WESTMONT, IL—At a time when few of the nearly seven million English-speaking North American Native people have access to biblical resources, IVP now offers an indigenous translation of the New Testament with the August 31 release of the First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament.

The First Nations Version is also being used as the basis for three short-animated films created by the Jesus Film Project titled Retelling the Good Story. The three films pull from the translation’s version of Matthew 14 that shares the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand and Peter walking on water.

Cindy Bunch, IVP associate publisher and editorial director, said, “We need new voices and new ways of experiencing Scripture now more than ever as we have become entrenched in our own small corners of the world. By embracing what they name as First Nations people’s ‘heart languages,’ the translators of the FNV cause us to pause and hear the Word of God anew.”

The FNV project was first envisioned by pastor and founder of Rain Ministries, Terry M. Wildman of the Ojibwe and Yaqui tribes. The First Nations Version: New Testament is a culmination of a five-year collaboration between Wildman, OneBook.ca, Wycliffe Associates, Native North Americans from over twenty-five different tribes, and a translation council that consisted of twelve Native North American elders, pastors, young adults, and men and women from different tribes and diverse geographic locations.

Wildman is the lead translator and project manager of the First Nations Version, and he currently serves as director of spiritual growth and leadership development with Native InterVarsity. With the final published version now in hand, Wildman said, “My greatest hope comes from First Nations people who have read this translation and have said it opened their eyes to who Creator Sets Free (Jesus) truly is. It has already broken down some of the walls that exist because of the horrific way the gospel was most often forced on our Native peoples. I hope stories like this will multiply now that the FNV is fully released by InterVarsity Press.”

The First Nations Version is a dynamic equivalence translation because it is a thought-for-thought rather than word-for-word translation. The style is one of an oral storyteller where culturally relevant language is used to convey the ideas expressed throughout Scripture to create a deeper connection with the reader. God is experienced as “Creator,” Jesus as “Creator Sets Free,” and Jerusalem as “Village of Peace.”

Further clarifying this point, Al Hsu, senior editor at IVP, said, “For example, the FNV’s rendering of the return of the prodigal son in Luke 15:22 has the father saying, ‘Go! Find my best regalia and put it on him. Give him a headdress of feathers for his head and new moccasins for his feet!’ While regalia, headdress, and moccasins are of course not direct translations of Luke’s Greek words for robe, ring, and sandals, they do nevertheless communicate the great honor given to the younger son upon his return. The FNV stands in the long tradition of faithful dynamic equivalence English translations that make Scripture come alive to contemporary readers.” 

Dr. Casey Church, pastor of Good Medicine Way, an indigenous community of believers in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said, “The FNV is written for a particular time, place, and people—the indigenous people of North America. The First Nations Bible is a version for us. With estimates that a mere 5 percent of indigenous people of North America have a relationship with Creator Sets Free (Jesus), it’s time for us to have a Bible translation of our own that speaks to our culture, our values, and our hearts through Creator’s Word.”

For more about the FNV visit FirstNationsVersion.com.

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

Carol Stream, IL – September 7, 2021 – Christianity Today is partnering with Our Daily Bread Ministries to produce Where Ya From?, a new weekly podcast that explores faith and culture with thought leaders from around the Christian community.

Created by Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODBM), Where Ya From? is hosted by Rasool Berry, teaching pastor at Bridge Church in Brooklyn, New York, and director of partnerships and content for ODBM. Christianity Today (CT) will feature the program as part of its rapidly growing podcast network. Where Ya From? will join a lineup of critically acclaimed CT podcasts such as Quick to Listen and The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.

“We are thrilled to feature Where Ya From? as part of the CT podcast network,” says Ed Gilbreath, vice president of strategic partnerships for Christianity Today. “Rasool’s dynamic voice and unique insight on themes of faith and society are a perfect fit for the kind of biblically and culturally relevant content we want to provide for our audience as we seek to represent the full diversity of God’s church. And it’s an honor to collaborate on this project with a ministry as impactful and respected as Our Daily Bread.”

According to Berry, the goal of Where Ya From? is to highlight the real-life journeys—”the origin stories”—of dynamic influencers at the intersection of faith and culture. He hopes the podcast will inspire listeners to faithfully engage in conversations across society’s divides. “The polarization in our current social climate has made conversation with those different from us something we need to rediscover,” says Berry. “This podcast models how to build a bridge of understanding at the cross-sections of race, ethnicity, and culture by demonstrating how a curious faith can create deeper compassion and conviction.”

