Laura Barker, Vice President and Publisher of WaterBrook and Multnomah, announced new additions and a promotion for the imprints’ editorial team.

ESTEE ZANDEE is joining WaterBrook and Multnomah as Editor, reporting to Editorial Director Andrew Stoddard. With eight years of publishing experience, Estee most recently served as Associate Literary Agent at The Bindery, where she demonstrated a keen eye for commercial book proposals and honed her author coaching skills. Previously, she worked as a freelance editor and collaborative writer for authors such as Mark Batterson, Philip Yancey, and Lisa Bevere. In addition, she was a member of the editorial team at Zondervan for several years. Estee will focus her acquisitions efforts on titles that meet the needs and interests of Spirit-filled Christians in the Pentecostal and charismatic movements, which continue to see rapid growth worldwide.

LUVERTA REAMES is joining the WaterBrook and Multnomah team as Editorial Assistant, reporting to Andrew Stoddard. Luverta holds a masters in publishing from Pace University, as well as a degree in journalism and business administration. She most recently worked for Embolden Media Group, a publishing consulting firm and literary agency. We are delighted to have Luverta’s excellent organizational and administrative skills supporting our editorial team.

In addition, JAMIE LAPEYROLERIE will transition into the role of Editor, reporting to Andrew Stoddard. In her previous role as a senior marketing manager for WaterBrook and Multnomah, Jamie spearheaded campaigns for numerous successful books, including the bestseller Own Your Everyday by Jordan Lee Dooley, Ready to Rise by Jo Saxton, and titles in the popular Wingfeather Saga middle-grade fiction series by Andrew Peterson. In addition, Jamie has made key contributions to the success of our Ink & Willow imprint through her work on products such as Rise Up: A Coloring Book Celebrating Black Courage, Resilience, and Faith; My Prayer Journey; and 40 Days of Intentional Living. Jamie is respected throughout the industry for her active involvement with The Christy Award Advisory Board, ECPA PubU Brain Trust, and various DEI groups that seek to amplify voices of color.

We are pleased to announce the promotion of KIM VON FANGE to Associate Editor. In her seven years with WaterBrook and Multnomah, Kim has demonstrated strong editorial instincts and a dedicated passion for a wide-range of books. In addition to her work on our Ink & Willow products, Kim acquires for both WaterBrook and Multnomah’s children’s publishing and adult nonfiction programs. Her creative insights have contributed to the joyful energy of The Inventions of God (and Eva) by Dave Connis and the upcoming picture book You Come from Greatness by Sara Chinakwe. Kim’s thoughtful guidance of debut authors is on display in the forthcoming books Simple Money, Rich Life by Bob Lotich and Awaken a Better You by BJ Thompson.

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

 

Platform to feature prominent black pastors like Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

(Nashville, Tenn.) February 1, 2022—Urban Ministries, Inc. (UMI) and HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) today announced the launch of UrbanFaithStudy.com a subscription-based digital platform offering churches and individuals a regularly expanding library of more than 100 video sermons and study curricula from well-known African American Christian voices. UrbanFaithStudy.com is a co-launched consumer-direct product created by UMI and HCCP, a result of the partnership the organizations announced in November 2020. UrbanFaithStudy.com will be an extension of UrbanFaith, a contemporary and socially engaged community and brand, targeting African American young adults committed to growing in their knowledge of biblical truth.

UrbanFaithStudy.com will offer culturally relevant, topical sermons delivered by pastors such as Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III; Dr. Dominique Robinson; and husband and wife team Pastor Gabby Cudjoe-Wilkes and Pastor Andrew Wilkes. Bishop Walker is the International Presiding Bishop of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship and pastor of the historic 30,000-member Mount Zion Baptist Church in Nashville, TN. Dr. Robinson is a religious scholar, theological educator, preacher, writer, activist, and advocate, who serves as an assistant professor of preaching at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX. Her sermon “iHomiletic™: Preaching that Clicks,” has been used to assist faith leaders across the U.S. with developing impactful ministry methodologies that employ technology and social media linguistics.[1] HBCU and Ivy League–educated pastors Gabby Cudjoe-Wilkes and Andrew Wilkes co-founded the Double Love Experience Church in Brooklyn, NY, which is a growing congregation of believers committed to the liberating, love-powered ministry of Jesus.

“I am pleased to see this robust and unique platform featuring strong voices and transformative messages by African American pastors and authors,” remarked Jeff Wright, CEO of UMI. “I know it will be a blessing to many people.”

