Twelve True-Life Stories of Courageous Women Shared in The Voice of the Martyrs’ New Book: Hearts of Fire 2 

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — The dynamic witness of 12 women whose true stories are told in The Voice of the Martyrs’ new book will bring to life the words penned by the writer of Hebrews, “Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken…” (Heb. 12:28-29).

In In Hearts of Fire 2: Twelve Inspiring Stories of Costly Faith from Today’s Persecuted Christians, readers will meet Tamara and her husband living out their faith in Isfara, Tajikistan. Shortly after she and her husband moved there, a group of local Muslim women paid her a visit. After welcoming the women into her home, Tamara realized their visit was not a friendly one. The visitors knew Tamara and her husband were sharing the gospel and declared that they needed to leave the city. Christians—especially those who would share their faith with Muslims—were not welcome.

From the Columbian evangelist on the run for witnessing to guerilla fighters, to the American woman who publicly forgave the Islamic extremists’ who gunned down her husband on the streets of Benghazi, Libya, these women’s lives were turned upside down when they obeyed the words of Christ. However, each embraced the hope found only in the unshakeable, eternal kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Readers will be inspired by the testimonies of 11 other women who share how God strengthened them and provided for them when their earthly kingdom was shaken as they served Him.

For more than 50 years, VOM has shared the real-life stories of Christians serving in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. VOM’s newest volume brings you true accounts of courageous women–heroes of the faith who represent countless others facing similar trials today. These role models of faith and obedience will inspire you to pursue Christ with a heart aflame, no matter the cost.

• Author: The Voice of the Martyrs
• Publisher: VOM Books
• Suggested Retail: $17.99
• ISBN/UPC: 978-0-88264-234-5
• Pub Date: October 1st, 2023
• Category: RELIGION / Christian Living / Inspirational
• Code: REL012040
• Dimensions: 5.75″ X 8.50″ X 1.25″
• Page Count: 400
• Format: SC

About The Voice of the Martyrs
Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, The Voice of the Martyrs is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization serving persecuted Christians in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. For more information, visit VOM.org.

About VOM Books
VOM Books, the publishing arm of The Voice of the Martyrs, is well-known for inspiring believers with bestselling titles such as Tortured for Christ, which sold over 10 million copies in 60 languages worldwide, Jesus Freaks: Martyrs: Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus, with more than 1.1 million copies in distribution, and highly-popular Extreme Devotion: Voice of the Martyrs.

Outreach magazine is now accepting submissions for its annual Outreach Resources of the Year, which will be featured in the March/April 2024 issue.

The Resources of the Year honors resources specifically focused on outreach in areas such as evangelism, apologetics, compassionate service and cross-cultural ministry. Your submissions are the critical first step in determining what resources will earn recognition as the “best.” Thank you for your participation. Please submit only those resources that you believe best emphasize outreach-oriented ministries. (Please note we are not accepting biographies, pamphlets, autobiographies, fiction, devotionals, gift books, or revised or expanded editions.)

Submitted works will be considered only if they were released and available to the public between Nov. 1, 2022, and Oct. 31, 2023.

For a submission form or more information, contact Lora Schrock at lschrock@outreach.com.

Professional athlete and Paralympian Scout Bassett began her journey to embrace who she is—past and all—by never forgetting where she comes from or who she is. With this guidebook on adversity and life, readers will learn how to make peace with their past, own their identity, and create their own luck.

As an infant in China, Scout was the victim of a fire, causing her to lose her right leg. She spent the next seven years in an orphanage, before being adopted and whisked away to the United States, where she felt foreign in every way. Though she defied the odds and became a gold medalist and world-record holder, Scout fought against adversity her entire life—and mostly off the track. As a disabled person, a minority, and a woman in America, she’s struggled in a culture that can make anyone—no matter who you are—feel like an outsider, an “other.”

In LUCKY GIRL (Worthy Books, September 26, 2023, ISBN: 9781546003861), Scout shares ten lessons she’s learned to help readers overcome some of the most difficult challenges in life today. With vulnerability, humor, and warmth, she addresses issues of identity, loneliness, image, purpose, and high expectations, among others, and offers advice for how to face them. Scout inspires readers to believe that the most important wins in life have nothing to do with medals or records. The biggest win in life is figuring out your why and having the courage to live out the answer.

