Celebrate the True Meaning of Christmas
Jesus Came for Me introduces toddlers and preschoolers to the story of Jesus’s birth

Bright lights, cookies, presents, and Santa Claus. That’s usually what young children think of when it comes to Christmas. However, it’s important for them to learn what we really celebrate December 25. This year families with toddlers and preschoolers can introduce their children to the real reason for the season with Jesus Came for Me: The True Story of Christmas (New Growth Press/October 19, 2020) written by Jared Kennedy and illustrated by Trish Mahoney.

Every Christmas, we celebrate the coming of the Messiah, but what does that mean for the youngest members of the family? Jesus Came for Me helps little ones learn about the birth of Christ in a personal, memorable way. Created for children ages two to five, this beautifully illustrated board book begins with the announcement of John the Baptist’s birth to Zechariah and ends with the visit of the wise men. They will learn that Jesus is always present, and he helps us believe and wait for him.

“We celebrate that Jesus came for us on Christmas. Jesus, our great God, was born as a little baby. We should share this good news and great joy with all people—including your child,” says Kennedy. “One of the best ways to teach young preschoolers about Christmas is to start early. Start telling the story of Christmas at the beginning of Advent season. As your kids get older, have them act out the events of Luke 2. Maybe the most important thing you can do is to show your kids the impact of Christmas by giving them your time, presence, love, and joy.”

Part of the Beginner’s Gospel Story series (which includes The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible and Jesus Rose for Me: The True Story of Easter), this conversational book simply tells the story of how Jesus came to Earth. It includes simple reflection questions to encourage family or Bible class conversations. Because of the compelling content and modern, vivid illustrations, children will live in the joy of the greatest truth of all: Jesus is with us!

“When your young children or grandchildren snuggle close this Christmas, you’ll want to have this beautifully illustrated board book close at hand,” recommends pastor and author Champ Thornton. “Jesus Came for Me will remind them of the greatest Christmas gift ever. With the freshness and clarity that we’ve come to expect from this acclaimed children’s author, Jared Kennedy brings the story of Jesus’s birth close to heart and home.”

Centering the holiday season on Jesus doesn’t mean removing all popular activities from the schedule. Kennedy encourages, “Watch that Christmas special again. Set aside times to look a Christmas lights with your family. Bake some Christmas cookies! Do all of these activities as a family and with your church community. And let your kids hear you sing those Christmas carols with joy in your heart because your Savior has come!”

Jesus Came for Me
by Jared Kennedy, Illustrated by Trish Mahoney
October 19, 2020 / Board book / Retail Price: $11.99
Print ISBN 978-1-645070-49-8
Religion / Christian Ministry/ Children

Jared Kennedy, MDiv, ThM, is the co-founder and managing editor of Gospel-Centered Family, a ministry that helps churches and families share Jesus with the next generation. He also serves as the Children’s and Family Ministry Strategist for the Sojourn Network, and is an adjunct professor at Boyce College.  He is the author of The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible, Are You Close to God?, Jesus Rose for Me, Jesus Came for Me, and God Made Me for Worship. He has also helped to develop two VBS programs, Proof Pirates and Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet.  Kennedy blogs regularly at Gospel Centered Family and contributes to The Gospel Coalition, ERLC and He Reads Truth.  He and his wife, Megan, have three daughters.  Read more from Jared Kennedy at gospelcenteredfamily.com. He can also be found on Twitter (@jaredskennedy).

Trish Mahoney is a graphic designer and illustrator in Seattle where she runs The Mahoney Studio with her husband, Patrick, also a designer and illustrator. They have two children—both budding artists too. Trish illustrated The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible and is also the illustrator for the God Made Me series.

For review copy and interview information, contact:
Audra Jennings – audra@newgrowthpress.com – 903-874-8363

[NASHVILLE, TENN., October 19, 2020—] Dr. Sean McDowell is a leading Christian voice on hot-button and controversial topics, including evolution, atheism, evil and suffering, pornography, sexuality. A popular apologist, speaker, podcaster and bestselling author, McDowell brings a Christian worldview to difficult cultural situations.

In his latest book, “Chasing Love: Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture” (B&H Publishing, December 2020), McDowell takes on the world’s view of sex, love and relationships. He shares that culture’s view of love is built on a pursuit of self and one’s desires. The Christian worldview, in contrast, comes from Jesus’ invitation to reorient the focus of our lives, so that instead of chasing love for selfish gain, we are first and foremost to give love—to God and to others.

