After 25 years and 14MM+ books sold, Strobel selects an agent to navigate the ever-changing publishing world

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, April 5, 2019—After 25 years in the publishing industry, bestselling author Lee Strobel has selected an agent, and announced today his ministry partnership with Don Gates of The Gates Group.

“Change is afoot,” said Strobel, author of the best-selling and award-winning ‘The Case For’ series of books and curricula. “With the seismic shifts in the book sphere, I thought it best to find a ministry partner and a collaborative agent, and I found that in Don Gates at The Gates Group.”

With the success of “The Case for Christ” movie last year, Strobel is in high demand as a speaker and content creator. After a fruitful season as a professor at Houston Baptist University and a teaching pastor at The Woodlands Church, he is now scheduled to speak over 90 times this year, in addition to co-producing “The Case for Miracles” movie that’s currently approaching production.

“I am overjoyed to be collaborating with Lee Strobel on his literary endeavors,” said Gates. “His past works have personally enlightened and shaped me, along with millions of other readers. I know that we will serve him well in the years to come.”

Over the last six years, The Gates Group has worked with many best-selling, well-established and first-time authors. Other impactful authors collaborating with Gates include, Kyle Idleman, Jared C. Wilson, Trillia Newbell, JP Pokluda, and Dr. Michael Youssef, as well as the addition of Mark Mittleberg. Mittleberg and Strobel have collaborated for years on projects such as the Becoming a Contagious Christian Training Course and The Case for Christ Daily Moment of Truth.

“I am excited for Lee in this next stage of his investigative writing journey; I truly believe he, in association with Don Gates, has many more millions to influence for Christ,” commented bestselling author Kyle Idleman.

About the Author
Lee Strobel (www.LeeStrobel.com), with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School, was the award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and a spiritual skeptic until 1981. His books include several Gold Medallion winners and he coauthored the Christian Book of the Year in 2005. He is a frequent speaker for national conventions and in influential churches across the country.

About the Agency
Don Gates formed The Gates Group (www.The-Gates-Group.com) after a season of leading marketing and publicity at Zondervan. With an MBA from Kellogg, an MDiv from Southern Seminary and 20 years of brand management experience, Gates collaborates with and represents Christian pastors and leaders in their literary and associated endeavors.

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LEE STROBEL PUBLISHING FACTS

1. Widely recognized as a practical apologetics expert in science, history, philosophy, archaeology, and all evidences for the life of Jesus and the Christian worldview.
2. Written more than three dozen books and curricula, with over 14 million copies sold, including The Case for Christ, The Case for Faith and The Case for Grace.
3. Former award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune, and recipient of a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School.
4. Interviewed on TV networks, including ABC, NBC, CNN, Fox, Discovery and PBS, and written for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.
5. Executive produced and/or been featured in six films, including the award-winning  “The Case for Christ,” one of the top 25 Christian films of all time.

Media Contact: Kelsey Hulgan  kelsey@iconmediagroup.com, 404-754-3474

[Nashville, Tenn. (April 8, 2019)]—Louie Giglio, bestselling author and founder of the Passion movement, will release his highly-anticipated next book “Not Forsaken: Finding Freedom As Sons and Daughters of a Perfect Father” May 7 (B&H Publishing). The book helps readers embrace God as their perfect heavenly Father, regardless of their relationship with or absence of their earthly father.

The release of “Not Forsaken” was first announced at the Passion conference January 2019 in Atlanta, during which several thousands of preorders were placed for the book. The presale campaign continues until May 7, with a few special preorder incentives that will be announced over the next few weeks.

Though every individual has a unique experience with their earthly father, Giglio says what unites is the need woven into every soul, “the need to be loved, and treasured, and noticed and accepted by our father.”

Statistics show that more children than ever live without a father at home and the millennial generation, which Giglio has been reaching for years through Passion, has been called “the fatherless generation.” However, Giglio says this book is for everyone—not just those with “daddy issues”—because every Christian needs to discover more of what it means to be a loved son or daughter of the King.

“‘Not Forsaken’ was birthed from a truth that’s transformed my life, and a message I’ve carried for many years: God is not the reflection of your earthly father, He is the perfection of your earthly father,” Giglio said. “No matter how amazing or absent our earthly fathers may be, we can find the utmost freedom in seeing God as our perfect Father.”

Since the first Passion gathering in 1997, Passion events have drawn over a million college students and reached students all over the world. Giglio and his wife Shelley are passionate about calling a generation to leverage their lives for the fame of Jesus, and in addition to the collegiate gatherings of Passion Conferences, they lead the teams at Passion City Church, sixstepsrecords and Passion Global Institute.

“The immediate, overwhelming response to ‘Not Forsaken’ has made it clear that this message is resonating with readers from all walks of life with all types of earthly fathers,” said Jennifer Lyell, V.P. of Book Publishing and Merchandising. “We are excited to see how this momentum continues to build and pray this book will impact the way readers see God, as their perfect heavenly Father.”

“It’s a profound privilege to help carry ‘Not Forsaken,’ one of Louie’s life messages, to the world, and we couldn’t be more excited to be in partnership with B&H and their incredible team,” said Kevin Marks, Managing Director for Passion Publishing.

B&H is working collaboratively with Passion Publishing on a “Not Forsaken” presale campaign, national media tour, in store and online promotions supporting retail partners, promotions through Passion’s extensive social media platforms and multiple interactive media assets.

For more information, visit NotForsakenbook.com.

Louie Giglio is Pastor of Passion City Church and the Founder of the Passion movement, which exists to call a generation to leverage their lives for the fame of Jesus.  Since 1997, Passion has gathered collegiate-aged young people in events across the US and around the world, and continues to see 18-25 year olds fill venues across the nation in pursuit of lives lived for God’s glory. Most recently, Passion hosted 40,000 college students and their leaders in four venues linked together across three cities at Passion 2019.  In addition to the collegiate gatherings of Passion Conferences, Louie and his wife Shelley lead the teams at Passion City Church, sixstepsrecords and the Passion Global Institute.

Louie is the national-bestselling author of “Not Forsaken,” “Goliath Must Fall,” “The Comeback,” “The Air I Breathe,” “I Am Not But I Know I Am” and “Indescribable: 100 Devotions About God & Science.” As a communicator, Louie speaks at events throughout the U.S. and across the globe. He is widely known for messages like Indescribable and How Great is Our God.

An Atlanta native and graduate of Georgia State University, Louie has done post-graduate work at Baylor University and holds a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Louie and Shelley make their home in Atlanta.

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.

Passion Publishing, the book-publishing imprint of Passion Ministries, Inc., is committed to lifting and amplifying the messages of the Passion movement and Passion City Church. Above all else Passion is about glorifying God by calling people to live for what matters most, the name and renown of Jesus. Launched in 2014, Passion Publishing has published notable bestsellers “Goliath Must Fall,” “Indescribable” and “The Comeback” by Louie Giglio, “Good Good Father” by Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett, “Single. Dating. Engaged. Married.” by Ben Stuart and “The Jesus Bible.”

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.