Former Executive Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at InterVarsity Press will begin new position on September 5, 2023

TEMPE, ARIZ., (August 14, 2023) – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) announces that Sally Sampson Craft will join its staff as Manager of Member Care. In that position, Craft will serve existing, new, and potential voting members and small press, international, and industry affiliates to foster strong member engagement and retention and to enhance the services ECPA offers to its community. She will also partner with other ECPA staff to launch a new quarterly onboarding webinar for new members.

“I am delighted that at a time when ECPA needed to fill this strategic position, someone with Craft’s experience in publishing and knowledge of ECPA was ready to make a change,” Cynthia Helblig, Executive Administrator and Office Manager, said. “Our entire staff is looking forward to working with Sally as together we serve our membership.”

During more than 35 years in Christian book publishing at IVP, Craft led a number of innovative turns, including launching the company’s website, shaping its digital publishing program, and nurturing its Every Voice Now initiative. Additionally, she was recognized for collaborating cross-departmentally on process improvements and for establishing and strengthening cross-organization partnerships. For the past several years she has served as a member of ECPA’s recognition committee.

“I’m looking forward to partnering with Sally Craft and to seeing the contributions she will make to our community, especially in the area of member care,”  Jeff Crosby, ECPA president and CEO, said. “Her 35 years of publishing experience at multiple levels of our industry, from copywriter to the executive level, has given her a strong background to understand and meet the needs of our community.”

Craft said, “It was a joy to work with Jeff Crosby during his years in leadership at IVP and, more recently, to work with the ECPA staff team and other publisher representatives as a member of the recognition committee. I look forward to this new chapter in my Christian publishing career, and I hope to serve ECPA and its members well in the years ahead.”

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

Media Contact:  Jeff Crosby, ECPA president and CEO, 630.989.0222 or jcrosby@ecpa.org

The trials of life can wear us down. Unexpected events force us to face a new reality and unanswered prayers lead us to a growing frustration about why God doesn’t intervene. But only in the hard seasons and storms of life are vital spiritual disciplines developed.

Grace Wabuke Klein, former pastor of leadership development at a 10,000-member church and co-leader of the national ministry focus412, knows that there is purpose in our darkest days and seasons of waiting. In Flourish: Finding Purpose in the Unknown and Unexpected Seasons of Life, (Worthy Publishing, August 8, 2023 ISBN: 9781546004301) Grace meets the reader in their heartache, disappointment, and pain and gives encouragement and a fresh perspective on the winter seasons we all go through, as well as practical steps to not just survive but to find purpose in the unknown and unexpected.

Drawing insight from her own winter seasons– of being asked to leave a church because of the color of her skin, waiting two decades for the man God had for her, experiencing the shock and sudden loss of her dad, and having a hysterectomy long before she was able to have children–Grace reveals the divine purpose in each season of our lives. She explains how:

• Fall is a time of release—a necessary season of letting go of offenses, unhealthy relationships, hurts, bad habits, toxic friendships, pride, unforgiveness and other heart issues before we can ever move on to the next season.
• Winter is a time of unexpected challenges and unknown futures—yet lessons learned in life’s storms are deep and full of growth to shape us and makes us stronger.
• Spring is a time of new things that require us to be open to new experiences, people, ideas, and perspective—stepping out into the unknown and uncomfortable.
• Summer is a time when everything is flourishing—we clearly see how each season cultivated a deeper level of faith and spiritual muscles, developing our character and perseverance.

Grace discovered there is value and unseen gifts in each season. Flourish connects with the reader in the tension and storms to bring a word of hope.

Everyone has dreams. Usually, they look like a set of achievements: a dream house, a dream job, a dream family, a dream vacation. However, in pursuing them, we often become disgruntled and disheartened as challenge, setback, and opposition come in our way. We blame God for what he hasn’t provided yet, instead of asking what he has in store for us today.

Nick Nilson, Associate Pastor at Lakewood Church, offers a tool to overcome these challenges: the power of perspective. As Christians, what if we stopped focusing on what we lack, and instead on the fresh and ever-present power of God in our lives? What would change if we truly believed that God was in the middle of our troubles, woes, and heartache? How can we reaffirm our confidence that He is always working all things for our good?

With a foreword by Joel Osteen, charming anecdotes and scriptural analysis, You Can Live the Dream: Trading Disappointment and Discontentment for Peace, Joy and Fulfillment (FaithWords, August 8, 2023, ISBN: 9781546004660) outlines how readers can harness the power of a God-perspective in every aspect of their lives. The dream awaits!