McDowell says, “The point of this book is to motivate readers to chase a bigger question, namely, ‘How do I seek God and His kingdom in my relationships with other people?’ In other words, what does it mean to truly love God and love other people?”

In “Chasing Love,” McDowell tackles some of the toughest questions with which Christians struggle in today’s sex-saturated culture, including:

• How does Jesus speak to singleness?
• What does the gospel say about LGBTQ issues?
• Can sexual sin truly be forgiven?
• Is pornography a big deal?
• How can we address sex abuse?

“Whether readers get married someday or remain single, Jesus invites them to the great task of loving God and loving other people just as he loved them first,” McDowell says. “This book focuses on doing this by loving God and others with our sexuality and in our relationships in the unique cultural moment that we find ourselves.”

“I hope readers will be encouraged to focus on trusting God and his grace amidst their daily struggles. As they understand that forgiveness and growth are part of the process, then they can follow God’s design for sex, love and relationships.”

“Chasing Love” stems from the True Love Waits movement, which began in 1993 as a Bible study resource and social campaign among teens. True Love Waits is a call for teenagers to declare sexual purity for themselves and openly among their peers. “Chasing Love” comes alongside this movement to provide Biblical context for current issues of sexual purity surfacing among today’s teens. In his book and in the “Chasing Love” Bible study, McDowell provides practical counsel on how we can embrace a life of purity by loving God and loving others with both our body and our soul.

McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Traveling throughout the United States and abroad, McDowell is a popular speaker for camps, churches, schools, universities, and conferences. He has spoken for numerous organizations, including Focus on the Family, Cru, Youth Specialties and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

McDowell is the author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books. LifeWay Christian Resources will simultaneously release a companion study book to “Chasing Love”: “Chasing Love Teen Bible Study Book.” In this nine-session Bible study, McDowell focuses on what it means to love God and others with our sexuality.

Find out more online at chasinglovebook.com. 

Dr. Sean McDowell is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He connects with audiences in a tangible way through humor and stories while imparting hard evidence and logical support for viewing all areas of life through a Biblical worldview. McDowell is an Associate Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.

Traveling throughout the United States and abroad, McDowell speaks at camps, churches, schools, universities and conferences. He has spoken for organizations including Focus on the Family, the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Cru, Youth Specialties, Hume Lake Christian Camps, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Association of Christian Schools International. He is the co-host for the Think Biblically podcast, which is one of the most popular podcasts on faith and cultural engagement.

McDowell is the author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books, including “The Fate of the Apostles,” “So The Next Generation Will Know” (with J. Warner Wallace), “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” (with Josh McDowell), “Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful Approach to God’s Design for Marriage” (with John Stonestreet), “Is God Just a Human Invention?” (with Jonathan Morrow) and “Understanding Intelligent Design” (with William A. Dembski). McDowell is the General Editor for “A New Kind of Apologist,” “Apologetics for a New Generation,” “Sharing the Good News with Mormons” and “The Apologetics Study Bible for Students.” He has one of the leading apologetics blogs, which can be read at seanmcdowell.org.

McDowell lives with his wife, Stephanie, and three children in San Juan Capistrano, California.

B&H Publishing Group, an imprint of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a team of mission minded people with a passion for taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters® we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church and academic markets, titles include “The New York Times” No. 1 bestsellers “The Love Dare” and “The Vow,” No. 1 CBA bestseller “I Am a Church Member,” as well as the newly-revised Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version.

October 16, 2020 — WHEATON, Ill.—Crossway is pleased to announce innovative updates to the Bible browsing experience on crossway.org. With more people shopping for Bibles online, being able to compare Bibles and easily see each one’s distinctive design and content is increasingly important. By updating and improving search and filter capabilities, Crossway seeks to provide customers the opportunity to make the most informed and knowledgeable Bible purchasing decisions.

Featuring a brand-new landing page on crossway.org/bibles, Bibles will now be grouped by category—study, journaling, children and youth, text only, devotional, and premium—making it easier for customers to compare Bibles in a nuanced and specific way. A variety of consumer-friendly filter options are also available to ensure customers find the Bible that’s right for them. Filters range from availability, retail price, and size to format, features, cover material, color, and layout.

High-quality studio photography and videography will be available for every product, helping customers visualize each Bible’s unique features, as if they were shopping in-store. The new browsing interface also allows users to compare multiple Bible interiors side-by-side, helping them to see different  layout, text size, and study content options.

