach ministry in your church. Groll encourages us to listen to God’s call and just GO!

Go includes 12 sample lessons that help you create a ministry that works for your community. Use Rachael’s experience as a children’s pastor to connect with your community and her advice to build your own program that touches lives.

About Warner Press
At Warner Press, our goal is to equip the Church for ministry. We strive to help churches and Christian organizations communicate better within their walls, encourage spiritual growth and biblical literacy, and share the hope of Christ and the good news of the gospel with a broken world. Warner Press publishes and distributes Christian products worldwide, including ministry resources, church supplies, kids’ books, and greeting cards. We also own and produce artwork by the artist Warner Sallman, which includes some of the most recognizable images of Christ known throughout the world. Warner Press is in Anderson, Indiana and is a not-for-profit organization.

For further information, contact Warner Press at (765) 644-7721 or visit us online at www.warnerpress.com or go.warnerpress.org.

Eugene, Oregon—August 4, 2017—Harvest House Publishers industry veteran and Publisher/EVP LaRae Weikert has announced that she will retire on August 31, 2017. In 1985 Weikert joined the company’s customer service department before moving into editorial a year later, where it quickly became evident that she had found her niche. After several promotions over the years, LaRae eventually became the EVP of Editorial in 2014, then Publisher and EVP of the Willamette Group in 2016.

For nearly 32 years, Weikert’s character and integrity have provided steadfast leadership for the company. Her knowledge of the industry, her creative thinking, and her keen insights have been a valued asset to authors, agents, and Harvest House. LaRae is a gifted communicator, an encourager, and a relationship builder who played a significant role in the writing careers of several bestselling authors, including Stormie Omartian, Lori Wick, and Jim and Elizabeth George.

“Looking back on my time at Harvest House, I feel such gratitude for the many opportunities I’ve been given, the incredible people I have had the privilege to work with, and the many friendships I’ve made,” reflected Weikert. “It has truly been a rich and rewarding experience to have spent 32 years in Christian publishing, immersed in a world of books that point people to Jesus. I couldn’t have asked for a more fulfilling career—one that has enabled me to grow personally, professionally, and spiritually.”

“Working alongside LaRae for over three decades has been a wonderful privilege for me.  LaRae has represented our mission, values, and books with an amazing amount of excellence, grace, and humility,” said Bob Hawkins, president of Harvest House.  “Her passion for publishing has only been surpassed by how much she is loved by our authors and staff.

With Weikert’s retirement, Harvest House is pleased to announce the hiring of Sherrie Slopianka as Publisher/VP of the Willamette Group. Sherrie will begin her tenure with the company on August 7, 2017. During the month of August, she will work closely with LaRae to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.

Sherrie comes to Harvest House with a wealth of publishing experience and know-how in a wide variety of industry disciplines. She began her career at Word Entertainment Canada in the capacity of Director of Operations where she oversaw the company’s two distribution centers. She then worked for Integrity Publishers, managing their customer service and distribution functions while working in a key role to support the company’s sales activities. Following her job as manager of Ingram Publishing Services, Sherrie worked for Worthy Publishing as Marketing Director before becoming the Executive Director of Sales. In these positions, she served as an active member on their Publisher’s Committee, addressing decisions regarding acquisitions, title, subtitle, and cover design planning. She also developed robust key-author presales and marketing campaigns that led to the bestselling status for several titles.

“Joining a company that for more than 40 years has been committed to proclaiming Jesus as the answer to every human need is both thrilling and humbling,” says Slopianka. “Their steadfast devotion to producing high quality books along with their dedicated staff is a winning combination. I so look forward to working with an already stellar team who are committed to excellence and a company that has such an amazing and consistent reputation within our industry.”

“We are very pleased to have Sherrie Slopianka join Harvest House,” adds Hawkins. “She is deeply passionate about working in Christian publishing and brings a unique and strong skill set to our company at a time when we endeavor to enhance our efforts to reach as many people as possible with the books we publish. I have no doubt that Sherrie will be a tremendous asset to Harvest House’s expansion in the years to come.”

About the Publisher:
Harvest House, a Christian publishing company based in Eugene, Oregon, publishes more than 135 books per year and carries a strong backlist offering more than 1,200 titles. Over 140 million Harvest House books have been sold worldwide through diverse distribution channels, and additional millions have sold in over 75 different languages.

