When Amanda Held Opelt suffered a season of loss—culminating in the unexpected death of her sister—she was faced with some difficult questions. What does it mean to truly grieve and grieve well? Why didn’t my faith prepare me for this kind of pain? What am I supposed to do now?

Her search for a way to process led her to seek wisdom about how other people have made it through. In A Hole in the World, Amanda examines generations past who embraced a robust array of rituals and customs surrounding death and bereavement, which served as vessels for pain and aided in their healing. Sadly, many of these traditions have been lost.

In this raw and authentic exploration, Amanda shares how various cultures have journeyed through periods of suffering, with traditions such as:

• the Irish tradition of keening, or wailing in grief (healing begins when we dive headfirst)
• the Victorian tradition of post-mortem photographs (recalling loved ones as they were)
• the Jewish tradition of sitting shiva (resting in the strength of community)
• the tradition of mourning clothing (allowing space for those to grieve)

Exploring these practices has allowed Amanda to utilize them as a framework for processing her own pain. She challenges our current expectations surrounding various forms of loss and encourages everyone to reclaim a rich history to help us feel more fully human in the midst of sorrow.

We all experience grief in our own way, and during the last 2 years we have lived though an unprecedented season of emotional turbulence that many still don’t know how to process or begin heal.  Amanda was stuck in the same place and through her research she was able to address her grief and begin the process of healing.

A Hole in the World: Finding Hope in Rituals of Grief and Healing
by Amanda Held Opelt  | Jul 19, 2022
Hardcover
$27.00

InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce that Refuge Reimagined has been recognized as a finalist in the annual Australian Christian Book of the Year Awards.

The Australian Christian Book of the Year Award recognizes excellence in Christian writing by an Australian citizen. Candidates are judged according to the original nature, literary style, design, and contribution that the book makes in Christian writing for an Australian audience. Winners are now being decided by a team of past winners of the Australian Christian Book of the Year.

Refuge Reimagined: Biblical Kinship in Global Politics is one of ten titles shortlisted for the award. Coauthors Mark R. Glanville and Luke Glanville apply the kinship ethic to issues such as the current mission of the church, national identity and sovereignty, and possibilities for a cooperative global response to the refugee crisis. Challenging the fear-based ethic that often motivates Christian approaches, they envision a more generous, creative, and hopeful way forward.

“What would it mean if, rather than just providing support and protection for people experiencing displacement, we actually lived life with them?” said Erin Wilson, associate professor of politics and religion at the University of Groningen. “In this important book, Mark and Luke Glanville provide an answer to this question through the biblical concept of kinship. Building on existing work in political theory, theology on hospitality, and our responses to people on the move, Glanville and Glanville suggest that the Scriptures call us to enfold displaced people as kindred, in relationships where both the host and the hosted bless and receive blessing. This framework has the potential to radically disrupt existing approaches to refugees and protection in both scholarship and practice, as they demonstrate through their engagement with key biblical texts and day-to-day institutions and processes. It’s a radical disruption that is desperately needed in these dark and challenging times for the politics of migration and politics in general.”

Mark R. Glanville (PhD, Bristol University) is associate professor of pastoral theology at Regent College, Vancouver, and an Old Testament scholar. He is the author of Adopting the Stranger as Kindred in Deuteronomy and Freed to Be God’s Family: The Book of Exodus and has written articles for a variety of publications including the Journal of Biblical Literature, Refuge Journal, Journal of Missional Practice, Christian Educators Journal, Evangelicals for Social Action, Faith Today, The Light Magazine, and The Presbyterian Pulse.

Luke Glanville (PhD, University of Queensland) is associate professor in the department of international relations at Australian National University. He is the author of Sovereignty and the Responsibility to Protect: A New History, which won the Australian Political Science Association Crisp Prize in 2016 and the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award in 2014.

Winners of Australian Christian Book of the Year Award will be announced September 1, 2022, at the SparkLit Awards Night in Melbourne, Australia.

