WESTMONT, IL—The Gospel Coalition has announced that three IVP books have received Awards of Distinction as part of the TGC 2022 Book Awards. Drawing from the thousands of resources produced by Christian publishers this year, the TGC staff, along with dozens of key contributors, took stock of the best Christian books across twelve categories and recently announced their top choices.

The IVP titles that received Awards of Distinction in the TGC 2022 Book Awards include the following:

The Thrill of Orthodoxy: Rediscovering the Adventure of Christian Faith by Trevin Wax was honored with the Award of Distinction in the Popular Theology category. Wax said, “In a world of personalized spiritual paths, Christian orthodoxy can sound stuffy and stifling, while doctrinal change and innovation seem exciting. The Thrill of Orthodoxy turns the tables, illuminating and inspiring Christians by contrasting the narrow and dull principles of heresy with the electrifying, unchanging paradoxes that form the heart of the gospel.”

Judges for the Popular Theology category included Joshua Chatman, Clarissa Moll, Juan Sánchez, and Matt Smethurst. They said this about The Thrill of Orthodoxy: “With trenchant insight and memorable turns of phrase, Trevin Wax beckons us to cling to Scripture’s never-changing truths amid an ever-changing world. Instead of bowing to the spirit of the age, Christians humbly stand for truth. This book explains what’s at stake, both now and for eternity, not to scare but to sober. After all, we’re not the first generation of Christians to face vexing opposition from a surrounding culture—and even from professing believers. It’s never boring to stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us and to exchange the straitjacket of heresy for the freedom of gospel grace. The Thrill of Orthodoxy will fire you up for all the right reasons.”

Analog Christian: Cultivating Contentment, Resilience, and Wisdom in the Digital Age received the Award of Distinction in the Christian Living category of the TGC Awards. Jay Kim’s Analog Church explored the ways the digital age and its values affect the life of the church. In Analog Christian, he asks the same question of Christian discipleship. As the digital age inclines us to discontentment, fragility, and foolishness, how are followers of Jesus to respond? What is the theological basis for living in creative resistance to the forces of our day? How can Christians cultivate the contentment, resilience, and wisdom to not only survive but to thrive as we navigate the specific challenges of our age?

Judges for the Christian Living category included Judges: Matt Boga, Winfree Brisley, Megan Hill, and Courtney Reissig. They said, “Though we understand in a general sense that the digital age is negatively affecting our culture and individual lives, we may struggle to pinpoint exactly how it’s changing us and what we can do about it. In Analog Christian, Jay Kim insightfully identifies technology’s rotten fruit of discontentment, fragility, and foolishness and explains how the fruit of the Spirit is the antidote we need. By pairing specific problems of the digital age with contrasting fruit of the Spirit, Kim models Paul’s put-off, put-on framework—joy instead of comparison, kindness instead of hostility, faithfulness instead of forgetfulness. Rather than calling us to unplug and cease our scrolling and swiping, Kim shows readers how to thoughtfully engage the challenges of the digital age and—by the power of the Spirit—cultivate contentment, resilience, and wisdom.”

A Supreme Love: The Music of Jazz and the Hope of the Gospel received the Award of Distinction in the Arts & Culture category of the TGC 2022 Book Awards. Theologian and jazz pianist William Edgar places jazz within the context of the African American experience and explores the work of musicians like Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald, arguing that jazz, which moves from deep lament to inextinguishable joy, deeply resonates with the hope that is ultimately found in the good news of Jesus Christ.

Category judges Terry Glaspey, Aaron Lee, Brett McCracken, and Rachel Wilhelm said, “What hath jazz to do with Jesus? In A Supreme Love, William Edgar explains how jazz music connects with the hope of the gospel. Clearly written and well researched, this book situates the jazz genre in the historical context of black experience in the United States as well as suggesting jazz follows the arc of the gospel message—from the darkness and sorrow caused by sin to the supreme light and joy of Christ’s salvation. Along the way, Edgar offers fascinating examples and anecdotes from the entire repertoire of jazz. His love for this music is clear and infectious.”

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

Five KJV Bibles Have Combined 40 Million Lifetime Units Sold

Nashville, TN—Affirming Thomas Nelson’s long-standing commitment to the King James Version (KJV), the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) recognizes Thomas Nelson with its ECPA Milestone Sales Awards for five Bibles with a total of more than 40 million lifetime units sold.

