Continuing their best-selling ‘Visual Theology’ series, authors Tim Challies and Josh Byers show how to read, trust and understand God’s Word

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 26, 2019 — Over the past several decades, belief in the Bible has steadily declined. In 2017, Gallup found that only 24 percent believe the Bible is the literal word of God, the lowest in a 40-year trend. Even among Christians, engagement with the Bible is waning. Eighty-two percent of Christians only read their Bibles in church.

In A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible, releasing today from Zondervan, authors Tim Challies and Josh Byers use illustrations and infographics to show how the Bible is put together, why each book was written and why the Bible can be trusted.

“With the rise of the digital age, our culture has become increasingly visual,” said Challies. “In A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible, we wanted to present these important biblical concepts in a format that is accessible to everyone.”

A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible is a sequel to the best-selling guide to the Christian life, Visual Theology. In this new installment, Challies and Byers clarify difficult passages and draw connections between ideas, characters and key concepts of the Bible. Additionally, they answer key criticisms of the Bible to prove the Bible is not only accurate, but divinely inspired.

“In today’s post-enlightment society, many are skeptical of the Bible’s veracity,” said Byers. “We set out to show visually not only that the Bible is accurately translated, but that it is inspired. When you see all the evidence for the Bible laid out in infographic format, it’s very compelling.”

Whether a reader is familiar with or brand new to the Bible, A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible is a useful tool for strengthening one’s understanding of Scripture and deepening appreciation of God’s Word.

“The Bible continues to be transformative in millions of lives world over. We want to help readers understand what a miracle it truly is, not just in its accuracy through the centuries, but also in its relevance in every culture and every time,” said Challies. “We hope A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible will inspire readers to approach the Scriptures with fresh eyes and allow for complex concepts to come alive for them in new ways.”

For more information on A Visual Theology Guide to the Bible, please visit www.zondervan.com/9780310577966/visual-theology-guide-to-the-bible/.

CONTACT: Katie Martin, 972-267-1111

NASHVILLE, TENN. March 29, 2019—B&H Publishing is launching two new podcasts in conjunction with new books “Heroic: The Surprising Path to True Manhood” by Bill Delvaux and “Sick of Me: From Transparency to Transformation” by Whitney Capps. B&H hopes these podcasts will both introduce these books to new readers and also provide interesting additional content to the books’ current readers.

For “Heroic,” author Delvaux created “The Heroic Podcast,” a new podcast with 20 interviews with leaders, artists, pastors and other influencers on the topics of manhood, the Christian life and spiritual growth. The podcast launched March 27, and episodes will be released weekly in batches of four per week through late April. Featured guests include Ellie Holcomb, Scotty Smith, Brown Bannister, Scott Sauls, Trevin Wax, Barnabas Piper and more.

“One of the go-to places for men — especially millennials —  to gain new ideas is a podcast,” Delvaux said. “‘The Heroic Podcast’ does just that, communicating some of the ideas of the ‘Heroic’ book in a lively, conversational form. The podcast’s brief teaching and honest stories are the appetizer, with the hope that men will pick up the book and enjoy the main meal.”

For “Sick of Me,” Capps took a slightly different approach. She partnered with Angie Elkins, host of the podcast “Chatologie: Conversations that Matter” to create a six-episode mini-series to accompany the book. For each episode, Capps and Elkins discuss “Sick of Me”-related application points, stories and even bonus content left out of the book. The episodes are released weekly on Elkins’ Chatologie feed to cross-promote her existing podcast and point people to pick up Capps’ book.

“For women, personal stories connect us in powerful ways. ‘Sick of Me’ catalogs my personal journey of understanding and pursuing sanctification, but there is so much shared struggle here,” said Capps. “‘The Sick of Me Podcast’ lets women listen in as two girlfriends laugh, ask hard questions and process all that we learned reading the book. Together we examine not just information, but we also push each other toward the gospel goal of transformation. This book isn’t meant to be read; it’s meant to be experienced. ‘The Sick of Me Podcast’ helps women engage with the content in a unique and powerful way whether they have read the book or not.”

