ECPA Recognizes the New Believer’s Bible with Prestigious Diamond Award

CAROL STREAM, ILL. (May 6, 2020) – Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) has announced that its New Believer’s Bible NLT has sold more than 10 million copies. By reaching that plateau, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has recognized the New Believer’s Bible with its Diamond Award, which is presented to books that have sold more than 10 million copies. The ECPA has presented its Diamond Award to only eleven books in the history of the award: http://christianbookexpo.com/salesawards/. The most recent title that received such recognition was The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Moody Publishers) in 2015.

“Almost twenty years ago, thanks to my friends at Tyndale, I had the honor of digging through God’s Word and, by way of notes and sidebars, leading an upstart believer through the twists and turns and truth of this amazing book,” said Greg Laurie, General Editor of the New Believer’s Bible and senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California. “That edition of the New Believers Bible has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.”

First published in 1996, the New Believer’s Bible NLT received its newest update in March 2020. Uniquely designed to help the new Christian read, study, and understand the Bible, it includes features that help Christians develop and deepen their faith while providing a foundation for their new life in Christ.

“Now there’s a brand new revised and updated edition of the New Believer’s Bible available,” added Laurie. “And not only does it include my original notes, but I’ve added many new ones to help today’s readers better understand the power of the incredible story of creation, the fall of mankind, and redemption through Jesus Christ found throughout its pages. I could not be more grateful for the chance to introduce this Bible to a new generation . . . of new believers.”

This expanded edition has been newly typeset and includes the original New Believer’s Bible’s notes and features plus expanded treatment of the existing topics alongside some new ones from Start! The Bible for New Believers. All content has been refreshed for today’s language and needs.

The New Believer’s Bible contains a number of special features to give you the biblical knowledge you need to grow as a Christian:

• Cornerstones cover the basics of Christian belief. Here you will learn about the Trinity, angels, Satan, Heaven, hell, forgiveness, peace, joy, love, and other essential teachings of the Bible.
• First Steps help you know God and his plan for you. Discover how to know you are saved, find the right church, study the Bible, resist temptation, talk with God, and much more.
• Off & Running shows you how you can enjoy God’s blessings and direction in all areas of your life: career, marriage, family, finances, and relationships.
• Big Questions tackle those difficult issues you may be dealing with right now as a new believer.
• How You Can Know God: Discover how to be saved and how to be assured of your salvation.
• Glossary of Christian Terms: An explanation of key biblical and doctrinal terms in language you can easily understand.
• Special Charts: A resource that highlights key biblical information.
• Fifty-Two Great Bible Stories: A brief summary, Scripture reference, and page number for some of the best-loved stories from God’s Word.
• Prophecies about Jesus: A list of Old Testament prophecies about Jesus and how they were fulfilled in the New Testament.
• Memory Verses: Effective steps for memorizing God’s Word; highlights over 130 of the most important verses to commit to memory.
• How to Study the Bible: An easy-to-follow strategy for getting the most out of your Bible reading. It also includes two simple reading plans.
• Overview of the Bible: A concise overview of each book of the Bible, including author, date, style, and summary of the contents.

In addition, Tyndale is offering a YouVersion reading plan called New Believers: 7 Steps for New Christians that provides an excerpt and seven steps for new Christians that is available at: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/19459/

Additional information about the New Believer’s Bible is available at www.Tyndale.com/sites/newbelieversbible.

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.

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.

#1 Amazon Best-Selling Kids Bible Helps Make the Bible Accessible for the Whole Family, Providing Relief and Hope in Challenging Times

NASHVILLE, May 7, 2020 — FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group, and Minno Kids are pleased to announce its Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids* has won the 2020 Christian Book Award in the Children’s category. Written by VeggieTales® Creator Phil Vischer, the Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids was originally released in September 2019 and quickly became the No. 1 best-selling book in Amazon’s “Children’s Bible” category.