These five stand-out editions were submitted because of their significant sales and impact, marking the wide variety of audiences served by the publisher. Two Bibles were awarded the ECPA Diamond Award for sales exceeding 10 million copies and three Bibles were awarded the ECPA Platinum Award for sales exceeding 1 million copies.

The awarded KJV Bibles are:

• KJV Gift & Award Bible: Diamond Award (Double Diamond, over 20 million sold)
• KJV Giant Print Bible: Diamond Award (over 10 million sold)
• KJV Study Bible: Platinum Award (Double Platinum, over 2 million sold)
• KJV Personal Size Bible: Platinum Award (Quad Platinum, over 4 million sold)
• KJV Compact Bible: Platinum Award (over 1 million sold)

“We are honored the ECPA has recognized these KJV editions to represent the breadth of our work,” says Philip Nation, Vice President and Publisher, Thomas Nelson Bibles, ” Thomas Nelson has been publishing the KJV for more than two hundred years, but these significant sales numbers are simply those on record since we began recording them in the eighties. We believe that the Bible impacts lives like no other published work because it is God’s revelation of himself to humanity. We are grateful to participate in the great legacy of publishing the King James Version.”

The King James Version remains the bestselling Bible translation of all time. The ECPA’s Annual Translation sales chart has the KJV consistently in the #1 or #2 spot since the chart’s inception.  

“Stewarding God’s Word is an honor and a privilege,” adds Nation. “With that in mind, we take the responsibility seriously to produce beautiful, usable KJV Bibles—from Bibles used in outreach to top-quality leather heirlooms, from a baby’s first Bible to elegant giant print versions. We are delighted to serve the needs of Bible readers from generation to generation. Receiving these awards for over forty million total KJV Bibles sold by Nelson illustrates how KJV Bibles are woven into the fabric of the church and society.”

Thomas Nelson Bibles continues the commitment to provide KJV readers with exceptional Bibles. New releases this year including the KJV Sovereign Collection, the KJV Verse Art Cover Collection, and the KJV Premier Collection Bibles. The entire line of Thomas Nelson KJV Bibles can be found at www.ThomasNelsonBibles.com.

ABOUT THE KING JAMES VERSION (KJV): More than 400 years since its initial publication, the bestselling King James Version Bible continues to inspire, encourage, and strengthen people from all walks of life. The KJV is considered one of the most influential and beautiful works of literature in the English language and continues to be the favorite translation for millions of Christians.

ABOUT THOMAS NELSON: Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational products for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson, is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information visit www.thomasnelson.com

Media inquiries and review copy requests:
Jana Muntsinger, McClure Muntsinger Public Relations
jana@mmpublicrelations.com   832.247.9308

Did you know, in 2021, 5.1 million U.S. households were food insecure? That’s according to research from the USDA. Lakeside Book Company is doing our part to help change that.

On Giving Tuesday, November 29th, Lakeside Book Company launched the Lakeside Initiative for Food Today (LIFT) program. This initiative demonstrates the commitment of Lakeside to give back to its communities by donating $160,000 to local charities to help fight food insecurity.

The company’s donation comes at a time when the need for food assistance remains high from the ongoing impact of the coronavirus global pandemic.

Food pantries are particularly vulnerable during the holiday season. This funding will help organizations provide emergency relief and assistance and will allow them to purchase food and other necessities they need to serve their clients.

Lakeside will award $10,000 to sixteen different food pantries, food banks or related charities in the communities where its book manufacturing plants and book fulfillment warehouses operate. Lakeside will also work to coordinate volunteer opportunities for their employees at many of these charities. These contributions are part of Lakeside’s longstanding commitment to provide value and serve communities where Lakeside employees live and work.

“As a company, we believe in helping our local communities. So many of our neighbors continue to struggle with providing food for their families, and together we can change that. We are honored to have the opportunity to help raise awareness about food insecurity and give back to the communities in which our employees live and work,” said Dave McCree, Chief Executive Officer of Lakeside Book Company.

