New Book Examines How the Bible, a Book Written Nearly Two Millennia Ago, Still Speaks to a Current Generation of Readers

JULY 10, 2023 — Book design firm, Faceout Studio, has updated its logo and launched a new website this week. “The letters are playful and the look is sort of mid century with a contemporary twist. It’s a fun and engaging celebration of the printed book in all of its glory, standing confidently, face out,” says creative director, Tim Green.

Most books are arranged side-by-side in a book store with only the spine showing. The studio’s name reflects those unique books that get featured “face out” in the store. This term captures this idea of standing out on a crowded book shelf, and also of looking outward and forward toward bright possibilities.

“We’re excited to embark on a new season of growth following our brand re-fresh. We’ve been in business for over 25 years, but continue to identify things we can improve on and new areas of opportunity. It’s not easy finding time for internal projects of this size and scope. But finally … here we are. New brand logo, new website, new collateral, new store items and some new service offerings we’ll be rolling out these next couple weeks, including some AI tools,” says principal, Torrey Sharp.

Faceout Studio has designed well over 12,000 books since its founding in 1996. The studio works with hundreds of the world’s top media companies, mid-size publishers, university presses and individual authors. Over the years their work has been recognized by Communication Arts, the AIGA, Print magazine, Eye magazine, Graphis, CMYK, Graphic Design: USA, ECPA, The Chicago Book Clinic, the New York Book Show, the AUP and the American Advertising Federation.

For more information, please contact:
Torrey Sharp, Owner / Principal, Faceout Studio, torrey@faceoutstudio.com

https://www.faceoutstudio.com/
https://www.instagram.com/faceoutstudio/

These three upcoming releases are part of The Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible series published in partnership with Serge. Each book in the series examines how the gospel story is revealed throughout both the Old and New Testaments.

Galatians: Navigating Life in the View of the Cross by McKay Caston
In his Galatians Bible study, McKay Caston guides participants in keeping the gospel as the “true north” compass for their lives, allowing them to break free from religious rule-keeping and live with freedom and joy.

Readers will be equipped to fix their eyes on Jesus from every point on the map, especially in those moments when waves of legalism threaten to steal their joy and hijack freedom. Paul’s message to the church in Galatia serves as a gospel compass for navigating life with the cross of the risen and reigning Jesus as their focus and guide.

Galatians: Navigating Live in View of the Cross completely turns the tables on what most people think religion is. Keeping the gospel compass visible in each lesson helps readers rediscover how gloriously central God’s saving, sustaining, and sanctifying grace is to the entire Christian life.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI & LINCOLN, NE – July 5, 2023 – Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODBM), a global nondenominational nonprofit, announced today it has acquired the Center for Bible Engagement (CBE), the  research division of Nebraska-based Back to the Bible (BttB). This acquisition further solidifies ODBM’s  commitment to Bible engagement and follows the recent absorption of the Bible Literacy Coalition into  the ministry.

“The Center for Bible Engagement will help us achieve our goal of creating meaningful spiritual growth  journeys as we seek to fuel a global Bible engagement movement,” said Dr. Matt Lucas, president and  CEO of ODBM. “We are a ministry with a legacy of helping people grow in their faith through engaging  the Bible. This acquisition, building on the great work of BttB, will enable us to serve the global church  with researched-informed biblical content and practices.”

Leading up to the acquisition, ODBM partnered with CBE to conduct a comprehensive survey of the  spiritual lives of the general population in the United States as well as six other countries. Research  findings established a baseline from which to compare ODBM’s constituents — those who read, watch,  and listen to its content as well as those following/supporting the ministry. The data and information gleaned by the CBE research revealed the critical factors that significantly impact spiritual growth and a  person’s relationship with God. According to Dr. Lucas, ODBM plans on doing many more studies and  freely sharing the findings with the global church. “We fully expect that bringing CBE into the ministry  will create new and exciting research opportunities, not just for us, but for other Christ-centered  entities.”

“The Center for Bible Engagement’s passion has always  been developing methods, tools, and resources that will engage people with the Bible and fuel life transformation,” commented Dr. Arnie Cole, BttB’s CEO. “Our Daily Bread Ministries’ acquisition of our Center for Bible Engagement and its intellectual properties guarantees that many people will now be engaging the Bible more.”

Under the leadership of Dr. Lucas, ODBM will work closely with Dr. Cole and BttB to ensure a smooth  transition of research methodologies and technologies into the ministry. “We look forward to working  together to conduct global studies on trends in Bible engagement and more importantly identify ways to  improve motivation and strengthen our content so we can help foster a lifelong love of the Bible,” said  Dr. Lucas.