“Crossway’s design, digital, and marketing teams have worked hard to create an outstanding browsing experience that will help customers navigate the growing selection of ESV Bible editions,” notes Don Jones, Crossway’s chief publishing officer and Bible publisher. “Our hope and desire is that this new online browsing experience, with its intuitive design and extensive range of filter options, will bless the church by helping them find the Bible that is truly best for them.”

The English Standard Version (ESV) is published in a wide variety of print editions optimized for different purposes, including journaling, in-depth study, preaching, and outreach. By equipping customers with unique and powerful browsing tools in order to make informed purchasing decisions, Crossway ultimately wants to help people more deeply understand the gospel and the truth of God’s Word.

Founded in 1938, Crossway is a not-for-profit global Christian publishing ministry that publishes gospel-centered, Bible-based content to honor our Savior and serve his church. Crossway seeks to help people understand the all-encompassing implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s word—for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God alone. Crossway is the global publisher of the ESV® (English Standard Version®) Bible, more than 1,000 Christian books, and an extensive list of gospel literature. For additional information, visit crossway.org.

Contact: Lauren Susanto, lsusanto@crossway.org, 1 (630) 682-4300, ext. 6031

(Colorado Springs, CO)—Magazine Training International (MTI) will head to Ghana in September 2021 to host a series of professional training events for Christians in magazine publishing. If it is possible to gain reliable Internet access for streaming, MTI plans to offer a virtual training event simultaneously. Although MTI has offered online training since 2014, this will be the first attempt to combine virtual training with an on-site experience.

The five-day Introduction to Magazine Publishing Course will be followed by a one-day limited-enrollment Hands-on Magazine Startup Workshop designed to give practical help to participants as they make plans to start a new magazine or restart an existing one. Participants in the course will receive the 240-page “Introduction to Magazine Publishing” coursebook.

The conference will conclude with a four-day Digital Publishing Workshop, where participants will learn strategies for publishing online and gain the tools they need to be successful.

Mercy Kamubra, a participant in the 2019 Introduction to Magazine Publishing course in Côte d’Ivoire, praised the course. “The training did not just encourage me to start a magazine—it showed me how. The exercises were very practical, and I am informed and motivated to do much better in my current publication and in the one I intend to start.”

Training events will be presented in English, but because Ghana is surrounded by Francophone countries, simultaneous interpretation in French will be available. The course book is also available in French.

An international team of 10 trainers will present at the three events.

MTI provides professional development opportunities to Christians in publishing in less-resourced areas of the world. The conference in Ghana is the third training event in MTI’s 10-year training program for Africa. Prior conferences were in Kenya in 2018 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2019.

About Magazine Training International:  The mission of Magazine Training International is to encourage, strengthen, and provide resources to Christian magazines as they seek to build the church and reach their societies for Christ. Over the last 31 years, MTI offered 70 conferences, courses, and seminars in East/Central Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. In addition to courses and conferences, MTI provides online courses and workshops, free e-books, training videos, course manuals in a dozen languages, and other print digital, audio, and audio-visual materials in a resource-packed library on MTI’s website.  More information is available on our website and Facebook.

Media Contact: Sharon Mumper, President, (719) 598-9743  semumper@magazinetraining.com

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By Jennifer Howard
October 2020

 

For the safety of the community, Tyndale’s 2020 Annual Warehouse Sale will be hosted online at tyndalewarehousesale.com from November 9^th through the 20^th, rather than in-person at the corporate office

Carol Stream, Ill. (October 15, 2020)—In light of Covid-19 safety concerns, Tyndale House Publishers will host its Annual Warehouse Sale completely online this year, from Monday, November 9, to Sunday, November 20, at tyndalewarehousesale.com.

The Annual Warehouse Sale will offer favorite fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and Bibles all on sale (up to 75% off) while supplies last. Customers will be able to purchase Warehouse Sale product and non-Warehouse Sale product in the same shopping cart as well as register for exclusive giveaways through an online raffle.

Though Tyndale looks forward to the possibility of hosting the Annual Warehouse Sale in-person next fall, the sales team is excited to provide a convenient experience for online customers this year. “With everyone’s safety top of mind, we hope our local and online shoppers alike will enjoy the virtual sale, finding resources to bless their congregations and communities,” said Debbie Johnson, vice president of corporate marketing. Aside from being a convenient way to purchase Christmas gifts for friends and family members, the Warehouse Sale has served as a good opportunity for customers to purchase books and Bibles in bulk for their churches and ministries.