“St. Joseph Food Program is blessed to see the kindness of the wonderful community in which we live and serve,” said Monica Claire, Executive Director of St. Joseph’s Food Program, in Menasha, Wisconsin. “Lakeside Book is a perfect example of this kindness. They are a company who cares about people and have shown that caring through their generous gift of $10,000 to support the St. Joe’s mission and time spent volunteering at St. Joe’s. Lakeside employees gave many hours in the cold during our Thanksgiving distribution directing traffic and making sure that families received a turkey for their holiday meal. Lakeside’s support of and service to St. Joe’s and our client families is very appreciated by us and the families that were served. Thank you to Lakeside for their generous support!”

About Lakeside Initiative for Food Today (LIFT)
Established in 2022, Lakeside Initiative for Food Today (LIFT) partners with local food pantries to further the company’s mission in serving the communities where Lakeside Book Company operates. LIFT supports local charities by donating time and resources, as well as coordinating employee volunteer efforts.

About Lakeside Book Company
Since its founding in 1864, Lakeside Book Company has been innovating the book manufacturing and distribution industry.

R.R. Donnelley started as a partner at a small printing company in Chicago and he grew the company into one of the largest and most trusted printing service providers in the world. As the decades passed, the company expanded its services and established LSC Communications in 2016 to offer specialized solutions to publishers, brands, retailers, and merchandisers.

In 2020, Atlas Holdings acquired LSC Communications and created the Lakeside Book Company from the LSC Book division. Atlas operates a global family of manufacturing, distribution, service, and trading businesses. For more information about Lakeside Book Company, visit www.lakesidebookcompany.com.

Contact: Treacy Lee, VP of Marketing and Communications at Lakeside Book Company

 

 

Ada, Mich. (Dec.2, 2022)—Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is pleased to announce it recently signed a three-book deal with sought-after Bible teacher and speaker Lisa Harper.

The first book is scheduled to release in the spring of 2025. Harper is represented by agent Lisa Jackson of Alive Literary Agency.

“It has been an enjoyable honor to get to work with several different publishers over the past twenty-five years,” said Harper, author of fourteen books including the recent bestselling devotional, Life—and has written and filmed six well-received Bible study video curriculums, including Job: A Story of Unlikely Joy and How Much More: Discovering God’s Extravagant Love in Unexpected Places. “However, compared to the brilliant authors I most enjoy reading, I’m a mediocre writer at best. Therefore, whenever a new publisher comes calling, I can’t help wondering why they want to try that exquisite glass slipper on my proverbially clumsy feet, or if I am, in fact, being pranked! But then along comes Revell with the loveliest of intentions, genuine encouragement, and a creative, collaborative vision for a multifaceted literary project that took my breath away. Consequently, I’ll be the chick wearing the ear-to-ear perma-grin until my heart stops doing happy cartwheels of gratitude!”

Harper has thirty-plus years of church and parachurch ministry leadership experience, including six years as the director of Focus on the Family’s national women’s ministry, where she created the popular Renewing the Heart conferences, which were attended by almost 200,000 women, as well as a decade of touring with Women of Faith, where she spoke to more than a million women about the unconditional love of God.

She holds a master of theological studies from Covenant Seminary, recently completed her doctoral studies at Denver Seminary, and is currently working on her thesis. She has been featured on numerous television and radio programs and is a regular on TBN’s globally syndicated Better Together show.

“I have been a longtime admirer of Lisa’s ministry and have personally benefited from her many years of teaching, speaking, and writing,” said Rachel McRae, senior acquisitions editor for Revell Books. “So, it was no surprise that the first name I mentioned was Lisa Harper when I was asked about who I’d like to acquire for Revell after joining the team a few years ago. She has a gift for connecting Scripture to our everyday lives in a brilliant and fun way. Lisa’s heart for practical application of the Word that’s based on a strong theological foundation connected with Revell immediately.”

In early 2022, Harper started a podcast called Back Porch Theology where she dives into God’s Word with brilliant theologians and academics to help listeners understand that the gospel is great news for everyday life. The podcast has three million downloads and is growing.

“We are excited to link arms with Lisa and her growing ministry as she brings Scripture to life and draws readers into a more intimate and life-changing relationship with Jesus,” said McRae.

Revell Books provides books that inspire and equip readers, offering them hope and help for daily life. Learn more at www.RevellBooks.com.

