The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference has announced the finalists for the 2022 Directors’ Choice Awards. The award recognizes the best books published in 2021 from prior conference attendees. Iron Stream Media is happy to announce three finalists in the Fiction category.

The finalists are:

• Fresh Scars, Donna Mumma
  ISBN: 978-1645262855
• Midnight, Christmas Eve, Andy Clapp
  ISBN: 978-1645262978
• The Endling, Deborah Maxey
  ISBN: 978-1645262640

Book these authors as guest speakers or for book signings by contacting Kim McCulla at kim.mcculla@ironstreammedia.com. Limited supply of giveaway copies available for special events and interviews. Books can also be ordered through your distributor or visit www.newhopepublishers.com.

Iron Stream Media derives its name from Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”  This sharpening describes the process of discipleship, one to another. Iron Stream Media provides a variety of solutions for churches, missionaries, and nonprofits that include in-depth Bible study curriculum, Christian book publishing, and consultative services. Iron Stream Media is the home of Iron Stream, Iron Steam Fiction, Iron Stream Harambee Press, Iron Stream Kids, Life Bible Study, and Brookstone Publishing Group. Through the popular Life Bible Study and Student Life Bible Study imprints, they also provide web-based, full-year and short-term Bible study teaching plans as well as printed devotionals, Bibles, and discipleship curriculum.

She Reads Truth Partners with IllumiNations to Help Eliminate Bible Poverty

Giveaways at SheReadsTruthBible.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Tuesday, May 31, 2022) – She Reads Truth™ will mark 10 years on June 1, 2022. What began with a simple tweet and the #shereadstruth hashtag has now grown into a worldwide movement and community of “women in the Word of God every day.”

Ten years later, She Reads Truth^™ now serves a global community of more than a million women, men and children with daily Bible reading plans and resources, including digital resources like the She Reads Truth^™ app, web site, and podcast, and printed resources like the She Reads Truth^™ Subscription Box and Study Books.

Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams, the founders of She Reads Truth^™ and co-editors of the She Reads Truth Bible, are humbled and awed by the last decade: “This community of ‘Women in the Word of God every day’ represents a long list of cities and countries, a variety of backgrounds and traditions, and countless real-life stories. But there is a commonality that binds us: we believe God’s Word is Truth. So we read. We engage with God’s Word and with each other. And we keep coming back, on the hard days and the good days, because God and His Word never change, regardless of our circumstances.”

Over the past ten years, the She Reads Truth^™ community has read 143 Bible reading plans together, including 63 full books of the Bible (with the last three books scheduled to be completed in 2024). The company has self-published 223 study books, three children’s books, and numerous other products designed to promote biblical literacy. Myers and Williams are also the general editors of the award-winning She Reads Truth Bible and the He Reads Truth Bible. She Reads Truth Bible has topped 500,000 units sold, making it Holman’s highest-selling CSB Bible to date. In addition, the She Reads Truth Bible, one of the first Bibles published in the Christian Standard Bible^® (CSB) translation, was awarded an ECPA Gold Milestone Sales Award in 2021.

The She Reads Truth^™, He Reads Truth^™, and Kids Read Truth^™ brands are based out of Nashville, TN. The team of 30 is led by co-founders Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams and COO Ryan Myers. To celebrate ten years of opening their Bibles, She Reads Truth^™ is inviting their community to partner with illumiNations (illuminations.bible) to help eliminate Bible poverty around the world. IllumiNations is a collective impact alliance of Bible translation partners and resource partners working together to make God’s Word accessible to all people in their languages by 2033. For more, https://www.12vc.com/shereadstruth.

Holman Bibles, publisher of both She Reads Truth Bible and He Reads Truth Bible, is celebrating the 10^th Birthday of She Reads Truth with a giveaway at its website (https://csbible.com/celebrating-10-years-of-she-reads-truth/). Ten winners will receive the She Reads Truth “Party Pack” including a She Reads Truth Bible, summer study sets, a keychain and a mug.

“We love the spirit and vision of She Reads Truth™ community,” says Andy McLean, Publisher, Holman Bible and Reference. “The team at She Reads Truth is literally helping hundreds of thousands of women engage meaningfully with Scripture, changing lives, homes, and neighborhoods worldwide.”