Scout Bassett started playing sports at a young age as a way to assimilate into American culture. She tried basketball, softball, golf, and tennis before competitively racing in track & field. She is now an American sprinter and long jumper, holding seven national championship titles. In 2016 she represented the United States at the Paralympic Games in Rio, and in 2017 she was a World Championship medalist. In addition to her career as a professional athlete, Scout is an ambassador for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, a Women’s Sports Foundation board member, and serves on the Gatorade Women’s Advisory Board. She was a guest star on Project Runway, and has appeared in numerous campaigns for brands like Nike, Citi, Procter & Gamble, Bridgestone Tires, SKIMS, and more.

September 21, 2023, NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Zondervan today announced that Keren Baltzer has joined the company as associate publisher for Zondervan Books. Zondervan Books is the home to multiple award-winning books and bestselling authors including Rick Warren, Shauna Niequist, Craig Groeschel, Lee Strobel, and Rebekah Lyons.

Baltzer joins the company with more than twenty years of publishing experience, most recently at Penguin Random House, where she was VP, editorial director of Convergent and Image. She has worked with a range of bestselling authors including Kate Bowler, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Lisa-Jo Baker, Pope Francis, Jenny Marrs, Jay Stringer, Leanne Morgan, and the Henri Nouwen estate.

As the associate publisher for Zondervan Books, Baltzer will acquire new authors and assist in leading the editorial strategy for Zondervan Books. Baltzer commented, “I am delighted to join Zondervan Books, a publisher I have long admired both for its storied past and its continual dedication to publishing solid, faithful books. It’s a joy to be a part of this team.” Her first day was September 18, 2023.

“Keren comes to us with a passion for publishing, a heart for our mission, and deep publishing experience,” remarked Webster Younce, VP and publisher of Zondervan Books. “We are delighted that she is now part of the Zondervan team.”

Zondervan is a HarperCollins Company and part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Zondervan is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian communications. The company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, Mich. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

Contact: Devin Duke, Senior Publicity Manager, Zondervan Books, Devin.Duke@HarperCollins.com

Leveling Up Your Family Discipleship

New weekly devotional gives families the opportunity to establish the building blocks of faith, one level at a time. 

In this digital age, it can be difficult to keep kids’ attention, especially during family devotional time. However, kids have always loved asking questions, and they do like a challenge. Faith Builder Catechism: Devotions to Level Up Your Family Discipleship (New Growth Press/September 25, 2023) gives kids both with fifty-two questions and answers in a fun and interactive format to help them “level up” on biblical truth. This weekly devotional will help families press pause on screen time and develop healthy discipleship rhythms.

Faith Builder Catechism was written by three dads, Kevin Hippolyte, Jared Kennedy, and Trey Kullman, all raising kids in a digital world, experienced in children’s and family ministry. They understand what capture kids attention. “The enthralling video games take place in elaborate kingdoms. They have characters we embody and root for, as well as stories we connect with. Whether you’re rescuing princesses with Super Mario Bros., scoring goals on the latest FIFA game, or slicing up flying objects with your beat saber, players learn—clumsily at first and then with greater ease—to inhabit a video game’s world,” the authors write. “The same is true with our faith. We don’t dive into the complexities of the Trinity with preschoolers. When building a Christian worldview, we first introduce kids to the basics of the Christian life by telling simple Bible stories, memorizing short verses, and rehearsing bedtime prayers.”

The authors lead the way for families to establish regular discipleship conversations and cultivate a deeper knowledge of the theology expressed in the Apostle’s Creed, the Ten Commandments, the doctrines of grace, the Great Commission, and the Lord’s Prayer. They help families build a biblical worldview step by step by focusing on five areas that serve as levels: God’s glory, God’s kingdom, the gospel, God’s church, and God’s mission. The book includes fun stickers so kids can “level up” and track their progress at each stage.

“We wanted to write a book that was an easy win for parents stepping into discipling their kids for the first time. Something that didn’t require a Bible degree to work through, or hours of preparation to pull off. Most parents feel strapped for time as it is, and don’t feel qualified to walk through the Bible with their children, so we wanted to build a resource parents could pull off the shelf alongside a Bible and feel good about time spent pointing their kids to Jesus and the deep truths of the Christian faith,” the authors explain.

Whether a family is taking their first steps in family discipleship or are pros who have a weekly devotional routine in place, the interactive questions, answers, and devotionals in Faith Builder Catechism will help families establish building blocks of faith, one level at a time.

Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of Not a Fan, writes, “Full of rich theology, Faith Builder Catechism makes the foundational truths of Scripture accessible and memorable for families. Thanks to the thoughtful questions, witty prompts, and charming theme, this journey through Scripture and the basic beliefs of the Christian faith is full of life-changing potential.”

Faith Builder Catechism: Devotionals to Level Up Your Family Discipleship
By Kevin Hippolyte, Jared Kennedy, and Trey Kullman
September 25, 2023 / Retail Price: $17.99
Print ISBN 978-1-64507-290-4
Religion / Christian Education / Children & Youth

Kevin Hippolyte serves as director of student ministry at Sojourn Church Midtown. He’s also on the board at Hope Collaborative, a trauma-sensitive community development organization serving students, internationals, and neighbors. He lives with his wife, Kelly, and son in Louisville, Kentucky.

Jared Kennedy serves as an editor for The Gospel Coalition and is the cofounder of Gospel-Centered Family, a ministry that helps churches and families share Jesus with the next generation. He’s the author of Keeping Your Children’s Ministry on Mission, God Made Me for Worship, The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible, and the Beginner’s Gospel Story Book series. He’s also helped to develop two VBS programs, Proof Pirates and Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet. He and his wife, Megan, and their three girls also attend Sojourn Church Midtown.

Trey Kullman served for more than five years as a family pastor and is now managing editor of Gospel-Centered Family. He and his wife, Annie, and their three children also live in Louisville, Kentucky where they attend Sojourn Church J-town.

Together, they host Gospel-Centered Family’s Press Pause podcast. Learn more at gospelcenteredfamily.com, on Facebook (Gospel-Centered Family), X (@GCF_com), and Instagram (@gospelcenteredfamily).

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

WESTMONT, IL—InterVarsity Press has announced that the host for the fifth and sixth seasons of The Disrupters podcast will be writer and speaker Kaitlyn Schiess. Her list of guests for the fifth season will be announced along with the release of the first episode of The Disrupters on Monday, October 16. A host-handoff episode will also be live on Monday, September 25, at www.ivpress.com/disrupters.

As a regular cohost for the popular Holy Post Podcast, Schiess is no stranger to tackling challenging questions. And in this season of The Disrupters she will be asking guests from a range of backgrounds and experiences what it means to “disrupt ourselves.” More specifically, what happens when a person experiences a disruption that causes them to question their faith or their previous assumptions and convictions in a way that leads to a more flourishing life?

In seasons one and two of The Disrupters New Testament scholar and bestselling author Esau McCaulley asked the question, What does it mean to disrupt the church in a meaningful way? Media expert Nancy Wang Yuen hosted seasons three and four and asked the question, What does it mean to disrupt culture in a meaningful way? In these next two seasons Schiess will consider what it means to disrupt ourselves in a meaningful way.

“I’m excited to spend the next season of The Disrupters exploring how we can become the kind of people who can live faithful political lives without losing our souls,” Schiess said. “I’m honored to take over from the fabulous previous hosts of the podcast, and build on the thoughtful conversations they hosted. It’s my hope that this season can give people practical resources for preparing spiritually and emotionally for another challenging election season.”

Schiess is the author of The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor (September 2020) and The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here (August 2023). Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, the New York Times, Christ and Pop Culture, Relevant, and Sojourners. Schiess has a ThM in systematic theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and is currently a doctoral student in political theology at Duke Divinity School.

The Disrupters podcast will be available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast distributors.

Awaiting the Manger: Years in the Making from Beloved Author Ocieanna Fleiss

EUGENE, OR.— The year is passing fast, and the Advent season will be here before we know it. In her new book, Awaiting the Manger: Whispers of Advent in the Old Testament, best-selling author Ocieanna Fleiss invites readers not to rush through the 25 days of Advent, but to relish those days by delving into the timeless stories of the Old Testament. Years in the making, Awaiting the Manger shines a light on the hints of Jesus’s birth woven through the ancient text. Through daily readings, which showcase vibrant cultural and historical insights, readers will step into the sandals of biblical characters such as Abraham, Sarah, Joshua, Naomi, Elijah, and many more.

