INDUSTRY LEADERS FORM “PUB-U BRAIN TRUST” TO RECRUIT EXPERTS AND DEVELOP TRAINING CURRICULUM IN FIVE TRACKS

One low price of $99 gives access to all programming and publishing communities

TEMPE, ARIZ., JUNE 22, 2020 – ECPA’s annual Fall training program – ECPA PubU – has been re-imagined as a virtual event called PubU Online, delivering potent, accessible training and connection for the industry this September.  The ECPA PubU Online program will present over 20 webinars – one per day – in four training tracks:  Editorial, Marketing, Data-Delivery-Workflow, and Diversity & Inclusion.

Each track will be developed by industry leaders who make up the “2020 PubU Online Brain Trust.”

Track sessions will occur on the same day of the week, Monday through Thursday, throughout the month.  However, the one low registration price of $99 will allow attendees access to all webinars plus several plenary and “master class” training sessions, online communities, and Zoom meet-ups.  The event will be open to ECPA members only.

“We’ve all been through an extreme year of crisis and change, yet the industry continues to make necessary pivots and weathers the effects,” states ECPA president Stan Jantz.  “PubU Online will address head-on, the crisis that each level of publishing has undergone this past year, while providing a point of connection and practical training for the industry.”

“In a lean year for all, our hope is that the greatly reduced rate of $99 will gift every ECPA member company with the ability to participate extensively in this program and we are grateful to our sponsors for making that possible.”

The PubU Online conference theme is PUBLISHING IN A TIME OF CRISIS. In addition to the track webinars, ECPA will present three plenary sessions by gifted industry speakers:

• The Role of Publishing in a Time of Crisis – Dr. Theon Hill – Opening session on August 31
• Listening to Data in a Time of Crisis – Kristen McLean, NPD – September 2
• Art that Heals in a Time of Crisis – Closing session on October 1

All webinars will occur at 10-11 am (central time), Monday through Thursday, as follows:

• Diversity & Inclusion track | Mondays | Sept. 1, 14, 21, 28
• Marketing track | Tuesdays | Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29
• Editorial track | Wednesdays | Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30
• Data Delivery Workflow track |Thursdays | Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24

Associate Publisher of Moody Publishers Randall Payleitner leads the Brain Trust of industry leaders who are charged with developing the content and recruiting the speakers for this program.

Serving on the 2020 PubU Online Brain Trust are:

Brain Trust Lead:
RANDALL PAYLEITNER, Associate Publisher, Moody Publishers

Emerging Leader consultant:
DAVE SCHROEDER, Director of Publishing & Consumer Products, WTA Media

Data, Delivery & Workflow track co-leads:
REBECCA BURGOYNE, Exec. Director of Operations, United Methodist Publishing House
KATHY KRENZIEN, Director of Operations, Gateway Publishing

Diversity & Inclusion track lead:
DR. THEON HILL, Asst. Professor of Communication, Wheaton College

Editorial track lead:
AMANDA CLEARY EASTEP, Senior Developmental Editor, Moody Publishers

Marketing track co-leads:
MICHELE MISIAK, Marketing Director, Baker Publishing Group
JENAYE WHITE, Marketing and Publicity Specialist, B&H Publishing Group 

“PubU remains an event that is put on BY the industry, FOR the industry and I look forward to working with these amazing professionals to deliver a program with actionable training, specific to the challenges we all face – yet with the hope of the mission we’ve been called to,” states Payleitner.

The program debuts a timely new track of sessions this year on Diversity & Inclusion, led by race scholar Dr. Theon Hill, who has been a part of ECPA events and programs the last several years.  Dr. Hill will recruit speakers and topics that will give practical insights at each level of publishing for growing diversity and inclusion in the industry.

PubU Online also continues its commitment to those newer to the industry through the Emerging Leader scholarship program.  Dave Schroeder, who has served on the PubU Brain Trust the past several years, will help direct this effort.  The scholarship offers those newer to the industry, from under-represented voices, to attend at a 50% reduced rate of $49.  The nominating process is open through mid-August.

