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NYT bestselling author David Platt to host “Something Needs to Change” worldwide simulcast

September 16, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

David Platt, pastor, international speaker, and founder of Radical Inc., is hosting the live Something Needs to Change Simulcast on September 18, 2019, at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia, from 7-8PM ET. For this worldwide event, leaders, individuals, families, small groups, and churches are all invited to experience the opportunity to reflect on the urgent spiritual and physical needs in the world and to consider how God has called them to be a part in making his goodness known.

In addition to messages from both David Platt and special guests, the simulcast will also launch the official release of the short film “Beautiful Hope.” Listeners and those who attend the simulcast in person can expect to open God’s Word together, pray together, and take actual steps towards effecting change in the world and in their communities. Immediately following the event, all participants will be invited to stay tuned for an exclusive backstage Q&A with David Platt.

  • To attend the live event at McLean Bible Church (8925 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA 22182), get your tickets here: https://go.pardot.com/webmail/513961/549089882/daaf98fe9b07d6564a29a82479405ad651f7f809db14e56b4755f94940aed0a0
  • To view the simulcast remotely, visit https://somethingneedstochange.thegospelcoalition.org.

This unique experience follows the release of Platt’s new book, Something Needs to Change: A Call to Make Your Life Count in a World of Urgent Need (Multnomah, Sept 17, 2019), which describes how a journey through some of the highest mountains and remotest villages in the world rocked his deepest convictions about hope, suffering, and life after death. In this compelling account of that treacherous trek, Platt invites you to eat what he ate, drink what he drank, see the faces he saw, and feel the emotions he felt at every turn. In the end, you will find yourself eye-to-eye with some of the most difficult questions and challenging needs in the world, and face to face with the God who desires to use your life in greater ways than you have ever imagined.

DAVID PLATT is the author of three New York Times bestsellers, including Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. He is lead pastor at McLean Bible Church in metro Washington, D.C., the former president of the IMB (International Mission Board), and founder of Radical Inc. (www.Radical.net), a global center for the unreached that serves churches in accomplishing the mission of Christ. Platt received his master of divinity (M.Div), master of theology (Th.M), and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D) from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He lives in Virginia with his wife and their children.

For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com or https://radical.net/somethingneedstochange

Contact: Lisa Beech, Assistant Director of Publicity, lbeech@penguinrandomhouse.com, (719) 268-1917

 


Multnomah is an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House.

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Veggie Tales® creator Phil Vischer debuts lifelong passion project with FaithWords

September 9, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

Hachette Book Group’s FaithWords Division Rolls out the “Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids” on September 10th, Combining Fun, Whimsical Storytelling with Biblical Context and Facts

NASHVILLE, Sept. 4, 2019 — FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group, is pleased to announce its most significant kids publication to date, adding to an already-popular collection of FaithWords kid’s books by author Phil Vischer: the Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids.

“It’s hard for kids to make sense of a book as big and complex as the Bible. That’s why we often just tell our kids a few of the simpler stories, and then skip the rest. But kids need more than snapshots from the Bible, they need to see how the whole Bible fits together to tell one amazing story. That’s what I tried to do with my video series What’s in the Bible?, and it’s what I’m doing now with the Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids. By helping kids see the big picture, we help them find their own place in it,” said Phil Vischer, author of the Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids. “After all, we know kids love big, exciting, redemptive stories. That’s why superheroes, Star Wars and, Harry Potter are so popular. With this Bible we’re actually IN that kind of epic story, and every kid can be a part of it.”

The Laugh and Learn 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 Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids a family devotional Bible that provides a big picture, applicational view of the Biblical narrative.

Facts about the Laugh and Learn 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 spectacular ways to share a whole new Bible experience (Fun & Truth),
  • Unlike any other that you have seen and the resources are amazing- will include:  printed book, e-book, and audiobook narrated by author Phil Vischer.
  • Check out the press website-click here.

Earlier this year, FaithWords released a series of children’s books featuring VeggieTales® creator Phil Vischer’s beloved characters, Buck Denver and Friends-stars of the popular Buck Denver Asks™ . . . What’s In the Bible? series-a new collection of board, picture, and coloring books.

The Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids is available now wherever you buy the books you love. Visit laughandlearnbible.com to check out all of our retailers.

