New Series Aims to Promote Generosity and Contentment in 2 to 8-year-olds

MINNEAPOLIS (October 27, 2017) – Sparkhouse Family announces Generous Kids, a series of books for children ages 2-8 published in partnership with brightpeak financial, a division of Thrivent. Generous Kids books teach age-appropriate concepts about money, possessions, generosity, and contentment.

The series will launch on August 14, 2018, with three books:

Mine! – A group of children counts up the things that belong to them. Mine, mine, mine! But then—surprise!—they share with each other to make one big party for themselves and their friends! Especially designed for toddlers, Mine! is a counting book that teaches the concepts of yours and mine, while also reminding kids that we all have more fun when we share together. (board book)

It’s Not Fair! – Misty Martinez wants a new backpack—but she also wants a shiny toy rocketship, and she doesn’t have enough money for both. It’s not fair! Neither is the man who cuts in line at the store, or the fact that she has to take the bus while her friend gets to ride a shiny car. But then, a surprising encounter makes Misty reconsider her notions of what’s fair. Now, will she spend that money on a backpack, a rocket—or on someone in need? Written for kids 4-6, It’s Not Fair! teaches kids about money, choices, fairness, and having enough.

The Wrong Shoes – Marco loved his Super Stepper Running Shoes when he saw them in the store—but on the first day of school he discovers that everybody was wearing Jupiter Jumpers. He wanted those shoes. He needed those shoes. But his dad said no, and his mom said he should earn some money and save up for them himself. Marco never had a job before! So he grabbed his trusty Field Guide and his best friend Amelia for a quest through the wild world of money—a quest that teaches them some unexpected things. Written for kids 7-8, The Wrong Shoes teaches kids about money, hard work, self-esteem, and the real value of the stuff we own.

All three books are written by Caryn Rivadeneira, the author of seven books for both children and adults, including Grit and Grace: Heroic Women of the Bible (Sparkhouse Family, 2017) and Broke: What Financial Desperation Revealed about God’s Abundance (IVP Books, 2014). Caryn serves on the worship staff at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church and is a proud member of INK: A Creative Collective and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Caryn lives in the near-west suburbs of Chicago with her husband, three kids, and one rescued pit bull.

In addition to the three books, the partnership between Sparkhouse Family and brightpeak financial will include a small group study course that families can complete through church and school groups.

About Sparkhouse Family
Sparkhouse Family creates Bibles, books, and videos designed to spark new life in today’s Christian families. Through creative and entertaining storytelling, Sparkhouse Family helps kids laugh, learn, and grow in faith all at the same time.

About brightpeak financial
brightpeak’s mission is to help a younger generation of Christians become financially stronger so they can live with confidence and generosity. As a division of Thrivent, brightpeak offers a holistic financial and relational approach for couples to appreciate each other’s perspectives, align on financial goals, and achieve them together. brightpeak’s emphasis on wellness in love and money is paired with simple solutions like term life insurance, disability income insurance and retirement plans. Learn more at brightpeakfinancial.com.

Reformation Trust Publishing, the publishing division of Ligonier Ministries, is pleased to announce the release of the Reformation Study Bible, Condensed Edition. After distributing more than 110,000 copies of the Reformation Study Bible since 2015, this new Condensed Edition represents an expansion to the product family in order to serve Bible readers looking for a more portable solution.

“Christians value the verse-by-verse commentary found in the Reformation Study Bible,” says Mr. J.D. Bridges, Ligonier’s vice president of global outreach. “This new Condensed Edition includes the best of that commentary in a portable study Bible, half the weight of the original and designed for life on the go. With the 500th anniversary of the Reformation upon us, our mission remains the same—we want to continue serving churches and discipleship by producing trustworthy resources that help growing Christians around the world.”

“This is our ultimate aim—to get God’s people not only to read God’s Word but to study God’s Word, love God’s Word, obey God’s Word, apply God’s Word, hide God’s Word in their hearts, and teach God’s Word to their families, their neighbors, and the nations. That is why we publish study Bibles—to help fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, for His glory, not our own,” writes Dr. Burk Parsons, co-pastor at Saint Andrew’s Chapel, Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and chief publishing officer, associate editor for the Reformation Study Bible, and editor for Tabletalk magazine.

Some features of the new Condensed Edition include single-column Scripture from the English Standard Version, Christ-centered introductions for each book of the Bible, cross-references, concordance, and high-resolution color maps in the back. Initially released in four cover styles, Mr. Bridges notes, “Response has been strong and, Lord willing, we’ll continue to release more cover styles in upcoming months.”