Information and registration will be posted at ECPAPubU.org in the coming weeks. To receive program updates when they’re made available, sign up at ECPAPubU.org.

ECPA companies who have sustained their commitment to the industry through generous sponsorship of this program include Firebrand Technologies, Ingram, LSC Communications, Nord Compo, The NPD Group, and Thomson Reuters Core Publishing Solutions.

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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. For more information about ECPA: info@ecpa.org ECPA.org @ECPA

Media contact:  Stan Jantz, ECPA president/CEO, sjantz@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998

Enriching the lives of more than 2 million readers around the world

Nashville, Ten. (June 2020)- Thomas Nelson Bibles, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, is pleased to announce the release of the fully redesigned and updated second edition of the NASB MacArthur Study Bible.

For more than 35 years, Dr. John MacArthur has collected his pastoral and scholarly work to create the most comprehensive NASB study Bible available. Like the NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, which released in September 2019, the NASB has been fully redesigned with updated study notes and expanded selection of maps and charts. No other study Bible does such a thorough job of explaining the historical context, unfolding the meaning of the text, and making it practical for your life.

“I live for one primary reason and that is to make the Bible understandable,” said Dr. MacArthur. “The intention of the MacArthur Study Bibles has always been singular—to explain the meaning of the text. The meaning is the revelation, you’ve got to get the meaning right.”

Over 2 million readers around the world have had their spiritual lives enriched and their understanding of God’s Word expanded by The MacArthur Study Bible. Drawing on more than fifty years of dedicated pastoral and scholarly work, Dr. John MacArthur’s verse-by-verse study notes, book introductions, and articles display an unparalleled commitment to his life’s work—making God known through the Scripture.

“Over the years, John MacArthur has been my “go to” teacher to understand the Bible,” said John Kramp, senior vice president and group publisher, for Thomas Nelson Bibles. “I envy all those who will read and use this Bible for the first time. Expect a feast. For the rest of us who have relied on the first edition for years, this is what we’ve been waiting for.”

Features include:

• Nearly 25,000 verse-by-verse study notes
• 190 in-text maps, charts, and diagrams that illustrate the meanings, themes, teachings, people, and places of Scripture
• Outline of Systematic Theology
• Thomas Nelson’s complete cross-reference system, with over 72,000 references
• Concordance
• Bible reading plans
• Chronology of Old Testament Patriarchs and Judges
• Chronology of Old Testament Kings and Prophets
• Chronology of the New Testament
• Overviews of Christ’s Life, Ministry, and Passion Week
• Harmony of the Gospels
• Introductions to each major section of Scripture
• Index to Key Bible Doctrines
• Clear and readable NASB Comfort Print^® 9.5-point typeface

The new second edition of the NASB MacArthur Study Bible offers a range of cover choices, including a Premier Collection edition bound with goatskin; premium European Bible paper; beautiful art-gilded edges; and three satin ribbon markers.

“The Premier Collection exemplifies the high and exacting standards of craftsmanship in Bible publishing,” said Philip Nation, vice president and publisher, Thomas Nelson Bibles. “It is fitting that we present The MacArthur Study Bible, 2^nd Edition (NKJV and NASB) in these volumes that will last a lifetime. Dr. MacArthur’s legacy is one of seeking a precise understanding of the Scriptures and is deserving of inclusion in these beautiful editions.”

The NASB MacArthur Study Bible, Second Edition is available now:

• NASB, MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, Hardcover, Gray 9780785230304
• NASB, MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, Leathersoft, Black 9780785230335
• NASB, MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, Leathersoft, Black, Indexed 9780785230342
• NASB, MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, Leathersoft, Brown 9780785230311
• NASB, MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, Leathersoft, Brown, Indexed 9780785230328
• NASB, MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, Premium Goatskin Leather, Brown, Premier Collection 9780785230892

To learn more about the latest edition and translations available in the MacArthur Study Bible, visit www.newMacArthurBible.com.