About FaithWords: FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group, is a leading publisher of books and resources for the inspirational Christian market. Bestselling authors include Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Joseph Prince, John C. Maxwell, and T.D. Jakes.

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

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Iron Stream Media expands market reach through acquisition

September 9, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas to Join the Iron Stream Media Team

(BIRMINGHAM, Ala.)—Iron Stream Media announced today the acquisition of LPC Books, doing business as Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, which is a traditional, royalty-paying publisher established in 2007. Details concerning the September 1 acquisition were not released, but initial plans indicate Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas will continue to operate under their existing brand and model.

“When God called my ministry partner Cindy Sproles and I to launch a book publishing company, we understood LPC was not ours. It was God’s,” stated Eddie Jones, founder and CEO of LPC Books. “He has simply allowed us to work for him. For that I feel deeply blessed. To get up each morning and know you are sowing seeds for a future harvest is both humbling and exciting.”

In regards to his decision to enter this agreement with Iron Stream Media, Jones added, “When God led me to Iron Stream, I sensed it was God’s hand at work. I already knew the heart of Ramona Richards. Her years of experience in publishing let me know our authors would be in good hands. Bradley Isbell has the vitality and vision to grow this in ways I never could. And John Herring gave me assurances through his words and actions that integrity and honoring God would remain at the heart of LPC. I feel confident our authors, editors and book titles will succeed in ways I could only pray for.”

“Since our inception, we have always been committed to meeting people where they are on their faith journey and making sure what we offer by way of content points people to Christ,” stated John Herring, president and CEO of Iron Stream Media. “We currently offer web-based, full-year and short-term Bible study teaching plans for churches; Bibles; Bible studies; devotionals; and Christian living books dedicated to helping men and women grow in their faith. Through our acquisition of New Hope Publishers in 2017, we acquired our first fiction titles and have been looking for ways to expand those offerings to the market.”

According to Herring, Iron Stream Media initially began as a part of Student Life. After a brief time with NavPress and the Navigators, Life Bible Study was born as an independent company and expanded to include content for adults and children in addition to students.  Since then the company has been on a trajectory of growth and expansion. In 2017, the company acquired New Hope Publishers. Earlier this year, the company began the launch of three new imprints:  Ascender Books, Iron Stream Books and New Hope Kidz.

“As a Christian media company, our mission is to provide high-quality resources that will advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in someone’s life and help them make disciples as they go,” Herring stated. “Lighthouse shares a similar vision by seeking to provide content that enriches the lives of believers by ensuring the agendas of their fiction content points to a moral truth. As a team, we are excited to pick up each of the new imprints at LCP, especially the Illuminate young adult fiction line.”

According to Bradley Isbell, director of operations for Iron Stream Media, both Lighthouse Publishing and Iron Stream media plan for a seamless transition. Iron Stream Media has already begun the welcome and integration of the Lighthouse Publishing network to the Iron Stream media team and network of authors with plans to continue following the existing Lighthouse model for acquisitions and distribution.

About Lighthouse Publishing
LPC Books launched its general book publishing division in 2007. Authors include Christy Award winners, debut novelists, and nonfiction writers. All fiction titles point to moral truths and characters with strong beliefs about what’s right and wrong. Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas is a traditional, royalty-paying book publisher. LPC currently has several active imprints that range from romance and suspense to westerns and Christian nonfiction. Several of those imprints include: Trailblazer Western Fiction; Firefly Southern Fiction; Bling! Romance; Candlelight Romance; Harambee Press, Guiding Light Women’s Fiction; Lamplighter Mysteries & Suspense; IlluminateYA Fiction; and Sonrise Devotionals. In addition to print and ebooks, LPC also publishes titles in audiobook format.

About Iron Stream Media
Iron Stream Media derives its name from Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” This sharpening describes the process of discipleship, one to another. With this in mind, Iron Stream Media provides a variety of solutions for churches, missionaries and nonprofits ranging from in-depth Bible study curriculum and Christian book publishing to custom publishing and consultative services. Through the popular Life Bible Study and Student Life Bible Study brands, Iron Stream Media provides web-based full-year and short-term Bible study teaching plans as well as printed devotionals, Bibles, and discipleship curriculum.

Media Contact:  Bradley Isbell, 205.588.4792, bradley.isbell@ironstreammedia.com

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Announcing the inaugural Paraclete Poetry Prize

September 9, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

September 5, 2019 — Paraclete Press welcomes submissions for the Paraclete Poetry Prize. Winners will be announced on April 1, 2020. First prize: $1,000 honorarium and book publication in Fall 2020. Second prize: $250 honorarium and book publication in Spring 2021.