Many students of God’s Word have warmly welcomed the Reformation Study Bible because of its reliable commentary endorsed by ministry leaders and authors such as Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., Mrs. Joni Eareckson Tada, Rev. Kevin DeYoung, Dr. Mark Dever, Dr. Ligon Duncan, Dr. Rosaria Butterfield, Dr. David F. Wells, and many more. With each purchase, Ligonier includes an extra $400 worth of additional study resources (both digital and print) available for free through an innovative online registration process.

For more information, contact sales@reformationtrust.com or call 407-333-4244. Bookstores and resellers, please contact 800-220-7636 x1231.

Founded in 2006 as a publishing imprint of Ligonier Ministries, Reformation Trust Publishing seeks to proclaim and explain the great truths of the historic Christian faith for a new generation.

Ligonier Ministries is an international Christian discipleship organization founded by theologian Dr. R.C. Sproul in 1971 to equip Christians to articulate what they believe, why they believe it, how to live it, and how to share it. Proclaiming God’s holiness is central to Ligonier’s purpose.

Mr Eternity: One Man, One Word

Eternity. It’s a word that has captivated the people of Sydney and beyond. For 30 years, from the 1930s to the 1960s, ‘Eternity’ was written in beautiful copperplate script with yellow chalk on the pavements of Sydney, country New South Wales, Newcastle and Melbourne. The word itself inspires hope for tomorrow and a vision well beyond today.

It took just one man, Arthur Stace, “Mr Eternity”, an underclass battler, former drunk and criminal, to inspire an entire city.

Discover the true story of this unlikely Australian icon in Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace. Written by award-winning Australian author Roy Williams with Elizabeth Meyers, whose parents were close friends of Arthur Stace, Mr Eternity includes photos and letters made public for the first time. It also busts several “long standing” myths surrounding Stace with new and revealing information, including excerpts from personal communications with Arthur Stace himself.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says: “Now this humble man who became a Sydney legend has a biography he deserves.”

Australian author and columnist Peter FitzSimons comments: “I grew up on the legend of Arthur Stace, and his scrawled Eternity, that Mum pointed out all over the countryside, was one of the first things that captured my imagination. And now here he is, the man himself!”

Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace is now available at Koorong stores and www.Koorong.com with an official launch in Sydney on Thursday 23 November (save the date; alert to follow).

To arrange interviews with Mr Eternity: The Story of Arthur Stace authors Roy Williams or Elizabeth Meyers, please contact John Pearson, Media & Communications Manager Bible Society Australia. john.pearson@biblesociety.org.au 0438 771 269

Minneapolis, MN – (October 30, 2017) – BroadStreet Publishing is excited to announce the launch of the New Testament with Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs in their bestselling Bible translation, The Passion Translation®—which has sold over one million individual books—on October 31, 2017.

The Passion Translation is a new, heart-level translation that expresses God’s fiery heart of love (using Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts), merging the emotion and life-changing truth of God’s Word. The lead translator, Dr. Brian Simmons (a missionary in South America for fifteen years, linguist, minister, and Bible teacher), has studied Bible translation principles to help Christians encounter the heart of God through their Bible reading.

Dr. Simmons believes that God longs to have his Word expressed in a way that unlocks the passion of his heart. The goal of this work is to trigger inside every reader an overwhelming response to the truth of the Bible, revealing the deep mysteries of the Scripture in the love language of God—the language of the heart.

John and Lisa Bevere, founders of Messenger International have high praise for The Passion Translation New Testament expressing, “Brian Simmons’ work is truly breathtaking! We so appreciate the labor of love that went into translating the Scriptures directly from the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. The Passion Translation has energized our study of the Bible, and we are certain it will do the same for you.”

Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church said of The Passion Translation, “[It’s] one of the greatest things to happen with Bible translation in my lifetime.”

Bobbie Houston, co-pastor of Hillsong Church added, “With my husband, Brian, and our Hillsong church family, we know these pages will bring to life the One whose name is Jesus—whose passion is humanity and whose heart is for you.”

BroadStreet Publishing has made the The Passion Translation New Testament with Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs available on multiple digital platforms including Bible Gateway, Logos Faithlife, Olive Tree, ProPresenter, Word Search, and YouVersion.