For reprint permission, review copies, or to request an interview with John Kramp, senior vice president and group publisher for Thomas Nelson Bibles, contact Amy Bigler at amy.bigler@harpercollins.com or 616.698.3514.

About the Author:
John MacArthur has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, since 1969. His ministry of expository preaching is unparalleled in its breadth and influence. In more than five decades of ministry from the same pulpit, he has preached verse by verse through the entire New Testament and several key sections of the Old Testament. He is president of the Master’s University and the Master’s Seminary and can be heard daily on the Grace to You radio broadcast (carried on hundreds of radio stations worldwide). He has authored numerous bestselling books, including Twelve Ordinary Men and One Perfect Life.

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, 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: Amy Bigler, Senior Public Relations Manager amy.bigler@harpercollins.com 616.698.3514 

CAROL STREAM, ILL. (June 11, 2020) – Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) has announced that it will publish The Post-Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges and Opportunities That Will Determine the Future of Your Congregation by Thom Rainer, founder and CEO of Church Answers and former president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources. For the last several decades, Rainer has been the go-to person for sound advice for pastors who are building and growing healthy churches. As a former pastor himself, Rainer is intimately familiar with the ever-present demands pastors face, and he has been a trustworthy voice, providing vision for the future.

The Post-Quarantine Church (Tyndale House Publishers, ISBN: 978-1-4964-5275-7, hardcover, $12.99), which is scheduled to release in early September, addresses the question that tens of thousands of pastors are asking: “What changes for my local church in the wake of the COVID-19 quarantine?” Fifty thousand pastors have already sought information from Thom Rainer on this topic through ChurchAnswers.com. By shining a light on six urgent challenges and opportunities, Dr. Rainer shows how, in the midst of heartbreak and tragedy, there’s hope. In The Post Quarantine Church, he has gathered  essential wisdom from thousands of surveys of church leaders and in-person consultations. This book is, in effect, a personal church consultant, helping pastors and church leaders plan and prepare for what they will face in the coming years. Rainer identifies several key opportunities for the local church, including:

• New and better ways to lead the gathered church
• A wide-open door to reach people digitally
• A moment to rethink the facilities
• New approaches to serving your community
• . . . And much more!

“Tyndale House is beyond excited to be partnering with Thom Rainer on The Post Quarantine Church. It will be of enormous help and inspiration to church leaders and their congregations around the world,” said Ron Beers, Senior Vice President and Group Publisher. “There is no one on the planet, in our view, who is more qualified and experienced to address the great challenges and opportunities the church is facing both now and in the future.”

Church Answers is a ministry committed to hosting a safe, healthy, and vibrant place online, where ministry leaders from churches of all sizes can find practical resources to grow and revitalize their congregations. Church Answers delivers the answers local church leaders need in a way that is convenient for them—from webinars to in-person intensive consultation, from personal coaching to survey tools. Thom and the Church Answers team work diligently for local pastors, empowering them and connecting them with like-ministry leaders who are growing and building healthy churches together.

Thom S. Rainer is founder and CEO of Church Answers. With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of the local church and her leaders. Prior to founding Church Answers, Thom served as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Before coming to LifeWay, he served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism. He is a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama and earned his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to speaking in hundreds of venues for nearly the past 40 years, Thom led Rainer Group, a church and denominational consulting firm, from 1990 to 2005. That firm provided church health insights to over 500 churches and other organizations over that period. Thom is the author of more than two dozen books and lives with his wife, Nellie Jo, in Nashville.

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 $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.

VISION CONFERENCE: THE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE
Empowering Forward-Thinking Leaders for Today and Tomorrow

NASHVILLE, TN—June 10, 2020—R.H. Boyd Publishing Corp. will host our newly launched Vision Conference™ in conjunction with the 114^th Annual Session of the National Baptist Congress June 17–19, 2020. The conference is a premier leadership event, providing a multitude of resources, including strategy sessions, author services, sermons, workshops, and continuing education credits for seminary and secular employment requirements. We are also pleased to announce our new partnership with Northern Seminary.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vision Conference™ will be a virtual experience. Our theme, “Seeing Clearly Through Christ,” is based on Habakkuk 2:2–3. This three-day online event will consist of a series of informative and enlightening events on a variety of digital platforms—videos, live prayer calls, webinars, online courses, and more.