Nick Nilson is an Associate Pastor at America’s largest church, Lakewood Church. His authenticity and charisma help him share the hope of Jesus everywhere he goes. His work as a leader and communicator has given him the opportunity to help people to realize their full potential in every area of their life. He is happily married to his wife Summer, and they pastor at Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, where they also reside with their children, Haven, Denver and their spoiled dog Harley.

Journalist Sarah Stankorb presents a full, layered portrait of where Christian extremism stands in the twenty-first century, and how women from within are challenging that standing.

A generation of women were told never question the men in their families or their pastors. They were also told to remain sexually pure and if a man was tempted, it was their fault. Some of these girls were abused and assaulted. Some made to shrink down so small they became a fraction of themselves. To question their leaders was to question God himself. All the while, their male leaders built fiefdoms from megachurches and sprawling ministries and influenced political leaders and policy.

In her new book, DISOBEDIENT WOMEN (Worthy Publishing, August 8, 2023, ISBN: 9781546003809), Sarah Stankorb gives long-overdue recognition for these everyday women as leaders, voices for a different sort of faith by bringing abuse stories to national attention. She weaves together names readers know now—Rachel Held Evans, Josh Duggar, Billy Graham, Joshua Harris, even Amy Coney Barrett and People of Praise—with new names readers will never forget.

DISOBEDIENT WOMEN is not just a look at the women who have used the power of the internet to bring down the religious power structures that were meant to keep them quiet, it’s also a picture of the large-scale changes that are happening within evangelical culture regarding women’s roles, ultimately underscoring the ways technology has created a place for women to challenge the traditional power structures from within.

SARAH STANKORB has written hundreds of reported articles and essays, which have appeared in publications, including: The Washington Post, The New York Times, Vogue, Marie Claire, Glamour, and VICE. She was born near Youngstown, Ohio, and as a kid, often found escape in books. She studied religion and philosophy at Westminster College, and ethics and South Asian religion and history at the University of Chicago’s Divinity School. Her beat spans religion, politics, gender, and power, but is informed by questions of basic morality. This means investigating wrongdoing; it can mean reporting on how people find the strength to prevail. Sarah lives in Ohio with her husband and two children.

COMING OCTOBER 2, 2023 FROM MARTY MACHOWSKI!

Best-selling author Marty Machowski takes young readers on an exciting biblical voyage to discover the treasure of the God’s love revealed in Luke’s letters to Theophilus—Luke and Acts.

In the tradition of his well-loved bestsellers The Ology and WonderFull, Machowski weaves a study of the Bible with a fictional story. The Treasure follows the adventures of Mira and Theos who discover a sea captain’s personal journal which offers clues to a hidden treasure. They can only solve the riddle of the treasure by studying two ancient scrolls, the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. Young readers will journey with the siblings as they solve their puzzle and the discover the captain’s treasure—Christ!

While these New Testament books are often thought of as two separate books telling different stories, they are really two halves of one greater story recorded by Luke. Through Luke’s retelling of Jesus’s work on earth and the Spirit’s work in growing the church, we see the Father’s love on full display. The Treasure will help children grow in their knowledge and love of God.

• Vivid, full-color illustrations by Flavia Sorrentino.
• Written for elementary age and includes a study guide that can also be used with older children.
• Encourages families to study the Bible together and develop regular family devotions.

The Treasure: Ancient Story Ever New of Jesus and His Church
By Marty Machowski
October 2, 2023 / Retail Price: $29.99
Print ISBN 978-1-64507-316-1
Religion / Christian Education / Children & Youth
Read a Preview

Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA, where he has served on the pastoral staff for over thirty years. He is the author of a number of family devotionals, curricula (including the Gospel Story for Kids), children’s books, and parenting titles. His latest releases include Darkest Night Brightest Day, The Light Before Christmas, The Treasure, and Angels on Your Side. He and his wife, Lois, have six children and several grandchildren, and reside in West Chester, PA.

Flavia Sorrentino lives and works as a freelance illustrator in Rome, where she grew up. She loves her city and the figure of speech, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” which inspires her each day to seek new ways of communication and expression. She has worked hard on her technique which has taken her across the globe, from France to America and beyond!