This New Testament has been printed in a variety of stunning covers for every Bible reader—black, brown, pink, purple, and red in faux leather, and floral, ivory, and slate in hardcover. It features insightful footnotes, commentary, word studies, cross references, and alternate translations. Additionally, it includes extensive introductions and outlines for each book.

To learn more about The Passion Translation New Testament with Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs, please visit thepassiontranslation.com.

Conference to be held before THE CHRISTY AWARDS™ Christian Fiction Gala

Industry-wide collaboration evident in long list of authors, publishers, and partnering organizations

Tempe, AZ – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has announced the session topics and leaders for the first Art of Writing Conference. This half-day event on November 8 is designed to bring together writers, authors and publishing curators and will feature intensive seminars that celebrate the creative life and provide practical tips for the challenges in this rapidly changing industry. It will be held at Lipscomb University in Nashville before the evening gala of THE CHRISTY AWARDS™ where the year’s winning Christian novels will be announced. The two events immediately follow PubU, a training and networking event gathering over 200 Christian publishing professionals in editorial, marketing, production, design, rights, and more.

The Art of Writing Conference was created to build community and explore the leading questions and pressing issues facing creators and curators of fiction projects. Amy Green, fiction publicist for Bethany House Publishers, curated the sessions to be of utmost value to writers and publishing curators who are looking for inspiration and seeking practical advice. “The list of reasons I’m excited about this event is long—the quality of the speakers, the chance for authors and publishing professionals to interact, and the variety of the session topics,” explains Amy. “But most of all, The Art of Writing will be an event where people on both sides of the desk will be gathering to exchange ideas and start conversations that will shape the future of Christian fiction.”

Sessions include:

• Colorful Stories: The Burden and Opportunity of Diversity in Christian Fiction, conducted by Theon Hill, Assistant Professor of Communication at Wheaton College.
• The Artful Dodger: Defense Against Discouragement, featuring Cynthia Ruchti (Author, Agent and ACFW Public Relations Liaison) and Carrie Schmidt (Blogger from ReadingIsMySuperPower.org).
• A Publishing Perspective on the Creative Life, moderated by Amy Green (Fiction Publicist for Bethany House Publishers). This panel will feature Karen Watson (Publisher of Fiction at Tyndale House Publishers), Beth Adams (Executive Editor of Howard Books), Shannon Marchese (Senior Editor of WaterBrook & Multnomah), Dan Balow (Owner and President, Gilead Publishing), and Chris Fabry (award-winning author and radio personality).
• Adorning the Dark: Community, Vocation and the Mystery of Making, with Andrew Peterson (Musician, Songwriter, Author and founder of The Rabbit Room).

Following the Art of Writing Conference, attendees will have time to mingle and build community with other authors, editors and industry leaders before the 18th annual CHRISTY AWARDS™ Gala. The awards will begin at 7:00pm central and will be hosted by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, musician and writer Andrew Peterson, and award-winning author and radio host Chris Fabry.  Litfuse Publicity will livestream the event on Instagram at @litfuse for followers.

Finalists who have committed to attend the gala include Tamera Alexander, Mesu Andrews, Connilyn Cossette, Melanie Dickerson, Sara Ella, Jocelyn Green, Liz Johnson, Charles Martin, Beth Moore, Jolina Petersheim, Cynthia Ruchti, Ann Marie Stewart, Kelli Stuart, Becky Wade and Jill Williamson.

Other notable authors who are attending include Susan Page Davis, Rachelle Dekker, Gwen Ellis, Rachel Hauck, and Jennifer Leo.

The extraordinary list of sponsors reads like a who’s who of the publishing industry. Underwriters for the dinner gala include Baker Publishing Group, Tyndale House, Howard Books, Gilead, Kregel, WaterBrook and Multnomah, Worthy, Barbour, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

Literary partners sponsoring both events include ACFW, AuthorTalk, Chi Libris, Christian Fiction Readers Retreat, Christian Writers Institute, D.C. Jacobsen & Associates, Family Fiction, Litfuse Publicity, Mount Hermon Christian Writers, The Rabbit Room, SoCal Christian Writers, and Writing for Your Life.  In addition, sponsoring organizations includeChristianity Today, Ingram, Nord Compo, Bethany Press and Dugan Design.

“ECPA is grateful for the support our members and partners have given The Christy Award and the Art of Writing conference,” said ECPA executive director Stan Jantz. “Their investment in these programs and the books that fuel them is so important for the advancement of exceptional Christian fiction.”