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

Contact:  Karin DeHaven | 630.734.4096 | kdehaven@ivpress.com

 

A very dear friend and Harvest House author—Ed Hindson—is now in the Lord’s presence.

An exceptionally gifted speaker and writer, Ed was equally enthusiastic as a teacher and in one-on-one conversation. He exhibited a truly caring interest in everyone he interacted with.

Through the years, Ed made many friends among our staff, and he would take the time to ask people how they and their families were doing. We loved publishing with Ed because God and Scripture were always front and center in his books, and his foremost desires were to exalt Christ and edify believers.

Ed’s Harvest House books, which represent the lion’s share of his 40 published works, have sold nearly 1,000,000 copies worldwide in all formats. Three of those titles have reached near or above 100,000 copies. He was most recognized for his significant contributions to the fields of Bible prophecy and apologetics.

Bible prophecy was a topic dear to Ed’s heart, and to hear him teach on this subject was always a great blessing. He taught with a tremendous emphasis on the hope offered by Bible prophecy, and it is fitting that of the many books he wrote or coauthored with Harvest House, the last one before his homegoing would be Future Glory: Living in the Hope of the Rapture, Heaven, and Eternity.

In Future Glory, Ed wrote, “Once people grasp all that God has planned for their eternal future, they are thrilled, blessed, and amazed beyond all their expectations.” Right now, Ed is experiencing his first tastes of the very splendor that he wrote about, and undoubtedly, he is being amazed beyond all his expectations!

President Bob Hawkins Jr. states that “Ed Hindson was one of the godliest men we have ever had the privilege of working with. He was the real deal, who walked the talk and was overtly committed to sharing the gospel and serving Christ in all he did during his 70-plus years as a believer.”

Our hearts go out to Ed’s wife, Donna, their three grown children, and their seven grandchildren, knowing this is a deeply heartfelt loss for them. And we are grateful for the privilege of having been both a partner in and recipient of Ed’s teaching and writing ministry for more than 25 years.

Harvest House Publishers, a Christian publishing company based in Eugene, Oregon, publishes more than 100 books per year and carries a strong backlist offering more than 1,500 titles. Over 145 million Harvest House books have been sold worldwide through diverse distribution channels, and additional millions have sold in more than 75 languages.

A longtime author mentor, Mary DeMuth is pioneering a literary agency to joyfully serve Christian authors and shape their writing careers.

DALLAS, TX, July 12, 2022 – This week, Mary DeMuth, author of over 40 books, is launching Mary DeMuth Literary, an agency dedicated to the nurture, coaching, and training of authors. Mary has spent over twenty years teaching writing, publishing, editing, marketing, and platform building at conferences, mentoring clinics, and retreats. She has a passion for pouring into authors and empowering them to fulfill their publishing dreams and goals.

“I have been in the publishing space long enough to know how important it is to have a literary agent who is responsive, encouraging, and tenacious,” she said. “I am thrilled to be bringing all of me to this new endeavor—publishing know-how, insider intelligence, and a hefty dose of creativity.”

DeMuth is primarily looking for self-starting, well-platformed nonfiction authors who value the writing craft and have grit. She’s particularly interested in Christian living books that are wholly unique, beautifully written, and are bent toward the global church. She also loves to help launch leaders writing their first books. She enjoys placing gift, artistic, and devotional books as well.

“Since I’ve been an author for so long, and I’ve been in the trenches of publishing, I know how to equip authors in their publishing journey,” DeMuth said. “This empathy is my superpower in helping clients feel heard, shepherded, and cheered forward.”

DeMuth is the author of 44 books, the voice of the popular daily podcast Pray Every Day (over 3 million downloads), a global speaker, a watercolor artist, and was a former church planter in Southern France.

Find out more at MaryDeMuthLiterary.com, or send a query to query@marydemuthliterary.com.