Poets are welcome to submit a book-length (60-75 poems, none more than one book page in length) manuscript before January 30, 2020. A three-judge panel will select two winners. Judges will be Mark S. Burrows, Luci Shaw, and Jon M. Sweeney. It is permissible (in fact, encouraged) for some of the poems to have appeared in journals, but none of the poems are to have been previously published in book form.

  • Administrative fee for entry: $30
    Mail fee to: Paraclete Poetry P.O. Box 1568 Orleans, MA 02653
    Email manuscript as a single MS Word file attachment (very little formatting please) to: poetrycontest@paracletepress.com
  • No manuscripts or fees can be returned

Mark S. Burrows is a poet (The Chance of Home), translator, and scholar. His translations include Prayer of a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke, and 99 Psalms by SAID. He is poetry editor for the journal Spiritus, and series editor at Paraclete Poetry/Paraclete Press. He lives in Camden, ME.

Luci Shaw is a poet, essayist, and retreat leader. She has been a published poet for more than half a century. Her latest collections are Sea Glass and Eye of the Beholder. She is also poetry editor for Crux (the quarterly journal of Regent College, where she is also Writer in Residence), and Radix, in Berkeley, CA. She lives in Vancouver.

Jon M. Sweeney is the author of more than thirty books, a critic, and the publisher at Paraclete Press. He lives in Milwaukee.

For more information contact publicist Rachel McKendree: rachelm@paracletepress.com.


“Paraclete continues to issue carefully selected books of poetry. . . they have modestly put themselves into the front ranks of poetry publishers in America.”
—Ray Olson, former poetry editor, ALA Booklist

“Paraclete Press has been publishing an increasingly adventurous catalog of contemporary poetry, ranging from the late Phyllis Tickle, one of the guiding spirits of the press, to Scott Cairns and Paul Mariani.”
—Library Journal

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Tyndale House Publishers to publish Beth Moore’s “Chasing Vines: Finding Your Way to an Immensely Fruitful Life”

September 9, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

New York Times bestselling author, Bible teacher, and speaker to release legacy book on February 4

CAROL STREAM, Ill. (September 5, 2019)—Beth Moore, bestselling author, beloved Bible teacher, and speaker, has written Chasing Vines, in which she shares how everything changes when you discover the true meaning of a fruitful, God-pleasing life that matters. Chasing Vines is scheduled for release from Tyndale House Publishers (@TyndaleHouse) on February 4, 2020.

In her new book, Beth Moore taps into our deep desire to live fruitful lives. In reflecting upon this topic, Moore shares, “At the heart of every believer is the desire to live an immensely fruitful life. But what does an immensely fruitful life look life? How do we access the free-flowing life only the Vine offers? My hope and prayer is that as we explore what Scripture has to say about the Vinedresser and the vine, our hearts would be opened to the bountiful harvest that is ours in Christ.”

In Chasing Vines, Moore employs her trademark wit and wisdom, providing fresh hope through the abundant secrets of a fruitful, Kingdom-building, God-pleasing life. Tracing the images of vinedresser, vine, branch, and fruit through Scripture, and sharing stories from her own journey, Beth shows us how nothing in our lives is wasted: not the place we’ve been planted, not the painful pruning, not even the manure that gets dumped on us when we least expect it.

Moore is convinced from Scripture that every person who knows Jesus is meant to thrive in fruitfulness. Life might not always be easy, but in Christ, it can always be immensely fruitful. Nothing is for nothing.

Beth takes readers on a journey of discovering what it means to chase vines—and learning how everything changes when we understand and fully embrace God’s brilliant design for growing fruitful, abundant, meaningful lives.

Regarding this acquisition, executive publisher Jan Long Harris said, “We believe the church is parched and just waiting and hoping for the message of an immensely fruitful life. Tyndale House Publishers is honored to bring this message of hope and encouragement to those who have chosen to believe, yet who are being attacked with questions and doubt. This message—this conversation—needs to be amplified and promoted to rise above the hopeless din. We are humbled and energized to join Beth Moore at this unique time in church history.”

