New Survey Provides Insight into Mental Health of Pastors

Church Tech Experts, Faithlife, Examine How the Past Year Added Stress to an Already Taxing Profession

BELLINGHAM, Wash., July 15, 2021 – More than 1 in 10 pastors admitted to contemplating suicide in the past year according to the 2021 Pastoral Mental Health Report compiled by Faithlife, the makers of Logos Bible Software, and Church Communications, a 29,000-member community and Facebook group.

The survey, which paints a sometimes dire picture of the role of the pastor, highlights the need for more support for those in church leadership.

“In the past year, pastors have faced new and deepening difficulties – from the spread of COVID-19 and having to move online to stop the virus’ spread to increased social and political unrest,” said Faithlife Co-founder and CEO Bob Pritchett. “We knew it took a toll on pastors, but we weren’t sure how it would look. This survey gives us a greater understanding of both the needs of pastors and ways we can help them as they shepherd us.”

With the majority of churches having less than 100 congregants, many pastors find themselves wearing numerous hats ranging anywhere from the role of the pastor and preacher to the administrator and tech team.

Approximately 35% of pastors reported feeling burned out, with 40% of pastors aged 25 to 40 saying they agree or strongly agree to feeling constantly burned out. This is nearly double the rate at which pastors aged 60-plus reported feeling burned out (21%).

While most pastors (55%) are fulfilled by the responsibility of giving spiritual and emotional support to their flock, many survey respondents noted how pastoral care is a mix of highs and lows, with 45% finding it draining.

The survey also highlighted the gaps for pastors in relation to support with 19% noting that their greatest unmet need is dividing responsibilities with elders or staff. Another 17% said friendship is their greatest need.

The good news is that well over half of pastors (62%) affirm that they have a network of pastors they can ask for advice or support, and 82% agree that they have friends they can confide in when times are tough.

Overall, the survey found that an overwhelming majority of pastors feel optimistic about their next year in ministry. However, 29% expressed concerns. Of those, 14% are considering leaving their church, 7% are contemplating leaving ministry altogether and 8% reported general pessimism about the upcoming year.

“While some of the numbers in the report seem dire, God is still working in the Church and the hearts of his people,” said Pritchett. “There are initiatives, such as the Thrive and Cultivate Summit by Church Communications, that are shedding light on how pastors can care for hurting people in their congregations while also paying attention to their own needs.”

The 2021 Pastoral Mental Health Report is available to download for free at https://grow.faithlife.com/pastoral-mental-health-report.

Methodology: Faithlife and Church Communications surveyed 345 pastors in 27 countries (74% US, 9% Canada, 5% Australia and New Zealand, and 12% international) for the report. The pastors represented a wide range of church sizes, denominations and roles within the church.

About Faithlife
Faithlife, based in Bellingham, Washington, with offices in Arizona and Mexico, has been using technology to equip the Church to grow in the light of the Bible for 30 years. Since 1992, Faithlife has developed a full suite of church management tools, academic study resources, smart digital books, and Logos Bible Software, all part of its integrated ministry platform that automates tasks and simplifies workflows. For more information, visit Faithlife.com.

Media Contact:  Kristin Cole, 615-289-6701, kristin@alarryross.com

Lake Mary, FL (July 1, 2021) – Embolden Media Group is excited to announce that they have added a new member to their team. Author, speaker, and researcher Quantrilla Ard, PhD, has been featured on Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies, Proverbs 31 OBS Today, The Martha and Mary Show, and At Home with Jackie. Her devotions have been published in Prayer: Approaching the Throne of Grace, and her personal and spiritual insights appear regularly with First5, Patheos, iBelieve.com, Gracefully Truthful, Faith at Home for Forma, and Devotable. Her most recent work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul’s I’m Speaking Now: Black Women Share Their Truth in 101 Stories of Love, Courage and Hope.

“I cannot express enough the joy I have in welcoming Quanny to the team,” says Jevon Bolden, CEO, founder, and principal of Embolden Media Group. “We’ve known each other for several years now. In that time and as her literary agent, I’ve come trust and value her wealth of insight, rich connections, and critical strengths, and see them as necessary elements that will take Embolden Media Group to the next level.”

