Ada, Mich. (December 12, 2022)—Baker Book House Company’s board of directors announced today that Jesse Myers will become the chief executive officer (CEO) on May 1, 2023, following Dwight Baker’s retirement, which was announced last June.

Dr. Kathryn Scanland, chair of the board of directors, said, “When Dwight announced his retirement, our board was tasked by the Baker family to search for and select the next CEO. After a rigorous six-month process, our board unanimously and enthusiastically selected Jesse Myers to assume this important role. We believe Jesse is the ideal person to carry Baker’s rich legacy as the leading independent Christian book publisher into the future.”

Speaking on behalf of the Baker family, Dwight Baker said, “We are grateful for the diligent work of our board in selecting Jesse as our next CEO. We believe that Jesse is the right person to lead our company in the midst of both challenges and opportunities facing Christian publishing today. We warmly welcome Jesse and commit to praying for him as he assumes his new assignment.”

Jesse has over ten years of experience in Christian publishing, including roles in sales, marketing, and editorial, and exudes a passion for excellence. He is currently the publisher of Lexham Press and the director of original content for Faithlife, the makers of Logos Bible Software. He holds a degree in English literature from the University of Saskatchewan and an MDiv from Providence Theological Seminary. He is married to Dr. Marilyn Myers, and they have two children, Alistair and Rose.

Jesse said, “I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to join Baker in the role of CEO. Baker is highly respected throughout the industry with a well-earned reputation for excellence in Christian publishing. Baker was founded 83 years ago by Herman Baker selling books at a storefront in Grand Rapids. All these years later it’s an industry-leading publisher serving readers around the world. I look forward to working with the Baker teams in West Michigan and Bloomington, Minnesota, to build on that remarkable legacy.”

Founded in 1939, Baker Book House Company includes Baker Publishing Group and the Baker Book House retail store in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Baker Publishing Group is the world’s largest independent publisher of Christian books and is composed of six divisions: Bethany House, Revell, Baker Books, Chosen, Brazos Press, and Baker Academic. For more information, visit http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com.

Contact: Karen Steele, (616)676-9185 x100, ksteele@bakerpublishinggroup.com

Plans to Invest in New MarCom Positions and Budgets in Coming Months

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Dec. 5, 2022—After 145 years in the publishing industry, David C Cook has set out to take the business to new heights. The company has internally reorganized and rebuilt a new matrix marketing organization, hiring a stream of heavy hitters to advance the strategy and the vision of the brand.

To lead and energize the process, David C Cook engaged marketing consultant Stuart Foster of Chief Outsiders. “David C Cook is on a mission for growth. This new marketing organization will position the ministry to accelerate its business and increase global impact I am excited to see where this takes us,” said Foster, who is serving as David C Cook’s interim Chief Marketing Officer.

Since the launch of this process in September, David C Cook has hired Christopher Baggett (VP of Marketing Strategy), Jason Jones (VP of Visual Communication), Rob Annese (Senior Director of Digital Marketing) and Jonathan Schneck (Director of Digital Strategy and Growth at Integrity Music). Together, these new hires bring decades of experience in marketing and brand development. In all, David C Cook plans to add 17 new MarCom positions to the new marketing team to help build its capabilities of insights, strategy, communication, digital marketing and creative.

In his new role, Baggett will oversee marketing strategy for the entire David C Cook portfolio. Baggett has extensive experience in leadership, analytics, digital marketing, creative direction and design. He has served in various contexts, developing strategies and operating systems to increase employee engagement and organizational performance. With Baggett bringing his knowledge into this role, the company can expect to see a drastic advancement of branding and reach through data analysis and strategy.

Jones is being promoted to the newly created role of VP of Visual Communications after excelling in his role as Senior Director of Visual Communications at Integrity Music. Since stepping into the role in 2015, Jones has cultivated an innovative team of creatives to support the marketing efforts of an international roster of artists. He brings 17 years of industry experience in leading cross-disciplinary teams.

Annese comes to David C Cook with expertise in executive 21^st-century digital marketing capabilities across a variety of industries. He has deep digital chops in the areas of data and analytics, performance marketing, web technology and performance, and customer relationship management (CRM). Annese has built extensive digital marketing capabilities and teams with proven success. His highly collaborative role will focus on innovation and implantation in the context of long-term and digital strategies for the ministry.