For review copy and interview information, contact:
Audra Jennings – audra@newgrowthpress.com

Baby Brother Fritz Featured in New Book YOU’VE GOT THIS, FIONA

Grand Rapids, MI—August 7, 2023— Zonderkidz, the children’s division of Zondervan, is pleased to announce that its New York Times bestselling series “Fiona the Hippo” book products have now sold over 500,000 copies in all formats in just under five years. The beloved children’s books are inspired by the world’s most famous real-life hippo, Fiona, who resides at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

Zonderkidz celebrated the milestone during a recent book and media tour last week in Cincinnati, for the release of the seventh picture book in the series, You’ve Got This Fiona: A Book about Change. The book features artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator and Cincinnati native, Richard Cowdrey, who started sketching Fiona when she was a newborn. Inspired by her survival story, Cowdrey approached Zonderkidz in 2017 and the first book idea was born. Cowdrey grew up going to the Zoo while living in Cincinnati.

Fiona is a worldwide internet sensation and the star of the award-winning Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, thanks to her spunk and the fighting spirit that helped her overcome all odds when she was born six weeks premature in January 2017.  She is now over six years old and much heavier than her 29-pound birthweight.

“The team here at Zonderkidz has loved sharing Fiona with children around the world through stories influenced by this amazing hippo’s persistent, ‘I’ve got this!’ spirit,” says Megan Dobson, VP and Publisher of Zonderkidz. “We appreciate working alongside the Zoo and helping them support their mission.”

For the first time in the book series, the real-life Fiona’s new baby brother Fritz was included in the story and art. Fritz’s first birthday was August 3, and a birthday celebration at the Zoo in conjunction with the book’s release was held last week featuring a 3 hour book signing, birthday cake and watermelon treats.

Fiona the Hippo books are available in many formats – hardcovers, board books, library editions, I Can Read editions, as e-books, audio books and more. The first book in the series, Fiona the Hippo hit the The New York Times bestseller list shortly after releasing in 2018. The full list of Fiona books and much more information can be found at www.fionathehippobook.com.

About the book:
You’ve Got This, Fiona: A Book About Change
Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey
On sale August 1, 2023
$18.99 Ages 4 – 8
From Zonderkidz, a division of Zondervan, a HarperCollins company

Content:  In this perfect read-aloud book, Fiona learns about the changing seasons of the year and how, even when things change around you (or a new baby brother is born), true friendship, family and love stay the same.

About the Illustrator:  Richard Cowdrey is well known for illustrating many beautiful children’s picture books, including the New York Times bestseller Fiona the Hippo and Bad Dog, Marley! Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Cowdrey graduated from The Columbus College of Art and Design. Richard’s love for family and nature overflows into his illustrations which are enjoyed by children around the world. The artist lives in Ohio with his wife and has four grown children and five grandchildren. When not painting in his studio, Richard enjoys visiting schools to share with children his love of illustration.  Richard is available for interviews, school visits and store and library story time events about Fiona.

About the Hippo:  Fiona was born January 24, 2017, six weeks before her due date. At 29 pounds she was very small for a Nile hippo. The whole world watched as Fiona learned to walk, eat and swim. Her challenges were big, but her spunk and incredible will helped her prevail time and again. Since her birth, millions of people from around the world have been pulling for Fiona to keep fighting. As she grew older, so did her social media following. Her hippo “bloat” at the Zoo now consists of Tucker, Fiona’s mother Bibi, and younger brother Fritz.  
#FionatheHippo #TeamFiona #FionatheHippobook #Zonderkidz

About the Zoo:  The world-famous Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is committed to inspiring visitors to care about wildlife and wild places.  It has been rated the #1 attraction locally and one of the top zoos in the nation by Zagat Survey.  It has also received rave reviews from Child Magazine, Parents Magazine, USA Today and TripAdvisor. Over 1.6 million people visit the Zoo’s award-winning habitats, and more than 500 animal and 3000 plant species annually.

About the Publisher:  Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imaginative, innovative, and educational resources that represent a Christian worldview and build up God’s children and teens. For additional information, please visit www.zonderkidz.com.

Zondervan is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.  The company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages.  For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com

COMING SOON: Every Moment Holy, Volume 3
(100+ new liturgies from 60+ writers)

The Every Moment Holy book series has sold almost 350,000 copies of its liturgies for daily life. And now, for the first time ever, Douglas McKelvey (series author) and Ned Bustard (series illustrator) have invited select writers and artists to contribute to a brand-new volume.

Every Moment Holy, Vol. III: The Work of the People arrives November 2023 with 100+ new liturgies from 60+ contributors, including:

• New liturgies from Douglas Kaine McKelvey (writer and editor), Malcolm Guite, Ellie Holcomb, Ruth Chou Simons, Sho Baraka, Fernando Ortega, Sandra McCracken, Andrew Peterson, Leslie Thompson, and more
• Historic liturgies from John Donne (translated by Philip Yancey), Dorothy Sayers, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Á Kempis, Augustine of Hippo, and more
• New illustrations from Ned Bustard and other artists, in the woodcut style of previous volumes

INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE NOW – with editor Douglas McKelvey or contributor Leslie Thompson. Giveaway books available upon request.