The Art of Writing Conference will be held from 1-5pm on November 8, followed by The Christy Awards Gala at 7:00pm at Lipscomb University, located at 1 University Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37204.  Both events are offered at a special bundle price of $99.  For more information and tickets, visit http://www.christyawards.com

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. ECPA.org

The Christy Award™ is the foremost award honoring and promoting excellence in Christian fiction since 1999, and is named for Catherine Marshall’s novel, “Christy,” which has sold over 10 million copies since its publication in 1967. ECPA assumed ownership and administration of the award in 2017 to focus and grow the unique opportunity of fiction in Christian publishing. ChristyAwards.com

Media contacts:
Lori Heiselman FrontGate Media, lori@frontgatemedia.com, 714-553-5181
Stan Jantz, ECPA Executive Director, sjantz@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 101
Cindy Carter, ECPA Awards & Recognition Manager, ccarter@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998 ext. 103

Fall 2018 major trade release to address what it means for Christians to live on mission 

Carol Stream, Ill. – Dr. Ed Stetzer has signed with Tyndale Momentum to publish a major trade book that addresses what it means for Christians to live positively, courageously, and on mission in a culture that is increasingly contemptuous of Christian values. Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism and the Billy Graham Distinguished Endowed Chair for Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College, will analyze our current cultural moment and assess the unique challenges and opportunities Christians face in his yet-to-be-titled, ground-breaking book due to be released during the fall of 2018.

“What I love about Ed Stetzer is his unique ability to name the underlying issues that fuel the media’s headlines and to see a clear path forward for followers of Christ. He brings a robust Christian worldview to every issue,” said Jon Farrar, senior acquisitions editor, “and he is sensitive to how so many in our world—despite what our news feeds may say—hunger and thirst for the living God. We, at Tyndale House, immediately sensed a passion in Ed to overcome cultural obstacles and connect people to Jesus Christ. This is a passion that motivates what we do, as well.”

Stetzer, in his work with Wheaton College and the Billy Graham Center, and previously as executive director of LifeWay Research, teaches, speaks, and writes on theology, missiology, church planting, church revitalization, and church innovation. A contributing editor for Christianity Today and columnist for Outreach Magazine, Stetzer holds two master’s degrees and two doctorates.

Added Jan Long Harris, executive publisher of Tyndale Momentum, “I’m so pleased to be publishing Ed Stetzer. He is a respected thought-leader, who has a long and reliable track record of being able to see both the strengths of American Christianity and the areas where it needs to correct course. Over the years, he has become a trusted interpreter of these times for many Christians.”

For additional information about Tyndale House Publishers visit www.tyndale.com.

Tyndale House Publishers, founded in 1962, is one of the largest privately held Christian publishers of books, Bibles, and digital media in the world. Tyndale Momentum, Tyndale’s nonfiction imprint, is the publisher of many New York Times bestsellers and is known for integrity in building lasting personal relationships with authors and agents. Tyndale extends the ministry of its authors by contributing most of its profits to the nonprofit Tyndale House Foundation, which makes grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world. Originally founded to publish 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.

Houston to Host 26-City National ‘Hillsong Nights’ Tour

Colorado Springs, Colorado (Oct. 18, 2017) — Brian Houston, Global Senior Pastor of the worldwide Hillsong Church and President and Executive Producer of the popular Hillsong Music, with songs sung by more than 50 million people each Sunday, is set to author a new book with WaterBrook, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House. There is More: When the World Says You Can’t – God Says YouCan is scheduled to publish in the United States on March 20, 2018, and on March 19, 2018, from Ebury at Penguin Random House Australia.

Houston’s book comes as his international network of churches has experienced exponential growth, now in 20 countries across six continents. Hillsong’s U.S. congregations have approximately 20,000 in attendance per weekend.

Tina Constable, Senior Vice President and Publisher for Currency, Forum, and Christian Publishing, announced that world rights to the work in print and digital formats have been acquired from Jan Miller and Nena Madonia Oshman of Dupree Miller Agency. Andrew Stoddard will serve as the editor for WaterBrook. Meredith Curnow, Publisher for Penguin Random House Australia, will oversee the project for Ebury.