Schneck, Director of Digital Strategy and Growth at Integrity Music, joins the team with an extensive background in digital marketing in the Christian music industry. Schneck brings extensive experience in performance marketing, web technology and CRM experience to Integrity Music. His role will focus on developing the online strategy and driving growth of Integrity Music’s digital presence.

By hiring top-tier executives to step into these critical roles, David C Cook is poised to leverage a customer-centric approach to its content business that uses data and insights and turns them into effective strategies that efficiently drive growth and scale.

About David C Cook
David C Cook is a global nonprofit ministry equipping individuals and church leaders with vital learning and worship resources. David C Cook’s desire is for individuals and faith groups to experience the transforming power of the gospel through music and media that fit the culture, language and spiritual needs of their communities.  David C Cook was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1875 by David Caleb Cook, a businessman who began publishing pamphlets on lessons and songs that equipped local churches for ministry to children displaced by the Great Chicago Fire. Over the years, David C Cook has grown from a Sunday school curriculum publisher to one of the world’s largest providers of dynamic and relevant media, as well as music designed to equip the global church and individuals with creative, Christian content.

Media Note: For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Katherine Epp at 678.360.9894.

New release and four backlist titles, including The Diva Principle, to be released throughout 2023 and 2024

New Kensington, PA, December 6, 2022 — Whitaker House is pleased to announce its agreement with best-selling author Michelle McKinney Hammond. The publishing company will release Hammond’s new book, tentatively titled Next: What to Do When Shift Happens, in the fall of 2023. Additionally, Whitaker House will rerelease four of Hammond’s previous titles in 2024: The Power of Being a Woman; Sassy, Single, and Satisfied; Secrets of an Irresistible Woman; and The Diva Principle.

Hammond has authored over 40 books in her storied career, selling more than two million copies worldwide. She was the Emmy Award-winning cohost of the television talk show Aspiring Women for ten years and was featured on TCT’s 3D Woman for eight seasons. She has most recently appeared in Roma Downey and Mark Burnett’s productions of Women of the Bible on Lifetime, and A.D. The Bible Continues. Michelle presently hosts inspirational “Truth but Fair” segments on Downey and Burnett’s new network Lightworkers.com and LIGHT TV.

The powerful faith leader presently resides in Ghana, West Africa, traveling the globe from her home base. She is the president of US-based Michelle McKinney Hammond (MMH) Ministries and DivaCor LLC. In addition to being a well-known recording artist and leading her own music ministry, Michelle has been featured on Bill Maher and Fox & Friends, as well as in the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times, among a long list of mainstream media coverage.

Publisher Christine Whitaker said, “Whitaker House is thrilled to begin this new relationship with Michelle McKinney Hammond as she continues to present an unwavering message of encouragement, empowerment, and faithful witness to women throughout the globe. We are all experiencing waves of transition in an ever-shifting world. Michelle’s distinct voice is one of wisdom and patience to walk out this season of change with an undiminished hopeful view—one that sees new opportunities for growth. We are inspired by her message and excited to partner with her.”

“I am so happy to become a part of the Whitaker House family!” said Hammond. “It already feels like home. It is the perfect setting for my new book and truly the next chapter in publishing and ministry for me. As the world seeks for answers on ‘what to do when shift happens,’ I am looking forward to sharing the exciting news that although life as you know it may seem as if it’s over, there is always a ‘next’!”

Hammond is represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary.

About Whitaker House
With headquarters just east of Pittsburgh, Whitaker House is part of Whitaker Corporation, which also includes Anchor Distributors, Whitaker House Español, and Word Alive, its Canadian distribution division. A Christian, family-owned business established in 1970, Whitaker Corp. is dedicated to proclaiming the power of the gospel and ministering to the spiritual needs of people around the world.

Contact: Karen Campbell, karen@karencampbellmedia.com

WaterBrook and Multnomah is pleased to announce that DREW DIXON is joining its editorial team as Executive Editor.

With more than fourteen years of editorial experience, Drew most recently served as Team Leader for Lifeway Christian Resources, where he managed a team of editors, designers, and writers to produce three Bible study curriculum brands.  He has worked with a wide range of bestselling and influential authors, including Priscilla Shirer, J.D. Greear, Stephen and Alex Kendrick, and many others.

An accomplished freelance writer and editor, he has published articles with Relevant, Christ and Pop Culture, World Magazine, Christianity Today, and Paste Magazine. Drew also is the author of the recently released book Know Thy Gamer.