Chasing Vines by Beth Moore
ISBN: 978-1-4964-4082-2
Hardcover: $26.99

For more information or an advance reader copy, contact Katie Dodillet, katiedodillet@tyndale.com, 630-784-5275.

Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) is a dynamic teacher whose Bible studies and conferences have taken her across the globe and reached millions. A wife, mother, and grandmother, Moore lives in Houston, where she leads Living Proof Ministries with the purpose of encouraging and reaching women to know and love Jesus through the study of Scripture. Her first book with Tyndale, So Long, Insecurity, reached the New York Times Best Sellers List, with over one million copies of the book and associated products in print since 2010.
Beth is represented by Yates & Yates, LLP (www.yates2.com).

Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is the world’s largest privately held Christian publisher of books, Bibles, and digital media. Tyndale has published many New York Times bestsellers.  The largest portion of its profit goes to the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which makes grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world. Tyndale was founded to publish Living Letters, which later comprised part of The Living Bible, a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible that became a global publishing phenomenon. Tyndale now publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), the translation of choice for millions of people.

Media Contact: Katie Dodillet  katiedodillet@tyndale.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Baker Publishing Group Appoints New Executive VPs of Sales and Marketing

September 9, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

Ada, Mich. (September 7, 2019)—Baker Publishing Group is pleased to announce the promotions of Nathan Henrion and Mark Rice. Nathan will serve as the Executive Vice President of Sales. Mark will take on the newly formed position of Executive Vice President of Marketing, Ada Divisions. These combined positions fill the vacancy of Dave Lewis’s retirement in September, and both positions report to the President/CEO.

Nathan arrived at Baker Publishing Group in 2001 and began managing National Accounts four years later.  Since then he has worked in all aspects of the sales environment, both print and digital. Nathan is a graduate of Western Michigan University and Grand Valley State University (MBA).

Mark began his Baker Publishing Group career in 2014, serving as Executive Marketing Director for Baker Books. He was promoted to Vice President of Marketing and Publicity in 2016, responsible for leading the Revell, Baker Books, and Visual Communications marketing and design teams. Since arriving at Baker Publishing, Mark has helped acquire and launch numerous bestselling and award-winning books and authors.

“Nathan Henrion and Mark Rice are well prepared for an expansion of their responsibilities. They have served Christian authors and readers richly during their professional careers thus far, and their new appointments will fully apply their personal gifts. I am entirely confident in Nathan and Mark, and eager to enlist all their creative skills,” said Dwight Baker, president/CEO of Baker Publishing Group.

Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.

Contact: Ruth Anderson, (616)676-9185 x8131  randerson@bakerpublishinggroup.com

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Publishing in Color conference coming to Nashville

September 3, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

A Spiritual Writers’ Conference for Under-represented Groups

Publishing in Color is a series of conferences for groups of spiritual writers of color who are currently under-represented in terms of getting  published. These include, but are not limited to, African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans and Native Americans.

Registration is now open for Publishing in Color Nashville scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2019. A pre-conference session, The Business of Being a Spiritual Writer, will be held the day before on Friday, October 18.

The conference will emphasize networking, relationship building and learning “how to get published.” Participating companies will be accepting book proposals. This is your chance to meet acquisition editors and other key representatives from:

  • Abingdon Press
  • HarperCollins
  • Thomas Nelson
  • Westminster John Knox Press
  • Upper Room Books
  • Harambee Press
  • Jevon Bolden, literary agent

The goals of these conferences are to:

  • Foster relationships between spiritual writers of color and representatives of spiritual book publishing companies and spiritual magazines
  • Provide networking and educational opportunities so that prospective writers can learn more about how to work with these publishers and magazines
  • Result in an increased number of books and articles published by writers of color

People of color have important stories to tell that shape the great American narrative. Heroic struggles for justice; incredible contributions to technology, science and the arts; remarkable resistance and resilience are hallmarks of these stories.

The Publishing in Color conference series is sponsored by Writing for Your Life. They also produce Writing for Your Life conferences, which feature more authors than Publishing in Color conferences and are more focused on the art and craft of writing and less on getting published.

Learn more and register here.

Writing For Your Life
https://writingforyourlife.com
Publishing in Color
https://publishingincolor.com
Enliven Your Tribe!
https://enlivenyourtribe.com

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Lee Strobel and Colorado Christian University create innovative new center to impact America with the Gospel

September 3, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

The Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics Launches Today

LAKEWOOD, COLORADO, August 27, 2019 – New York Times best-selling author Lee Strobel is teaming up with Colorado Christian University to launch an unprecedented new center for evangelism and apologetics, with the goal of fueling a spiritual renewal in America.