UrbanFaithStudy.com will also launch with book study curricula for readers who are looking for deeper engagement and group study content that engage the church with culturally relevant topics. These curricula are by well-known African American voices including New York Times bestselling author Jemar Tisby; beloved author and speaker Crystal Evans Hurst; Grammy Award-winning artist, Lecrae; and Bible teacher, pastor, and author, Jada Anae Edwards.

“When teaming up with UMI more than a year ago, we knew creating a video platform to host engaging, life-changing biblical content would showcase both organizations’ ability to reach new audiences,” said Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “The church is evolving; becoming more dependent on technology to deliver sermons, Bible studies, and other curricula. When designing UrbanFaithStudy.com we used our strengths to achieve more than we could if we had each approached the project separately.”

UrbanFaithStudy.com will serve a range of consumers including church congregations, divinity students, young preachers, and individuals seeking to understand how faith informs cultural engagement. The monthly subscription is $5.95 for individuals and $19.95 for churches. To subscribe, visit UrbanFaithStudy.com.

UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.) is the largest independent religious media and publishing company serving the African American market. Founded in 1970 in Chicago, IL., by Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr., UMI creates positive, transformative analog and digital content based on a biblical worldview that is especially empowering to the African American community. UMI offices are in suburban Chicago. UMI exists to disseminate culture changing, biblically sound content and has tremendous credibility in producing high quality material reaching millions of people throughout the globe.

About HarperCollins Christian Publishing:  The world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. comprises the Thomas Nelson, Zondervan and HarperChristian Resources publishing groups and imprint, BibleGateway.com, FaithGateway.com, StudyGateway.com and ChurchSource.com. The Company produces bestselling Bibles, inspirational books, academic resources, curriculum audio and digital content for the Christian market space. Bible Gateway is the world’s largest Christian website with more than 20 million unique visitors each month. HarperCollins Christian Publishing is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. with additional offices in the U.S. and Mexico. For more information visit www.HarperCollinsChristian.com.​

Contact: Chelsea Taff, Manager, Corporate Communications, 615.902.2137, Chelsea.Taff@harpercollins.com

[1] https://ssw.edu/about-southwest/faculty/dominique-robinson/

WaterBrook and Multnomah is pleased to announce two well-deserved promotions on its publicity and marketing teams.

Lisa Beech is promoted to Associate Director of Publicity, WaterBrook/Multnomah

A beloved member of the WaterBrook and Multnomah team, Lisa’s sunny disposition, can-do attitude, and tenacious approach to capturing coverage for our books makes her a highly valued part of the Christian publishing team—by colleagues and authors alike. She has been the PR muscle behind such bestsellers as Crazy Faith and Relationship Goals by Michael Todd, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and Live No Lies by John Mark Comer, Tim Tebow’s New York Times bestsellers, and many more. She always applies her tenacity, publicity acumen, and trademark positivity and creativity to bring continued attention to our books, including capturing more secular coverage to Tim Tebow’s upcoming title Mission Possible, Kendra Adachi’s The Lazy Genius Kitchen, and Jordan Lee Dooley’s Embrace Your Almost.

Douglas Mann is promoted to Assistant Director, WaterBrook & Multnomah. 

Since joining WaterBrook and Multnomah in 2016, Douglas has consistently delivered innovative and effective marketing plans for many of the imprints’ high-profile authors and titles. He has been the marketing muscle behind such bestsellers as The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and Live No Lies by John Mark Comer, The More of Less and The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker, and The Way of the Warrior by Erwin McManus. He also held a critical role within the marketing team for the NYT bestseller, Relationship Goals by Michael Todd. Douglas is a member of the creative team that launched the Ink & Willow gift line with bestsellers including 52 Weeks of Gratitude and Rise Up. He’ll bring his marketing expertise and talent to take Christian books into the mainstream with Michael Phillip’s upcoming title Wrong Lanes Have Right Turns, Joshua Becker’s Things That Matter, and Carlos Whittaker’s How to Human. 

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

(February 3, 2022) – Today, the Parable Group released its 2022 State of Christian Retail report, providing data and insights into the current climate within the Christian retailing industry. Important industry findings are explored to help strengthen business and ministry in the year ahead.

Drawing on $74 million in sales data and over 2.1 million consumer receipts reported to ParableConnect by 220 U.S. Christian retailers—along with nationwide survey results—the report highlights include: analysis of year-end sales, comparisons of bestsellers across channels, leading trends in product categories, and posits why Christian retail sales are soaring.