“We are thrilled that Minno’s Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids has been honored with the Christian Book Award for Best Children’s Book. A lot of hard work, creativity, and passion went into creating this Bible and it is wonderful to be recognized in this way by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA),” said Erick Goss, CEO and Co-founder of Minno and former senior manager at Amazon. “We set out to create a Bible that made the Gospel and other Bible stories fun and accessible to the whole family, and we are so proud and grateful for the positive response.”

The Minno Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids is more than a children’s Bible storybook, it’s a deep, engaging, laugh-out-loud gospel experience. It will guide readers from Genesis to Revelation, retelling beloved Bible stories AND tackling challenging questions like “What is sin?” and “What is the Trinity?”

Each story is vividly illustrated, takes just five minutes to read, and includes a family connection to encourage family Bible study and help readers learn, talk, and pray together! PLUS, bonus content connects the dots of each Bible story, making the Minno Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids a family devotional Bible that provides a big picture, applicational view of the Biblical narrative.

The Minno Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids, as well as its companion Bible for toddlers-Minno Laugh and Grow Bible for Little Ones-is available wherever you buy the books you love. Visit laughandgrowbible.com to check out all of our retailers.

*Previously published as the Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids.

Facts about the Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids

• This is the FIRST EVER storybook Bible from Phil Vischer; author, film-maker, writer with over 70M children’s products sold
• It is connecting families in new and spectacular ways to share a whole new Bible experience
• It is unlike any other children’s Bible with companion resources that include: printed book, e-book, and audiobook narrated by author, Phil Vischer.
• Check out the press website-click here.

About the Christian Book Awards
Presented annually, the Christian Book Award® program honors the “best of the year” in 12 categories. Five finalists are chosen in each category unless there is a tie. This year’s winners were announced live during the Celebration of the 2020 Christian Book Awards that took place by webinar on May 5, 2020. The Christian Book Award® program recognizes the highest quality in Christian books and Bibles and is among the oldest and most prestigious awards programs in the religious publishing industry.

About Minno
Minno is a Nashville-based children’s digital media company partnering with Christian parents to provide safe, values-based choices for their families. Minno’s offering includes an ad-free subscription video-on-demand platform, along with Minno Life, an expert-driven parenting blog, Minno Kids, its book publishing division, and the Minno store, a digital shopping platform. Minno seeks to entertain, inform and inspire-encouraging kids and parents to laugh and grow together.

CONTACT: Press@inspire.buzz, 323-379-5180

HarperCollins Christian Publishing congratulates the three winners and eleven finalists from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan

Nashville, Tenn. (May 7, 2020) – Zondervan is honored to have three books receive 2020 Christian Book Awards. These awards have been presented annually since 1978 to honor the “best of the year” in 12 categories. The winners in each category are typically awarded at the ECPA Executive Leadership Summit. However, this year’s in-person event was cancelled due to COVID-19, and a virtual celebration was hosted on May 5, 2020 to recognize the recipients of the distinguished awards.

The winning titles from Zondervan are:

• Audio – Palau by Paul J. Pastor narrated by Cástulo Guerra, produced by Gabe Wicks/HarperCollins Christian Publishing – (Zondervan Books)
• Bible Study – The Logic of God written by Ravi Zacharias – (Zondervan Gift)
• Devotion and Gift – Settle My Soul: 100 Quiet Moments to Meet with Jesus written by Ruth Schwenk and Karen Ehman – (Zondervan Gift)

Between Thomas Nelson and Zondervan, HarperCollins Christian Publishing also had 11 titles named finalists in eight out of 12 categories.