In There is More, Houston shows how, with God’s power, a reader can believe and achieve a life that exceeds every earthly expectation. The globally-renowned leader shows when you surrender control and follow God’s guidance, you become empowered and equipped to do the impossible, reach higher and go further than you could have ever imagined. Over the past 35 years, Houston has shepherded and grown Hillsong Church from meeting in a sleepy little school hall in Sydney, Australia, to becoming one of the most impactful churches in the world.

Houston is launching There is More with a 26-city U.S. book event tour that will combine Houston’s dynamic, encouraging message with music from the band Hillsong Worship. “Hillsong Nights” will run through the entire month of April 2018 and then again in October 2018. The events will offer a full worship experience to attendees. Cities include Boston; Washington, DC; Chicago; St. Louis; Dallas; Los Angeles; Las Vegas, and many more. For a full list of locations, visit https://brianchouston.com/there-is-more/hillsong-nights/.

Houston is a driving force in contemporary church leadership. Founded in Australia, Hillsong is a global family of congregations with locations in such countries as the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, and Russia. U.S. church plants are in New York City; Boston; Los Angeles; Phoenix; San Francisco; Greenwich, Conn.; Montclair, N.J.; Orange County, Calif.; and Scottsdale, Ariz. Through television, the recently launched Hillsong Channel reaches more than 170 million households globally.

The New York Times has referred to Hillsong as a “phenomenon, capitalizing on, and in some cases shaping, trends not only in evangelicalism but also in Christian youth culture.”

“Pastor Brian Houston leads and communicates from a deep sense of conviction and passion,” said Constable “As a true visionary and cultural pioneer, Brian has helped to shepherd Hillsong Church from a small gathering in Australia to one of the most prominent spiritual influences in the world. This book is for every person hoping to maximize and expand the abundant potential in their lives—all the while, giving Him the glory.”

“There is More is all about fulfilling the God-given mandate, calling, and destiny on your life—and discovering potential that you didn’t even know was there,” says Houston. “It’s about transforming your thinking and seeing yourself the way God sees you—with far more possibility and greatness within than you could ever see in yourself.”

Now available for pre-order, There is More will include personal stories of God’s provision as well as practical application for living within the purpose and will of God. It gives readers room to dream and believe that God really does want to exceed all their wildest expectations.

BRIAN HOUSTON is an international best-selling author and the Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, a worldwide family of congregations comprising almost more than 200 weekly services. Considered by many as a leading voice in the shaping of contemporary leadership values and church culture, Houston is highly regarded for his bold innovation and passion for the local church. Houston’s infectious love for people and his empowering brand of leadership is beamed to millions of people weekly through his program, “Brian Houston TV,” and draws tens of thousands annually to Hillsong Conferences in Sydney, London and the U.S. He is also the President of the recently launched Hillsong Channel, President of the Hillsong International Leadership College and the Executive Producer of countless gold and platinum albums that have come from the Hillsong Worship team. He and his wife, Bobbie, have three grown children and live in Sydney, Australia, and Orange County, California.

For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com  or www.thereismorebook.com

WaterBrook and Multnomah are imprints of The Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.  Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is dedicated to its mission of nourishing a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company, which employs more than 10,000 people globally, was formed on July 1, 2013, by Bertelsmann and Pearson, who own 53 percent and 47 percent, respectively. With nearly 250 independent imprints and brands on five continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, South Africa, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Portugal, and Uruguay. With over 15,000 new titles, and close to 800 million print, audio and eBooks sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 60 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors.

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

Kaitlin B. Curtice, debut author of Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in Everyday Places, is scheduled to speak at Why Christian with Rachel Held Evans and Nadia Bolz-Weber, March 16-17 in Durham, NC.

Her new book Glory Happening began to ship this week with a set of endorsers that include Richard Rohr, Rachel Macy Stafford, Brian McLaren, and Rachel Held Evans

Kaitlin offers a gentle, contemplative, yet thoroughly contemporary message of how to walk into the heart of glory, asking what it means to find sacred spaces in everything. Deeply influenced by her Native American heritage, Curtice’s words will open your eyes to the Kingdom as it comes every day through stories and prayer, quotidian observances, and divine revelations.

Marketing and publicity for this title include scheduled podcasts and blogposts with Religion News Service, The Deconstructionists Podcast, Twisted Sisterds, Red Letter Christians, Dan Salerno’s Lifesomethings blog, The Mudroom Blog, and Salt Collective. Kaitlin blogs at kaitlincurtice.com.

For more information, contact Sr. Antonia Cleverly, srantonia@paracletepress.com, (508) 255-4685 x 329​