She Reads Truth^™ is a worldwide community of women who read God’s Word together every day. Founded in 2012, She Reads Truth invites women of all ages to engage Scripture through daily reading plans, online conversation led by a vibrant community of contributors, and offline resources created at the intersection of beauty, goodness, and truth. Learn more at SheReadsTruth.com or on socials at @shereadstruth.

Raechel Myers is the founder and CEO of She Reads Truth, He Reads Truth, and Kids Read Truth. A reluctant writer but lover of story, she delights in the evidence of God’s beauty, goodness, and truth in everyday life. Raechel and her husband live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their two children.

Amanda Bible Williams is co-founder and chief content officer of She Reads Truth, He Reads Truth, and Kids Read Truth. A lover of words and the Word, Amanda spends her days reading and leading, writing and editing, and explaining that her maiden name really is Bible. She lives with her husband and their four children in a lively farmhouse just south of Nashville, Tennessee.

The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) is a highly trustworthy, faithful translation that is proven to be an optimal blend of accuracy and readability. It’s as literal to the original as possible without sacrificing clarity. The CSB is poised to become the translation that pastors rely on and Bible readers turn to again and again to read and to share with others.

Holman Bibles is the oldest Bible publisher in North America, publishing high quality Bibles and reference resources that are trustworthy, accessible, and useful for the pursuit of lifelong discipleship. Print and digital releases include the She Reads Truth™ Bible, the CSB Tony Evans Study Bible, the Tony Evans Bible Commentary, and the Rainbow Study Bible. Holman Bibles is a subsidiary of B&H Publishing Group.

Media Contact: Diana Wurster, diana@mmpublicrelations.com, 281-793-7929

Stephen Smith has been promoted to VP, Digital Products for HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP). In his new role, Stephen will be responsible for the roadmap, development, and performance of HCCP’s digital offerings. His team will be responsible for all product management and development of our Direct sites, operations of those sites as well as analytics, conversion rate optimization, and SEO, with a focus on improving user experience and customer churn across all of them.

Stephen joined HarperCollins Christian Publishing in 2008 as an information services architect related to Zondervan’s acquisition of Bible Gateway. Throughout his tenure he has held additional team leadership roles that have grown our digital properties, including managing the Bible Gateway tech team and, most recently, overseeing the technology of HCCP’s eCommerce stores.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In the summer of 2012, Bryant Wright sensed God was telling him to prepare for his next season of ministry. Wright, the founding pastor of Atlanta’s Johnson Ferry Baptist, had just completed 30 years of ministry leading the church and was preparing for his fourth decade at Johnson Ferry.

His new book, “Succession: Preparing Your Ministry for the Next Leader,” shares not only the personal lessons Wright learned, but practical advice for churches and church leaders as they plan leadership transitions. “Succession” released June

“When I turned 60, I realized there were limited days left in my ministry,” Wright said. “And a number of people in the church began to ask, ‘how long are you going to stay?’ ‘Are you going to hang it up soon?’ Those two factors caused me to start thinking about retirement and next steps. I knew we needed to develop a succession plan.”

Wright’s book tells the story of how he and the leadership team at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church walked through an intentional, leadership succession process and provides suggestions for churches and church leaders nearing the next phase of ministry leadership. “Succession” discusses this journey in a way that shows the leadership of an experienced pastor, the wisdom of a knowledgeable shepherd, and the humility of an obedient servant. This book not only displays the heart of a man who loved and led his church well, but also serves as a model for those preparing for a similar journey.

“There is a tidal wave of Boomer pastors who are about to retire in the next five to 10 years, and there aren’t many younger pastors identified to take their place,” Wright said. “In addition, most churches don’t have a succession plan in place for when the time comes. I’m hoping this book will help pastors—both those leaving and their successors—as well as the lay leaders in our churches to help prepare for this very significant transition.”

Wright said he doesn’t expect all churches to follow the same timeline and game plan as Johnson Ferry. But churches of all sizes and contexts will find insight from the book they can adapt for their own situation.

“Every church is unique and will need to develop a plan that fits their context,” he said. “No pastor is going to stay forever; having a succession plan in place contributes to the overall health of the church. The health of the church is the priority.”