An author champion and avid cheerleader, Quantrilla has collaborated with authors such as Cara Meredith (The Color of Life, Zondervan, 2019), Traci Rhoades (Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost, Church Pub, 2020), and Chrystal Evans Hurst (Show Up for Your Life, Zondervan, 2019). She will be acquiring new authors who are writing in the following categories: [Nonfiction] Christian living, inspirational, personal and spiritual growth, women’s issues, grief and loss, mental health, faith and wellness, social sciences, Black maternal and infant health and mortality, memoir, devotional, community, and leadership.

“I can’t thank Jevon enough for this opportunity,” Quantrilla says, “I am more than honored to walk this journey with her, and I look forward to seeing how God will move and grow our efforts.”

Helping others is Quantrilla’s passion. She has acted as an advocate for several populations through her experience as a consultant, research assistant, and senior clinical analyst. Currently, she uses her social media platforms to engage, educate, and empower others. A guest on several podcasts and often writing on the topic of Black maternal health and infant mortality, Quantrilla has a PhD in Health Psychology and is a recent transplant to Atlanta, GA, where she lives with her husband, Donny, and three children. Quantrilla can be reached at her new email address: quantrilla.ard@emboldenmediagroup.com.

At Embolden Media Group, Quantrilla joins Elodie Leroy, literary agent assistant; Luverta Reames, editor and community manager; and Autumn Bolden, assistant to the CEO.

After more than fourteen years in book publishing, Jevon Bolden launched Embolden Media Group in 2017. A boutique book publishing consulting firm and literary agency, Embolden Media Group serves and represents a wonderfully rich and diverse group of writers, speakers, activists, faith leaders, and cultural influencers. They represent authors in the categories of Christian living/spiritual growth, memoir, inspirational and contemporary fiction, issues of race and ethnicity, women’s issues, health and wellness, and children’s picture, middle grade, and young adult books. Embolden Media Group represents authors such as Faitth Brooks, John Eckhardt, Sophia Ruffin, Rachael Gilbert, Kia Stephens, Tasha Jun, Mekdes Haddis, Joshua Giles, Sharon Norris Elliott, Josh Buck, and more. To learn more, visit emboldenmediagroup.com.

CONTACT:  Jevon Bolden, Embolden Media Group CEO, founder, and principal, jevon.bolden@emboldenmediagroup.com

Ada, Mich. — Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, has acquired a leadership book from David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby. Green’s book will take an inside look at the values and principles used to build Hobby Lobby.

Everything about Green’s life has been nontraditional. In high school, Green opted to leave the classroom and earn his credits working retail in the 1950s. He never attended college. He never read a business book. Yet Green has become one of the most influential Christian leaders today.

“David Green is an unconventional visionary and a true original,” says Brian Vos, Executive Editor at Baker Books. “As the legendary founder of Hobby Lobby and a philanthropist, David’s faith has led him to break the mold of modern business assumptions time and again. His new book will provide a fascinating inside look—mistakes and all—at the counterintuitive yet highly effective principles he’s used to drive incredible results in business and life.”

In his upcoming leadership book, Green shows readers the life-changing benefits of submitting yourself and your work to God. Green puts forth the seldom-discussed notion that a truly successful company requires faith put into action.

Bill High will co-author the book with Green. Green is represented by Tom Dean, founder of A Drop of Ink.

Baker Books has a vision for building up the body of Christ through books that are relevant, intelligent, and engaging. Learn more at www.BakerBooks.com.

Contact: Holly Maxwell, hmaxwell@bakerpublishinggroup.com

(Nashville, TN) July 23, 2021—Thomas Nelson today announced Jennifer Smith as the v-p of marketing for Nelson Books, a nonfiction imprint of the publishing group.

Smith has nearly 20 years of trade publishing experience in both Nashville and New York City and has launched hundreds of books to the New York Times bestsellers list. She spent nearly 13 years at Simon and Schuster, serving as a v-p and director of publicity and marketing before launching her own literary consulting business in 2017, where she worked with publishers, authors, and agents across the United States and Australia. She has worked with bestselling authors including Dave Ramsey, Phil Robertson, Sadie Robertson, Karen Kingsbury, Stephen King, former President Jimmy Carter, Joan Rivers, and former first lady Laura Bush.

She received a military medal of excellence in 2013 for work she did to bring authors to United States military bases and helped develop the undergraduate publishing degree program at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, where she served as an adjunct professor for the program.