Contact: Kelli B. Smith, (616) 676-9185 x394, ksmith@bakerpublishinggroup.com

Foundation To Debut The Chosen App Worldwide Dec. 4; Translate Series Into Hundreds Of Languages

December 1, 2022, Colorado Springs, CO – Newly formed nonprofit, Come and See Foundation, is pleased to announce that effective December 4, 2022 the acclaimed series, The Chosen, will be available for worldwide distribution on the new The Chosen App owned by Come and See Foundation. The app can be downloaded now for free from the Apple App Store, Google Play or by going to http://thechosen.tv/app.

Available on mobile devices and TV platforms, the new “The Chosen” app will feature the first two seasons of The Chosen as well as the upcoming Season 3 and beyond. Additionally, the new app will feature exclusive content like Bible Roundtables and a new Season 3 aftershow. For the first time, viewers will be able to donate via a tax-deductible gift to assist The Chosen to continue its production, keep the show free around the world, and be translated into hundreds of languages.

Led by CEO Stan Jantz, Come and See Foundation is a nonprofit specifically formed to help translate, license and distribute the acclaimed television series with goals of having it dubbed into 100 languages and subtitled into 500 more. Currently, Season 1 has been dubbed in 12 languages and subtitled in 62 languages (Season 2 has 7 and 20, respectively).Through Come and See’s strategic partners like Educational Media Foundation, YouVersion, Bible Media Group, One Hope and others, the startup nonprofit is missionally minded and fervent in its desire to see that The Chosen is distributed to one billion people around the world, introducing them to Jesus.

According to Jantz, “The Chosen is such a dynamic and powerful story. With the formation of the Come and See Foundation, our plan is to take The Chosen around the world, reaching much of the World’s population so they are able to experience Jesus in their native tongue.”

Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen, states, “This new partnership with Come and See supercharges our efforts. We’re able to produce episodes bigger and faster, get them translated into more languages, and market the show on a scale previously impossible.”

Jenkins, Jantz and Come and See Foundation board member Mart Green discuss the mission of the foundation during a recent livestream that can be watched now at https://youtu.be/FXVe1WfGWkY.

With more than 420 million episode views internationally, The Chosen is a fan-supported, seven-season television series that creates an authentic and intimate picture of Jesus’ life and ministry, seen through the eyes of the people who knew him. The series is coming off a successful opening weekend (November 18 – 20) where more than 2,400 movie theaters across the United States and in English-speaking territories debuted the first two episodes of its highly anticipated third season.

For more information on Come and See Foundation, The Chosen App and TV series, and more, go to www.comeandsee.net.

About Come and See Foundation:
Come and See Foundation is a 501(c)(3) established by a group of passionate believers and experienced professionals to come alongside The Chosen to grow its reach and impact globally. Our goal is to provide resources, technology, ministry connections and expertise to help The Chosen reach its goal of having a billion people experience an authentic Jesus through this series and related content. For more information, please visit at www.comeandsee.net.

About The Chosen:

The Chosen completed filming of its third season in September 2022, continuing its unprecedented success as the largest fan-supported entertainment project of all time. It has been translated into 62 languages and counting. With no fee or subscription required, it’s completely free to watch and available as both a standalone mobile and TV app, plus available on multiple streaming services. Viewer support enables the show to remain free around the world. The Chosen, an Angel Studios Original, is produced by Loaves & Fishes

ATTN Media:

• For Come and See Foundation photos, logo and more press materials, go to: https://app.box.com/v/ComeandSeeFoundaton-Press.
• For The Chosen press materials, go to: https://thechosen.lingoapp.com/.
• For additional information, photos, interviews, etc., contact: Rick Hoganson, Hoganson Media Relations, 615-459-9870, Hoganson@comcast.net.

Set For Release On January 24, The Pre-Order Begins Today

December 5, 2022 – NASHVILLE, TN – Renowned Christian music artist and songwriter Micah Tyler can now add author to his accolades. In partnership with K-LOVE Books, Tyler announces the release of his first book, Walking Free: Taking Small Steps To A Big God. Full of encouragement, it is his hope that his book debut will be a guide to help its readers set out on a path to a free and meaningful life.

Officially releasing January 24, 2023, the pre-order for the book begins today. Click HERE for more information. Additionally, customers who participate in the pre-order and redeem their order will receive the audiobook, read by Tyler, to listen immediately.