The report also highlights surprising key findings: 2021 POS sales showed an increase over both 2020 and 2019, indicating that stores are performing better than they were pre-pandemic. Overall, same-store sales were up 15% over 2019. Additionally, a January 2021 nationwide survey revealed that 90% of Christian retailers indicated a positive outlook for the future.

“Despite supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, inflation, and the ongoing pandemic, Christian retailers have persisted with purpose-driven resolve, hard work, and resourcefulness,” stated Greg Squires, President of The Parable Group. “And, based on the findings presented in our report, we can see that their efforts have paid off—2021 was the strongest holiday season Christian retail has experienced in over a decade.”

To view the report, click here. For a guided tour of the report, join industry peers onThe State of Christian Retail webinar, to be held on February 17th at 9am PST. Register here.

The Parable Group helps Christian retailers, publishers, and ministries magnify their mission by connecting them to engaged Christian consumers, pastors, and church leaders. The San Luis Obispo, CA. based data-driven marketing agency and media group has served over 1000 Christian organizations since 1985. For more information, contact sally.ross@parable.com or visit www.parablegroup.com.

Contact: Sally Ross, (805) 329-4020, sally.ross@parable.com

Fields of Fire Releasing in August 2022

Carol Stream, Ill. (February 4, 2022) — Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) has acquired Ryan Steck, “the go-to source for all things thriller.” Steck is best known for launching TheRealBookSpy.com, which has garnered over 8 million page views in the past five years, generating buzz for bestselling authors and introducing new fans to the thriller genre. In addition, Steck has been named an “Online Influencer” by Amazon and is a regular columnist at CrimeReads. Tyndale’s acquisition of Ryan Steck includes two books introducing readers to elite Marine Raider Matthew Redd. Steck’s debut thriller, Fields of Fire, releases in August 2022.

Regarding this acquisition, fiction publisher Karen Watson said, “We first met Ryan through his support of our novels as the Real Book Spy. When I heard about Ryan’s own novel in development, it was a more than intriguing possibility. Learning that Ryan understands and shares Tyndale’s philosophy and vision for offering male-friendly thrillers that point to a journey of faith was even better news. We look forward to Ryan’s fans getting a chance to take the debut trip with Matthew Redd.”

In Fields of Fire, elite Marine Raider Matthew Redd stops to help a stranger while awaiting deployment on a critical mission. Upon waking up hours later, Matthew learns his team was wiped out in an ambush. Unable to remember anything, he can’t deny the possibility that he’s somehow responsible for the information leak that led to the massacre. He’s given a deal to avoid a charge of treason, but it means walking away from the corps and the life he loved.

As he faces his loss, Matt gets a cryptic message from his adoptive father, J. B.: “Trouble’s come knocking . . . Might need your help.” He points his truck home to rural Montana, only to discover that J. B. is dead and the explanation for his death is far from satisfying. Determined to dig up the truth, Redd uncovers a dark global conspiracy with his hometown at the center and no team at his back—except one he might find among past friends, old enemies, and new allies, if he can figure out who to trust.

Early endorsers of Fields of Fire include Brad Taylor, Kyle Mills, Jack Carr, Brad Meltzer, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shadows Reel, C. J. Box, who said, “Ryan Steck’s Fields of Fire busts out of the chute with nonstop action and it never lets up until the final page. A magnificent debut with a terrific sense of place in Big Sky Country and a hero to root for in Matthew Redd.”

Ryan Steck is an editor, an author, and the founder and editor in chief of The Real Book Spy. TheRealBookSpy.com has been endorsed by #1 New York Times bestsellers Mark Greaney, C. J. Box, Kyle Mills, Daniel Silva, Brad Thor, and many others. A resident of Michigan, along with his wife and their six kids, Steck cheers on his beloved Detroit Tigers and Lions during the rare moments when he’s not reading or talking about books on social media.

Ryan is represented by John Talbot at The Talbot Fortune Agency.

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $100 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Contact: For more information or an advance reader copy of Fields of Fire, contact Amanda Woods, amandawoods@tyndale.com, 630-784-5125.

In his first book, Joby Martin, pastor of Church of Eleven22, one of the fastest growing churches in the country, dives deep into scripture and traces the story of salvation by highlighting the seven mountains throughout scripture where God manifests himself.