As v-p of marketing for Nelson Books, Smith will lead the marketing and brand strategies for the imprint, as well as take an active role in acquisitions and author development.

“We’re so pleased to have Jennifer join the Nelson Books team,” said Timothy Paulson, v-p and publisher for Nelson Books. “She brings deep industry experience and proven success with a wide range of books and authors. I look forward to how her leadership will expand our reach into new markets and up-level our work with authors and agents.”

For more information about Nelson Books visit www.thomasnelson.com/nelsonbooks/, or follow @nelsonbooks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product 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.

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

Carol Stream, IL – July 23, 2021 – What does it mean to live out our faith in a digital world? How are Christian leaders and creatives using social media to share the Good News? These are the themes explored in Viral Jesus, a new podcast from Christianity Today about communication and the power of social connections.

In each episode, communications scholar Heather Thompson Day takes her listeners on a deep dive with ministry leaders, content creators, and social media influencers to find out how they’re making their faith go viral.

“There are so many opinions and ideas swirling around social media that it’s easy to think we’ll never have anything worthwhile to say,” says Thompson Day. “But what if we could learn from Christian influencers who are really good at knowing how to connect online? That’s what Viral Jesus is all about.”

For Viral Jesus’s inaugural episodes, Thompson Day has assembled a dynamic array of guests including theologian and Reading While Black author Esau McCaulley; English professor and culture critic Karen Swallow Prior; and comedienne, blogger, and prolific YouTuber Kristina Kuzmič. Topics covered range from building community naturally to using TikTok as a tool for discipleship. The first episode, featuring McCaulley, is called “Tweeting While Black.”

Beyond the Twitter tips and Instagram insights found in the conversations on Viral Jesus, Thompson Day also draws from her expertise as a professor of communication at Colorado Christian University (and soon Andrews University) to show real-life examples of communication theory in practice.

Adds Thompson Day: “The goal of Viral Jesus is for all Christians to hear from people they respect on how you build online community, but more specifically I hope this podcast will also be a resource to church and ministry leaders as they navigate social media engagement.”

Christianity Today’s vice president of strategic partnerships, Ed Gilbreath, says Viral Jesus is the first of several new podcasts in development from CT’s Big Tent Initiative, “which is a focused effort to help CT reach and represent more of the racial, ethnic, and generational diversity of God’s church.”

Viral Jesus’s trailer and first episode with Esau McCaulley are available now, with new episodes releasing every Wednesday. Find it at ChristianityToday.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever listeners get their podcasts.

Listeners also can join the Viral Jesus conversation on social media by following Heather Thompson Day @HeatherTDay and @CTmagazine on Twitter.

Find Viral Jesus and other original podcasts from CT at https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/.

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

NASHVILLE, TN—July 26, 2021—Over 80 million people watched Mary Katherine Backstrom (MK) explain how she accidentally hugged a stranger to thank him for washing the windows on her car, after all it was Christmas and she thought he was in the spirit of Christmas…he wasn’t…he was actually cleaning his own car!

One thing is for sure, we all have HOT MESS moments, but MK shares hers and in that she has created an amazing community! In HOLY HOT MESS (Worthy Books, August 3, 2021, ISBN: 9781546015499), MK opens up her world, sometimes it’s heart-breaking and other times hilarious but it’s always real and relatable. She shows readers that it’s okay to celebrate exactly where they are right now and how God uses each “mess” in our lives to bring us closer to Him…holy, hot mess and all.

A lot of people struggle with the concept of being holy. But the fact is, even the hottest of messes are being shaped—right now—into Jesus’ likeness. In this book, Mary Katherine shares the sometimes hidden evidence of God’s work in her life and shows you that it’s okay to embrace the hot messes.

Holy Hot Mess is separated into three parts:

• You Are Messy (Identity and Parenting)
• They Are All a Mess (Love and Friendship)
• Being a Hot, Holy Mess (Faith)

The book will cover all of the topics that plague our hearts every day with raw honest truth with a side of laughter. MK invites you into her story as a friend, encouraging you to embrace the hot messes in your life because you are the person God created you to be.

Mary Katherine Backstrom is an award-winning author and influencer, best known for her viral videos and candid writing on family, faith, and mental illness. She has been featured on Today Show, CNN, and New York Times—but her friends and family are most impressed with her one-time appearance on Ellen. MK resides in Alabama with her husband, children, two dogs, and a cat. When she isn’t writing, MK is active in her church, her community, and her favorite Mexican restaurant.