The Advanced Speakers and Writers Association (ASWA) has announced fifteen books from Elk Lake as finalists for the Christian Market Book Awards and Golden Scroll Awards.

Finalists in the Christian Market Book Awards (open to any Christian author):

Nonfiction:

• Natalie Ford: Seeking Answers, Finding Peace
• Kathy Collard Miller: Heart of Courage

Fiction:

• Anne Greene: Trail of Tears—the Story of John Roth
• Janet Morris Grimes: Solomon’s Porch

Children’s:

• Michele McCarthy: Aunt Ima Mazing
• Whitney Ward: MORE Than Your Mountains

Finalists in the Golden Scroll Awards—open to any of the 900 members of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA)

Nonfiction:

• Natalie Ford: Seeking Answers, Finding Peace
• Tracy Hester: Get Up, Girl! Let’s Go!
• Lucinda Kinsinger: Turtle Heart
• Kathy Collard Miller: Heart of Courage
• Sheri Schofield: God, Where Are You?

Fiction:

• E. Bradford: Awakened
• Anne Greene: Trail of Tears—the Story of John Roth
• Lane Jordan: Evangeline
• Cynthia L. Simmons: Reflecting Gold

Children’s:

• Jeanne Dennis: Matt’s Compusonic
• Jeanne Dennis & Christine St. Jacques: Annabella’s Crown
• Susan U. Neal: Eat God’s Food

Christian audiobooks rank as bestsellers in a South Korean Mega Bookstore

In South Korea, consumption patterns and ways of using content have significantly changed. They are seeing a growing digital content consumption with the growth of new media such as smartphones and the emergence of a digitally native generation accustomed to digital life. 

The country’s publishing industry is also witnessing growing sales of eBooks, audiobooks, chatbooks, and web fiction.  Audiobooks are loved because they can be easily listened to anytime, anywhere without carrying a book.  It’s have revolutionized the way in which many readers consume their books.  More and more South Korean people have become interested in audiobooks with the development of digital environments and technology.

As South Korea’s market for audiobooks expands, a leading Christian publisher Urim Books, an international member of ECPA, has been meeting the needs of Christian audiences.

Beginning the audiobook production last year, Urim Books has produced eight titles of audiobooks in Korean until now and it is becoming a hot topic in the publishing market.

In June this year, Urim-produced Christian audio titles, Spirit, Soul and Body (Vol 2) and Heaven (Vol 1) (Vol2) have ranked on the daily, weekly, and monthly bestsellers in the audiobook section of Kyobo Bookstore which is one of the largest bookstore chains in South Korea. As well as, the audiobooks stay bestsellers in July also.

Spirit, Soul and Body (Vol 2) was recited by Rev. Dr. Soojin Lee, and Heaven (Vol 1) (Vol2) were recited by narrator Hyungkyung Lee, who is serving in GCN TV.

Urim Books is to produce further audio titles in various languages to keep pace with the increasing number of international audiobook audiences.

• Spirit, Soul and Body (Vol 2):
  https://digital.kyobobook.co.kr/digital/ebook/ebookDetail.ink?barcode=450D000089962
• Heaven (Vol 1): https://digital.kyobobook.co.kr/digital/ebook/ebookDetail.ink?barcode=450D000067713
• Heaven (Vol 2): https://digital.kyobobook.co.kr/digital/ebook/ebookDetail.ink?barcode=450D000084551

Edited by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, featuring contributions from Melissa Kruger, Jen Wilkin, Laura Wifler & more

CHICAGO, IL, July 1, 2022:  US-based publishing ministry The Gospel Coalition (TGC) is delighted to announce the publication of a new multi-author title that encourages Christian women to apply grace and discernment to the way they engage online.

Social media can be both a delight and a disaster for women who want to love God and love neighbor. The industry has grown so fast that it’s been hard to figure out how to handle it wisely: in less than 20 years, about 80 percent of American women have signed up for an account. The latest surveys show Americans spend more than two hours a day scrolling, posting, and liking.