Where Ya From? launches on September 3 and features a diverse array of guests, including Lecrae, Kierra Sheard Kelly, Andy Crouch, Dr. A.R. Bernard, Dr. Alma Zaragoza Petty, Ambassador Sujay Johnson Cook, Daniel Hill, Ekemini Uwan, and many more. The premiere episode highlights the origin story of Lisa Fields, founder of Jude 3 Project. Fields discusses Black apologetics and why it’s her mission to help the Black Christian community know what they believe, why they believe, and how to share their faith in everyday situations.

Following its debut episode, regular installments of Where Ya From? episodes will drop each Tuesday at MoreCT.com/WhereYaFrom, whereyafrom.org, and at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other popular streaming platforms.

Our Daily Bread Ministries is a non-denominational, non-profit organization whose focus for more than 80 years has been to make the Bible accessible and understandable to people around the world. The organization creates print and digital content and distributes more than 60 million resources annually in more than 150 countries.

Christianity Today is an acclaimed and award-winning media ministry that elevates the storytellers and sages of the global Church. Each month, across a variety of digital and print media, the ministry carries the most important stories and ideas of the kingdom of God to over 4.5 million people all around the planet.

Contact: Ed Gilbreath, 630.384.7288, egilbreath@christianitytoday.com

San Diego based ONE Audiobooks has seen explosive growth, hitting 500 titles in under 18 months.  “We’re thrilled to have hit this milestone,” said ONE’s CEO, Cory Verner.  “Our passion is to help Christian publishers capitalize on the fastest growing channel in publishing by offering turn-key production and distribution services and a diverse set of tools for Christian publishers of all sizes.”

“We have a growing list of 20+ publishing partners so far and are adding more every quarter, producing more than 25 titles a month,” said Jeremy Park, Director of Production and Operations.  “There’s a diverse range of missions behind the publishers and ministries we work with and we are grateful for the opportunity to help them fulfill their unique calls.”

ONE is a full-service, audiobook partner for savvy, forward-thinking book publishers who want to capture as much royalty as possible while maintaining topnotch quality audio productions without adding specialized staff and the headaches associated with an internal audiobook program. We seek to disrupt the audio space with innovative solutions for publishers, authors, and ministries.

Carol Stream, IL (September 8, 2021) — NavPress (@navpress) will release Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ – 20th Anniversary Edition by Dallas Willard on November 9. Twenty years after its original release, Renovation of the Heart continues to have an impact on readers by focusing on how character is formed and what it means to follow Jesus—by drawing near and letting ourselves be shaped into the eternal people of God. Along with reflections on the book’s impact over its life from family, friends, and admirers of the author, the commemorative anniversary edition also includes a transcribed, never-before-published interview with Dallas Willard, a Scripture index, a foreword from John Mark Comer, and an afterword from Natasha Sistrunk Robinson.

Dallas Willard (1935–2013) was an ordained Southern Baptist minister, an associate professor at the University of Southern California, and the author of several books on spiritual formation.

Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard

• ISBN: 978-1-64158-442-5
• Hardcover: $27.99
• November 2021 release

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. 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 also 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, contributing a majority of annual revenue—more than $110 million dollars throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

The NavPress mission is to advance the calling of The Navigators by bringing biblically rooted, culturally relevant, and highly practical products to people who want to know and love Christ more deeply. Through The Message Bible and other insightful resources, NavPress seeks to bring positive spiritual movement to peoples’ lives. In January 2014, NavPress entered into an alliance with Tyndale House Publishers to strengthen and better position NavPress and its rich content for the future. NavPress provides books and other content that bring spiritual impact, life transformation, and help lead in the mission of making disciples.

Contact: Kristen Schumacher, kristenschumacher@tyndale.com, 630.784.5103

CHICAGO, IL – Bestselling author and Bible teacher Asheritah Ciuciu will release her much-anticipated prayer devotional, “Prayers of REST: 365 Prompts to Slow Down and Hear God’s Voice” (January 2022, Moody Publishers), following the 2020 launch of her popular Prayers of REST Podcast.