• Audio – It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way written and narrated by Lysa TerKeurst, produced by Gabe Wicks/HarperCollins Christian Publishing – (Thomas Nelson, Nelson Books)
• Audio – Voice Only Audio Bible – New King James Version narrated by Simon Bubb, produced by David Angus/HarperCollins Christian Publishing – (Thomas Nelson, Thomas Nelson Bibles)
• Bibles – NIrV The Illustrated Holy Bible for Kids – (Zondervan, Zondervan Bibles)
• Bible Reference – Zondervan Essential Companion to Christian History written by Stephen Backhouse – (Zondervan, Zondervan Academic)
• Bible Reference – Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Romans, General Editors – Frank Thielman and Clinton Arnold – (Zondervan, Zondervan Academic)
• Children – Just in Case You Ever Wonder written by Max Lucado, illustrated by Eva Tharlet – (Thomas Nelson, Tommy Nelson)
• Christian Living – Rhythms of Renewal written by Rebekah Lyons – (Zondervan, Zondervan Books)
• Faith and Culture – Shrewd Samaritan: Faith, Economics, and the Road to Loving our Global Neighbor written by Bruce Wydick – (Thomas Nelson, W Publishing)
• New Author – The Color of Compromise; The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism written by Jemar Tisby – (Zondervan, Zondervan Reflective)
• Young People’s Literature – Show Up for Your Life by Chrystal Evans Hurst – (Zondervan, Zonderkidz)
• Young People’s Literature – BibleForce Devotional: The First Heroes Devotional by Tama Fortner – (Thomas Nelson, Tommy Nelson)

“We are thrilled to have 14 books recognized by the Christian Book Awards this year,” said Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “When these works were written, our authors never would have guessed the unprecedented struggles our nation would face in 2020. However, the God-honoring content our authors produced is serving people across the globe as they navigate this new normal. I am grateful to see their work celebrated by the Christian book industry. Congratulations to all of the well-deserved winners and finalists.”

For more information on this year’s winners and finalists please click here.

About HarperCollins Christian Publishing: The world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing Inc., comprises both Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishing groups in addition to Olive Tree Bible Software.  The Company produces bestselling Bibles, inspirational books, academic resources, curriculum, audio and digital content for the Christian market space.  Also home to BibleGateway.com, the world’s largest Christian website, and FaithGateway.com, an online community dedicated to helping people grow in their faith. HarperCollins Christian Publishing is headquartered in Nashville, TN with additional offices in the U.S., Mexico and Brazil.  For more information visit www.HarperCollinsChristian.com.

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

VIRTUAL ECPA MEETINGS AND EVENTS WELL ATTENDED

Despite the restrictions placed on in-person gatherings, ECPA was able to convene a trio of virtual industry meetings and one event last week. In every case, the attendance topped anything experienced in previous years.

On Monday, May 4, the ECPA board and its five standing committees met via Zoom to consider matters crucial to the ongoing effectiveness of Christian publishing. Following the election by voting members conducted by electronic response, two new board members were acknowledged by the ECPA board: Tina Constable, WaterBrook/Multnomah Publishing Group; and Tammy Gaines, Abingdon Press/UMPH. Additionally, two outgoing board members were thanked for their service to ECPA: Byron Williamson, Worthy Publishing, past chair; and Tim Murphy, Urban Ministries Inc., past treasurer.

The following board officers were approved by the board: Jeff Crosby, InterVarsity Press, chair; Dan Kok, Crossway, vice-chair; Dan Baker, Baker Publishing Group, treasurer; Barb Sherrill, Harvest House Publishers, secretary; and Mary Burns, Barbour Publishers, director-at-large.

On Tuesday, May 5, the Christian Book Award® winners webcast was streamed via Microsoft Teams, powered by The knk Group. Besides announcing the winners in 12 categories, host Stan Jantz revealed the ECPA Book of the Year. Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop, published by Crossway, took home the honors.

“It was a total ECPA team effort to conceive, plan, and then execute of this important virtual event,” said ECPA president Stan Jantz. “Julia Borden and Cindy Carter in particular ramped up quickly in their knowledge of what it takes to produce a quality online event, and we were grateful to the experts at knk for helping us deliver something of value to the industry.”

Nearly 350 people watched the Christian Book Award webcast, more than twice the number that typically attends the event in person. Although this award program is for the benefit of ECPA publishers, several authors whose books were finalists were able to watch as well.