Featuring nine influential authors from various prominent ministries across the evangelical community, Social Sanity in an Insta World seeks to explore social media’s potential and pitfalls—along with the biblical principles we need to honor the Lord online.

Readers are invited to reflect on some of the subtle ways social media is forming their thought life and daily habits…

• Why do I feel so irritated after being on social media?
• Why is everyone on Facebook having more fun than I am?
• Should I delete all my accounts?

Social Sanity in an Insta World is edited by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra and features contributions from Jen Wilkin, Melissa Kruger, Laura Wifler, Emily Jensen, Gretchen Saffles, Ana Avila, Stephanie Greer, and Ruth Chou Simons.

To support the launch of this title, TGC is releasing a series of video interviews with the authors as part of a weekly book club, enabling churches to delve further into the principles behind the book and apply it in their local contexts.

Also releasing in July will be a special episode of Recorded—TGC’s investigative journalism podcast written by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra—exploring the way social media is affecting the lives of Gen Z Christian women.

Find out more at www.socialsanitybook.com.

For media inquires, contact sarah.zylstra@thegospelcoalition.org. 

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Questions for interviews:

• What are some of the pitfalls of social media explored in the book?
• It seems as if some of the early excitement about social media has given way to a more cautious and skeptical approach. How did this happen?
• Do the costs outweigh the benefits on social media? If so, should Christian women consider quitting social media completely?
• Can you give us some examples of the book’s principles for handling social media well?
• In your chapter of the book you talk about the connection between social media and money. Why is it important to be aware of the economic dimensions of social media?
• How does it help our understanding of social media to realize it’s developed by—and used by—fallen people?
• What does fearing God have to do with using social media?
• There’s a lot in the news about how social media can have psychological effects on users. How is it harming our mental health?
• How can social media tempt us toward sinful behavior?
• In what ways do some influencers, whether knowingly or unknowingly, pressure us to conform to a certain image of cultural acceptance, or in the case of Christian influencers, toward godly womanhood?

Ada, Mich. (June 23, 2022)— The American Society of Missiology (ASM) recently announced the winner of their 2021 Book Award for Excellence in Missiology. A Baker Academic title received the honor: Women in the Mission of the Church by Leanne M. Dzubinski and Anneke H. Stasson. The award was presented at the society’s annual meeting, which was held June 17–19, 2022 in Notre Dame, IN.

As the ecumenical professional association for mission studies in North America, the American Society of Missiology includes more than 600 academicians, mission agency executives, and missionaries in a unique fellowship of scholarship and mission. ASM grants the Book Award each year to recognize a recent publication of distinction in an area related to the field of missiology and mission studies.

Leanne M. Dzubinski (PhD, University of Georgia) is associate dean, associate professor of intercultural education and studies, and director of the intercultural education graduate program at Biola University in La Mirada, California.

Anneke H. Stasson (PhD, Boston University) is associate professor of humanities and history at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana.

Women in the Mission of the Church by Leanne M. Dzubinski and Anneke H. Stasson
(Baker Academic, ISBN 9781540960726, EBOOK ISBN 9781493429189, $25.00)

Women have been central to the work of Christian ministry from the time of Jesus to the twenty-first century. Yet the story of Christianity is too often told as a story of men. This accessibly written book tells the story of women throughout church history, demonstrating their integral participation in the church’s mission. It highlights the legacies of a wide variety of women, showing how they have overcome obstacles to their ministries and have transformed cultural constraints to spread the gospel and build the church.

Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.

Contact: Lydia Koning, (616) 676-9185, lkoning@bakerpublishinggroup.com

SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark., June 29, 2022 — DaySpring, the world’s largest Christian social expression company and a subsidiary of Hallmark, celebrates four book titles reaching 100,000 in sales and is being recognized by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) with four Bronze Milestone Sales Awards.