Contact: Christianne Debysingh, Harvest House Publishers
888-468- 4108 cdebysingh@harvesthousepublishers.com www.harvesthousepublishers.com

WESTMONT, IL—InterVarsity Press is honored to be partnering with the DuPage County (IL) Monarch Project as a result of recent work done to their property’s landscaping. Continuing in their commitment to care for the environment, IVP replaced much of their landscaping with milkweeds and butterfly-friendly native plants and was recognized as an official monarch waystation in the county.

“InterVarsity Press has always had a commitment to environmentally responsible publishing through our use of recycled and FSC [Forest Stewardship Council] certified paper and our various recycling initiatives,” said Anne Gerth, director of operations and fulfillment for IVP, who oversaw the landscaping work. “Adding a native plant installation and prairie to our landscape further promotes ecosystem mindfulness within IVP and our surrounding community.”

In June IVP renovated their property’s landscaping, located amid an industrial park, in the hopes that it will contribute to the survival of monarch butterflies. Additionally, IVP incorporated a prairie planting to recognize that at one time more than 60 percent of Illinois was tallgrass prairie—today just over 2,000 high quality original prairie acres remain in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources

“The monarch population has declined by up to 90 percent in recent years, and US Fish and Wildlife is currently considering listing it as an endangered species,” Lonnie Morris of the DuPage Monarch Project said. “Every bit of new habitat, as was planted at InterVarsity Press, plays a critical role in the protection of this beloved butterfly. Dupage Monarch Project is pleased InterVarsity Press has joined the local recovery effort with its new monarch friendly landscaping.”

IVP hopes that this installation will help members of the community reacquaint themselves with the original landscape of Illinois by getting to know some of its native plants. Included among the native grasses are prairie dock, compass plant, pale purple coneflower, and Culver’s root.

“As we watch these native flowers and grass grow and bloom through the season, we replicate a piece of our history,” said Jeff Crosby, IVP’s publisher. “These plants, once established, need less water because of their deep root systems—some of which plunge more than fifteen feet into the ground. They provide healthy habitat for many important pollinators and other insects.

“IVP has long published books on issues related to ecological concerns and caring for God’s creation,” Crosby continued. “This project is a tangible application of the ethics those books have espoused. And after nearly three decades in our building, it was time to freshen up our landscaping. So joining forces with a worthy cause such as the DuPage Monarch Project and planting Illinois native prairie plants was an added bonus as we undertook that.”

More information about the plight (and importance) of monarch butterflies can be found here: worldwildlife.org/species/monarch-butterfly.  

For further information about the DuPage Monarch Project, please visit dupagemonarchs.com.

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:  Alisse Wissman | 630.734.4059 | awissman@ivpress.com

Purcellville, VA – Matt Chandler, Lead Teaching Pastor of The Village Church, President of the Acts29 Network, and author of several books including The Mingling of Souls, has signed a two-book contract with The Good Book Company. The books were acquired by TGBC’s Editorial Director, Carl Laferton.

The first title, Take Heart, is scheduled for release in March 2018 and will be co-authored with David Roark, Creative and Resources Director for The Village Church. Take Heart will galvanize believers to live with true Christian courage in the midst of a rapidly changing culture. A second book will follow in the fall, and will be written to show non- and nominal-Christians how Jesus brings real joy at Christmas.

Matt Chandler said: “For really the first time in our history, the church in the US is being pushed to the margins of culture, leading to fear and anxiety. But that is actually a space where the church can thrive. God’s word shows us how to live courageously in a changing society, specifically a culture growing increasingly skeptical and hostile toward Christianity. That’s what we need to be doing today—which is why I’m excited to be writing this book.”

“Matt is an extremely gifted communicator, so we’re absolutely thrilled to be working with him on these two titles,” said Carl Laferton. “The continued growth of both The Village Church and the Acts29 Network under Matt’s leadership show how passionate, Jesus-centered evangelism and discipleship produce real transformation. So we’re excited to bring Matt’s compelling teaching to an even wider audience.”

About Matt Chandler: Matt Chandler is Lead Teaching Pastor of The Village Church and President of the Acts29 Network. He is author of several books including The Mingling of Souls and The Explicit Gospel. He lives in Texas with his wife Lauren and their three children.

About The Good Book Company: The Good Book Company is an international Christian publisher of biblical, relevant and accessible resources, which is passionate about the Lord Jesus, his word, his church and his gospel of grace. TGBC’s Bible studies, books, devotionals, videos, tracts, evangelistic courses and training materials are used throughout the English-speaking world, and in translation to over 35 languages worldwide.

Contact: USoffice@thegoodbook.com