On Wednesday, May 6, ECPA held its first ever virtual Member Meeting and Town Hall, moderated by ECPA board chair Jeff Crosby. The business of the annual member meeting is to officially approve the election of board members and also to recognize those companies and individuals who have joined ECPA over the past year. Two voting members, six small press publishers, nine industry affiliates, three international associates, and one individual affiliate were welcomed to ECPA.

Immediately following the member meeting, the ECPA board participated in a virtual Town Hall. Again, the number of attendees to both the member meeting and the Town Hall far exceeded the attendance at any such meetings in the past. Registered participants were able to submit questions in advance, and viewers watching the live Town Hall could ask questions by using the Q&A feature on Zoom. Nearly every ECPA board member fielded  or commented on a question.

A recording of the Christian Book Award® winners webcast is available here.
The ECPA Member Meeting and Town Hall recording is available to ECPA members and affiliates by request.

CAROL STREAM, Ill. (May 7, 2020)—Karen Stiller, senior editor of the Canadian magazine Faith Today, has written The Minister’s Wife, a memoir in essays that transports you into one woman’s life, while inspiring you to think differently about your own. Karen never expected to be a minister’s wife. And the life she discovered was more challenging—and more beautiful—than she could have anticipated. As she shares her own deep-from-the-heart experiences, she welcomes us to join her on a rich, difficult, yet ultimately grace-filled journey through real-life stuff like forgiveness, marriage, family, doubt, loneliness, and much more.

We all wrestle with tough questions about life and faith, and Karen Stiller has learned that answers don’t come any easier when you’re married to a minister. What does it mean to live faithfully in our complicated world? Is there a place here for me—the real me? What does everyone expect of me, and what if I fail? In The Minister’s Wife, Karen shines a light on the rhythms and tough realities of the spiritual life for every one of us. She explores how community helps us grow; the unexpected beauty of doubt; the messy pain of families and funerals; how church can hurt and heal; and the beauty of showing up when sometimes it’s more appealing to go to a coffee shop on a Sunday morning (even when you’re the pastor’s wife).

Warm, witty, and achingly honest, The Minister’s Wife is a memoir in essays on choosing to belong and an invitation to join Karen on a spiritual adventure.

Regarding this release, associate publisher Sarah Atkinson said, “Karen Stiller invites us to peek behind the curtain and see into the private world of a minister’s wife. Everyone expects you to appear perfect—to model an ideal marriage, family, and faith—but you know you’re as flawed and complicated as the rest of us. Karen brings the life of a minister’s wife to light in a warm and winning way, writing with both utter love and raw honesty. It is an absolute privilege to publish an author of Karen’s caliber, and I can’t wait for the world to read her words. This book will be a blessing to anyone who knows and loves a minister’s wife.”

Karen Stiller is a writer with more than twenty years of experience. She serves as a senior editor of the Canadian magazine Faith Today and as a journalist who has shared stories from refugee camps in South Sudan and Uganda, the slums of Senegal, and the countryside of Cambodia. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest and The Walrus, among other publications. She moderates the Religion and Society Series at the University of Toronto, a debate between leading atheists and theologians. Karen holds a master of fine arts in creative non-fiction from University of King’s College, Halifax. She lives in Ottawa, Canada.

Karen is represented by Westwood Creative Artists Ltd.

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.

Contact: Katie Dodillet, katiedodillet@tyndale.com, 630-784-5275.

WHEATON, Ill.—Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by first-time author Mark Vroegop has been named the 2020 Christian Book of the Year by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). The Christian Book of the Year “represent(s) the year’s best book or Bible for its literary merit and extraordinary impact.”1 Vroegop also won the award in the New Author category. Untangling Emotions by J. Alasdair Groves and Winston T. Smith was awarded the top prize in the Christian Living category.

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (Crossway, March 2019) seeks to restore the lost art of lament in order to help readers discover the power of honest wrestling with the questions that come with grief and suffering. Drawing on examples from the Bible and his own story of loss, Vroegop walks through the steps of lament (Turn, Complain, Ask, and Trust) to show what lament is, why it is important, and how to enter into it—teaching the grieving to live between the poles of God’s goodness and the pain of a hard life. More information about the author can be found at markvroegop.com.