In Awaiting the Manger Fleiss leads readers on an Advent journey to discover the profound gift of God’s love within the pages of the Old Testament. Every reading ends with a series of interactive steps allowing individuals or groups to take their celebration of Advent even further—as they Practice, Reflect, Pray, Read, Sing. Awaiting the Manger honors the redemption story as revealed in the Old Testament and recognizes how vital it is to our celebration of Jesus’s birth today. This makes Awaiting the Manger the perfect present, one that will become a staple of family Advent traditions, giving readers a unique gift wrapped in the profound, healing, and life-transforming love of Christ.

Awaiting the Manger
Harvest House Publishers
ISBN13:  978-0736987783
September 2023
Softcover, 176 pages, $17.99

Ocieanna Fleiss has written several books including her memoir, Love Like There’s No Tomorrow: How a Cardiac Arrest Brought My Heart to Life. She has taught the Bible for more than a decade, always delighting in how God’s love is shown throughout his Word. Ocieanna and her husband have four kids and make their home in Washington State. You can find Ocieanna on Facebook, Instagram, and at  ocieanna.com.

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: Jeane Wynn,918-630-9695, Jeane@wynnwynnmedia.com

WaterBrook, an imprint of Penguin Random House, is celebrating the milestone sales achievement of The Wingfeather Saga reaching more than one million copies sold. Authored by Andrew Peterson and illustrated by Joe Sutphin, The Wingfeather Saga is a series of middle grade fantasy novels. The four books follow the three Igiby siblings on a perilous journey where they discover their true identities, fight against evil, and attempt to save their world from destruction. The bestselling series has been licensed for translation in 14 languages worldwide and adapted into an animated television series by Angel Studios, with Peterson as an executive producer along with J. Chris Wall.

WaterBrook originally published the first two books in the series, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and North! Or Be Eaten, in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Peterson had a vision for the story to stretch across four books and published books three, The Monster in the Hollows, and four, The Warden and the Wolf King, through Rabbit Room Press. In 2020, WaterBrook repackaged and released all four books in hardcover: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, North! Or Be Eaten, The Monster in the Hollows, and The Warden and the Wolf King, followed by the short story collection, Wingfeather Tales (2021), and the wildly inventive, Pembrick’s Creaturepedia (2021), catapulting the series onto the bestseller lists and finding a whole new generation of readers.

The Wingfeather Saga’s books have garnered many accolades, including the 2009 Christy Award Winner for Young Adult Fiction (North! Or Be Eaten), WORLD’s 2015 Children’s Book of the Year (The Warden and the Wolf King), and the 2015 Clive Staples Award for Fantasy Fiction (The Warden and The Wolf King).

Aside from his work as an author and producer, Peterson is also an award-winning recording artist, songwriter, and founder of The Rabbit Room, which nourishes community through music, story, and art. He is quick to share the credit for his books’ success – and his gratitude.

“‘Wow, I’m so grateful,’ is the first sentence that comes to mind, but ‘grateful’ isn’t big enough for how I really feel toward the agents, publishers, booksellers, librarians, teachers, and especially the readers who made this happen. ‘Exceedingly grateful’ gets a bit closer,” said Peterson. “Seriously, I can’t overstate how wonderful it feels to have connected with so many readers—and there’s even more Wingfeather stuff to come. The second sentence that comes to mind is, ‘A million is a crazy number so there must be some mistake, but I hope nobody in accounting notices.’”

Upcoming additions to the Wingfeather universe include A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest in November 2023, a paperback edition of North! Or Be Eaten in January 2024, a picture book The Prince of Yorsha Doon in August 2024, and other longer-term projects coming down the pike, including season two of the animated series early next year.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled in celebrating this moment for The Wingfeather Saga. Aside from being honored to work with such a talented and wonderful author as Andrew, we’re so proud of the entire Wingfeather publishing team who have all given their best to see this kind of success come to fruition,” WaterBrook’s EVP & Publisher Tina Constable said. “We’re grateful to the retail partners who have helped place these books into the hands of young readers, and we look forward to sharing so much more of Andrew’s creative genius in the years ahead.”

WaterBrook is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

 

ROBERT MORRIS GIVES A ROADMAP TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS A REALITY

Dream to Destiny Helps Readers Identify Their Purpose and Fulfill Their Destiny

“Pastor Robert breathes hope back into every dreamer’s future.”– Charlotte Gambill, International Speaker and Author

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, September 18, 2023 — Gateway Publishing and Bethany House Publishers (a division of Baker Publishing Group) are pleased to announce the newest release from Robert Morris, Dream to Destiny: A Proven Guide to Navigating Life’s Biggest Tests and Unlocking Your God-Given Purpose, will officially release on September 19, 2023.