In the book, Asheritah provides guided prayers that focus the reader’s mind and heart on Scripture. She uses daily Bible verses and the memorable REST acronym (Recite God’s Goodness, Express Your Neediness, Seek His Stillness, Trust His Faithfulness) to guide the reader through worship, confession, stillness, and surrender. “We learn how to pray not by reading a book or sitting in a lecture, but by actually praying,” says Asheritah. “I believe it is so important that we train ourselves in prayer—these prayers are pauses in our day when we stop what we’re doing and become aware of God’s presence alongside us, inviting us to live empowered by His Spirit, not our own limited resources.”

The collections of prayer prompts in this book center on common prayer requests and struggles. There are also prayers we might not think to pray and prayers for when we feel at a loss for words. “Asheritah has written a comprehensive prayer book for this generation, giving words to our deep cries for unity, for release from anxiety, and for hope eternal. But she’s also written a book that will give words to the cries of our children, and their children, guiding them to the only One in whom we all can find joy, peace, and rest,” says Amanda Cleary Eastep, Senior Editor at Moody Publishers.

In the spring of 2020, at the beginning of the COVID pandemic anxiety, Asheritah invited her online community to join her for live prayer calls each morning. Dozens of women from around the world joined together for daily prayer as Asheritah led them through the REST prayer format. Eventually, the daily calls turned into a weekly prayer podcast and now the “Prayers of REST” devotional. “Asheritah lives out the truths that she writes about in ‘Prayers of REST’, says Judy Dunugan, Acquiring Editor at Moody Publishers. “She is a trusted voice for how to choose rest in prayer, even as a busy young mom, wife, author, ministry leader, and daughter of the King.”

“Prayers of REST” is now available for pre-order wherever books are sold.

Asheritah Ciuciu is a bestselling author, national speaker, and host of the Prayers of REST podcast. She is the founder of One Thing Alone Ministries, an online ministry that helps women all over the world find joy in Jesus through creative and consistent time in God’s word. Asheritah grew up in Romania as a missionary kid and studied English and Women’s Ministry at Cedarville University. She is married to her high school sweetheart and together they raise their three spunky kids in NE Ohio. Asheritah is the author of several books, including the best-selling Advent devotional Unwrapping the Names of Jesus. Her writing and speaking has been featured on Focus on the Family, Revive Our Hearts, Moody Radio, Relevant Magazine, Proverbs 31, and MOPS International. For more information about Asheritah, her books, and writing/speaking ministry, visit www.asheritah.com.

Contact: Kathryn Eastham | 312-329-2140 | Kathryn.eastham@moody.edu

‘Guard Your Heart & Home’ helps readers experience spiritual peace in family relationships, living space

NESBIT, Miss., September 13, 2021—In today’s Pinterest-perfect world with never-ending pressures and busy schedules, cultivating beauty and peace within our homes can feel unachievable. In her new gift book, Guard Your Heart & Home: Pursuing Peace in Your Living Space (End Game Press, September 2021), author and speaker Victoria Duerstock taps into her 20+ years of experience in the home furnishings industry to bring readers a beautiful gift book that will help create spaces they enjoy and a peaceful foundation for their family.

“Pursuing peace in our homes is often easier said than done,” says Duerstock. “It’s a challenge because we live in a world that is anything but peaceful, but Scripture teaches us that as much as we can control our reactions and our environment, we are to live in peace with one another.”

Featuring 60 days of devotionals paired with Scripture and decorating tips, Guard Your Heart & Home showcases beautiful photographs of living spaces that visually illustrate tangible beauty and peace and offers helpful tips for families, especially newlyweds.

Duerstock is available for interviews and can speak to:

• Take the pressure off: stop focusing on “Pinterest standards” and follow these design tips instead
• 3 practical tips for facilitating peace within your marriage and family
• Finding beauty and peace in your everyday life
• 6 tips to both simplify and elevate your home décor
• How to decorate in a way that reflects the spirit of peace

“I wrote this partuclar volume during a season with little faith, hope or love in our culture,” says Duerstock. “It’s difficult to watch how divided and isolated we have become. I pray this book will inspire peaceful connection and community inside of our homes so that a watching world can observe the power and love of Christ.”

The perfect addition to any coffee table or wedding gift, the devotions and decorating tips in this beautiful book will encourage spiritual growth and equip readers to achieve the happy heart and home they desire. 