For 85 years, Our Daily Bread Ministries’ mission has been to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible  understandable and accessible to all. With the acquisition of the Center for Bible Engagement comes the  ability to now apply research-based content strategies and user journeys in pursuit of that goal — helping people grow closer in their relationship to God, become more like Jesus, and respond to God’s  Word through the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

About Our Daily Bread Ministries:
Our Daily Bread Ministries is a global ministry with staff and volunteers in 32 offices working  together to distribute more than 60 million resources in 150 countries. With more than seven million global social media followers, the ministry also broadcasts podcasts such as God Hears Her, Where Ya From?, and Discover the Word, has a robust YouTube Channel with more than 375,000 subscribers, and offers a learning community via Our Daily Bread University. For 85 years, the ministry’s purpose has remained the same: to reach people with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. For additional information, visit odb.org.

About the Center for Bible Engagement:
The Center for Bible Engagement (CBE) began in 2003 and has become a major world center addressing  Bible engagement and spiritual growth. Since its inception, the CBE has surveyed more than 750,000  people around the world about their spiritual lives. The CBE has partnered with churches and para  church organizations such as the American Bible Society, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary,  National Religious Broadcasters, Nazarene Denomination, the Jamaica Broilers Foundation, McLean  Bible Church, Hope Media, Light FM, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, African Strategic Discipleship  Movement in order to build an empirical understanding of life transformation through a relationship  with Christ and engaging Scripture.

Contact: Londa Alderink, 616.566.4936, londa.alderink@odb.org

June 2023 | WESTMONT, IL—IVP Kids is pleased to announce that God, Right Here has earned the gold Mom’s Choice Award Honoring Excellence Seal of Approval.

The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for children, families and educators. The program is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services.

Written by Kara Lawler and illustrated by Jennie Poh, God, Right Here is a picture book for children ages four to eight. Earning the gold Mom’s Choice Award® distinguishes God, Right Here as among the best in family-friendly products. “We are so excited to see God, Right Here receive this recognition,” said IVP Kids editor Elissa Schauer. “Kara Lawler’s beautiful writing and Jennie Poh’s delightful illustrations make for a winning combination!”

God, Right Here is a celebration of God’s creation and the changing seasons. It reminds children that God’s handiwork can be found all throughout nature, and every season is full of beauty and wonder. No matter the time of year, the wonders of creation reflect that God is always with us, always right here.

“In God, Right Here, whimsical illustrations combine with captivating narrative to form a celebration of seasons and the God who is present in each one,” said Jenny Albers, author of Courageously Expecting. “Children will adore encountering the treasures found in nature, all while discovering that God is right here, in everything. While we delight in God’s creation, God delights in us—always—which is the message this beautiful book will plant in the hearts of our children.”

Kara Lawler holds a BA in English and an MA in education. She is the author of Everywhere Holy and her writing has also appeared on The Today Show, Huffington Post, and Parenting.com. As a contributor to magazines and websites, some of her essays have been read and shared millions of times.

Jennie Poh studied Fine Art at The Surrey Institute of Art & Design, alongside illustration courses at Central Saint Martins. As an illustrator, she loves to connect with nature—namely through making her own paintbrushes and textures with leaves, bark, flowers, and anything else she may find while walking outside. She also enjoys using watercolor and inks, which make wonderful splatters and splotches on the page.

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

Contact: Ann Tjernstrom, atjernstrom@ivpress.com

The 2023 Maggie Awards announced finalists in all categories on Monday, June 26, 2023.  Iron Stream Media’s Deadly Conclusion by Kathy Harris was named as a finalist in the Romantic Suspense category. The Maggies are a nationally recognized, prestigious award presented by the Georgia Romance Writers (GRW).

GRW comprises more than 200 professional writers, many of whom are multi-published, work to promote the romance genre, and help unpublished authors hone their craft. They host multiple writers workshops throughout the year. The regional conference, Moonlight & Magnolias, will be held October 12–14, 2023, and will conclude with the Maggie Awards presentations on October 14.

About Deadly Conclusion

A Fast-Paced Suspense Book You Can’t Put Down

In the thrilling conclusion of the Deadly Secrets series, dog trainer Keely Lambert breaks in Titan, a new shepherd, during a rescue mission to find little Conner Wells. Aided by childhood friend Beau Gardner of the TBI and Conner’s uncle, Keely finds the boy deep inside Beaman Park.

But Conner is not all that Keely found. On the way back to the welcome center, she notices something sticking out of the dirt—the military dog tags of her father, who disappeared more than two decades before.

The discovery sets Keely on a hunt to unearth her father’s killer, only to be thwarted by multiple setbacks—the murder of Beau’s father, the kidnapping of her mother, and her kennel being set on fire in the middle of the night. After Keely is kidnapped herself, Beau leads a manhunt to find her before the outcome reaches a deadly conclusion.