“The Sick of Me Podcast” is available now on any podcast platform by searching for Chatologie; “The Heroic Podcast” is available now on any platform. For information on “Heroic,” visit heroicbook.com. For information on “Sick of Me,” visit sickofmebook.com.

“We live in a world where new methods of communications are introduced every day. Even though podcasts are not new, we do aim to use them in a new way: to generate more interest in long-form books, ” said Dave Schroeder, vice president of marketing at B&H.

“Bill Delvaux and Whitney Capps include timeless wisdom in their new books, which offer powerful messages created to equip this younger generation. Through these podcast campaigns, we hope to drive book sales while also giving current readers additional content that will enhance their learning and will, ultimately, prompt life change.”

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.

The Good Book Company has announced that it is relocating its US office to Charlotte, NC at the beginning of May 2019. The company is experiencing significant growth and moving from its current base in Northern Virginia to Charlotte will provide the necessary additional space and a location in which the company can continue to expand rapidly.

In addition, the company has plans to hire staff for newly-created positions, starting with a Vice President of Sales. The new team members will join the existing staff in the new Charlotte headquarters.

James Burstow, President, said, “This is an exciting move for TGBC, positioning us in a thriving city with a vibrant Christian community. Our prayer is that this base will enable us to keep recruiting excellent people so that we can continue to serve the church with biblical, relevant and accessible books and resources.”

The Good Book Company was founded in 1991 and has grown to become an international provider of Christian content, with offices in the UK and US, and partner offices in Australia and South Africa. The staff team are all united in their desire to support and encourage the spread of the gospel by providing resources that help Christians grow in their understanding and love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

TGBC will maintain full service capacity throughout the move. The new contact details from May 1st 2019 will be:

The Good Book Company
1805 Sardis Road North, Suite 102
Charlotte, NC 28270

For more information please contact:
Abigail Talbott (866) 244-2165  info@thegoodbook.com  www.thegoodbook.com

Bill Carmichael to Step Down from Day to Day Operations, son Andy to fill role of Publisher

Bill Carmichael has been in the Christian publishing industry for over 40 years and has decided it’s time to step away from the daily operations at Deep River Books, a partner publishing company he founded in 2001 along with his wife, Nancie. Deep River Books has published over 400 authors during this time. Many of their authors have found success, with multiple books being published. Several of the new authors they have mentored have gone on to sign book contracts with major Christian publishers after their first book with Deep River Books.

“I love mentoring authors, but it’s time for me to spend more time finishing some of my own writing projects,” Bill said. “And I am confident that I am leaving the daily operations of Deep River Books to a great team of young, talented people. Along with Tamara Barnet, Sean Tosello, and a great support team, I am personally gratified to have my son, Andrew Carmichael, become Publisher. Deep River Books is in good hands.”

Andy Carmichael has been with the company as associate publisher since 2013. As a published author himself, Andy is experienced in the various phases of the industry and knows how daunting it can be for new authors in the ever-changing era of technology.

“I am grateful to my parents for having this vision to partner with new and unknown authors,” said Carmichael. “There are a lot of talented Christian writers out there with quality manuscripts which might not otherwise see the light of day. It’s always exciting and rewarding to find that next ‘diamond in the rough.’”

Carmichael said they have added new staff members, reorganized some positions, and added some technical innovations to enhance what is being done to mentor and promote their authors. Bill will remain in the roles of CEO and advisor, but will no longer be involved in the daily operations.

“My mother [Nancie] still plans to be part of the editorial review process and attend regular staff meetings.”

The global Christian publishing community gathered from March 18 to 20 in Krakow, Poland  for the first-ever European Christian Rights Fair (ECRF), sponsored by ECPA and CLC International. More than 75 publishers attended the event, including rights professionals representing nearly 40 evangelical Christian publishers.

For two full days publishers from 21 different countries met with key international rights and licensing managers. A special banquet at the end of the first day featured reports from publishers in The Netherlands, Norway, and Poland. The banquet concluded with a time of worship led by a pastor from a vibrant evangelical Reformed church in Krakow.

The third day of ECRF featured four training sessions led by Jim Elwell of Tyndale House Publishers, Nadiyka Gerbish of Riggins Rights Management, Ivano Cramerotti of CLC Italy, and ECPA president Stan Jantz, assisted by Ingram’s Kelly Gallagher in a video appearance.