About the Author
Victoria Duerstock is a multi-passionate creative and entrepreneur fueled mostly by coffee who pursues her dreams with verve and intensity. Wife and mom of three, Victoria divides and conquers the never-ending to-do list while working to maintain her sanity and pleasant demeanor. Her writing journey plunged her deep in the social media landscape and she enjoys sharing her tips and tricks for growth and engagement with others. Recipient of the 2020 Selah Nonfiction Book of the Year, Duerstock has authored six titles, with more on the way. She is the founder and president of End Game Press, a traditional publishing house where ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things. Learn more at www.victoriaduerstock.com.

About End Game Press
Launched by award-winning author Victoria Duerstock in 2020, End Game Press is a traditional publishing house where ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things. End Game Press puts authors first, educating them on the entirety of the publishing process and providing them with the needed training to be successful. With a goal to create beauty and cultivate community, End Game Press publishes fiction, nonfiction, and children’s titles into both general and Christian markets. Learn more at www.endgamepress.com.

Media Contact: Shanon Stowe, shanon@iconmediagroup.com

 

Palm Bay, FL: The American Christian Fiction Writers virtual conference included a virtual gala, during which their 2021 honors were awarded. Among them were the winners of the 2021 Carol Awards, honoring Christian fiction published in the previous calendar year.

Congratulations to these Carol Award winning authors and their publishing houses and editors.

Contemporary

The Promised Land by Elizabeth Musser; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editor: L. B. Norton

Historical

Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editors: Dave Horton and Rochelle Gloege

Historical Romance

Like Flames in the Night by Connilyn Cossette; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editors: Raela Schoenherr and Jennifer Veilleux

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Dead End by Nancy Mehl; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editors: Raela Schoenherr and Jean Bloom

Novella

Far as the Curse is Found (from The Joy to the World Collection) by Amanda Barratt; Kregel Publications; Editors: Janyre Tromp and Dori De Vries Harrell

Romance

Love and a Little White Lie by Tammy L. Gray; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editor: Raela Schoenherr

Romantic Suspense

Lost Down Deep by Sara Davison; ACFW QIP (Qualified Independently Published); Editors: Ines Jimenez and Deb Elkink

Short Novel

The Christmas Bargain by Lisa Carter; Love Inspired (Harlequin); Editor: Melissa Endlich

Speculative

Stealing Embers by Julie Hall; ACFW QIP (Qualified Independently Published); Editors: Rebecca Heyman and Janelle Leonard

Young Adult

Mortal Sight by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads; Enclave Publishing; Editors: Steve Laube and Lisa Laube

Debut Author

Things We Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green; Bethany House (Baker) Publishing; Editors: Dave Horton and Rochelle Gloege

Congratulations also go to the winners of the 2021 Genesis Contest for to-date unpublished Christian fiction, as follows:

Contemporary

Terri McAdoo – Tattooed Woman at the Well

Historical

Jamie Ogle – Of Love and Treason

Historical Romance

Savanna Kaiser – Son of the Shepherd

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Andra Loy – The Memory of Lillian Grey

Novella

Stephanie Rose Finsterbush – Christmas at Fort Bennett

Romance

Deborah Clack – Love Painted

Romantic Suspense

Kelly Borjas – Slippery Slope

Short Novel

Stephanie Atkins – Cowboy’s Redemption

Speculative

Sara C. Anderson – Sook

Young Adult

Kelly Fernlake – Legend Lost

Also announced during the virtual gala were the following:

• Editor of the Year—Jessica Sharpe, Bethany House
• Agent of the Year—Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management
• Mentor of the Year—Betsy St. Amant Haddox

Special thanks to the contest coordinators: Genesis Contest Coordinator—Teresa Haugh, Carol Award Coordinator—Nick Kording, ACFW Contests Administrator—Robert Turner, and to the judges, assistants, and ACFW staff.

ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) is a professional organization devoted to the craft of Christian Fiction. Its mission is to “help you tell your stories by inspiring you to partner with God in the creative process, learn the craft, and find your audience.”  For more information about ACFW: https://www.acfw.com/

You can find a link to this press release at https://www.acfw.com/about/press_room/

The Gospel Coalition (TGC) recently reviewed new picture books for fall of 2021, and Near (Zonderkidz 2021) was featured.  The book, authored by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jago, is based on Psalm 139 and conveys that God is with little ones anywhere they go in God’s wide world, offering a reassuring message to calm fears and stir faith.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/picture-books-2021/

“The illustrations are bright and joyful, and the words are simple and lyrical,” writes Ginger Blomberg of TGC. “The New York Times bestselling team that created The Jesus Storybook Bible uses Psalm 139 as inspiration to say that God will be with you anywhere you could possibly go: in space, under the sea, in a desert, in the North Pole, or in your room. There are race cars, rockets, polar bears, and a dog in scuba gear. Written in a similar format to Found and Loved, the other books in this series by Lloyd-Jones and Jago, Near is a board book with a bright cover and sturdy pages designed with even the smallest listeners in mind.”

From the book:

God is my Father who made everything.

And I am a little explorer of the wide world.

He is near me

And he protects me.

He sees me

And he knows me.

He is strong

And he looks after me.

He is with me—always!

This title, published by Zonderkidz, is available for purchase anywhere books are sold. More information can be found at https://www.zonderkidz.com/book/9780310768265/near/

Contact: Jessica Westra, Publicity Director, Zonderkidz and Zondervan YA
C: 616.403.6628  Jessica.westra@harpercollins.com

Elk Lake Publishing, Inc., Plymouth, MA, has released Man on Fire—St. John’s Last Disciple: Polycarp by Archbishop Robert L. Wise, PhD.

No person provided more support in the Church’s struggle against Roman Imperial oppression and the first destructive heresy than Polycarp, the towering first father of the ancient Church. His story conveys the intrigue and struggle of the early Christians as they overcame persecution and conflict.

Based on a true story, history, and fact, this exciting narrative takes artistic license embodied in the fictional figures of Bythnia Attalus, her daughter, Constance, and her son, Arius, who tells Polycarp’s story.

Publisher Deb Haggerty said, “Today, more than ever, we need to hear of men and women who stand up for the faith even in the face of persecution for those beliefs.”

From General Editor Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

Grand, Rapids, Mich. (Aug. 2021) — Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, is proud to announce the release of the NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible with General Editor Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

“Nothing on earth is as powerful as God’s Word, and nothing is more important than making God’s Word known,” said Mohler.  “That’s why I am so excited about the NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible. This study Bible is theologically faithful, directly practical, deeply devotional, and especially designed for both new believers and mature disciples. It is accessible so that readers of the Bible can better understand God’s Word.”

Mohler also expressed pride in the team of scholars who worked on the project. “The 42 wonderful teachers of the Bible who contributed to the NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible represent the very finest in biblical scholarship. We were all driven by one sacred purpose, to help God’s people to love the Bible and understand it. The team of writers and editors and publishers worked together seamlessly. This was a project of devotion to the Scriptures.”

Dr. Mohler is one of the foremost voices for evangelicals worldwide. He is the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is also the current president of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS).

“We are honored to be publishing this landmark study Bible that will impact readers for years to come,” says Melinda Bouma, vice president and publisher of Bibles for Zondervan. “We are furthermore delighted that this study Bible will be Zondervan’s first study Bible to include a Premier Collection in its lineup.” Premier Collection Bibles feature the highest Bible craftmanship with hand-bound goatskin covers, elegant art-gilt page edges, premium European paper, and three double-sided satin ribbon markers.

As a study Bible intended for the greatest range of English-speaking Christians, it is set in the New International Version (NIV) text, today’s most widely read contemporary English translation, and typeset in Zondervan’s exclusive easy-to-read NIV Comfort Print® typeface. Features include:

• Complete text of the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV)
• Project leadership by general editor Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Insightful and practical bottom-of-the-page study notes
• Center-column cross reference system for deeper study
• Comprehensive NIV concordance
• 16 pages of full-color maps
• Smyth-sewn durable covers that lie flat when open
• Exclusive Zondervan NIV Comfort Print typeface

In addition to the NIV editions in English, Vida Publishing will simultaneously release this Bible in Spanish as the NBLA Biblia de Estudio Gracia y Verdad. “This has been a massive undertaking, but one that has the potential to shape a generation of churchgoers globally,” says Cris Garrido, vice president and publisher for Vida Publishers. “The world is hungry for both God’s grace and his truth; this Bible will bring readers closer to both.”

The NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible and NBLA Biblia de Estudio Gracia y Verdad is available now in a wide variety of binding types. For more information, visit www.graceandtruthbible.com.