Kathy Harris is an author by way of a “divine detour” into the Nashville entertainment business where she works as a marketing director. For several years, she freelanced entertainer biographies and wrote, as well as ghost wrote, news stories and columns for various music publications. She sold her first Christian nonfiction story in 2007. Her debut novel released in 2012.

Toronto/Palm Beach (June 2023) – Castle Quay Books is pleased to announce their new partnership agreement with international book distributor Anchor/Word Alive Distribution who will now provide sales, marketing and distribution services for their entire book line in the United States and Canada.

Anchor Distributors, located in New Kensington, Pennsylvania and their Canadian subsidiary arm Word Alive Inc. in Winnipeg, Manitoba, are a top distributor of Christian books and products to Christian markets, including retailers, online sellers, and churches.

“We are pleased to be working with Anchor/Word Alive Distribution in both the USA and Canada,” said Larry Willard, founder and CEO of Castle Quay Books. “We were looking for a prominent, reliable, quality provider of sales and distribution services for our imprint and we feel we have found it with Anchor/Word Alive.”

Jeremy Braun, managing director for Word Alive said, “We look forward to serving the customers of Castle Quay Books in Canada and are pleased to offer our strong network of retail and trade connections to allow us to meet the needs of the entire community.”

With the closing of Parasource Marketing and Distribution of Paris, Ontario, this past month, Castle Quay Books searched for the best possible replacement partner to work with. Greg Tombs, past President of Parasource noted that they had not experienced the hoped-for rebound after the pandemic, and combined with the continued decline in CBA Bookstore numbers, they were not able to continue their operation.

“We are glad to partner with Castle Quay Books to meet their distribution and fulfillment needs in North America,” said Karen Fulton, Director of Operations for Anchor Distributors. “Our location just south of the Canadian border coupled with a well-developed supply chain provides an excellent solution for Castle Quay Books to continue bringing their excellent message to the North American reader.

Castle Quay Books, is an imprint of Castle Quay Communications, and was founded in 2002 as an independent Canadian publishing imprint, dedicated to the advancement of the Canadian and American writing community with the purpose of developing and publishing high value, quality titles, by both established and new authors. Their mission is to find and promote quality messages that inform, challenge, inspire and uplift readers.

The initial focus of Castle Quay Books was on Christian subjects, but they now publish over 20 categories, including biographies, business, children’s stories, finance, family, gift books, inspiration, history, leadership, memoirs, non-fiction, popular culture issues, political issues, social justice issues, spiritual, teaching/self-help, teen, theological, women’s focus, leadership, all selected because of their high moral content and balanced quality message on a wide variety of subjects. Today their titles are available to readers world-wide in over 29 countries in hard copy, audio books and e-book formats.

Castle Quay Books (CQB) titles have been nominated for over 115 publishing awards by various groups in Canada, the UK and the USA and have won more than 61 top awards from those nominations.

Visit the Castle Quay Books website at www.castlequaybooks.com

For more information on this agreement or other topics contact:

• In Canada: Word Alive Customer Care, Ph. 800-665-1468, Email:  orderdesk@wordalive.ca
• In USA: Anchor Distribution Dept., Ph. 800-444-4484, Email:  distribution@Anchordistributors.com
• Larry N Willard, Castle Quay Books Publisher, lwillard@castlequaybooks.com

Carol Stream, Ill. (July 6, 2023) — Focus on the Family, in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, will release Lord, Help Me Pray for My Kids: 365 Heartfelt Prayers for Parents in November 2023. With a fresh topic for each day, parents will spend one year praying over their children in intentional and compassionate ways.

Lord, Help Me Pray for My Kids – 365 Heartfelt Prayers for Parents

Parents see their children on their best days—and also on their worst. They know how their children are wired and what makes them unique. Their love for them knows no bounds. Yet expressing the feelings in their hearts and minds can be challenging.

Songwriter and Dove Award winner Tony Wood has crafted prayers for many of the desires parents have for their children. In Lord, Help Me Pray for My Kids, Tony has collected a prayer for each day of the year. Focusing on a fresh topic each day, he covers topics such as safety, friendships, siblings, anger, forgiveness, and missions.

Lord, Help Me Pray for My Kids
ISBN: 978-1-64607-099-2 | Softcover: $19.99 | November 2023 | FocusontheFamily.com

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a substantial portion of annual revenue—millions of dollars per year—through corporate donations and the work of Tyndale House Foundation. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Focus on the Family, which reaches about 38 million people in 120 countries, is a global faith-based ministry that helps families thrive in Christ. Tyndale House Publishers is pleased to partner with Focus on the Family to help provide trusted resources for strengthening believers in their faith and sharing the gospel; building resilient marriages that reflect God’s design; equipping parents to raise their children with a thriving faith; advocating for the preborn, orphaned, and life at every stage; and engaging the culture through a biblical worldview. Visit Focus at FocusontheFamily.com or on Facebook and Twitter.