The journey from where we are to where God wants us to be is filled with challenges and obstacles. It is Tyler’s hope that Walking Free: Taking Small Steps to a Big God, inspired by Tyler’s hit song of the same name, will uplift the readers with the truth that God will always walk with us and never leave us behind. It is also his desire to encourage believers to experience the mercy and mission of a closer connection with God and to pursue a deeper relationship with Jesus, regardless of external circumstances. He also applies Scripture and Biblical wisdom in his teaching alongside personal stories along with questions for both personal reflections and group discussions. New York Times’ bestselling author, podcaster, and speaker Annie F. Downs offers the foreword.

Micah Tyler shares, “I want to invite you on a 42-day journey in my new book as we take small steps away from the things of this world and all the empty promises it offers and walk toward the good things of God and the knowledge of knowing Jesus more deeply and meaningfully.”

He continues, “We’ll take these steps together, working toward trusting the Lord because we don’t follow each other, we follow Him. As we walk this journey, we want to celebrate God’s love for us, discovering the heights that His freedom brings into our lives. Our prayer will be the same one my family has been offering up for the past several years, ‘Lord, help us to trust You more today than yesterday.’ Let’s pick up the tools that God has equipped us with and head into the wilderness. Together, we can build roads of purpose so we can walk in His freedom. Some steps will be beautiful and some will be difficult, but this road will lead somewhere amazing. One step at a time!”

ABOUT MICAH TYLER: Songwriter and recording artist Micah Tyler writes, performs, and lives out “battle-tested” music that gives glory to his God. He is the recipient of multiple Dove and K-LOVE Award nominations and has written four BMI Top 25 Christian Songs. His journey has taken him from small-town youth pastor to delivery truck driver, to touring alongside big-name artists such as MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, and Phil Wickham. He will be joining MercyMe again for their spring 2023 Always Only Jesus Tour. Tyler is best known for numerous hit songs such as “Never Been a Moment,” “I See Grace,” “Even Then,” and “Walking Free.” His newest project, Walking Free: Taking Small Steps to a Big God, is his first book. For more information, go to MicahTyler.com.

ABOUT K-LOVE BOOKS: K-LOVE Books, an imprint of EMF Publishing, has published bestselling books such as The Way of the Father by Michael W. Smith, Out of the Dark by Mandisa, and most recently On Our Knees by Phil Wickham and Believe for It by CeCe Winans. Educational Media Foundation (EMF) is the parent organization of K-LOVE and Air1 radio and the AccessMore podcast network.

K-LOVE Books is honored to announce that “The Bible for Me: Bible Stories & Prayers” has earned the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award®. Having been rigorously evaluated by a panel of MCA evaluators, “The Bible for Me” is deemed to be among the best products / services for families.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 21, 2022) – The Mom’s Choice Awards® has named “The Bible for Me” as among the best in family-friendly media, products and services. The MCA evaluation process uses a proprietary methodology in which entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal, and cost.

“We are thrilled to be a Mom’s Choice Gold Winner,” writes co-authors Mike Nawrocki and Amy Parker. “We know all the great things the MCA does to connect consumers, educators, and caregivers with the best products and services available for families.”

To be considered for an award, each entrant submits five (5) identical samples for testing. Entries are matched to evaluators in the MCA database. Evaluators are bound by a strict code of ethics not only to ensure objectivity, but also to ensure that the evaluation is free from manufacturer influence. The five evaluations are submitted to the MCA Executive Committee for final review and approval.

“Our aim is to introduce families and educators to best-in-class products and services,” explains Dawn Matheson, Executive Director of the Mom’s Choice Awards. “We have a passion to help families grow emotionally, physically and spiritually. Parents and educators know that products and services bearing our seal of approval are high-quality and also a great value. The MCA evaluation program is designed to incorporate the expertise of scientists, physicians and other specialists; but we also engage parents, children, educators, and caregivers because they are experts in knowing what is best for their families.”

With the evaluation now complete, the testing samples of The Bible for Me will be donated to schools, libraries, hospitals and nonprofit organizations.

This notable accomplishment comes on the heels of several successful author events including a book signing at the Summer 2022 Christian Product Expo in Lexington, KY and an event at Christian Publishers Outlet in Murfreesboro, TN, on October 7, 2022.