The Son of God was crucified, died and buried. Doornail dead. He lay in the tomb for three days. Until God the Father, through the Spirit, raised Him to life and He walked out shining like the sun. The Son of God lives and reigns, right this second. In a culture in which history is erased or rewritten at will, the existence of an empty tomb matters. Why?

Because if the tomb is empty – then anything is possible.

As he describes each encounter with God, Martin shows us how the interaction on each mountain laid the groundwork for the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, and shows what God revealed about Himself in the process. He illuminates even familiar passages, unveiling how God’s plan for Christ’s sacrifice is threaded throughout scripture, and shows why Christ’s resurrection—impossible, unbelievable—means that nothing is too hard for our God.  Ultimately, he asks readers, Do you live every day of your life as if the tomb is empty…or as though Jesus is still hanging on that cross?

Written with New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin—a member and elder of Joby’s church—If the Tomb is Empty is an insightful and spiritually rich yet accessible examination of what the miracle of Christ’s resurrection means for all of us.

ISBN: 9781546001508
FaithWords

Carol Stream, Ill. (February 4, 2022) — Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) announced today that Audra Haney will publish her book He Is There with Tyndale Kids, to release in March of 2023. In her new “shine a light” picture book, Haney reminds children that God is always with us and we can see his hand in everything around us.

As the host and producer of the popular 5 Minute Mom podcast, Audra has a heart for helping moms and families, so her new book is a perfect extension of her life’s work. Beyond her role in podcasting, she is a broadcast producer and sought-after women’s speaker. Audra’s work has been featured on The 700 Club, CBN.com, and Miracle Living Today. Audra was a recent presenter at the 2019 Blissdom Conference and loves to equip and encourage entrepreneurial women to start their own podcasts. She has over 15 years of media experience and is dedicated to using her expertise to pour into young moms in the trenches.

In sharing about her upcoming children’s book, Audra said, “I’ve been in professional media for over 15 years, including writing and production for the Christian Broadcasting Network and Graham Blanchard Publishing (a small faith-based children’s book company). During my time at Graham Blanchard, I helped cowrite a book for expecting moms/dads, and I so enjoyed the process of writing for adults. However, I’m excited about transitioning to literature and projects for children.”

Tyndale Kids associate publisher Linda Howard shared, “We are excited to be working with Audra on this book. Her podcast, The 5 Minute Mom, is already helping thousands of families. We are thrilled to come alongside her and publish this book with its reminder of how much our heavenly Father cares for us and watches over us!”

Audra Haney is represented by Dave Schroeder at WTA Media LLC, and her upcoming book has been negotiated for world rights.

Contact: For more information or for media inquiries, please contact Katie Dodillet, katiedodillet@tyndale.com.

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $110 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

 

Saint Louis, MO—The Concordia Publishing House (CPH) Board of Directors announced today that they have unanimously elected Jonathan D. Schultz the 9^th President & CEO of Concordia Publishing House. Schultz has been serving as Interim President and CEO since May of 2021.

“During his tenure as Vice President, and since being appointed Interim President, Jonathan has demonstrated a relentless commitment to the mission and vision of CPH,” said Dr. Mark Bender, Chair of the CPH Board of Directors.  “The Board is confident that Jonathan will lead CPH in a manner that remains fervently committed to the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions. We pray God’s richest blessings upon Jonathan and all who serve at CPH.”

Schultz began his service at CPH in 1998.  As Vice President and Corporate Counsel of CPH, he worked closely with the Board of Directors, coordinating all legal activities of the corporation, and directing the Human Resources and Contracts/Rights/Permissions departments. Before arriving at CPH, he and his wife, Sue, served as long-term volunteer missionaries in Guatemala for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).

“My heartfelt thanks to the Board of Directors for this honor and the confidence you have placed in me by electing me to be the 9^th president of CPH,” said Schultz. “For 152 years, CPH has been the publishing arm of the LCMS.  And I would contend that our mission has never been more critical to the Church and her people than it is now. With a world increasingly hostile to our Christian faith, that redefines truth and seeks to ensnare our youth, the world is often a dark, dark place. But thanks be to God that we are indeed a lighthouse, shining the pure light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this dark world with resources faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.”

Schultz comes from a family with a rich tradition of service to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod through pastoral ministry and Lutheran education. Sue is an LCMS elementary school teacher.