WaterBrook and Multnomah are imprints of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Carol Stream, IL December 8, 2022 – Christianity Today has received a grant of $1,000,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to equip preachers in bringing their message to life and create opportunities for them to engage God, their peers, their congregations, and the world through them. The grant will fund efforts through Christianity Today’s popular digital resource, PreachingToday.com.

Since 1999, PreachingToday.com has supported and equipped preachers to fulfill their vital calling of preaching that helps to develop healthy churches and flourishing communities.

Christianity Today’s Publisher Jacob Walsh shared, “Our recent research showed the growing unique challenges and incredible demands of this role in our cultural climate. Thanks to the generosity of Lilly Endowment, we will be able to take what we’ve heard and develop content that meets the needs of the moment, with an emphasis on resources and tools that will make a lasting spiritual impact and foster a greater sense of community and shared learning for preachers.”

This PreachingToday.com project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative. Christianity Today is one of 32 organizations receiving funding in an invitational round of grants for the initiative, which is designed to help Christian pastors strengthen their abilities to proclaim the gospel in more engaging and effective ways.

“We are excited about the work that these organizations will do to foster and support preaching that better inspires, encourages and guides people to come to know and love God and to live out their Christian faith more fully,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “Their programs will serve a significant number of aspiring and current preachers who are working to reach and engage increasingly diverse audiences both within and beyond congregations.”

The Compelling Preaching Initiative is part of the Endowment’s longstanding interest in supporting projects that help to nurture the religious lives of individuals and families and foster the growth and vitality of Christian congregations in the United States.

About Lilly Endowment
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. The principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. In addition, the Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe.

About PreachingToday.com
PreachingToday.com is a resource from Christianity Today that seeks to inspire preachers to cultivate their craft in order to faithfully and creatively proclaim God’s word. Through Preaching Today, preachers communicate the gospel in all its richness and power and the church is matured through the inspired preaching of God’s word.

Contact: Cory Whitehead, 630.384.7223, cwhitehead@christianitytoday.com

December 2022 |  WESTMONT, IL—Blood from a Stone: A Memoir of How Wine Brought Me Back from the Dead, written by Adam McHugh, has made the longlist for the prestigious André Simon Food and Drink Book Awards. This year’s UK-based award recognizes an international list of fifteen food books and nine drink books published by a variety of commercial, university, and independent presses.

Within the drink category, this year’s titles celebrate everything from books about coffee, sake, and cider to McHugh’s book about wine. The panel of judges reviewed one hundred forty books before narrowing it down to the longlist. The selected books were evaluated on four key criteria: the amount of original research in the book, the educational value of the content, whether it was a pleasurable read, and the quality of the work in total.

“Blood from a Stone is such a personal and unconventional exploration of wine, and I am so pleasantly surprised that the André Simon awards would choose to honor it. I am gratified that they made room for humor and self-discovery in what can be a pretty serious drinks business,” said McHugh.

Since its inception in 1978, this award has sought to honor the legacy of André Simon, an author, former president of the Food and Wine Society, and leader in the English wine trade throughout the 1900s. The award grew out of the André Simon Memorial Fund, which was established after Simon’s death and continues to be managed by a group of trustees to benefit the public in the fields of food and drink.

In McHugh’s own words, Blood from a Stone is a story about how “wine brought me back from the dead.” After leaving his career as a former hospice chaplain and grief counselor, McHugh found his new calling within the vineyards of France and ultimately as a wine tour guide, sommelier, and Certified Specialist of Wine in the Santa Ynez Valley of California. This memoir shares the highs and lows of McHugh’s personal journey alongside the old, old story of wine. In bringing wine and faith together, it is a new story about recovery, one of healing brought on by the good gifts of wine, friends, and the beauty of the wine country.

“Adam McHugh has not just written a terrific book about wine, he has pioneered a whole new genre of wine writing. At once funny and sad, his book is a deeply personal exploration of how one man finds himself through his relationship with the world’s most remarkable beverage.” said Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and editor of WineSpeed.

Cindy Bunch, IVP Vice President, Editorial, said, “Reading Blood from a Stone is like being in a wine country tasting room overlooking the vineyards with a delightful host and an open afternoon to talk of nothing but wine. Adam McHugh brings to this book the same wealth of detail about the history of winemaking, the glories of the various regions around the world, and the insights into the industry that he offers in a tasting experience.”