Untangling Emotions (Crossway, March 2019) explores how God designed emotions for good and shows readers how to properly engage their emotions—even the more difficult ones like fear, anger, shame, guilt, and sorrow—so they can better understand what emotions reveal about their hearts and handle them wisely in everyday moments. “The Bible has a lot to teach us about emotions,” write Groves and Smith. “It’s true that Scripture warns us about the dangers of emotions. . . . But it also teaches us that they are an indispensable part of being human and play a crucial role in our relationship with God and others.”

“What a joy to see the industry recognizing the value and ministry potential of these books,” comments Justin Taylor, Crossway’s executive vice president of book publishing and book publisher. “Even though both books were published well before the global outbreak of COVID-19, it strikes me that their messages—both, in a sense, about how God wants us to feel about what we feel—are especially timely in these difficult days. One of the reasons that Crossway exists is to provide resources that give hope, comfort, and biblical recalibration, so it is gratifying to know that these books are being used among God’s people.”

The ECPA Christian Book Award® program awards winners in 12 categories, including Bibles, Biographies & Memoirs, Faith & Culture, and Ministry Resources. The program “recognizes the highest quality in Christian books and Bibles and is among the oldest and most prestigious awards programs in the religious publishing industry.”2

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  crossway.org

---

1. “About,” Christian Book Award, ECPA, 2019, accessed May 6, 2020, https://christianbookawards.com/about.html.
2. ibid.

 

With Mother’s Day 2020 Being Spent at Home, Minno Offers New Church at Home Content, Prize Giveaway to Keep the Day Special for the Amazing Moms and Mother Figures in Our Lives

NASHVILLE, May 8, 2020 — Due to COVID-19 lockdowns, Mother’s Day 2020 will be spent at home for untold millions of Americans. In honor of mothers and mother figures everywhere, Minno-a new, Nashville-based children’s digital media company featuring one of the world’s largest collections of Classic VeggieTales and an expertly-curated collection of media choices for Christian families-is offering a giveaway and creating new, free content to help make Mother’s Day 2020 at home a special one.

“Mother’s Day 2020 is going to be different for a lot of families in that it will be spent at home rather than at a celebratory brunch or large family gathering. Moms and mother figures deserve our thanks and appreciation every day, but perhaps never more so than in this COVID-19 world where they are wearing every hat imaginable,” said Erick Goss, CEO and Co-founder of Minno and former senior manager at Amazon. “We at Minno wanted to do something to help make the day special and to support moms’ efforts to enhance their families’ faith. We are excited to be able to offer new Mother’s Day Church at Home content, and for one special mom, a little pampering too. To all the moms and mother figures out there, thank you!”

Minno “Church at Home” Mother’s Day Details:

• Giveaway Prizes:
  • A one Year Minno Subscription for herself and three of her friends
  • Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Pack (5 pints)
  • Three-Month Flower Subscription (delivered to your door!)

• Brand new Mother’s Day activity packet for Pastors and families to use along with Church at Home’s weekly episode, discussion guides, prayers, and activities that enrich the experience of worshiping at home for children and the whole family.
• Church at Home has been used by more than 200,000 families in 160 countries. It is completely free, available around the world, and can be found here: https://www.gominno.com/lp/church-at-home/
• For families to use during the week, Church at Home features Minno’s signature “Five Minute Family Devotions.”
• Also available are the bestselling Minno Laugh and Grow Bibles for Kids and Little Ones, which feature amazing bonus resources including: maps, charts, and Bible section introductions to help readers understand each story’s place in God’s big story.
• Press and media information is available here: http://press.gominno.com

What Parents Are Saying:

• “Thank you very much! We were watching church services live and my daughter was asking for a children service. I was beyond delighted to receive such a timely email in my Inbox. You have truly been a blessing during this time of pandemic. We will continue to use Minno Church at Home daily while schools are closed. I don’t have enough words to express how grateful I am for this ministry and can’t wait to share this with others. God Bless.”
• “Thank you so much! This is a wonderful idea and resource for the coming weeks. I am so thankful for you and your work to help families keep Jesus in their lives. God Bless you and your families!”
• “Thank you for this! My daughter was sad that we will only be able to watch the adult services online. She and I are very happy about the Minno church online.”