About Bryant Wright
Wright has served in Southern Baptist life as both a pastor and SBC president before becoming the first president of Send Relief in 2020. He retired as the founding senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church on December 15, 2019, where he pastored for 38 years. In addition to his role at Send Relief, Wright serves as founder and chairman of Right From the Heart Ministries, a media ministry with an international presence, and continues to mentor younger pastors through this platform. He and his wife, Anne, live in Marietta and have three grown sons, three daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren.  

About B&H Publishing Group
B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of Lifeway Christian Resources, is a team that believes Every Word Matters. We seek to provide intentional, biblical content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, cultivating lifelong relationships with Jesus Christ. We publish (print and digital) in the trade, church and academic markets, as well as the CSB translation.

About Lifeway Christian Resources
In operation since 1891, Lifeway Christian Resources is one of the leading providers of Christian resources, including Bibles, books, Bible studies, Christian music and movies, Vacation Bible School, and church supplies, as well as camps and events for all ages. Lifeway is the world’s largest provider of Spanish Bibles. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Lifeway operates as a self-supporting nonprofit.

MEDIA CONTACT: Carol Pipes, 615-251-2516, carol.pipes@lifeway.com 

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Kregel Publications is pleased to announce that six Kregel titles have been named winners at the 2022 Selah Awards.

Discipled Leader: Inspiration from a Fortune 500 Executive for Transforming Your Workplace by Pursuing Christ, by Preston Poore, was named Book of the Year and also won first place in the General Nonfiction category. Angie Ward, assistant director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Denver Seminary, praises Discipled Leader: “Preston provides the rationale and tools to help leaders develop a strong, Christ-centered foundation for unimpeachable character and lasting influence.” Read more about the book here.

Also in the General Nonfiction category, Spouse in the House: Rearranging Our Attitudes to Make Room for Each Other, by Cynthia Ruchti and Becky Melby, was awarded third place. Spouse in the House is a hilarious and heartfelt guidebook for married partners to learn to co-exist in the same house without co-exhausting each other. Read more about the book here.

With Fresh Eyes:60 Insights into the Miraculously Ordinary from a Woman Born Blind, by Karen Wingate, won first place in the Devotionals category. With Fresh Eyes invites readers to reawaken to the wonders of creation—great and small—and to how God is working in everyday moments. Read more about the book here.

Hope for Healing from Domestic Abuse, written by Karen DeArmond Gardner, won second place in General Nonfiction for the Director’s Choice award. National speaker Cindi McMenamin praises Hope for Healing from Domestic Abuse: “With compassion, wisdom, and a proper understanding of Scripture, Karen will convince you that God loves you more than he hates divorce.” Read more about the book here.

Sharon Mondragón’s debut novel The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady placed second in the First Novel Category. The narrative shares a “charming tale of knitting, faith, and change” (Publishers Weekly) that beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ. Read more about the book here.

Buck Storm’s The Sound the Sun Makes won third place in the General Fiction category. Storm writes literary Americana with humor, heart, and a whole lot of twists to keep readers guessing—not to mention a healthy dose of faith. Read more about the book here.

Winners were announced at the 2022 Awards Night celebration of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Find the entire list of winners on their Facebook page.

Kregel Publications is an evangelical Christian publisher that aims to develop and distribute—with integrity and excellence—trusted, biblically based resources that lead individuals to know and serve Jesus Christ.

Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. proudly announces that ten of its authors and books won awards at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Selah Awards on June 1, 2022.

Following are the categories and honored authors:

Articles
Elk Lake author, Whitney Ward, took third place for her article “Directly Affected” published in Brio by Focus on the Family.

Memoir
Diana Mood, Enough! Learning to Survive and Thrive in Brokenness, 2nd

Children’s
Susan Neal, Eat God’s Food, A Kid’s Guide to Healthy Eating, 2nd

Middle Grade & YA
Nicolas C. Day, Into the Great Marinara, 3rd

Anthologies
Deborah Graeme DeArmond, We May Be Done, But We’re Not Finished—Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, 1st

First Novel
Shelia Stovall, Every Window Filled with Light, 3rd

Historical/Biblical
Rebecca Price Janney Easton at Christmastide, 2nd

Speculative Fiction
Andrea Chatman Beneath the Deep, 2nd

DIRECTOR’S AWARDS

Fiction
Mary Beth Dahl, For the Good of All, 3rd

Children’s
Susan Neal, Eat God’s Food, 2^nd

For information about any of these authors or books, contact Deb@ElkLakePublishingInc.com

(Nashville, Tenn.) June 3, 2022 — HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) today announced Gabriel Aviles as vice president of marketing for their Spanish Language Division.