“The entire experience was practical and enriching on many levels,” said Jantz. “ECPA took on this responsibility on relatively short notice, and I could not be more pleased with the outcome. It raised my own awareness of and appreciation for the work being done by experienced and dedicated global publishers. I have also gained a new appreciation for the rights community that serves ECPA member publishers. These men and women tirelessly travel the world to find fertile ground for the books and Bibles produced by our members.”

Carl Dobrowolski, who represents several publishers though his company, Goodwill Rights Management, commented on the tone of ECRF. “This event was qualitatively different from the previous one. It had a spiritual, family reunion feel to it, and the Lord was present!”

“It was a delight to meet so many CLC brothers and sisters and a number of other publishers we haven’t seen for a while or indeed ever,” said Anthony Gosling, rights manager for Crossway.

Prior to hosting and facilitating ECRF in Krakow, Jantz attended the London Book Fair, where ECPA sponsored the Christian Collective. While in London, Jantz met with SPCK president Sam Richardson, Andy Lyons of Hodder Faith, James Burstow and staff with The Good Book Company, and Steve Briars of Christian Resources Together.

 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 20, 2019)—LifeWay Christian Resources is charting a new course in 2019 marking a strategic shift of resources to a dynamic digital strategy. As part of the transition, LifeWay will close its 170 brick-and-mortar stores in 2019.

The organization will continue to offer a broad selection of resources through LifeWay.com and the LifeWay Customer Service Center (1-800-458-2772). LifeWay Customer Service hours are Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Central). LifeWay will also continue to serve customers through its network of church partners who work directly with churches.

“LifeWay is fortunate to have a robust publishing, events and church services business. Our retail strategy for the future will be a greater focus on digital channels, which are experiencing strong growth,” said acting President and CEO Brad Waggoner. “LifeWay is moving into a new era with a strategic digital focus that will prepare us for the future and allow us to better serve our customers.”

In January LifeWay announced it would reduce the number of its retail locations due to declining customer traffic and sales. “While we had hoped to keep some stores open, current market projections show this is no longer a viable option,” Waggoner said.

“The decision to close our local stores is a difficult one,” Waggoner said. “LifeWay has developed close connections with the communities where our stores are located, and we have been honored to serve those communities. We will continue serving local congregations as they meet the spiritual needs of their neighbors.”

The timing of store closings will vary depending on local circumstances. LifeWay expects all brick-and-mortar stores to close by the end of the year.

In operation since 1891, LifeWay offers a comprehensive selection of Bibles, books, Scripture reference tools, Bible studies, children’s products, Christian music and movies, gifts and church supplies. Additional items including church signs, furnishings and buses, as well as background checks, electronic giving and other services are available through LifeWay’s OneSource program at LifeWay.com/OneSource. LifeWay also hosts a number of camps and events throughout the year for all age groups.

As part of the organization’s strategy, LifeWay has introduced a number of digital resources including online Bible studies, worship planning, live streaming of events and online training opportunities.

“LifeWay has been serving the church for 128 years, and we will continue to grow our ministry to churches and individuals into the future,” Waggoner said. “As the market continues to change, primarily through shifts in brick-and-mortar retail, we are taking steps to meet customer demand for digital shopping experiences and to expand our reach globally.” LifeWay distributes resources in 164 nations and licenses resources in more than 60 languages.

Like other retailers, over the last decade the organization has seen commerce increasingly move online, while experiencing overall growth in digital sales.

In one month, LifeWay interacts with five times as many people through its digital environments as it does through LifeWay stores.

“Our world and our customers are increasingly online,” Waggoner said, “Investing in a dynamic digital strategy allows LifeWay to better serve the Church in its mission and only enhances our ability to provide biblical solutions for life.”

More information about store closings is available at LifeWay.com/StoreFAQs.

Anne Graham Lotz, bestselling author, international speaker, and daughter of evangelist Billy Graham, is releasing her new book, Jesus in Me: Experiencing the Holy Spirit as a Constant Companion, on Oct 1, 2019, from Multnomah, an imprint of Random House.