For the latest updates on Tyndale’s Warehouse Sale and other news, follow Tyndale on Facebook @TyndaleHouse or visit tyndalewarehousesale.com.

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imaginations of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $100 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.

Nashville, Tenn. (October 15, 2020) — Thomas Nelson today announced Allison Carter’s promotion to publicity director for the W Publishing division, a nonfiction imprint of Thomas Nelson.

Carter has over 18 years of publicity and journalism experience, the past four of which she has spent at HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) managing the publicity for Thomas Nelson and Zondervan fiction titles and most recently W Publishing. She has planned and executed national publicity campaigns for bestsellers including The Hideaway by Lauren Denton, Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan, Send Down the Rain by Charles Martin, Shelter in God by David Jeremiah, and I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp. Prior to HCCP, she spent six years at Southern Living magazine, as well as various agencies and government departments, affording her a breadth of publicity knowledge.

In her new role as publicity director for W Publishing, Carter will oversee the team’s publicity strategy, determining the best approach for gaining the most effective, wide-spread media coverage through strategic campaigns, brand awareness, and author and media relationship building.

“Allison has been a major asset to W Publishing since joining our team last year,” said Caren Wolfe, vice president of marketing for W Publishing. “Her integrity and passion for helping our authors gain the most effective media coverage with the broadest reach possible is second to none. Allison’s strategic and creative thinking has leveled up our publicity offerings, and we are thrilled that she will be leading our overall publicity strategy, as well as working to build strong author relationships.”

About Thomas Nelson:  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, 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, Assistant Manager, Corporate Communications, 615.902.2137,  Chelsea.taff@harpercollins.com

New book helps kids and preteens understand how God can conquer the giants in their lives

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 14, 2020) – Louie Giglio, the original visionary of the Passion movement that has reached millions young people globally, now brings his message of courage and faith to kids in “Goliath Must Fall for Young Readers: Winning the Battle Against Your Giants.”

Today young people face more pressure and stress than ever before. Issues such as fear, anger, rejection, and anxiety can seem like giants standing in the way of the joy-filled childhood and adolescence parents desire their children to experience. In “Goliath Must Fall for Young Readers,” pastor Giglio shows kids that only God can help them defeat these giants.

“I have learned in my own life that the seeds of most of the giants I’ve faced in adulthood were planted when I was still a boy,” said Giglio. “I’m especially excited that boys and girls, young men and women, are going to be able to step into the power of ‘Goliath Must Fall’s’ truth and see Jesus give them victory over the seeds of fear and doubt and anger and rejection that the enemy wants to plant in their lives.”

Adapted for middle-grade readers from Giglio’s national bestseller “Goliath Must Fall”, this new edition addresses the common struggles kids today have with temptation, social media comparisons, friendships and anxiety. Young readers also will be engaged with call-outs and prompts to help them learn practical strategies to surrender their fears, overcome bad habits, and let go of superficial comforts that are falsely shaped by worldly pressures.

As a pastor, and as one who has ministered to young people around the world, Giglio understands the heartbeat of the next generation. Drawing on decades of experience helping them realize God’s calling on their lives, Giglio speaks with the grace and wisdom kids need to hear as they grow up.

Young readers will learn that they don’t have to settle for feeling stuck in their emotions or thoughts because the God who saved David from the giant Goliath is the same God who can save them today.

“Goliath Must Fall for Young Readers: Winning the Battle Against Your Giants” (ISBN # 9781400223633) will be available Oct. 27, 2020 in hardcover ($17.99) wherever books are sold.

About the Author:  

Louie Giglio is Pastor of Passion City Church and the Original Visionary of the Passion movement, which exists to call a generation to leverage their lives for the fame of Jesus.

Since 1997, Passion has gathered collegiate-aged young people in events across the US and around the world, and continues to see 18-25 year olds fill venues across the nation in pursuit of lives lived for God’s glory. Most recently, Passion hosted 65,000 college students and their leaders at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia for Passion 2020.

In addition to the collegiate gatherings of Passion Conferences, Louie and his wife Shelley lead the teams at Passion City Church, sixstepsrecords, Passion Publishing and the Passion Global Institute.

Louie is the national-bestselling author of “Not Forsaken,” “Goliath Must Fall,” “How Great Is Our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science,” “Indescribable: 100 Devotions About God & Science,” “The Comeback, The Air I Breathe,” and “I Am Not But I Know I Am.”

Louie and Shelley make their home in Atlanta, Georgia.