Contact: Amanda Woods, amandawoods@tyndale.com, 630.784.5125

July 2023 | WESTMONT, IL — InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce that Ted Olsen has been named associate publisher and editorial director for media and trade books.

Olsen said, “From reading my parents’ copy of John Stott’s Basic Christianity as a kid to reading Carmen Imes’s Being God’s Image last week, I’ve been formed and informed by IVP books. IVP’s reputation for prompting Christians to go deeper and grow deeper is clearly no accident. But it’s not just IVP’s books but also its staff that have shaped me—I know so many men and women there who are curious about the world, committed to the truths revealed in Scripture, and caring toward their coworkers. I’m eager to explore what we can build together.”

With twenty-seven years of experience at Christianity Today (CT), Olsen has had a significant and lasting impact on the development of Christian journalism. Olsen was one of the world’s first religion bloggers. He also served as news editor at CT, managing editor, and editor of The Behemoth (a magazine devoted to awe and wonder). During the past six years Olsen served as CT’s editorial director and most recently as executive editor, spearheading CT’s overall editorial strategy.

In a Twitter post on March 6, Olsen said, “After twenty-seven years and four months—my entire adult life—I feel called to find out what’s next for me after CT. I’m so grateful to have served there from news intern to executive editor.”

In this next step as associate publisher and editorial director, Olsen will oversee the vision for IVP’s trade publishing. He will also be doing trade acquisitions and support editorial initiatives around IVP books. His first day will be Monday, July 10.

“Ted Olsen’s bookshelves reveal that he’s an ideal hire for IVP as his shelves are already filled with our books,” said Cindy Bunch, IVP vice president, editorial. “His theological context and long CT tenure further suggest his compatibility with the vision and work of Christian publishing. And his media background will add depth to the editorial team as we expand into some new publishing areas that will complement our books. I am looking forward to working with Ted at IVP.”

Olsen holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he currently lives with his wife and two children.

Contact: Krista Clayton | kclayton@ivpress.com

Carol Stream, Ill. (July 6, 2023) — Tyndale House Publishers (@tyndalehouse) will release three new Tyndale Momentum products this fall cultivating deeper faith for women. The new products—The One Year Daily Acts of Gratitude Devotional , Tonight We Pray for the Momma, and Create: New Beginnings—will equip readers with exciting new ways to integrate gratitude into their lives, uplift mothers in the hardest moments of motherhood, and reflect on God’s word with creative exercises. These captivating new devotionals will empower women with biblically sound and thought-provoking encouragement.

The One Year Daily Acts of Gratitude Devotional

Most of us admit to being overworked, hurried, anxious, lonely, and battered by uncertainty. We want to be thankful for all that we have, but the chaos of our lives holds us back. We know that experiencing gratitude can reduce our stress, lead to a happier home, and make us feel more optimistic about ourselves and the world around us. Yet our ability to be grateful often ebbs and flows. When life is good, it’s easy to feel grateful, but when life is full of hurts and challenges, gratitude takes a back seat.

But the hope of more—more peace, more Jesus, more appreciation for the people in our lives that often go overlooked—keeps us trying to find ways to be thankful. In The One Year Daily Acts of Gratitude Devotional, through relatable stories, encouraging Scripture, and reflection questions, we are invited to shift our focus and increase our gratitude. 

Tonight We Pray for the Momma

In Tonight We Pray for the Momma, bestselling authors and mother-daughter team Susan K. Pitts and Becky Thompson offer encouragement and hope for the hardest days of motherhood. As leaders of the almost two million praying moms of the Midnight Mom Devotional online community, Becky and Susan have gathered their one hundred most beloved prayers and paired them with rich devotional stories and biblical wisdom for every stage of motherhood.

Create: New Beginnings

This 10-week series of restorative art projects rooted in Scripture offers a safe space to process personal experiences in community with other women. Create: New Beginnings intentionally and creatively explores themes like vulnerability, forgiveness, reconciliation, emotions, empathy, shame, self-doubt, pride, accountability, and courage.

The One Year Daily Acts of Gratitude Devotional | ISBN: 978-1-4964-6232-9 | Softcover: $17.99 | October 24, 2023

Tonight We Pray for the Momma | ISBN: 978-1-4964-8270-9| Hardcover: $15.99 | October 24, 2023

Create: New Beginnings | ISBN: 978-1-4964-6519-1 | Softcover: $14.99 | November 7, 2023

Since its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $110 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

Contact: Amanda Woods, amandawoods@tyndale.com, 630.784.5125