“Who is the next Billy Graham? It is millions of contagious Christians who are trained, equipped, and deployed,” said Strobel. “We have a vision to fulfill this mission as quickly as possible.”

The Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics will offer accredited courses on the undergraduate and graduate levels – all designed to help churches, ministries, and individual Christians share and defend their faith naturally and effectively.

CCU is the preeminent interdenominational Christian university in the Rocky Mountain region, with an online impact that spans the globe. “We stand within the great tradition of Christian universities who are serious about faith and the gospel, and we’re thrilled to have Lee Strobel join our team,” said CCU President Don Sweeting. “Strobel’s background as a former atheist, portrayed in the book and film The Case for Christ, gives him valuable insight into how to reach people who are far from God.”

Described in the Washington Post as “one of the evangelical community’s most popular apologists,” Strobel has authored more than forty books and curricula that have sold nearly 14 million copies, including The Case for Faith, The Case for a Creator, and The Case for Miracles. The Yale-trained former legal editor of theChicago Tribune also has been a teaching pastor at three of the largest and most evangelistic churches in the country.

The Center’s executive director is Strobel’s long-time ministry associate Mark Mittelberg, the best-selling author of such books as Confident Faith, The Reason Why Faith Makes Sense, and The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (With Answers).

Through their Becoming a Contagious Christian training course, Strobel and Mittelberg have already equipped nearly two million Christians worldwide in how to reach others with the gospel. They have also led the outreach and apologetics efforts of one of the largest and most outreach-oriented churches in America, and for three decades have innovated evangelism and apologetics conferences, training seminars, national simulcasts, and outreach events.

Strobel explained that the word apologetics comes from a Greek term used in the Bible for defending the faith – something, he added, that’s needed more than ever in our increasingly skeptical nation. “We’re focusing on what we’re calling ‘applied apologetics,’ which means we’re going to equip Christians who will be actively engaged in the marketplace of ideas – in local churches and communities, in the media, in the entertainment world, on the Internet, and throughout popular culture,” he said.

Strobel and Sweeting agreed that CCU is the perfect home for the new center. Explained Sweeting: “It is a Strategic Priority of Colorado Christian University to share the love of Christ on campus and around the world, and to teach our students to be evangelists. The Strobel Center at CCU is an incredible vehicle to enable us to make new strides to achieve these priorities.”

One of the Center’s unique objectives is to train and certify evangelism directors for local churches, who will serve full-time, part-time or on a volunteer basis in partnership with the senior pastor in order to mobilize the church to reach their community for Christ.

“We believe in the power of leadership,” Mittelberg said. “The senior pastor can’t do everything himself. We want to equip, mentor, and deploy leaders who will work creatively and effectively under the direction of the senior pastor to reach everyone with the gospel.”

To facilitate that training, the Center’s courses will be offered through CCU Online so that people from all backgrounds and stages of life can study from the convenience of their own home. “The Center will feature the latest and most creative technology, the most current and proven content, and live interaction with passionate and credentialed educators,” Strobel said.

Other unique features of the Center include organizing a Think Tank, composed of leading Christian scholars, innovators, and practitioners, to collaborate on fresh ways of explaining and spreading the gospel, as well as hosting national conferences to share best practices and encourage churches in saturating their communities with the Christian message.

Founded in 1914, Colorado Christian University provides Christ-centered higher education that transforms students to impact the world with grace and truth. Located in Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, CCU is consistently ranked in the top 2 percent of colleges nationwide for its core curriculum by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.

CCU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees for traditional and adult students through its College of Undergraduate Studies and College of Adult and Graduate Studies. More than 8,000 students attend the University on the main campus, in regional centers throughout Colorado, and online. The Strobel Center’s courses are expected to begin Fall 2020.

For more information on the new Lee Strobel Center at Colorado Christian University, visit www.ccu.edu/strobelcenter.

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The Jesus Calling brand celebrates 30 million units sold

September 3, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

Devotional continues to grow year-over-year, more than 15 years post-release                   

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 26, 2019) – Today, Thomas Nelson announced that the Jesus Calling brand by Sarah Young has surpassed 30 million units sold since it was first published in October 2004. It remains one of the most successful devotionals of all time.