K-LOVE Books has partnered with nonprofits to get the books into the hands of children and families in need. “Our donors have been a huge part of making that happen,” says publisher Dave Schroeder. “We’ve distributed 20,000 copies thus far to The Salvation Army and 5,000 to Convoy of Hope (with 10,000 more before Christmas).”

AUTHORS:  Mike Nawrocki (co-creator of VeggieTales® and voice of Larry the Cucumber; author of The Dead Sea Squirrels series) and Amy Parker (author of the Night Night series) have shared Bible stories with tens of millions of children through their books and videos. They are co-hosts of the popular The Bible for Kids Podcast and co-authors of “The Bible for Me: Bible Stories and Prayers” (February 2022, K-LOVE Books).

K-LOVE BOOKS is an imprint of EMF Publishing. Educational Media Foundation (EMF) is the parent organization of K-LOVE and Air1 radio and the AccessMore podcast network.

Media Contact: Ashley Harris, ashley.harris@dexteritycollective.co

The Bible for Kids – Bible Stories & Prayers
Written by Mike Nawrocki and Amy Parker
Illustrated by Taylor Thompson
https://www.klove.com/books/bible-stories-and-prayers
Available February 22, 2022, from K-LOVE Books

Hardcover: ISBN 978-1-954201-21-7, 352 pages, 6” x 7” trim, U.S. $19.95
eBook: ISBN 978-1-954201-22-4, U.S. $9.99
Audiobook: ISBN 978-1-954201-23-1, U.S. $24.95 (March 2022)

Review copies and author interviews are available upon request.
Contact Ashley Harris: 757-251-8552, ashley.harris@dexteritycollective.co

November 16, 2022 – Kate Rademacher and Brian Allain are delighted to announce, after considerable prayer and discernment, new ownership and leadership for these innovative businesses.  Effective January 1, 2023, Writing for Your Life and Compassionate Christianity will be owned and led by Kate Rademacher. These businesses were founded by Brian Allain, who also founded Publishing in Color and How to Heal Our Divides, and previously served as the Founding Director of the Frederick Buechner Center.

Writing for Your Life (www.writingforyourlife.com) is a resource center for spiritual writers, and includes conferences, services, and other resources that support their writing journey. Started in 2016, Writing for Your Life has held conferences online and at locations such as Drew Theological Seminary, the University of Southern California, Belmont University, Western Theological Seminary, and several churches. Conference speakers have included Barbara Brown Taylor, Rachel Held Evans, Patricia Raybon, Brian McLaren, Frank A. Thomas, John Pavlovitz, Lisa Sharon Harper, Diana Butler Bass, Sophfronia Scott, Lauren F. Winner, Philip Yancey, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Amy Julia Becker, and many others.

Compassionate Christianity (www.compassionatechristianity.org) was founded in 2019 and provides inclusive, welcoming, and affirming resources for compassionate Christians. The “Compassionate Christian Voices: Today and Tomorrow” webinar series has included voices such as Lisa Sharon Harper, Diana Butler Bass, Brian McLaren, Kelly Brown Douglas, John Pavlovitz, Frank A. Thomas, Parker Palmer, Shane Claiborne, Patricia Raybon, Kirsten Powers, Michael W. Waters, Sarah Bessey, Robyn Henderson-Espinoza, Bruce Reyes-Chow, Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, and many others.

Kate Rademacher has over twenty years of experience in nonprofit leadership, and she is the author of three books about her faith journey, Following the Red Bird: First Steps into a Life of Faith (Light Messages, 2017), Their Faces Shone: A Foster Parent’s Lessons on Loving and Letting Go (Light Messages, 2020), and Reclaiming Rest: The Promise of Sabbath, Solitude, and Stillness in a Restless World (Broadleaf Books, 2021). Kate was also a contributing author to Fostering Hope: A Prayerbook for Foster & Adoptive Families (Smyth & Helwys, 2022). Kate’s professional work in public health has focused on expanding access to health services for underserved populations both domestically and internationally. From 2017-2022, Kate served as director of a project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that aimed to increase access to long-acting contraception in sub-Saharan Africa. In recognition of her leadership in global health, Kate was selected in 2020 for the inaugural U.S. cohort of WomenLift Health. Kate is currently in discernment for potential ordination to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church, and she is serving as an intern at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Durham, NC from July-Dec 2022.