“Even though the conference will not be in person this year, thankfully technology will allow us to congregate and continue a tradition instituted by my great-great grandfather during the early 20^th Century,” explained Ms. LaDonna Boyd, president/CEO of R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation. “Dr. R.H. Boyd used the innovative techniques of his day to bring information to people, and we are doing the same in the fifth generation of leadership.”

Registration for the Vision Conference is complimentary but required through our website, www.visionconference.org.  Once logged in, attendees have the option to choose the seminars or sessions they would like to attend. Each workshop has designated time slots. Most of the events will be live and will allow for interaction, and others will be pre-recorded. One of the sessions expected to generate a great deal of interest is Church Forsaken: Practicing Presence in Neglected Neighborhoods offered by Northern Seminary.

Guest presenters and facilitators include: LaDonna Boyd, Dr. Freddie Haynes, Pastor Ralph West, Dr. John Faison, Sr., Dr. Neichelle Guidry, Rev. Olivia Cloud, Dr. T. L. Brown, Dr. William Shiell, Dr. Gerald Dew, Dr. Marlon Coleman, Dr. Pamela Hardy, and more.

Donations are encouraged via Givelify (R.H. Boyd, Nashville, TN) to support the Boyd Family Endowment Scholarship program, which offers scholarships to HBCU students, as well as grants to community organizations. During the conference, the annual Youth Oratorical Competition will take place through online submissions. Winners will receive scholarships to pursue higher education. Eligibility requirements include being a current high school junior or senior, or college freshman with a 3.0 GPA. The topic of the three-minute presentation is the conference theme.

Please visit visionconference.org for a complete schedule and follow us on Instagram @visionconference_official for additional details.

Contact: Monique Gooch, (615) 350-8000 marketing@rhboyd.com

[NASHVILLE, TENN., June 15, 2020—] As the world moved into quarantine to curb the spread of COVID-19 earlier this year, more families planted gardens than ever before. Parents, many looking for worthwhile activities for their little ones home from school, found a unique educational experience as they planted seeds in soil and watched what happened.

In her debut children’s book, “Gracie’s Garden” (July 14, 2020, B&H Publishing), bestselling author and podcaster Lara Casey explores many important lessons that she and her family—like so many others in their own backyards this spring—have learned in the garden.

“Gracie’s Garden” is a fun and meaningful story that helps kids learn patience by sowing seeds in faith and expectantly waiting for God to do his work. The main character, Gracie, with the help of an adorable squirrel friend, Nutty, kindly imparts the wisdom she knows about gardening and how God often grows things little by little, to her younger siblings, Joshua and Sarah.

“I haven’t always been good at gardening—I’ve actually killed a lot of plants in my life. But, I love being out in the garden in the dirt because I’ve learned some of the best life lessons there,” Casey said. “This book shares the best lesson my family and I have learned in the garden: little by little, God turns small seeds into marvelous things for us to enjoy. The waiting is worth it—and you can have a whole lot of fun while you wait!”

“Gracie’s Garden” highlights many other rich lessons Casey and her family have learned from the garden, including how to celebrate that God grows good things. The book’s characters are based on her own children—Grace, Sarah, and Joshua.

Over the years, Casey has experienced growth in her gardening knowledge, too. She provides new gardeners free resources on how to start their own garden in her annual Gardening 101 Guide and on her podcast.

Casey is the creator of the PowerSheets™ Intentional Goal Planner and the Write the Word™  Bible journals. As CEO of Cultivate What Matters and an influential voice online, Casey’s business and personal platforms have almost 300 thousand followers on social media. She is the creator and host of “Cultivate Your Life,” a weekly podcast devoted to helping women get unstuck. She is the author of two bestselling books, “Make It Happen: Surrender Your Fear, Take the Leap, Live on Purpose” and her most recent book, “Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life.” Casey also leads the Making Things Happen Conference, which is in its eleventh year.