Aviles joined the Spanish Division as senior marketing director in 2019 with over 25 years of marketing experience. During his tenure as marketing leader, the Spanish Division has experienced 25% growth. Aviles has led the successful launch of the C.S. Lewis Spanish brand and the NBLA Bible translation, as well as worked with bestselling authors including Agustín Laje, Daniel Habif, Miguel Nuñez, Christy Muller, Craig Groeschel, Lysa TerKeurst, and Max Lucado.

As vice president of marketing for the Spanish Division, Aviles will continue to lead the marketing strategy and execution for the division.

Cris Garrido, vice president and publisher for HCCP’s Spanish team commented, “Gabriel’s strategic mind, experience working across brands and voices on a global scale, and his knowledge of Christian and inspirational content across genres and formats make him the ideal person to lead our Spanish team’s marketing efforts. I look forward to the ways his leadership will help bring our inspirational content into new markets.”

HarperCollins Christian Publishing
The world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. comprises the Thomas Nelson, Zondervan and HarperChristian Resources publishing groups and imprints, 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 29 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

Carol Steam, Ill. (June 6, 2022) — Inspire: Worship: 100 Devotions for Coloring and Creative Journaling, releasing on October 4 from Tyndale House Publishers, is the newest addition to the bestselling creative journaling Bible brand. The Inspire Bible Collection features a variety of beautiful Bibles and Bible portions books with nearly 30 unique bindings. Inspire pioneered the coloring Bible category and has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to fall in love with God’s Word since its launch in 2016 as the #1–selling Bible of the year.

Inspire: Worship: 100 Devotions for Coloring & Creative Journaling is the first release in a new series of Inspire branded devotional books. Just like the Inspire Bible, Inspire: Worship provides readers a unique way to relax, reflect, and connect with God while using their creativity. It is a perfect pairing of music and art in a devotional that offers readers an opportunity to integrate creative expression into their devotional time.

Kim Adetunji, Senior Marketing Manager for Tyndale Bibles, shared, “Inspire Bible journalers will cherish this new devotional line of books as an additional way to connect with the Lord through creativity, coloring, and Scripture. The first book’s focus on hymns offers new and unique insights into songs we all know and love—or maybe ones we don’t know yet—while connecting our hearts to God and his Word. Some people will want to dive into the book for 100 days straight, and others will weave it into a weekly or monthly creative devotional rhythm. No matter what approach readers take, the Inspire devotional books are going to be a perfect companion to the Bible as they’ll have all of the favorite features from the Inspire Bibles plus individual readings with the goal of drawing hearts ever deeper into the Word and nearer to the Lord.”

This beautifully designed collection will strengthen readers’ faith as they meditate on 100 devotions inspired by the world’s most celebrated songs of the Christian faith. Each reading will encourage readers to stand strong, lean on God’s grace, and rest in knowing that he has a wonderful plan for their lives.

For media inquiries or more information on this series, please contact Isabella Graunke at  isabellagraunke@tyndale.com.

Inspire: Worship
100 Devotions for Coloring & Creating Journaling
ISBN: 978-1-4964-6796-6
Softcover: $18.99
October 2022
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 imaginations 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.

Contact: Isabella Graunke, isabellagraunke@tyndale.com, 630.784.5298

Returning to Lipscomb University in Nashville this November, ECPA PubU will feature tracks in Editorial, Marketing, Design, Production & Operations, and a Children’s Book Summit.

TEMPE, ARIZ., JUNE 6, 2022 – ECPA’s annual Fall training program – ECPA PubU – will return as an in-person event in 2022 after being presented online for the past two years.  PubU will be held on November 16-17 at Lipscomb University in Nashville, where the event had been held for three consecutive years before going online.

Developing the program will be a group of industry leaders – called the ECPA PubU Brain Trust, led by Jamie Lapeyrolerie, editor at WaterBrook & Multnomah.  The committee is charged with recruiting speakers to present on relevant topics in each of these tracks:  EDITORIAL, MARKETING, DESIGN, PRODUCTION & OPS.  In addition, the second annual CHILDREN’S BOOK SUMMIT will be presented on November 17.