“I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to build on Brian’s incredible leadership with Writing for Your Life and Compassionate Christianity,” said Kate. “These platforms are comprised of vibrant communities of writers and thought leaders around the country. I am excited to help move this work forward to expand the reach and impact of both organizations.”

“I am thrilled with Kate taking leadership of these businesses!” said Brian. “Kate’s capabilities, character, and commitment are a perfect fit for what I have tried to achieve. I know they will be in wonderful hands.”

After the ownership and leadership transitions take place, Brian will continue to be involved as an advisor. To learn more about the transition, we invite you to join us for an online event on January 11 at 8pm ET on Zoom using this link.

You can also learn more at www.writingforyourlife.com and www.compassionatechristianity.org or email: katerad@gmail.com

November 15, 2022, Dallastown, Pennsylvania — “It was forty years ago this week,” says Byron Borger co-owner with his wife Beth, of Hearts & Minds, a bookstore in Dallastown, PA, “when we opened our doors and the very first book we sold was Les Miserable by Victor Hugo.” That was before the musical, and Borger took it as a sign that their desire to sell thoughtful titles, especially intelligent faith-based books, was going to go well. They had stocked up with a full line of standard titles as well as what they considered to be the best of religious trade publishing, from the likes of Eerdmans, InterVarsity Press, Fortress, and Westminster Press. For a grand opening gift they gave out IVP’s little Your Mind Matters by John Stott and an autographed, slipcased edition of a brand new work by former President Jimmy Carter.

Byron and Beth worked for a Presbyterian Church near Pittsburgh in campus ministry in the late 1970s and came to realize how important books could be, especially for young adults searching for meaning and purpose. They bucked the growing trend of then popular rather sectarian, even insular, religious bookstores and what they call “equally limited secularized stores” and created what they came to describe as a bit of a hybrid approach. Long known in both CBA and ABA circles, the Borger’s have created a one-of-a-kind bookstore in a small town in South central PA. This black Friday (November 25th) is the start of their 40th anniversary year.“

Our region is known for tourists visiting from Gettysburg to Hershey to Amish Lancaster so we developed some mid-Atlantic notoriety and slowly build relationships with organizations running events in Baltimore, Philadelphia, DC, even New York, and doing off-site, pop-up bookstores for organizations like Washington’s C.S. Lewis Institute or the anti-poverty organization Bread for the World, or Mako Fujimura’s Christian arts gatherings in Manhattan became important to our work and expanded our footprint in the world,” Borger said. “We’ve served colleges in Boston and churches in Pittsburgh and have driven our van or rented trucks to conferences in Chicago, Orlando, Dallas.”

The more nation-wide customers came to appreciate their unique blend of conventional Christian literature and edgy, contemporary fiction and creative nonfiction, and their commitments to social justice and anti-racist work (“since the very beginning”, Borger insists) the more their off-site conferences and their mail order and website business took off, even while serving a regular local clientel. With a handful of full and part-time staff, they’ve developed a reputation in some circles as one of the more interesting bookstores in the country.

Beth and Byron roll their eyes at that, but it is true that to celebrate their 35th anniversary a festschrift was published in their honor with contributors from across the theological world, from Anglican theologian N. T Wright in the UK to ex-evangelical David Gushee in the US South to literature professors as unique as Southern Baptist Karen Swallow Prior and Roman Catholic thinker Gregory Wolfe, founder of Image Journal and indie literature publisher Slant Books. Boutique publisher Square Halo Books funded the project called A Book for Hearts & Minds: What You Should Read and Why — a Festschrift Honoring the Work of Hearts & Minds Bookstore.

Their small town location adds what Borger called a “down home touch” noting that the largest author event they’ve ever done in-store was hosting Beverly Lewis, known for her earnest Amish romance fiction. “We sell what many ordinary bookstores sell, not all high literature or deep theology, but we do have an emphasis on a wide spectrum of Christian stuff — evangelical, mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Mennonite and more,” he said. And this, too, sets Hearts & Minds apart, their principled commitment to featuring ecumenical titles. Few religious bookstores are as diverse as they are. “We’ve got something to offend everyone,” the Borger’s often quip. They have had their share of antagonists, some finding them too overtly Christian and others finding them too open-minded.