About Tommy Nelson:  Tommy Nelson® is the children’s division of Thomas Nelson. As a leading provider of Christian content, Tommy Nelson publishes a wide variety of high-quality, enjoyable products that are consistent with the teachings found in the Bible. Tommy Nelson’s award-winning products are designed to expand children’s imaginations and nurture their faith while inspiring them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. For more information, visit www.tommynelson.com.

Media contact: Natividad Lewis, Publicist, 931.698.9620, natividad.lewis@harpercollins.com

Press kit materials available here: https://we.tl/t-glQ3wdCQ8m
Included are:
-News Release
-Author Headshot
-Book Cover Graphic

*Book excerpt available upon request. Also available via NetGalley.com.*

Grand, Rapids, Mich. (Oct., 2020)— Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, today announced the Super Giant Print Reference Bible in the New International Version (NIV) has sold more than 100,000 copies.

“Knowing that more than 100,000 readers have found a Bible that is clear and easy-to-read affirms our mission of making beautiful Bibles for every age and stage of life,” said Melinda Bouma, vice president and publisher of Bibles for Zondervan. “We are so proud to reach this milestone.”

Released in March 2018, the NIV Super Giant Print Reference Bible features a substantial 16.5-point print size – the largest print size available in a NIV Bible and Zondervan’s exclusive NIV Comfort Print® typeface. The NIV Super Giant Print Reference Bible offers easy reading in a Bible that reduces eye strain and is still a reasonable size to carry.

The NIV Super Giant Print Reference Bible uses the New International Version (NIV), which is the most widely read Bible translation in contemporary English and is trusted for its combination of accuracy, readability, and beauty. It also includes several tools for easy reference.

About Zondervan:  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 located in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information, visit www.zondervan.com.

About Comfort Print:  Zondervan Bibles teamed up with 2K/Denmark, the world’s foremost Bible typeface foundry, to create exclusive Comfort Print Bible fonts. Comfort Print Bibles are easy to read at any size because the typeface was designed to be both efficient and readable. Zondervan Bibles believes that the beauty of the message should be reflected in the physical form of the book. Choosing the right typeface is one significant element in creating beautiful Bibles.

Contact: Amy Bigler, Senior Manager of Publicity, 616-698-3514, amy.bigler@harpercollins.com

By Jeff Crosby, ECPA Board Chair and InterVarsity Press Publisher

October 19, 2020 — The writer of Ecclesiastes captured a truth that has been handed down for centuries through scripture, books and popular song: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (3:1, ESV).

I’m writing as ECPA’s board chair to announce that Stan Jantz, who has served our Association with excellence for more than five years as president, has informed the board of directors that June 30, 2021 will be his final day in that role and we have begun the planning process for choosing his successor.

What Stan has brought to ECPA throughout his tenure has given us an excellent window into the qualities and experience the search committee and the full board will look for in our next president:

• A person who is well connected in the publishing industry and adjacent networks
• A leader who is highly relational, cares for, leads, and equips ECPA’s staff while also serving the Association’s members
• A person who is sensitive to, and will provide leadership for, diversity issues within publishing
• Someone who marries organizational acumen with an entrepreneurial spirit and is able to adapt as marketplace challenges call for it
• A careful financial steward
• A person who is hard-working, servant-hearted, and grounded in the word of God.   

From Dan Kok, ECPA board vice chair and SVP of Crossway:

“It is evident to all of us who have served with Stan that his work with ECPA flows from his love for the Lord. Colossians 3:17 says, ‘And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.’  Stan embodies that truth as president of ECPA.  His relentless pursuit of excellence combined with a spirit of humbleness and thankfulness has been a tremendous encouragement to me.”

Stan has set the leadership bar for ECPA very high, but the board of directors on which I serve is confident that God is raising up a woman or man to lead us as we approach our forty-eighth year as an Association and into the future. On behalf of the board, I invite you to pray for Stan, the ECPA staff, and the board as we give careful attention to this succession planning process.

Sincerely,

 

 

WESTMONT, IL—InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce that Esau McCaulley, author of Reading While Black, was named the winner of the 2020 Emerging Public Intellectual Award. The award, hosted by Redeemer University and sponsored by Acton Institute, Cardus, the Center for Public Justice, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), and Henry Institute, is intended to recognize and foster emerging talent, those working in the Christian academy who excel in both academic and public spheres and whose work affects the common good.