In Jesus in Me, Lotz draws on her rich biblical knowledge as well as personal stories to help readers more fully understand the role, power, and person of the Holy Spirit.  In this seminal message, she explores seven key aspects of the Holy Spirit that will revolutionize how readers understand and relate to the Third Person of the Trinity.

Jesus in Me is Lotz’s first book since her father’s passing in February 2018 and since her own breast cancer diagnosis.  She shares moving insights on how the Holy Spirit has been meaningful to her during these difficult seasons of life.

As Lotz writes, “One of my deepest, richest joys has been discovering by experience who the Holy Spirit is in every step of my life’s journey. Each name that He has been given—Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener, and Standby—reveals another aspect of His beautiful character and has provoked in me a deep love for the One who is my constant Companion…Jesus in me.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Anne Graham Lotz, called “the best preacher in the family” by her father Billy Graham, is an international speaker and the bestselling, award-winning author of numerous books, including Just Give Me Jesus. The New York Times named Lotz one of the five most influential evangelists of her generation. She has been profiled on “60 Minutes” and has appeared on programs such as “Larry King Live,” “The Today Show,” and “Hannity Live.”  Lotz is the president of AnGeL Ministries in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the former chairperson for the National Day of Prayer.

For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com or http://www.annegrahamlotz.org/Jesus-in-me/

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

Contact: Beverly Rykerd, VP, Director of Publicity, brykerd@penguinrandomhouse.com, (719) 268-1935

WESTMONT, IL—InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce that three IVP titles have been recognized as finalists in the twenty-first annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.

As part of its mission to discover, review, and share the best books from university and independent publishers, Foreward Magazine Inc. hosts an annual awards program each year. Finalists represent the best books published in 2018. After more than two thousand individual titles spread across fifty-six genres were submitted for consideration, the list of finalists was determined byForeword’s editorial team.

IVP books were chosen as finalists in the following categories:

Biography (Adult Nonfiction)

• In Becoming Dallas Willard: The Formation of a Philosopher, Teacher, and Christ Follower, Gary W. Moon, a close friend of Willard, offers a candid and inspiring biography about a great man of the faith who was a personal mentor and inspiration to hundreds of pastors, philosophers, and average churchgoers. His presence and ideas rippled through the lives of many prominent leaders and authors, such as John Ortberg, Richard Foster, James Bryan Smith, Paula Huston, and J. P. Moreland. As a result of these relationships and the books he wrote, Willard fundamentally altered the way tens of thousands of Christians have understood and experienced the spiritual life. Moon writes about the development of Willard’s personal character, philosophical writing, and spiritual teaching, and how he has inspired some of the most influential books on spirituality of the last generation.

Multicultural (Adult Nonfiction)

• In Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove recovers the subversiveness of the gospel that sustained the church through centuries of slavery and oppression, from the civil rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and beyond. Wilson-Hartgrove grew up in the Bible Belt in the American South as a faithful church-going Christian. But he gradually came to realize that the gospel his Christianity proclaimed was not good news for everybody. The same Christianity that sang, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound” also perpetuated racial injustice and white supremacy in the name of Jesus. His Christianity, he discovered, was the religion of the slaveholder. Wilson-Hartgrove traces his journey from the religion of the slaveholder to the Christianity of Christ.

Religion (Adult Nonfiction)

• Still Evangelical?: Insiders Reconsider Political, Social, and Theological Meaning, edited by Fuller Theological Seminary president Mark Labberton, is a collection of essays offering a diverse and provocative set of reflections from evangelical insiders who wrestle with the question of what it means to be evangelical in today’s polarized climate. Contributors include Shane Claiborne (Red Letter Christians), Jim Daly (Focus on the Family), Mark Galli (Christianity Today), Lisa Sharon Harper (FreedomRoad.us), Tom Lin (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship), Karen Swallow Prior (Liberty University), Soong-Chan Rah (North Park University), Robert Chao Romero (UCLA), Sandra Maria Van Opstal (Grace and Peace Community), Allen Yeh (Biola University), and Mark Young (Denver Seminary).