In this book, pastor and bestselling author Robert Morris shares exactly how to navigate the journey from your dreams to your destiny. Using the biblical story of Joseph, he explains how Joseph had a God-given dream, but he didn’t reach his destiny overnight. Over a period of thirteen years, God took Joseph through ten character-building tests that prepared him for his extraordinary future—tests you also need to pass to reach your destiny.

Filled with biblical truths, personal stories, and practical applications, Dream to Destiny equips you to successfully persevere through waiting and uncertainty, identify your gifts and talents, and fulfill your God-given destiny.

“We all have dreams—dreams for our families, dreams for our finances, and dreams for our chosen vocations, but right now I want to challenge you to dream a little bigger. Allow God to stir in your heart His dream for you. I promise, His dream for you is better. His destiny for you is bigger,” Morris writes.

Samuel Rodriguez, lead pastor, CEO, author, and producer, says, “My pastor and dear friend Robert Morris has done it again. His writing is founded on universal and biblical truths that educate, motivate, and mobilize readers of all ages and backgrounds. God is glorified, and His plan is realized when we act upon the dreams He places in our hearts. In Dream to Destiny, Robert Morris shows us the way.”

Available wherever books are sold.

Robert Morris is the senior pastor of Gateway Church, a multicampus church based in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Since it began in 2000, the church has grown to more than 100,000 active attendees. His television program airs in over 190 countries, and his radio program, Worship & the Word with Pastor Robert, airs in more than 6,400 cities. He serves as chancellor of The King’s University and is the bestselling author of numerous books, including The Blessed Life, Frequency, Beyond Blessed, and The God I Never Knew. Robert and his wife, Debbie, have been married forty-three years and are blessed with one married daughter, two married sons, and nine grandchildren.

Contact: For more information, to receive a copy of Dream to Destiny, or to schedule an interview with Robert Morris, please contact: Peyton Sepeda | publishing@gatewaypeople.com | 855.712.5774 | gatewaypublishing.com

(Carol Stream, Illinois, USA)  Media Associates International is pleased to announce the LittWorld 2024 global publishing conference will take place November 3-8, 2024, in Puebla, Mexico.  More than 200 Christian publishing staff and writers from 40-plus countries are expected at this first LittWorld to be held in a Spanish-speaking country.

Some 40 international publishing professionals will lead plenary sessions, workshops, devotionals and one-on-one consultations giving fresh vision and skills for heightened effectiveness.  The schedule will include ample time for interaction and networking with global colleagues, as well as a half-day outing in historic Puebla, named a World Heritage Site in 1987.

Regarding the conference theme, “Publishing for Lasting Impact,” MAI President John Maust said, “Global Christian communicators have a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on lives and society with God’s help.  Our challenge is to penetrate the clutter of content and speak to hearts in profound ways that encourage and transform.”

Publishing staff and writers from more than 95 countries have participated in the triennial LittWorld conference since it began in 1986. Through LittWorld, MAI has seen publishing houses born, new print and digital publications conceived and publishing skills sharpened for heightened effectiveness.

“The conference was a time of encouragement and insights,” said Hussam Fakhoury of Jordan after attending LittWorld 2022 in Hungary. “Just four months earlier I became director of a publishing house, and LittWorld gave me the opportunity to get wisdom from the experts.”

The LittWorld 2024 venue will be El Presidente Intercontinental, a contemporary five-star hotel just minutes away from the historic center of Puebla, city of 3.3 million located a 90-minute drive southeast of Mexico City. Conference registration will open on December 1 at maiglobal.org.

“I’ve had the joy of attending previous LittWorld conferences in Asia, Africa and Europe, and now my dream of having one in Mexico will come true in 2024,” said Mexican artist and illustrator José Carlos Gutiérrez, MAI Board member and chair of the Conference Host Team.

“The conference will open infinite possibilities for the growth and strengthening of the Christian publishing community in Latin America and for the equipping of publishers and writers from around the world.  We welcome you to Mexico and LittWorld 2024!”

Watch for LittWorld 2024 program and registration details at www.maiglobal.org.  For information, email mai@littworld.org.