• BOOK SAMPLER: Volume III sampler
• PRESS KIT: Every Moment Holy, Volume III: The Work of the People
• WEBSITE: Every Moment Holy

Your copy of Every Moment Holy, Vol. III: The Work of the People will arrive late October. Reply now to schedule an interview or request giveaway copies!

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“Every Moment Holy has become a guide and companion for me and has made so many daily tasks more intentional and meaningful.” – Annie F. Downs

“Every Moment Holy is filled with biblical wisdom and beautiful writing.” – Russell Moore

 

Jonathan Cahn reveals stunning mysteries and revelations behind the recent events that have changed America, the world, and our lives in this indispensable guide to end times.

NEW YORK — After seven explosive New York Times Bestsellers, Jonathan Cahn’s stunning new book, “The Josiah Manifesto: The Ancient Mystery & Guide for the End Times” is coming September 5, 2023 from Charisma House. “The Josiah Manifesto” is as mind-blowing as all his bestsellers plus something different – the revealing of an ancient blueprint that we need to know to survive and prevail in what lies ahead.

Jonathan Cahn, named “one of the top forty spiritual leaders of the last forty years to have radically impacted the world,” is known for uncovering ancient mysteries in biblical texts, while bringing forth messages of prophetic import.

In “The Josiah Manifesto,” Cahn will take readers on a prophetic journey around the world — from a Caribbean island to Washington D.C. to the ancient Valley of Hinnom to the Supreme Court to a desert mountain to an ancient middle eastern temple to the gates of America to uncover a tapestry of stunning mysteries that lie behind the recent events that have altered America, the world, and our lives.

Is God using all these things to give us a revelation and the answer we need to know to prevail in the days to come?

In “The Josiah Manifesto,” Cahn will reveal The Island of Mysteries, The Winds of Hinnom, The Eastern and Western Gate, Jehu and the Temple of Baal, the Persian Decree, the Mystery of Days, the Heavenly Court, the Potter’s Jar, the Child of Nile, and much more.

And, he will answer the crucial questions that many are asking:

• What does the future hold?
• Is America heading for calamity?
• What do I need to know to survive and prevail in view of what is yet to come?
• Is there hope?

And with something very different from his previous blockbusters, in “The Josiah Manifesto,” Cahn will unlock the hidden blueprint that reveals how to survive, stand, and prevail in the days to come.

“The Josiah Manifesto: The Ancient Mystery & Guide for the End Times” (Charisma House) by Jonathan Cahn will be available wherever books are sold September 5, 2023.

Media note: To schedule an interview with Jonathan Cahn or request a print copy or digital galley of “The Josiah Manifesto,” please email press@JDAWorldwide.com.

Jonathan Cahn caused a worldwide stir with the release of his explosive first book, “The Harbinger,” which became an instant New York Times best seller and brought him to national and international prominence. His next four books were all New York Times best sellers, “The Mystery of the Shemitah,” “The Book of Mysteries,” “The Paradigm,” and his highest-debuting book, “The Oracle.”

Long before writing these books, he was known for opening the deep mysteries of Scripture and bringing forth messages of prophetic import. He leads Hope of the World, an international outreach of the Word, teachings, and compassion projects for the needy around the world. He also leads the Jerusalem Center/Beth Israel, made up of people of all backgrounds, just outside New York City, in Wayne, New Jersey.

Called the prophetic voice of this generation, Cahn is a much-sought-after speaker and has been highlighted in the New York Times as well as in many national and international media. He has spoken at the United Nations, on Capitol Hill, and to millions of people around the world.

CONTACT: JDA Worldwide for Jonathan Cahn, Press@jdaworldwide.com, 202-281-9973

EUGENE, OR, July 2023 — With great sadness, we grieve the loss of author Jim George, an exceptionally dear friend of the Harvest House family, who unexpectedly entered his Savior’s presence on July 18, 2023. Jim and his wife, Elizabeth, also a Harvest House author, have lived as shining examples of what it means to pursue God wholeheartedly. Through their writings and teaching ministries spanning many years all over the globe, they encouraged millions of Christian men, women, teens, and children to seek God and live fruitfully for Him.