Lutheran education is a key priority for Schultz. For the last two decades he held various leadership positions on the Board of Directors of Christ Community Lutheran School, a Presidential Blue-Ribbon School serving more than 600 students and their families, and on the Board of Directors of the Lutheran High School Association of St. Louis. Schultz also currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis, a $100-million foundation that is committed in the name of Jesus Christ to seeing the improved care of hurting people in the greater St. Louis region. In addition, Schultz served in various leadership positions on national nonprofit boards. Schultz is a graduate of Concordia University Chicago and Loyola University School of Law.

The Lord has blessed Schultz and his wife with three children: Thomas (and wife, Allison), Mollie, and Abigail. 

For more information or to schedule an interview with Jonathan Schultz, please contact Elizabeth Pittman, Sr. Manager, Public Relations, at elizabeth.pittman@cph.org.

About Concordia Publishing House
Concordia Publishing House (CPH) is the publishing arm of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. For more than 150 years, CPH has been providing individuals, churches, and schools with products that are faithful to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. From books and Bibles to church supplies, curriculum, and software, CPH offers more than 10,000 products to support the proclamation of the Gospel worldwide. Visit CPH online at cph.org.

CONTACT: Elizabeth Pittman, Public Relations, 314-268-1291, Elizabeth.Pittman@cph.org

(January 24, 2022) – The Parable Group, a leader in Christian retail marketing and analytics, has announced its successful integration of select retail services from Innovative, Inc., a long-standing marketing solutions company serving Christian retailers and publishers for over 35 years.

As a part of the integration, The Parable Group launched 80 new websites for transitioning Signature retailers in January 2022. In addition to the website builds, the faith-based company also completed the integration of Innovative, Inc.’s retail marketing services into their suite of services. 80% of these retail locations now receive Signature promotions—emails and coordinated in-store endcaps—from The Parable Group.

According to Greg Squires, President of The Parable Group, “The successful integration of the Signature retailers is another major milestone in our efforts to serve the industry through collaborative and purposeful innovation. We’re honored to provide Christian retailers with a unified web, email, and in-store merchandising program—allowing their customers to have relevant, frictionless, and helpful shopping experiences across in-store and digital environments.”

The Parable Group’s website platform syncs with over a dozen POS systems, offers customers sophisticated search, integrates with stores’ social media feeds, and allows customers to conveniently reserve items online and pick them up in-store. Retailers have reported increases in pick-up orders after launch and are benefitting from higher-margin sales and greater integration of their web and store strategies.

Signature promotions provided by The Parable Group showcase new releases, bestsellers, and super deals from top Christian publishers—helping to boost foot traffic and sales in participating stores.

The Parable Group helps Christian retailers, publishers, and ministries magnify their mission by connecting them to engaged Christian consumers, pastors, and church leaders. The San Luis Obispo, CA-based data-driven marketing agency and media group has served over 1000 Christian organizations since 1985. For more information, contact sally.ross@parable.com or visit www.parablegroup.com.

Contact: Sally Ross, (805) 329-4020, sally.ross@parable.com

Ada, Mich. (January 25, 2022)— Baker Academic begins the new year by announcing two additions to its acquisitions staff. Anna Moseley Gissing will join Baker Academic as Senior Acquisitions Editor. Brandy Scritchfield has been promoted to Acquisitions Editor.

Anna Moseley Gissing comes to Baker Academic from InterVarsity Press. With degrees from the University of North Carolina, Beeson Divinity School, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, she has served in a variety of educational, church leadership, and editorial roles. Most recently she was an associate editor at InterVarsity Press, where she acquired books from notable authors such as Esau McCaulley, Sandra Richter, Scot McKnight, Christopher Wright, and Carmen Joy Imes.

Baker Academic has also promoted Brandy Scritchfield to Acquisitions Editor. She holds degrees from the University of Valley Forge, Regent University, and Calvin Theological Seminary and has served as Baker Academic Acquisitions Associate for five years. Prior to coming to Baker, she was the coordinator of a university writing center and a freelance editor.

“We are thrilled with these two additions to our acquisitions team,” notes Jim Kinney, EVP of Academic Publishing. “We have admired Anna’s work from afar for a number of years. We now look forward to seeing her insight and expertise applied to serving Baker Academic authors. Brandy’s skill and diligence are well known to both colleagues and authors. She’ll now be applying those skills in an increased level of responsibility. Congratulations to both Anna and Brandy!”

Baker Academic serves the academy and the church by publishing works that further the pursuit of knowledge and understanding within the context of Christian faith.

Contact: Shelly MacNaughton, (616) 450-5560, smacnaughton@bakerpublishinggroup.com