Libreria Editrice Vaticana utilizes print-on-demand and distribution services through Ingram’s Lightning Source. For further global reach, the publisher also utilizes Ingram’s Global Connect program, allowing them to manage global distribution from one platform with improved availability of their titles in international markets.

“Ingram means presenting ourselves and our books to Catholic people who are outside of Italy. We can now be much more available and present outside of the Italian language market than when we were only going through traditional channels of distribution. So, for us you are an important distributor, more than just a printer,” said Andrea Tornielli, Editorial Director of the Dicastery for Communication.

About Libreria Editrice Vaticana | www.libreriaeditricevaticana.va/en

About Ingram Content Group | www.ingramcontent.com
The world is reading, and Ingram Content Group (“Ingram”) connects people with content in all forms. Providing comprehensive services for publishers, retailers, libraries and educators, Ingram makes these services seamless and accessible through technology, innovation and creativity. With an expansive global network of offices and facilities, Ingram’s services include digital and physical book distribution, print-on-demand, and digital learning. Ingram Content Group is a part of Ingram Industries Inc. and includes Ingram Book Group LLC, Ingram Publisher Services LLC, Lightning Source LLC, Ingram Library Services LLC,  Tennessee Book Company LLC, Ingram Content Group UK Ltd. and Ingram Content Group Australia Pty Ltd.

Media Contact: Ingram: Helen Stroheker, 615.321.3110, helen@tsgnashville.com 

Grand Rapids, Mich. (July 13, 2021) — Zondervan today announced Laura Bartlett as the new associate publisher for its Bibles team, which publishes multiple Bible translations: the New International Version (NIV), New International Reader’s Version (NIrV), New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), and the Amplified Bible (AMP).

Bartlett is an 18-year Christian publishing veteran, most recently serving as director for three Kregel imprints: Kregel Academic, Kregel Ministry, and Kregel Classics. In this role she successfully launched the 45-volume Kerux Commentary series, while acquiring new projects and leading a team of editors and marketers. Prior to this, she spent eight years serving in various roles on the Tyndale Bibles team. Bartlett holds a Master of Arts in theology from Wheaton College.

As associate publisher, Bartlett will manage multiple product lines within the Zondervan Bible publishing program; ideate, develop, and acquire new Bible products; and work alongside the editorial director to lead and grow the editorial team.

“Laura’s unique blend of Bible and academic publishing experience, broad industry relationships, and business management skills make her a natural pick for this role,” said Melinda Bouma, v-p and publisher, Zondervan Bibles. “Her proven ability as an agile publishing leader who is passionate about quality, biblical content excites me as she joins this industry-leading team!”

For more information about Zondervan Bibles, visit www.zondervan.com/bibles/ or follow @zondervanbibles on Facebook and Instagram.

Zondervan, a worldwide leading Christian publisher of books and Bibles, is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. Its publications include a variety of Bible translations for all ages; books in different genres and subject areas for the general reader; curriculum for individual and group Bible study; books for children and young adults; academic resources including textbooks and reference books; ministry resources; and books on faith and culture. Zondervan is based in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information, visit www.zondervan.com.

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

Lake Mary, FL—The Awaken the Dawn movement took the nation by storm in 2017 where nearly four million participated around the world through live streaming and almost 50,000 gathered in person at the National Mall to pray and worship together. David Bradshaw, the founder of this exceptional movement, has taken the movement to the next level by writing a book by the same name, Awaken The Dawn: An Adventure In Hosting Jesus’ Presence And Discovering Your Part In The Story (Charisma House, ISBN-13: 978-1-63641-006-7), to give insight on the founding of the movement, the wisdom he has gained from it, and to encourage others to go deeper in their relationship with Christ.

“Jesus’ way of changing the world is surprising and exhilarating and certainly the opposite of the systems of the world,” Bradshaw writes. “…Jesus is still writing the story of how He brought awakening and transformation in the earth. And I pray that as you read what God has done so far, you will be inspired to discover the part you were made to play.”

Bradshaw’s book acts as a way to inspire all generations to pray, not just as part of a checklist of chores, but for the great love of the God we are praying to. “Prayer is not about prayer,” Bradshaw writes. “We pray because we believe in the One we are speaking to and that He loves to answer us. We believe He moves at the sound of our voice. As soon as prayer becomes about prayer and we forget that we are talking to an actual person—the One with eyes like blazing fire—we’ve lost the plot.”