The shortlist of titles within both the food and drink category will be announced in February 2023, and final awards will be presented toward the end of March 2023. A special commendation will be given to one of the shortlisted titles in either the food or drink category at that time as well.

To learn more about the André Simon Food and Drink Book Awards visit andresimon.co.uk/awards. For a complete list of IVP award winners visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

Contact: Tara Burns | 630.734.4059 | tburns@ivpress.com    

BARTLESVILLE, Oklahoma – The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible, now available from VOM Books in the Christian Standard Bible version, will deepen your devotions through daily Scripture reading and focused prayer for Christians suffering for their faith.

“This One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible coaches us to specifically pray for our persecuted family members each day, while allowing us also to soak ourselves in the powerful Word of God, which they cherish enough to die for,” said Todd Nettleton, spokesperson for The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit missions organization serving persecuted Christians in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ.

Designed by Tyndale House Publishers, The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible in the CSB translation provides the structure to help you engage God’s life-changing Word in one of the most readable translations of the Bible. This best-selling Bible is arranged in 365 daily readings that include a passage from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.

Developed by 100 scholars from 17 denominations, the CSB faithfully and accurately captures the Bible’s original meaning without compromising readability. This original translation from B&H Publishing–straight from the Biblical languages–blends accuracy and readability.

The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible includes a daily call to prayer to help you intercede for and connect with fellow believers living in areas hostile to Christianity.

Other features found in The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible:

• Monthly prayer themes center on the needs of our brothers and sisters who are sharing Christ in hostile environments,
• Full-color feature pages with inspiring stories of six persecuted Christians who boldly witness for Christ amid great risk and adversity,
• Photos from The Voice of the Martyrs’ ministry around the world, and
• A full-color fold-out map highlighting the restricted nations and hostile areas of the world where Christians are persecuted—a visual prayer guide.

“Around the world, the #1 request of persecuted Christians is that we pray for them. This One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible from VOM Books is an ideal resource to help us answer their request,” said Nettleton. “The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible allows us to enter into fellowship with those who are persecuted for their faith as we bring their needs to the throne of God and spend focused time in his Word.”

The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible is available now:  ISBN/UPC: 978-0-88264-160-7

About The Voice of the Martyrs
Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, The Voice of the Martyrs is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization serving persecuted Christians in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. For more information, visit VOM.org.

About Tyndale
Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, it is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale has proved a faithful guide—helping readers discover the life-giving truths of the Bible. Its mission is to open God’s Word to as many as possible in language they can relate to and understand. Tyndale’s independent and non-profit status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of net income to charitable missions—more than $110 million throughout its history. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Bunmi Ishola at WaterBrook acquired world rights to Be My Valenslime by debut author Kris Tarantino, illustrated by New York Times bestselling illustrator Cori Doerrfeld (The Rabbit Listened).

In this picture book, an unusual monster named Snoodle throws a party to convince her friends that Valentine’s Day is worth celebrating; but when nothing goes as she plans, this zany and adorable group gets an impromptu—and monstrously delightful—lesson in the true meaning of love.

Publication is scheduled for Fall 2023; Keely Boeving at WordServe Literary represented the author, and Rachel Orr at Prospect Agency represented the illustrator.

Rights queries: Denise Cronin, decronin@prh.com

WaterBrook is an imprint of the Random House Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

WHEATON, Ill.—Crossway is excited to announce that two books—Songs of Suffering: 25 Hymns and Devotions for Weary Souls by Joni Eareckson Tada, and No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions by Matt Rhodes—have been named winners in their respective categories for the Gospel Coalition’s 2022 Book Awards.

Songs of Suffering: 25 Hymns and Devotions for Weary Souls (Crossway, August 2022) by Joni Eareckson Tada was the winner in the Bible Study and Devotional Literature category. This beautiful collection of hymns and devotions guides readers through painful seasons with heartfelt praises to God. “With healing Scripture, timeless hymns, and wisdom gleaned from years of pain, Tada in this moving devotional invites readers to find hope and solidarity in the Savior who suffers and sings,” observes TGC.

No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions (Crossway, February 2022) by Matt Rhodes was awarded in the Missions and the Global Church category. This book implores Christians to stop chasing silver-bullet strategies and short-term missions, and instead embrace theologically robust and historically demonstrated methods of evangelism and discipleship. TGC comments, “Rhodes’s gracious challenge provides a path forward to pursue patience and professionalism in the missionary task, making this book worthy of a wide readership.”