As an author, Jim was best known for his books A Man After God’s Own Heart and The Bare Bones Bible Handbook. His extensive ministry background included his service as a missionary, pastor, seminary professor, and Christian author and speaker. Jim also served in a strong support role in Elizabeth’s teaching and writing ministry; the two worked closely together on book ideas and content development. Their ministry impact continues to be enormous, with a combined total of more than 16 million books in print, blessing readers worldwide.

Jim was dear to Harvest House Publishers for many reasons. At the top of the list were his exceptional desire to encourage believers toward a deeper love for the Lord and His Word, his genuine care for people on a personal level (which was always evident in our meetings with him and at ministry events), and his gracious humility. He cared that his books would truly minister to his readers and edify and encourage them, which is why he constantly rewrote his own material until he felt he had made it as instructional, practical, and inspirational as possible.

Jim took great delight in his family—his wife, daughters and their husbands, and grandchildren—and spoke of them lovingly and frequently. He was truly a pillar of wisdom and strength for all of them.

President Bob Hawkins Jr. says of Jim, “For a season of some fifteen years, I can think of no other author we have had the privilege of publishing who possessed such an overwhelming conviction of the need to take full advantage of every moment possible to write, and support his wife’s writing, for the purpose of ministry. That conviction, for Jim and Elizabeth, turned into the breathtaking execution of solid book after book after book—all born out of their extensive combined study of the Bible in the decades prior.”

Jim liked to say that we should make the pursuit of God the journey of our life, and he lived this out with contagious enthusiasm. It’s for this reason that Jim truly was a man after God’s own heart, and so many lives were enriched by his ministry.

About Harvest House:
Harvest House, a Christian publishing company based in Eugene, Oregon, publishes more than 100 books per year and carries a strong backlist offering more than 1,500 titles. Over 145 million Harvest House books have been sold worldwide through diverse distribution channels, and additional millions have sold in over 75 different languages.

Media Contact: Sherrie Slopianka, publicity@harvesthousepublishers.com

This Summer’s Must-See Family Movie, “The Hiding Place,” Will Only Be in Theaters for a Limited Time

Corrie ten Boom’s Timeless, True Story is Essential, Illuminating, and Inspiring.

Bloomington, MN (July 27, 2023)—For two days only, U.S. theaters will host the movie adaption of Corrie ten Boom’s beloved true story, The Hiding Place. This must-see family event of the summer premieres on August 3, with second and final showings onAugust 5. Find a showing at your local movie theater: TheHidingPlaceFilm.com.

The scene: World War II. Darkness has fallen over Europe, and the boots of the Third Reich echo through the streets. But on a quiet city corner in the Netherlands, some choose to resist. Corrie ten Boom and her family risk everything to hide Jewish refugees by the hundreds, and they ultimately face the consequences when they are discovered.

In 2005, Joni Eareckson Tada shared: “Corrie’s story is as compelling as ever. […] It is for every person whose soul is threadbare and frazzled, and for every individual who must walk into the jaws of his or her own suffering.”

This sentiment still stands true today for the millions who’ve read Corrie’s story. “Corrie ten Boom’s story in The Hiding Place continues to capture the minds and hearts of readers,” said Chosen Books Editorial Director Kim Bangs. “It forces us to face the brutal treatment of humans during World War II, yet leads us to remember the unimaginable compassion of one woman’s decision to choose the higher road of forgiveness. Every generation, every person is challenged to make the same choice. Corrie’s story gives us courage that we, too, can be that one person pressing against the darkness as we carry the light.”

Corrie ten Boom’s “The Hiding Place” movie is only available in United States and Canada theaters on August 3 and 5, 2023. The movie also will be available in limited international locations on August 16, 2023. Find this timeless summer feature near you: TheHidingPlaceFilm.com.

While this movie is only available for a limited time, anyone can buy the book, The Hiding Place, to read Corrie’s story any time!

Celebrating nearly 50 years of this riveting tale, a beautiful keepsake edition of The Hiding Place will be available in December 2023. Preorder yours now.

Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983) was born in Haarlem, the Netherlands. After being arrested in 1944 for helping Jews escape the Nazi regime, Corrie spent a year during World War II in prison camps. After the war, she was invited to share her experiences in more than sixty countries and was honored by the state of Israel for her work during the war. She passed in 1983, on her 91^st birthday.

The Rabbit Room cultivates and curates stories, music, and art to nourish Christ-centered communities for the life of the world. Learn more at RabbitRoom.com.

Chosen Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, publishes well-crafted books that recognize the gifts and ministry of the Holy Spirit and help readers live more empowered and effective lives for Jesus Christ.

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

Contact: Rebecca Schriner, (952) 829-2512, rschriner@bakerpublishinggroup.com