The DaySpring books being honored by the ECPA include the One Step Closer Bible in partnership with Candace Cameron Bure, 100 Days of Bible Promises by Shanna Noel, 100 Days of Believing Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels, and the DaySpring devotional gift book Sweet Tea for the Soul.

DaySpring’s President James Barnett expressed his excitement at receiving these prestigious awards following the recent addition of more traditional style books to their product line.

“It was just over four years ago that DaySpring intensified our publishing business, so to have multiple titles reach this 100,000 unit sales level is a real testament to the great internal team we have and the amazing authors who have partnered with us,” says Barnett. “In addition to the significant sales achievement, the Biblical message in each of our products is very important to us. We are grateful and encouraged that this publishing achievement means the Gospel is being proclaimed in significant ways.”

Barnett joined DaySpring in 1981, holding key positions in sales and marketing before becoming its leader in 1994. During his tenure, he has led the growth of the DaySpring organization from a small partnership to a thriving multi-national corporation. Today, DaySpring offers more than 6,000 products—from greeting cards to home décor, specialty gifts to devotional and gift books.

“Marshawn, Candace, and Shanna are important members of our DaySpring family,” continued Barnett, “and we are pleased for them. The messages in their books are very impactful to our consumers.”

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 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA):
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. Through this growing network of people and organizations, ECPA serves as a focal point of thought and activity for evangelical publishers throughout the world. Though our publishers are by their nature competitors, they share a common vision to produce Christian content to a world in need.

CONTACT: Marissa Hays, Marissa@epic.inc

Eraced Exposes the Racist Agenda Behind Abortion and Critical Race Theory

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 5, 2022) — Salem Books announced today the signing of John K. Amanchukwu, Sr., to its stable of authors. In his debut book, Eraced: Uncovering the Lies of Critical Race Theory and Abortion  (October 4, 2022), he speaks to some of the hottest cultural issues of our time. In Eraced, Amanchukwu dispels the myths surrounding these evils, uncovering the left’s sinister plot to destroy the black community and divide the Church.

“We are thrilled to have John join the Salem Books team,” said Publisher Tim Peterson. “We believe John’s prophetic message and voice are uniquely positioned to speak truth where lies threaten to reign and help heal the racial division we face in America today.”

“What an honor to be joining Salem Books for my first book,” Amanchukwu said. “It’s my sincere hope that together we will help bring Eraced to a larger audience and that we’ll see God open blind eyes to the truth.”

To learn more about Amanchukwu and book him for speaking engagements or other opportunities, visit https://johnamanchukwu.com/.

Salem Books is an imprint of Regnery Publishing and is owned by Salem Media Group, a national multimedia company serving Christian audiences through radio, online, and print resources. Salem Books seeks to enrich the lives of Christians and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to the world through the written word. At Salem Books, we know the power and peace in God’s Word and its ability to strengthen believers in their walk with Christ. We believe God’s grace and truth shines light into darkness, illuminating a path through our chaos-filled world. Our goal is to help people grow in their faith and find comfort, encouragement, practical advice, and timeless wisdom in compelling books by trusted authors. We have published pastors, motivational speakers, artists, counselors, and storytellers. 

John K. Amanchukwu, Sr., is a passionate minister, father, speaker, and leader within many circles of influence, as well as a contributor to Turning Point Faith. His true passion is found in calling the next generation to repentance and action. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where he played football under Coach Chuck Amato. John received a master’s degree from Liberty University in Christian Ministry. He has served as the leader of Youth and Young Adult Ministries and has been a youth pastor for fifteen years. Over the past four years, John has led a 40-week prayer walk for Love Life at one of the busiest abortion clinics in the Southeast. He has been married to his wife Crystal for 14 years, and they have three children. As a family, they pray, worship, and serve in their church, the local abortion facility, and wherever there is a need.

Media Contact:  Jessica Brown Kramer,  jessica@epic.inc,  404-545-8944