“PubU is unique among all of the gatherings and events that ECPA hosts annually,” Jeff Crosby, ECPA president and CEO, said. “It’s an event developed by the industry for the industry, drawing on the unique perspectives, skill sets, and experience of a range of outstanding leaders and practitioners. I’m grateful to Jamie Lapeyrolerie for her leadership of this year’s ‘Brain Trust’ that even now is forming content around the major disciplines of our industry.”

Serving on the 2022 PubU Online Brain Trust are:

BRAIN TRUST LEAD AND DEI CONSULTANT:
Jamie Lapeyrolerie, Editor, WaterBrook & Multnomah

EDITORIAL TRACK:
Trillia Newbell, Acquisitions Director, Moody Publishers
Susan McPherson, Acquistions Editor, David C Cook

MARKETING TRACK:
Bob Gaudet, VP Marketing, Bibles, Zondervan
Katherine Chappell, Marketing Manager, Kregel Publications

OPERATIONS & PRODUCTION TRACK:
Bradley Isbell, Chief Operating Officer, Iron Stream Media
Jenn Butenschoen, Director of Production and Digital Content, Harvest House Publishers

DESIGN TRACK:
Torrey Sharp, Owner and Principal, Faceout Studio

CHILDREN’S BOOK SUMMIT:
Linda Howard, Associate Publisher for Children and Youth, Tyndale House Publishers
Shannon Marchese, VP and Publisher of Tommy Nelson, the children’s imprint for Thomas Nelson

EMERGING LEADERS CONSULTANT:
Paloma Lee, Assistant Producer and Project Specialist, InterVarsity Press

“I’m incredibly honored and grateful to lead this year’s Brain Trust and am so excited to not only connect in person with publishing professionals, but for attendees to learn from such creative and experienced people,” states Jamie Lapeyrolerie.  “I’ve personally benefited from ECPA PubU as an attendee and I know it’s going to be a great event with practical takeaways, inspiration, and connection.”

ECPA PubU will continue its Emerging Leader mentorship program, offering scholarships to up-and-coming industry leaders, with an emphasis on under-represented voices in the industry.  Each emerging leader will be matched with an industry mentor, for a year-long mentorship relationship.

For more information about the program, our schedule, the Brain Trust, or to receive program updates when registration opens, visit ECPAPubU.org.

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities within the industry and throughout multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content. For more information about ECPA: info@ecpa.org ECPA.org @ECPA

ECPA PubU has delivered training, connection, networking and inspiration to the industry’s frontline practitioners since 2004.  Industry leaders develop the program to invest in the expertise of their colleagues, and train up the next generation of leaders.  For more information, visit ECPAPubU.org.

Media contact:  Jeff Crosby, ECPA president/CEO, jcrosby@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 

 

 

The VOICES Collection of Our Daily Bread Ministries has prepared resources to recognize Juneteenth and help the church celebrate freedom by watching the first of its kind documentary, reading biblical insights, listening to music and more.

Celebrating Juneteenth is an opportunity to embrace themes of unity amongst diversity. We offer the following practical steps to build diverse community and authentic dialogue:

• Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom is a feature-length film that teaches and inspires about the cultural and spiritual significance of the holiday. Available: Jun 6, 2022
• Juneteenth: Our Story of Freedom is a 10-Day devotional which reflects on biblical passages and themes of hope and justice. Digital Reading Plan: Available starting Jun 1, 2022
• Where Ya From? Podcast: In this special edition of Where Ya From? History professor and minister, Dr. Carey Latimore, tells the story of Juneteenth and the importance of history. Available: Jun 13, 2022
• Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom ~ The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: This groundbreaking album features gospel, poetry, and hip-hop from Grammy-award-winning artist Lecrae Moore, gospel producer, Lucius Hoskins, Sho Baraka, and more! Singles from the album starting Jun 6, 2022
• Unshakable Faith: African American Stories of Redemption, Hope, and Community (Our Daily Bread Publishing, January 2022) by professor Carey Latimore

The VOICES community discusses, develops, and distributes resources by Black Christian content creators for communities of color. The VOICES community seeks to share our particular stories to make God’s life-changing wisdom understandable and accessible to all.

For more information: https://ourdailybreadpublishing.org/experiencevoices