“I’m thrilled we could partner with Lara to bring her encouraging voice to young readers for the first time,” said Michelle Freeman, B&H Kids Publisher. “Her story’s timely message about patience is something children need to hear during this unprecedented year, and ‘Gracie’s Garden’ is a perfect reminder of growth, hope and daily miracles.”

For more information about “Gracie’s Garden,” visit bhpublishing.com.

Lara Casey is a mom to three, a grateful wife, and a believer in the impossible. As CEO of Cultivate What Matters™, Lara is the creator of the bestselling PowerSheets ™ Intentional Goal Planner, the Write the Word Bible journals, and has authored two bestselling books: “Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear, Take the Leap, Live on Purpose” and her most recent book, “Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life.” Her podcast, “Cultivate Your Life,” landed in the top charts upon its release. The Making Things Happen Conference, which she leads, is in its tenth year! Lara founded “Southern Weddings” magazine a decade ago and is passionate about doing business for a greater purpose. She loves getting her hands dirty in the garden with her kiddos in Chapel Hill, N.C.

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.

Grand Rapids, Mich., June 8, 2020 – Acclaimed artist and poet Morgan Harper Nichols has signed an additional two-book contract with Zondervan. The first book in the contract, How Far You Have Come, will feature poetry, personal essays and original artwork with four-color spreads throughout and is scheduled to release in March 2021 through the Zondervan Gift division. A two-color trade book is slated to release in October 2021 through the Zondervan Books division. Nichols is represented by Mona Harper of Good Eye Management. World rights were acquired by Zondervan Gift Associate Acquisitions Editor Danielle Peterson and Zondervan Books Associate Publisher Stephanie Smith.

Nichols’ debut book, All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living (Zondervan Gift), is a collection of poetry and artwork that became an instant Wall Street Journal bestseller upon its release in January 2020.

“Morgan is an incredible observer and interpreter of the world around her,” said Laura Minchew, Senior Vice President and Group Publisher of Children’s & Gift Books at Thomas Nelson. “All Along You Were Blooming was an acquisition that broke new ground and established Morgan as a unique voice in the space of modern poetry and art. It is a joy to continue to work with such a creative force and lovely person.”

Nichols’ work is inspired by real-life interactions and stories. In 2017 she started a project where she invites people to submit their stories to her website and she creates art as a response to their stories. She shares the inspired artwork daily and her popular Instagram account (@morganharpernichols) has become a loyal community of 1.3 million followers.

“In our content-saturated culture, readers are looking for true meaning-makers, and Morgan has a great gift for cutting through the noise to name what is good, true, and beautiful,” says Stephanie Smith, Associate Publisher at Zondervan Books.

As an artist, Nichols has collaborated with a wide range of brands including Coach, Adobe, LiveNation, Aerie and more. As a designer and author, her work has been available in many stores, including Anthropologie, Barnes and Noble and Target. She is on the board of directors at TWLOHA (To Write Love on Her Arms).

Nichols is originally from Atlanta, Ga. and she and her husband Patrick currently reside with their son Jacob, in Orange County, Ca. where you can also find her studio and shop, Garden24.

Zondervan is a world leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications.  Zondervan, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, Mich.  For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

ECPA hosted its fifth Virtual Summit Series webinar last week on “Christian Publishing and Racial Justice” with a record number of registrants. “It was my privilege to moderate a dynamic conversation with some of the most influential publishers and writers giving voice to this issue,” stated ECPA president Stan Jantz.  Panelists included:

Trillia Newbell, acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers and the author of several books, who emphasized the need to identify and publish writers of color who will write books on a variety of topics, including race.

Ed Gilbreath, executive editor at InterVarsity Press, who shared the challenges people of color face as they try to fit into the cultures of mostly-white Christian organizations. He stressed the need for mentorship.