About Minno
Minno is a Nashville-based children’s digital media company partnering with Christian parents to provide safe, values-based choices for their families. Minno’s offering includes an ad-free subscription-video-on-demand platform Minno Life, an expert-driven parenting blog, Minno Kids, its book publishing division, and Minno store, a digital shopping platform. Minno seeks to entertain, inform and inspire, encouraging kids and parents to laugh and learn together.

CONTACT: Press@inspire.buzz, 323-379-5180

Grand Rapids, MI—Baker Book House, the largest independent Christian bookstore in North America, has seen dramatic increases in website sales and third-party online sales in recent weeks as customers continue to purchase books and Bibles during the Covid-19 crisis.

“Our website sales have risen 120 percent from this time last year, and our third-party sales through Amazon have tripled over the same period,” said Sue Smith, EVP of Retail.

Smith credits the increases to customer loyalty, faster shipping through the store, and author recommendations.

“Christian authors, eager to get word out about their new books, are directing their readers to our store because the books ship so much faster,” said Smith. “For instance, fiction author Lynn Austin announced on Facebook that her new book ‘If I Were You’ was available for preorder through our store; we sold 200 preorders in one day to people all over the country.”

Curbside pickup started when Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer allowed stores to do so in late April. Callers request a book, credit card information is taken, and the book is either ordered for later pickup or picked off the shelf for immediate pickup. Customers call when they arrive, and a masked store employee brings the merchandise out to the car.

“We see a steady stream all day long of people calling and picking up their books,” said Smith. “We’ve received so many comments from people who appreciate that they can get what they need.”

She says about a third of total sales are fiction titles, with high Bible sales that Smith credits to “when we’re going through a crisis, Bible reading goes up.” The store ships to customers around the country.

Smith sees the pivot to website sales, third-party online sales, and curbside pickup as a positive sign for future traffic for the store. “This means our community is committed to us, and we hope it only grows. Also, we’re serving our many authors and are delighted to work closely with them to increase their sales and profile.”

Visit www.bakerbookhouse.com to order, or call the store at 616-957-3110.

About Baker Book House
Baker Book House was founded in 1939, when Herman Baker started the store with 500 books from his personal library. Baker is known world-wide for a deep selection of Christian titles, including new, used, and bargain books. Visit www.bakerbookhouse.com for more information.

Contact: Sue Smith, EVP of Retail, 616-957-3110, sue.smith@bakerbookhouse.com

InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to congratulate art director, David Fassett, for his cover design of Bloody, Brutal, and Barbaric?, which was selected for the 2020 Association of University Presses Book, Jacket, and Journal Show.

“It is an honor, as a first-year affiliate member of AUP, to receive a cover award from among such a prestigious collection of university press designs,” said Lorraine Caulton, director of creative and customer engagement at IVP.

Jon Boyd, editorial director for IVP Academic, said, “Year after year, the show has consistently made our jaws drop in admiration for the beautiful and thoughtful work created by our counterparts at university presses around the world. Truly some of the coolest book design done anywhere in publishing happens among the academics. To be included in the 2020 show is definitely a ‘bucket list’ moment for IVP Academic.”

Now in its fifty-fifth year, the AUP show honors the university publishing community’s design and production professionals. It recognizes achievement in design, production, and manufacture of books, jackets, covers, and journals, and also serves as a focus of discussion and a source of ideas for intelligent, creative, and resourceful publishing. Open to AUPresses member publishers worldwide, this year’s competition attracted more than 650 submissions.

AUP judges selected the top forty jackets and covers from 419 entries. Boyd said, “The cover for Bloody, Brutal, and Barbaric? happened to go through an unusually challenging design and review process. (Let’s just say that some earlier alternatives featured quite a bit of blood.) One day after we got stuck as a team, David went back to the drawing board and came up with an entirely new concept, the basis of this final design. We loved it right away—and I’m glad the AUPresses design show team seems to have too.” 