Awaken the Dawn chronicles more than the outward movement of people congregating together—it champions the inward work that Christ wants to do in the heart of every single person, and how He alone is worthy to be praised and given the glory. Revival is coming to America, and David Bradshaw’s new book is set to become a part of that revival.Awaken the Dawn is released by Charisma House, which publishes books that challenge, encourage, teach, and equip Christians.

For additional information, including a free sample chapter of Awaken the Dawn, visit https://charismahouse.com/awaken-the-dawn-by-david-bradshaw/

Stay in touch with David Bradshaw:
Website: awakenthedawn.org
Instagram: @awakenthedawnmvmt
Facebook: @awakenthedawnmvmt

DAVID BRADSHAW is the founder of the Awaken the Dawn (ATD), a national organization that is mobilizing a new Jesus movement in America with a call to worship, prayer, and evangelism in hundreds of tent gatherings, including on college campuses. In 2017 ATD gathered tens of thousands to the National Mall in Washington, DC, for 24/7 worship and prayer. Bradshaw is building a decentralized network of “praying communities” across the nation. In 2009 he pioneered an expression of day-and-night prayer and worship in Fredericksburg, Virginia, called the Prayer Furnace, and he serves as lead pastor of Awakening Community Church. He has traveled extensively both nationally and globally. He and his wife, Ashley, have five children.

Title: Awaken the Dawn: An Adventure in Hosting Jesus’ Presence and Discovering Your Part in the Story
Retail: $18.99 | Release Date: Now Available | ISBN-13: 978-1-63641-006-7 | E-book ISBN: 978-1-63641-007-4 | Audio Download: 978-1-63641-008-1 | Binding: Trade Paper | Size: 5.5” x 8.25” | Page Count: 208 | Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA | BISAC Category: RELIGION/Christian Ministry/ Discipleship

To interview David Bradshaw or for a review copy of Awaken the Dawn, please contact lklosterman@tkomarketing.net or chelsey@tkomarketing.net. 

Media Contacts:  TKO Publicity
Linda Klosterman, lklosterman@tkomarketing.net
Chelsey Dickson, chelsey@tkomarketing.net

 

Refugees on the Run: The Imagination Station Series #27

Carol Stream, Ill. (July 14, 2021)—Focus on the Family, in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, released Refugees on the Run, #27 in the Imagination Station series, on June 8, 2021.

With over 1 million copies sold, the Imagination Station series continues with cousins Beth and Patrick in Lithuania during World War II. There they meet Leza, a young Jewish girl. With the Nazis on their way to Lithuania, Leza and her family need to flee the country or risk becoming prisoners, but the travel papers they need are nearly impossible to get. Their one hope is Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who can issue the documents if he chooses to defy orders from Japan.

This installment remembers the courage of Chiune Sugihara, who, at great personal risk, helped thousands of Jews flee Europe during World War II by issuing necessary travel documents, allowing them to travel to safe destinations.

The Imagination Station series, a spin-off of the beloved Adventures in Odyssey audio dramas, teaches history and a biblical worldview through time-travel adventure stories. Every book includes a secret word puzzle; readers then head to TheImaginationStation.com to enter their answer and unlock a prize.

Refugees on the Run is coauthored by Chris Brack and Sheila Seifert. Brack is a published author of stories, crafts, and short nonfiction. Seifert is the director of parenting content for Focus on the Family magazine, a content strategist for its online parenting channel, and the book review editor for PluggedIn.com.

Refugees on the Run by Chris Brack and Sheila Seifert
ISBN: 978-1-58997-995-6| Hardcover: $9.99 | June 2021
FocusontheFamily.com | Tyndale.com

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

Focus on the Family, which reaches about 38 million people in 120 countries, is a global faith-based ministry that helps families thrive. Tyndale House Publishers is pleased to partner with Focus on the Family to help provide trusted resources for strengthening believers in their faith and sharing the gospel; building resilient marriages that reflect God’s design; equipping parents to raise their children with a thriving faith; advocating for the preborn, orphaned and life at every stage; and engaging the culture through a biblical worldview. Visit Focus at FocusontheFamily.com or on Facebook and Twitter.