LaDonna Boyd, the fifth-generation president of R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation, suggested taking a broad approach to your publishing program from authors of color.

Skot Welch, CEO of Global Bridgebuilders, reminded us that “diversity is a God-given mandate.”

Jeff Crosby, publisher of InterVarsity Press and ECPA board chair, offered the opening prayer for the webcast, composed by noted educator and writer, Howard Thurman, author of the seminal book, Jesus and the Disinherited (Beacon Press).

Jeff Wright, CEO of Urban Ministries, Inc., provided a video with 5 steps to making progress in the area of diversity:

1. Read history while investing in meaningful recruitment and training;
2. Listen to employee perspectives and establish a shared vision;
3. Recruit consultants, employees, and board members who can help move your companies forward in these critical areas;
4. Establish mentoring initiatives; and
5. Hold meetings where all views are welcomed and sought out.

Jeff also shared a powerful video on racism by Dr. Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility (Beacon Press).

“ECPA will continue to encourage conversations like these, as well as provide valued resources to grow diversity in our industry,” said Jantz.

ECPA recently published a list of Christian Books on Racial Justice and is currently compiling, from its members, Christian book lists from Authors of Color in a variety of categories. For more information on the book submission process, contact ECPA.

 

Three WaterBrook titles appear on the most recent New York Times Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous Best Sellers List (6/21/20), including Michael Todd’s Relationship Goals: How to Win at Dating, Marriage, and Sex at #1. Todd’s book has captured the top spot for three weeks running and has been on the list for six straight weeks since its April 28, 2020, release.

In addition, Jennie Allen’s Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts comes in at #6, making its seventeenth appearance on the New York Times list following its January 28, 2020, release.

New this week is Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison, ranking #9.  Released in October 2019, Be the Bridge is a Christianity Today 2020 Book Award winner for Christian Living/Discipleship.  

“This is a first for us to have three WaterBrook titles on the New York Times list simultaneously, nearly a third of the Advice list,” says Laura Barker, VP & Publisher, WaterBrook and Multnomah.  “We are grateful to see this recognition of the work of Michael Todd, Jennie Allen, and Latasha Morrison. All three have crafted important resources that are providing tangible and particularly timely guidance for readers in this challenging season.”

WaterBrook is an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

• ECPA compiles Christian book list on Racial Justice and lists of 1300+ titles from authors of color in several categories
• ECPA webcasts include conversations on “Christian Publishing and Racial Justice” and “Diversity Initiatives that Sustain Change”
• ECPA PubU Online to feature keynote and track of sessions on Diversity & Inclusion

UPDATED ON JULY 27, 2020
by Stan Jantz, President and CEO, ECPA

TEMPE, ARIZ. — June 8, 2020 — In the last 90 days, the world has forever changed.  Though we may not yet see the lasting impacts of the current global pandemic and culture-wide lament against racial injustice — we do more clearly see the responsibility that publishing, especially Christian publishing, can and must have to inspire hope and offer tools for change.

Publishing has always been a valuable vehicle for reform and change in times of crisis. “This is precisely the time when artists go to work,” Toni Morrison wrote. “… We speak, we write, we do language.  That is how civilizations heal.”  And so it is that artists—especially artists of color—are working with publishers on books and resources that will respond to our current crisis. In the meantime, we can look to the books already published that offer important perspectives on the things we need to do as well as the people we want to become.

CHRISTIAN BOOKS ON RACIAL JUSTICE

To that end, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has compiled a list of Christian Books on Racial Justice. The publishing members of ECPA were asked to submit their recommendations, and the response was both overwhelming and encouraging.

More than 140 books are on the list.  Some are classics like Let Justice Roll Down by Dr. John Perkins, and some are brand new, such as Is Christianity a White Man’s Religion?: How the Bible Is Good News for People of Color by Dr. Antipas Harris. Some of the listed books are inspiring, while others are challenging. Yet all offer important perspectives on the things we need to do as well as the people we want to become.  ECPA has followed this list with additional Christian book lists by Authors of Color.