In the next three months a panel of volunteer librarians and booksellers will determine the winners in each category based on their experience with readers and patrons. Winners in each genre—along with Editor’s Choice Prize winners and Foreword’s INDIE Publisher of the Year—will be announced June 14, 2019.

For a complete list of IVP award winners visit ivpress.com.

Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.

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

WESTMONT, IL— Outreach magazine named three InterVarsity Press titles as Outreach Resources of the Year, with four additional books making the short list for the Also Recommended resource in its category.

The Outreach Resources of the Year aim to highlight valuable resources for church leaders and bring deserved attention to resources that can help churches better engage in effective outreach to share the gospel and reach communities for Christ.

More than 170 resources published between November 1, 2017 and October 31, 2018 were submitted for consideration and placed into eleven categories. An expert in each category evaluated the resources and chose what they considered to be the best. The experts also chose how many resources to recognize and whether to include any as Also Recommended.

Here are the IVP titles that were honored as part of the Sixteenth Annual Outreach Resources of the Year:

Culture

Healing Our Broken Humanity: Practices for Revitalizing the Church and Renewing the World by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Graham Hill was the Resource of the Year in the culture category.

Based on their work with diverse churches, colleges, and other organizations, Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Graham Hill offer Christian practices that can bring healing and hope to a broken world. They provide ten ways to transform society, from lament and repentance to relinquishing power, reinforcing agency, and more. York Moore, national evangelist for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and an expert for the culture award category, said, “This book is a fantastic invitation to pursue the vision of a church that flourishes in every category.”

Social Issues/Justice

IVP also received top honors in the social issues/justice category. Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice That Restores by Dominique DuBois Gilliard and What Does It Mean to Be Welcoming: Navigating LGBT Questions in Your Church by Travis Collins were both named the social issues/justice Resources of the Year.

Exploring the history and foundations of mass incarceration, Gilliard examines Christianity’s role in its evolution and expansion by assessing justice in light of Scripture and showing how Christians can pursue justice that restores and reconciles. Category expert Mark DeYmaz, Outreach magazine contributing editor and cofounder and president of Mosaix Global Network, said, “Readers will gain a holistic overview of past and present complexities concerning mass incarceration and be encouraged toward future engagement with people at-risk or affected by them, in ways that are merciful, empathetic, and just.”

In What Does It Mean to Be Welcoming Collins calls readers to both grace and truth, with humility, as they wrestle with LGBT questions. Collins has been there. A pastor who has walked congregations through the complex issues surrounding gay Christians, he knows firsthand the confusion and hurt that often follow. In this practical resource, readers gain insight into relevant biblical passages and, while the author is working from a traditional perspective, he offers insights from interpreters on both sides of the debate. DeYmaz said that What Does It Mean to Be Welcoming is “a legitimate attempt to navigate complexities in an honest way that includes and respects varying voices, positions and opinions.”

IVP titles chosen as Also Recommended resources include:

Social Issues/Justice

A Sojourner’s Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson

“An insightful and well-written narrative that is thoughtful, theological, and truthful.” —Mark DeYmaz, Outreach magazine contributing editor, founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas, and cofounder and president of Mosaix Global Network

Apologetics

God Is Stranger: Finding God in Unexpected Places by Krish Kandiah

“God Is Stranger is listed in the apologetics section (and that’s a good place for it), but it’s also a remarkably insightful look at the faith and embracing its strangeness.” —Ed Stetzer, an Outreach magazine contributing editor and director of the Billy Graham Center

Leadership

The Fellowship of the Suffering: How Hardship Shapes Us for Ministry and Mission by Paul Borthwick and Dave Ripper

“This resource offers readers a helpful perspective on what best shapes us for ministry leadership.”—Ron Edmondson, chief executive officer of Leadership Network who previously served for sixteen years as a senior pastor

Cross Cultural/Missional

Megachurch Christianity Reconsidered: Millennials and Social Change in African Perspective by Wanjiru M. Gitau

“Wanjiru Gitau provides an engaging analysis of the rise, growth, and position of megachurches worldwide in the twenty-first century, centering on the role of millennials in the midst of globalization and postmodernity.” —Robert L. Gallagher, director and professor of intercultural studies at Wheaton College Graduate School

For a complete list of IVP award winners visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

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Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.

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