“When Covid hit we went out of our way to signal to the community that we were staying closed for the sake of the most vulnerable, those at risk, the disabled and often marginalized,” Borger reported.  Anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers were not happy with the Borger’s decision to not re-open quickly in 2022 and their commitment to public health has made them look stubborn, at best.

“Still,” Borger says, “we enter this 40th anniversary week and our next year committed to doing the right thing and serving our customers the best we can in our now-legendary backyard and curbside customer service. And we’re mailing out books more eagerly than ever! We’ve faced the era of the big chains, the onslaught of Amazon, the detriment of ebooks, and the foibles of the often-judgmental religious community, and we’re still standing. We are grateful to God and to our customers for their commitments to our efforts, unique as they may be.”

Best sellers this past month include one of Borger’s favorites, Surrender, the new memoir by Bono (“we carried their albums when we first opened in the early 80s before they had really caught on,” Borger notes) and the two new Wendell Berry books, the hefty The Need to Be Whole (on race and patriotism) and the new collection of short stories set in fictional Port Royal, How It Went. They have taken a lot of pre-orders for the forthcoming Poetry Unbound collection by Padraig O’Tuama. Beth is always pushing any number of novels — most recently Louise Erdrich’s The Sentence and Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. And Advent resources— they love serving the liturgical churches and their needs for resources throughout the seasons of the church calendar. Borger insists that one of his all time favorite books is the Eerdmans release by Episcopalian preacher Fleming Rutledge, Advent:The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ. It speaks of the sort of quiet hope that has sustained them these four decades in a changing retail environment.“

I thought about creating a book for our 40th anniversary, like 40 books in 40 years,” Borger mused, “but I couldn’t come close to telling our story in only 40 titles. There’s been 40 great books every year, and that is what keeps us going — the books and the readers, and the stories of how books transform people, places, and current events.”

heartsandmindsbooks.com/booknotes/

Christian Powerhouses Partnering on Three Book Publishing Deal

SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark., Nov. 8, 2022 — DaySpring, the world’s largest Christian-message product provider, and Pray.com, the world’s number one app for daily prayer and faith-based content, announce a new publishing partnership beginning in 2023 for three book projects.

Based on the most popular downloads within the Pray.com app, these books will feature the “best of” content which has now reached over 12-million users worldwide. Each is a collection of stories, devotions, Bible verses, and practical tools for everyday Christian living.

The first book will be released in May and is called Sleep Psalms: Nightly Moments of Mindfulness and Rest. This partnership will be an opportunity for Pray.com users to experience the content they love in a fresh new way while introducing DaySpring’s core audience to the Pray.com brand and message.

“It is my pleasure to announce our partnership with Pray.com,” said DaySpring President James Barnett. “We are grateful to be a part of a project that will inspire and cultivate the walk of Christians around the world.”

“Pray.com is expanding its original content offering into the written format. With tens of millions of streaming audio consumers, we are going to help even more people make prayer a priority through print,” Pray.com founder and CEO Steve Gatena said. “Pray.com appreciates DaySpring’s vision for this partnership and their support of our mental health and wellness initiatives, and we look forward to serving people around the world together.”

About DaySpring:  DaySpring^®, the world’s largest Christian-message product provider, was founded in 1971 with a single Christmas card. Today DaySpring offers more than 6,000 products—from greeting cards to home décor, specialty gifts to devotional books. In 1999, DaySpring was acquired by Hallmark Cards, Inc. DaySpring products are sold in Christian retail outlets, mass retail stores, card and gift shops and other outlets in the United States and 60 foreign countries. DaySpring is based in Siloam Springs, Ark., and employs a staff of more than 220 people. Visit www.dayspring.com for more information about the company, to find a local retailer, and to send a free e-card.

About Pray.com:  Pray.com helps people make prayer a priority in their life. Pray.com is the world’s #1 app for daily prayer and faith-based media content. The Pray.com app helps people improve their mental & spiritual health with daily prayers, inspirational sermons, and bedtime Bible stories. Launched in 2017 by Steve Gatena, Michael Lynn, Ryan Beck, and Matthew Potter, Pray.com is a social impact company driven by a mission to grow faith, cultivate community and leave a legacy of helping others. See more at www.alarryross.com/pray-com.