A NEEDED CONVERSATION: CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING AND RACIAL JUSTICE

ECPA presented a special webcast to ask and answer the question: How can publishers speak to the issue of racial justice?  A panel of leading voices from the Christian publishing and writing community offered their perspectives on a way forward to a place of hope, healing, and change – featuring LaDonna Boyd, President & CEO, R.H. Boyd Publishing Corp.; Trillia Newbell, author of several books and acquisitions editor at Moody Publishers; Skot Welch, Founder and President, Global Bridgebuilders; and Jeff Wright, President & CEO, Urban Ministries, Inc.

Another webinar was held on July 16 on “Diversity Initiatives that Sustain Meaningful Change” with Dr. Theon Hill (Associate Professor, Wheaton College), Jevon Bolden (CEO, Embolden Media), and Skot Welch (Founder, Global Bridgebuilders).

PubU ONLINE TO FEATURE DIVERSITY & INCLUSION TRACK OF SESSIONS

ECPA will soon be announcing the program for PubU Online, a series of training webinars for publishing practitioners that will be held throughout the month of September.  The program’s theme will be, “Publishing in a Time of Crisis.”  Sessions will be in tracks for Marketing, Editorial, Data-Delivery-Workflow, and a new track on Diversity & Inclusion.  The track will be led by Dr. Theon Hill, race scholar and professor of communications at Wheaton College.  Dr. Hill will also deliver the opening webcast session on August 31.  Additional details on the PubU Online program is available at ECPAPubU.org.

ECPA has compiled additional industry resources to promote diversity on their website at ECPA.org/page/DIVERSITY.  Resources include:

• Industry White Papers on Diversity
• Consulting Services of Global Bridgebuilders
• Programming at ECPA events
• Emerging Leader program
• Publishing in Color conferences
• Christian Publishing Professionals of Color
• Christian Book Proposals .com
• ECPA Career Center

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.
For more information about ECPA: info@ecpa.org ECPA.org @ECPA

Media contact:  Stan Jantz, ECPA President and CEO, sjantz@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998

6-Week Video Bible Series Based on David and Goliath

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., June 8, 2020 — These challenging and historic times of grief and hardship weigh heavy as giant obstacles in people’s lives the world over. Hoping to bring a biblical perspective to these crises and personal strife, Bible Gateway, the most visited Christian website in the world, will host the six-week free Facing Your Giants Online Bible Study June 15-July 27, 2020 with pastor and bestselling author Max Lucado teaching Bible lessons from the life of David facing Goliath in the book of 1 Samuel. Free registration for the event is at https://bg4.me/3dLCaTz.

In the series, Lucado teaches the five ways God equips people to face the stifling giants in their lives. Like David gathering five stones to prepare to slay his Goliath, so God gives us 5 ‘stones’ to face our giants, according to Lucado. Participants in the series will learn how Past, Priority, Prayer, Passion, and Persistence work in their circumstances to live a peace-filled life centered on God.

Watch a video of Lucado introducing the online study.

Students of this series will gain automatic free access to Lucado’s online video presentation, a private online study community, and exclusive bonus content, including a digital download of the first chapter of the book Facing Your Giants: God Still Does the Impossible, printable art, and a character profile on King David. The teaching videos will be available for free online June 15 through July 27.

“The free Facing Your Giants Online Bible Study is another way Bible Gateway is equipping people to read and understand the Bible, wherever they are,” says Jonathan Petersen, content manager, Bible Gateway.

Named “America’s Pastor” by Christianity Today, Max Lucado’s books have sold more than 140 million copies in 54 languages. He is preaching minister of Oak Hills Church, San Antonio, Tex., known for his poetic storytelling and homespun humor.

Bible Gateway ranks number one on global search engines, is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., and is home to more than 200 Bible versions in more than 70 languages–a trusted resource for people in more than 200 countries who rely on it every day for all their desktop and mobile device Bible reading, listening, studying, searching, comparing, and sharing needs.

Contact: Jonathan Petersen, jonathan.petersen@biblegateway.com