Since it was first published, this 365 devotional has expanded to include children’s devotionals, Bible storybooks, journals, seasonal books, as well as other devotionals including ECPA book of the year Jesus Always.  Its strong sales history, product diversity, and customer loyalty are unlike any other devotional on the market. It has been 15 years since publication and sales continue to grow year-over-year. In fact, from 2018-2019, sales increased five percent. But, this milestone represents a great deal more than sales alone.

“I’ve never seen a book connect with so many people in such a deeply personal way,” said Laura Minchew, senior vice president and publisher of Gift books and Tommy Nelson Children’s Books at Thomas Nelson. “Aside from the sales numbers—which are, of course, remarkable—what we value are the tens of millions of lives that have been impacted by Sarah’s work. Through her writing, study of the Bible, and prayers, people from all walks of life, all over the world, experience a closer, more intimate relationship with Jesus. Helping people develop a stronger faith is a benefit that is impossible to measure.”

The deep connection that readers feel to the content in Jesus Calling is evident across its various social media accounts, which total more than 1.5 million followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Readers regularly share their experiences with Jesus Calling on social media, and those experiences led to the creation of the Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith Podcast, which recently surpassed 3 million downloads.

The podcast, available on iTunes, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and other podcasting platforms, features stories from readers of Jesus Calling and illustrates how spending time with the devotional has made a difference in their lives. Guests on the podcast range from everyday readers to celebrities like Kathie Lee Gifford, T.D. Jakes, Reba McEntire, Rita Wilson, Randy Travis, Charlie Daniels and Melinda Gates. And, there were so many stories that the podcast expanded to include video episodes as well, which have been viewed more than 8 million times.

To author Sarah Young, there is one word that comes to mind when she thinks of the success of the book.

“I consider this 30 million milestone miraculous!” Young said. “I can remember sitting at my desk in Perth, Australia—daydreaming about reaching the 100,000 milestone. It seemed like just a pipe dream at the time… The Lord has done great things for us.”

But, regardless of the various milestones, one factor that remains the same is that Young will continue to pray for her readers on a daily basis.

“I pray daily for readers of all my books, and I long for them to really grasp that there’s no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus,” she shared. “Also, I want readers to remember that Jesus is with us always and nothing can separate us from His Love!”

More information is available at www.jesuscalling.com.

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: Stefanie Schroeder, Publicity Manager, 615.902.1722, Stefanie.schroeder@harpercollins.com

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FaithWords releases new Facebook devotional chatbot to fan page with 2.5m followers

September 3, 2019 by Sheri Toomb

NASHVILLE, Tenn., August 2019– FaithWords has launched a new Facebook devotional chatbot that delivers content on-demand for free! Followers will be able to receive messages from our bestselling authors including Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes and many more.

“FaithWords is excited to bring our brand author’s popular devotionals to the Facebook audience,” said Patsy Jones, VP of Marketing at Hachette Book Group Nashville. “This allows us to uplift our readers. They are able to access a free daily devotional on our Facebook page from their Smartphone or from their desktop.”

This chatbot, powered by Messenger, delivers themed devotional content from FaithWords’ selected books like Joyce Meyer’s Battlefield of the Mind Devotional and Joel Osteen’s Daily Readings from Your Best Life Now. After messaging the FaithWords’ Facebook page, users select “Get Started” and then choose a devotional based on topics like “empowerment,” “relationships,” or “forgiveness.” Users have the opportunity to  “Learn more;” “Order now;” or “Get another devotion” to continue the experience.

With a robust Facebook fan page of over 2.5 million fans, this allows FaithWords’ social media following to engage with their authors’ content on the go and in an easily digestible way.

About FaithWords:
FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group, is a top publisher of books and resources for the Christian inspirational market. Our bestselling authors include Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Robert Morris, and T.D. Jakes. Many of our authors are pastors and Bible teachers, focusing on Christian living, spiritual growth, and devotionals. Our titles regularly appear on the New York Times and other national bestseller lists while inspiring millions of readers worldwide. Based near Nashville, Tennessee, FaithWords has sold over 60 million books since its founding 2001.

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This Month’s Bestsellers

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1 TAME YOUR THOUGHTS
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5 PRACTICING THE WAY
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6 THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES
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