Justin Taylor, Crossway’s executive vice president of book publishing, writes, “Every year I look forward to the TGC Book Awards because their vision of life and ministry and theology accords so well with ours. So it was gratifying and encouraging this year to see two Crossway titles recognized as books of the year for their categories and four of our recently published books given awards of distinction. May the Lord use these honors and recognitions to help more people discover the transformative teaching and sound doctrine of these six books!”

Crossway titles that received honorable mentions include:

• Cultural Counterfeits: Confronting 5 Empty Promises of Our Age and How We Were Made For So Much More (Crossway, March 2022) by Jen Oshman in the Public Theology and Current Events category
• Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders (Crossway, September 2022) by David Mathis in the Ministry category
• Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor with the Gospel (Crossway, November 2022) by A. S. Ibrahim in the Evangelism and Apologetics category
• The Biggest Story Bible Storybook (Crossway, March 2022) by Kevin DeYoung in the Bible Study and Devotional Literature category

The Gospel Coalition, founded in 2005, reviews nearly 300 books per year on their website and in their academic journal, Themelios. Awards are given to titles that are gospel-centered, faithful to Scripture, spiritually discerning, and unifying and renewing for the church.

Founded in 1938, Crossway is a not-for-profit global Christian publishing ministry that publishes gospel-centered, Bible-based content to honor our Savior and serve his church. Crossway seeks to help people understand the all-encompassing implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s word—for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God alone. Crossway is the global publisher of the ESV® (English Standard Version®) Bible, more than 1,000 Christian books, and an extensive list of gospel literature. For additional information, visit crossway.org.

Contact: Lauren Susanto, lsusanto@crossway.org, 1 (630) 682-4300, crossway.org

(Nashville, Tenn.) December 9, 2022 —This week, Zondervan received five recognitions at the 2022 Book Awards from The Gospel Coalition.  Four titles were considered best overall in their category and one received an award of distinction.  The company congratulates its authors and the Zondervan Academic and Zondervan Reflective publishing imprints for this honor. According to the announcement from The Gospel Coalition, these awards are presented annually and are selected by editors at The Gospel Coalition and outside judges using four criteria.

Book Award winners should:

• offer gospel-centered argument and application;
• include faithful and foundational use of Scripture, both Old Testament and New Testament;
• foster spiritual discernment of contemporary trials and trends; and
• encourage efforts to unite and renew the church.

Award-winning Zondervan titles are:

Categorical Winners

• Public Theology & Current Events – Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture written by Christopher Watkin – (Zondervan Academic)
• Ministry – Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church written by Michael J. Kruger – (Zondervan Reflective)
• First-Time Author – Talking About Race: Gospel Hope for Hard Conversations written by Isaac Adams – (Zondervan Reflective)
• Arts & Culture – Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art Through the Eyes of Faith written by Russ Ramsey – (Zondervan Reflective)

Award of Distinction

• Academic Theology – Typology: Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns written by James M. Hamilton Jr. – (Zondervan Academic)

“I congratulate our authors—Michael Kruger, Russ Ramsey, and Isaac Adams—and celebrate this recognition of their excellent work.  We’re so pleased to have three awards from Zondervan Reflective this year, representing such diverse topics,” remarked Ryan Pazdur, VP publisher of Zondervan Reflective.

Katya Covrett, VP publisher of Zondervan Academic, commented, “I am delighted to congratulate Dr. Christopher Watkin for the honor of a TGC Book Award and James M. Hamilton Jr. on his Award of Distinction. We are thrilled to see these works recognized for their groundbreaking impact on Christian engagement with contemporary life and culture.”

To learn about Zondervan Reflective, visit https://www.zondervan.com/zondervanreflective/.
To learn about Zondervan Academic, visit www.zondervan.com/zondervanacademic/.

Zondervan, a worldwide leading Christian publisher of books and Bibles, is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. Its publications include a variety of Bible translations for all ages; books in different genres and subject areas for the general reader; curriculum for individual and group Bible study; books for children and young adults; academic resources including textbooks and reference books; ministry resources; and books on faith and culture. Zondervan is based in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information, visit www.zondervan.com.

Contact: Casey Harrell, VP, Corporate Communications, Casey.Harrell@HarperCollins.com