“His work is profound and important, provocative, accessible, and of the moment,” said Dr. Stan Rosenberg, vice president for research and scholarship at the CCCU. “He not only challenges his readers to think critically and carefully, he asks the challenging questions in a manner that urges you to think and act together with him and the broader community. His work inspires us to seriously engage ‘Black ecclesial interpretation’ and in doing so reach toward a better Biblical hermeneutic sensitive to a greater depth and variety of cultural manifestations. We can then more honestly and adequately worship and read about the work of God that crosses cultures, deeply incarnates each in particular ways, and builds a bigger picture of God wherein each culture’s insights complement the others.”

Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope is a personal and scholarly testament to the power and hope of Black biblical interpretation. Growing up in the American South, McCaulley knew firsthand the ongoing struggle between despair and hope that marks the lives of some in the African American context. A key element in the fight for hope, he discovered, has long been the practice of Bible reading and interpretation that comes out of traditional Black churches. This ecclesial tradition is often disregarded or viewed with suspicion by much of the wider church and academy, but it has something vital to say.

At a time in which some within the African American community are questioning the place of the Christian faith in the struggle for justice, McCaulley, a New Testament scholar, argues that reading Scripture from the perspective of Black church tradition is invaluable for connecting with a rich faith history and addressing the urgent issues of our times. He advocates for a model of interpretation that involves an ongoing conversation between the collective Black experience and the Bible, in which the particular questions coming out of Black communities are given pride of place and the Bible is given space to respond by affirming, challenging, and at times reshaping Black concerns. McCaulley demonstrates this model with studies on how Scripture speaks to topics often overlooked by white interpreters, such as ethnicity, political protest, policing, and slavery.

“When I first met Esau three years ago, I sensed that his voice was an important one,” said Anna Moseley Gissing, associate editor for IVP Academic. “His passion for the Bible and for racial justice were clear from the start, and his vision for highlighting Black ecclesial interpretation was compelling. Since then, many have been attracted to Esau’s serious theological reflection and biblical interpretation combined with his charisma, courage, and authenticity. Reading While Black is resonating with a wide audience, and Esau is indeed emerging as a public theologian.”

Ultimately McCaulley calls the church to a dynamic theological engagement with Scripture, in which Christians of diverse backgrounds dialogue with their own social location as well as the cultures of others. Reading While Black moves the conversation forward.

“This type of interpretation has provided hope because when the enslaved Black and Brown people turned to these texts they discovered in them a God who is a friend and not an enemy,” says McCaulley. “The incarnation, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ stand at the center of all my hopes. Hope is not in this passage or that one. The whole of the Bible is bursting with possibility.”

McCaulley (PhD, St. Andrews) is assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, a priest in the Anglican Church in North America, and a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. He is also the host of The Disrupters podcast. His publications include Sharing in the Son’s Inheritance and numerous articles in outlets such as Christianity Today, The Witness, and the Washington Post. McCaulley is a military spouse and is married to his beautiful wife, Mandy, a pediatrician. Together, they have four wonderful children.

McCaulley aims to point out that everyone comes to Scripture with different life experiences and cultural perspectives. “Black biblical interpretation simply puts a name to a common reality that we are all shaped by our experiences and we bring those experiences to the process of interpretation,” he said. “This does not mean that the text changes in meaning depending on your ethnicity or race. That would be a strange idea! But it does mean that I might have some insights because I came to the text asking a particular set of questions that others might not ask because they didn’t have those experiences. That is also true going the other way. Other cultures might be able to point out my blind spots. The goal is that together we might discern what God would have us do.”

This fall, Redeemer will facilitate discussion groups among students, faculty, and staff about McCaulley’s book and promote book clubs to the larger church community. “We’re looking forward to engaging in conversations about race and diversity from a Reformed Christian perspective and we’re excited to be able to use this book as a starting point for discussion,” says Dr. David Zietsma, provost and vice president, academic. “It provides a much-needed Black perspective at this time in history.”

Though McCaulley says his entry into the public square through speaking and writing has been unexpected, he wants people to know that anyone wondering about the church’s message in this moment could benefit from his book. “Although it is focused on the particular questions being raised by the African American community, it is not a book closed off from the rest of the church and the world.”

“I hope that my writing and speaking models a combination of rigorous theological reflection, careful biblical interpretation, and a realistic analysis of the present moment,” McCaulley said. “I hope that people can see that the Scriptures, the church, and most importantly God himself has something to say about every arena of thought and action.”

Contact: Krista Clayton | 630.734.4013 | kclayton@ivpress.com

New Media Idea Book now available with a complete list of books and experts on politics, race, justice and other timely topics.