Fassett joined InterVarsity Press (IVP) as a marketing designer in 2009 and was promoted to senior graphic designer in 2014. He was appointed to the position of art director in May 2017. Fassett’s other award-winning book covers include:

• Death Before the Fall: Biblical Literalism and the Problem of Animal Suffering
• The Decalogue: Living as the People of God
• Recapturing the Wonder: Transcendent Faith in a Disenchanted World
• Introduction to Political Science: A Christian Perspective
• Embodied Hope: A Theological Meditation on Pain and Suffering
• The Radical Pursuit of Rest: Escaping the Productivity Trap
• Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age
• After the Trip: Unpacking Your Crosscultural Experience
• Developing Clinicians of Character: A Christian Integrative Approach to Clinical Supervision

“The whole IVP team always works so hard on the insides of our books that we’re extra pleased how our art director, David Fassett, and his team makes the outsides look so great too,” Boyd said. “Bill Webb and Gord Oeste, the authors of Bloody, Brutal and Barbaric?, poured themselves into this manuscript for years. I think it’s fitting David designed so expressive and evocative a cover to complement their words. Our congrats not only to David as the designer but also to Ben McCoy and his production team who really delivered on this design.”

To see the complete collection of selected AUP jacket and cover selections visit design.up.hcommons.org.

By Aaron Wilson

TEMPE, Ariz. – Two new B&H Publishing releases that draw from the past were recognized as 2020 Christian Book Award winners by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) in a live webcast held May 5.

“Devotedly: The Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot” won in the Biography & Memoir category, while the “CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible” shared the award for best Bible of 2020 in a tie.

Both titles help Christians navigate today’s world by drawing insights from spiritual giants and saints of the past.

“What an honor it is to be recognized by the ECPA for these two resources that help us glean from heroes of the faith,” said Ben Mandrell, LifeWay president and CEO.

“One of my favorite courses in seminary was church history as it helped me appreciate the backstory of our faith. I also love the way the Old Testament adds depth and color to the New Testament. What a privilege to produce resources that help believers in the modern day by gathering insights of the past.”

“Devotedly” presents never-before-published letters and private journal entries that capture the unlikely love story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot.

In the book, the couple’s only daughter, Valerie Elliot Shepard, unseals the correspondence that brought her parents together as they followed God’s will for their young lives—a calling that eventually led to her father’s death in 1956 at the hands of a Ecuadorian tribe he was seeking to reach with the gospel.

“It’s rare for a publisher to participate in history the way B&H was able to with ‘Devotedly,’” said Devin Maddox, LifeWay director of book publishing. “We are incredibly proud of Valerie Shepard, Wolgemuth & Associates and the entire team that brought ‘Devotedly’ to life, specifically because of the distinct contribution this book will be for future students of the history of the church.”

The “CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible” features the text of the Christian Standard Bible alongside study notes and commentary from the writings of church fathers of the second through fifth centuries. It also highlights biographies of 25 church fathers and features “Twisted Truth” callouts that describe how some ancient thinkers drifted from orthodoxy.

“What I love about the ‘CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible’ is in how it brings together the richness of ancient Christian commentary on Scripture with a beautiful, elegant design that makes the Bible delightful to read,” said Trevin Wax, LifeWay senior vice president of Theology and Communications.

“Our team wanted to carefully craft a Bible that offered readers spiritual insight from ancient pastors and commentators, with a design that would be worthy of such spiritual richness. We are thrilled to see such acclaim for the ‘Ancient Faith Study Bible,’ and we hope it will introduce more Bible readers today to Bible interpreters from yesterday.”

Since 1978, the Christian Book Award Program has recognized the highest quality in Christian books based on excellence in content, literary quality, design, and impact. The full list of this year’s CBA winners can be found at ChristianBookAwards.com.

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.

Aaron Wilson is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources.