Frankfurt am Main, March 21, 2023 – Bookwire, the leading global provider of digital services for publishers, and Podium, a digital-first publisher and one of the fastest growing audiobook publishers in North America, announce a new partnership.

The partnership will allow Podium to take full advantage of Bookwire’s market-leading OS distribution platform, which not only enables Podium’s audiobooks to be delivered seamlessly and with high levels of quality, speed and automation to the widest range of global sales partners, but also allows Podium to harness audio tools created by Bookwire including enhanced sales analytics, windowing, metadata optimization, and end to end audiobook production.

Podium CEO Scott Dickey stated, “As our business has evolved and increased in complexity it was critically important to shore up our production and distribution capabilities. After evaluating the landscape of potential partners and resources available to our team it became clear that Bookwire was the most capable and trusted option. Partnering with Bookwire has enabled Podium to accelerate our growth and continue our march as the fastest growing digital publisher in North America.”

“I have long admired Podium’s creativity and ambition in the audio space, and we are thrilled to partner with them to help accelerate their continued growth. Our mission is to provide the number one audiobook service to publishers worldwide, and Podium is simply one of the very best in the business,” said Videl Bar-Kar, Vice President Audio at Bookwire.

“The Bookwire OS platform provides publishers with a powerful tool to optimize their digital distribution strategies in one solution. By leveraging Bookwire’s technology, Podium is gaining efficiencies and the ability to scale their business more easily. We are excited to offer this innovative technology to Podium as part of our partnership,” says Brittyne Lewis, Country Manager of the US at Bookwire.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Podium has become a leader in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Romance, and has been a pioneer in bringing popular sub-genres such as Gamelit, LitRPG, and Progression Fantasy to the fore. Podium first gained international notice for turning author Andy Weir’s The Martian into one of the most successful audiobooks in history. Today, the company is a top-ten audiobook publisher and has expanded into publishing in eBook and print. Podium’s expansive growth has continued internationally through a partnership with European publisher Saga Egmont to translate and produce their top intellectual property in myriad non-English languages.

About Podium
Podium is a leading digital-first publisher whose mission is to change the lives of trendsetting storytellers by discovering, developing, and amplifying their work. Podium leverages proprietary technology to identify these trendsetting storytellers and then brings a creator-economy approach to production, distribution, and monetization of that content.  Headquartered in Los Angeles, Podium is the fastest growing digital publisher in North America. With a focus on genre fiction, Podium has become a leader in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Romance, and has been a pioneer in bringing the popular sub-genres of Gamelit, LitRPG, Progression Fantasy, and more to the fore. Podium first gained international notice for turning author Andy Weir’s The Martian into one of the most successful audiobooks in history. Today, the company is a top-ten audiobook publisher and has expanded across all formats of publishing.

About Bookwire & “Bookwire OS – One Solution”
Bookwire GmbH was founded in Frankfurt in 2010 as a service provider for publisher distribution of eBooks and digital content. It has since become one of the leading international businesses in digital publishing technology. Bookwire currently employs 150 people in Germany, the UK, Spain, France, Brazil, Mexico and the USA, who take care of more than 2,500 publishers in the fields of eBooks, audiobooks, podcasts and Print-on-Demand. The pioneering software “Bookwire OS – One Solution”, launched in 2019, has delivered, analyzed and marketed around 800,000 eBooks and 200,000 audiobooks in all relevant distribution channels. In addition to the latest customer analytics and pricing technology, publishing clients of Bookwire GmbH also have access to individual support from account & marketing managers who look after the clients from end to end. In 2019, the audiobook production solution “We Audiobook You” (WAY) bagged the business the first “Digital Publishing Award” in the field of B2B solutions. Bookwire GmbH is managed by its founders Jens Klingelhöfer and John Ruhrmann, and has branches in Barcelona, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, New York and Paris, in addition to the company headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and the “Digital Hub” in Dortmund.

Dan Alger provides a framework for the why, what, and how of starting new churches

While much of church planting today is approached as a new, innovative effort, church leaders can take comfort in the truth that they are simply stewards of what the faithful church has been doing for millennia. In Word and Sacrament: Ancient Traditions for Modern Church Planting (New Growth Press/May 1, 2023), Anglican church planting veteran Dan Alger shows pastors how the rich traditions of liturgical worship are a gift to the work of starting new churches.

“The ancient church has something to say to modern church planting.  A foundation in Word and sacrament and the liturgical life in which the church has operated for millennia leads us to healthier, more faithful, and more effective churches,” Alger explains. “The gifts and practices of the historic church still provide answers to today’s questions of mission, evangelism, and discipleship. It is time we rediscover our heritage for the health of the church and the advancement of our mission.”

Alger leads readers in rediscovering the foundations of their heritage. At the same time, he reveals how the act of planting new churches can breathe new life into these ancient traditions as they are applied to a variety of cultural contexts. In doing so, Word and Sacrament provides a robust framework to plant gospel faithful, missionally effective, relationally strong churches. “Planting in Word and sacrament means that we find our calling and our guide for church planting in the truth of God as revealed in his Word written and echoed in his sacraments, the Word visible,” Alger writes.

Written from an Anglican perspective to encourage both aspiring and experienced church planters, Word and Sacrament will assist leaders in all traditions to better understand the why, what, and how of the task before them. At the end of each chapter, Alger includes “A Note to Non-Anglican Readers,” expounding on how the material can be adapted to other church traditions. Alger outlines and contextualizes discipleship for a global church and helps those in all walks of ministry to discern their role in church planting. He also helps ministry leaders avoid common mistakes in church planting and examine their motivations for church planting.

In the foreword of Word and Sacrament, Ed Stetzer writes, “Though he writes enthusiastically and unapologetically from his Anglican heritage and convictions, Dan has given us a book that will help any church planter or church planting network to serve the Lord more faithfully and effectively for the gospel. He champions ecclesiology as vital to planting, an area too often neglected by planting leaders.”

Word and Sacrament: Ancient Traditions for Modern Church Planting
by Dan Alger
Print ISBN: 978-1-64507-303-1
May 1, 2023 / Retail Price: $24.99
RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Pastoral Resources

Dan Alger, DMin, has been in church planting ministry for over twenty years, currently serving as the Canon for Church Planting for the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and Dean of the Cathedral at Church of the Redeemer in Greensboro, NC. Through his role with the ACNA, Alger started the Always Forward Church Planting Initiative which seeks to equip dioceses to become effective at raising up, training, sending out, and supporting church planters to plant Gospel-centered, sacramental, missional churches.  Alger is also an adjunct professor, speaker, trainer, and coach. He is cohost of the Always Forward Podcast and author of Word and Sacrament: Ancient Traditions for Modern Church Planting.   Dan and his wife, Karen, have two sons. In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking.

Learn more at danalger.com. He can also be found on Facebook (@dan.alger2) and  Twitter (@dan_alger).

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

In his new book “TRUST: Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken” (Worthy Books, ISBN: 9781546003373, March 28, 2028), Dr. Cloud explores the five foundational aspects of trust that must be present for any relationship to function successfully and helps us to understand what can cause us to exercise faulty judgment in our trust decisions.

The Five Essentials of Trust are:

*   Understanding
*   Motive and Intent
*   Ability
*   Character
*   Track Record

We are wired biologically, neurologically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically to trust. Trust is the currency that drives every relationship, beginning with the foundational bond between infants and their mothers, extending to the trust networks that undergird every human endeavor – art, science, business – and binding together every relationship we have ever had or ever will have. Nothing in our world works without trust.

It is tempting to think that trust is simple, that we should be able to spot a lack of trustworthiness relatively easily. But we all have our stories about misplaced trust. We either missed clear or subtle warning signs or there just were not any warning signs to see. Everything looked good on the surface, and maybe it was. But we got burned anyway.

In TRUST, Dr. Cloud equips us to understand and manage trust in all our relationships: family, work and romantic, so that we can build and maintain happy, healthy, and productive relationships.

Dr. Henry Cloud is an acclaimed leadership expert, clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author. His 45 books, including the iconic Boundaries, have sold nearly 20 million copies worldwide. He has an extensive executive coaching background and experience as a leadership consultant, devoting the majority of his time working with CEOs, leadership teams, and executives to improve performance, leadership skills and culture.

Contact: Laini Brown, Director of Publicity, Hachette Nashville, 615.371.7763

Pastor and New York Times bestselling author guides teens through practical and faith-based approaches to managing mental health in new book

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 27, 2023—It’s no secret that today’s teens face a multitude of challenges to their mental well-being, often leading to a spiral of unhealthy thoughts and doubts about their self-worth. These thinking patterns often leave young people feeling less-than and unvalued, contributing to feelings of anxiety and depression throughout their lives.

In his new book, Winning the War in Your Mind for Teens (Zondervan, hardcover, $19.99, April 4, 2023), nationally known podcast host, pastor, and bestselling author Craig Groeschel builds on his book Winning the War in Your Mind to present the scientific and spiritual discoveries he made after struggling with his own negative and anxious thoughts since youth. Using personal stories, research, and hands-on thought exercises, Groeschel provides readers with practical and easy-to-use strategies that are customized for today’s teens, helping them find freedom from the grip of harmful and destructive thinking.

“Take it from a guy who survived his teen years but could have done it so much better,” Groeschel writes. “Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts. What we think shapes who we become. If you agree, then it’s time to change your thinking so God can change your life.”

Groeschel announced the book on his social media platforms today. See more about the book here: https://www.craiggroeschel.com/books/winning-the-war-in-your-mind-for-teens

Winning the War in Your Mind for Teens helps readers learn what they can do to challenge their everyday thinking and change the course of their lives for the better, as well as discover all the ways a closer relationship with God and an understanding of their value in God’s eyes can help them see their innate value and more fully believe what is true about themselves.

Readers will discover:

• How their brain works, and how to rewire it so they can short-circuit the triggers that lead to negative thoughts
• How to identify the lies the enemy wants them to believe
• The ways prayer and praise can transform their mind
• Practices that allow God’s thoughts to become their thoughts

Presented in a stunning hardcover with gloss details, Winning the War in Your Mind for Teens is the first book from Groeschel written for young adults, and the perfect gift for readers ages 13 and up. Other inspirational self-help titles from Groeschel include The Power to Change, Winning the War in Your Mind, Dangerous Prayers, and Hope in the Dark.

About the Author
Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, one of the largest churches in the world and the creator of the free YouVersion Bible App. The New York Times bestselling author hosts the top-ranking Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast and speaks to hundreds of thousands of leaders around the world annually through the Global Leadership Network. Craig and his wife, Amy, live in Oklahoma. Connect with Craig at www.craiggroeschel.com.

Zondervan is a world-leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications. Zondervan, as part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan’s offices are located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

Contact:  Jessica Westra, Director of Publicity, Zondervan YA/Zonderkidz, Jessica.westra@harpercollins.com, (616) 403-6628   

Chicago, IL – Christian Leadership Alliance (CLA) will present Promise Keepers Chairman Ken Harrison with the 2023 CLA Book of the Year Award at its Outcomes Conference this week in Chicago. The award recognizes Harrison’s June 2022 release, A Daring Faith in a Cowardly World: Live a Life Without Waste, Regret or Anything Unfinished, published by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

“We’re pleased to recognize A Daring Faith in a Cowardly World,” says Tami Heim, Christian Leadership Alliance President and CEO. “It’s a clarion call to seize what has been entrusted to you. To learn how to stand strong and live fearlessly God’s best plan for your life and His kingdom purpose.”

The Outcomes Conference 2023, with the theme of “Entrusted”, seeks to equip and unite courageous leaders who are committed to transforming the world for Christ. Harrison, as the volunteer chairman of Promise Keepers, works to inspire men to be bold, faithful and godly fathers and husbands. He is also the CEO of WaterStone, which helps Christian donors give away $2 million weekly for God’s Kingdom.

An author and speaker who has appeared on dozens of national media outlets, including “Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk,” The 700 Club, Fox News, The Blaze TV, OANN and The Huckabee Show and with a long record of dedicated service to ministry, Harrison has preached in high-risk areas of countries such as Mexico, South Africa, Haiti, and the Philippines.

Before his ministry work, Harrison spent his early career as a Los Angeles police officer and later built a successful commercial real estate business, which he eventually sold to the second largest commercial real estate company in the world. He has also served on numerous local and national boards, including FCA, Colorado Uplift, Urban Youth Ministries, Corban University and WaterStone.

Harrison will serve as a main stage presenter at this year’s Outcomes Conference, taking place March 28-30 in Chicago.

To connect with Ken Harrison, contact: Jason Jones, Jones Literary, jason@jonesliterary.com, 512.720.2996

March 27, 2023, Grand Rapids, Mich. –  ECPA has presented to Dwight Baker, former ECPA board chair and president/CEO of Baker Publishing Group, its Chair Award for distinguished leadership to ECPA and the publishing industry.

The award was presented on March 16 by ECPA president and CEO Jeff Crosby at a retirement celebration held for Dwight at the Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Baker will retire in April.

ECPA recognized Dwight’s 43-year career in Christian publishing as president of Baker Publishing Group, considered the leading independent Christian publisher in the United States; and for his vital role as ECPA board chair during a time of consolidation and transition in the industry.

During the award presentation, Jeff stated, “Dwight guided our association with grace, diplomacy, humor, and wisdom. In addition to his impact in North America, Dwight’s work on the board of the Theological Book Network has enabled countless people in the majority world to have access to life-changing Christian resources.”

ECPA’s current board chair Dan Kok, SVP of Operations for Crossway, reiterated ECPA’s gratefulness for Dwight’s contributions: “Christian publishing is a much better enterprise because of Dwight’s involvement in it for more than 43 years. On behalf of the ECPA board of directors, we are pleased to recognize his contributions through this Award.”

###

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. For more information about ECPA: info@ecpa.org ECPA.org @ECPA

Contact:  Jeff Crosby, ECPA president & CEO,  jcrosby@ecpa.org or 630-989-0222 (mobile)

FOR “THE UNEXPECTED LIGHT OF THOMAS ALVA EDISON”

Appearing on FOX & Friends Tuesday, March 21

Grand Rapids, MI – March 20, 2023 – Zonderkidz is pleased to announce that New York Times bestselling author, broadcast journalist and producer Raymond Arroyo will be on tour for his new children’s picture book series titled Turnabout Tales, with the first book arriving in stores on March 21, 2023, titled The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison.

Arroyo will appear at these locations for readings and book signings:

• Virtual “Live Signing” March 21, 6:05 pm ET
  https://livesigning.com/unexpectedlight
• The Villages, FL: March 25 at 2pm ET at Barnes and Noble
  https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2264
• Jacksonville, FL: March 26 at 4pm ET at San Marco Books
  https://www.sanmarcobooksandmore.com/
• Metairie, LA: March 27 at 7pm CT at Barnes and Noble
  https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062155284-0
• Simi Valley, CA: March 29 at 6pm PT at the Reagan Presidential Library
  https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/
• Brentwood, TN: May 6, at 11am CT at Barnes and Noble
  https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2701

While the events are free and open to the public, a book purchase will be required to enter the signing line at each location. More information can be found at www.raymondarroyo.com.

The virtual “Live Signing” with Arroyo will take place for those fans who cannot travel and want to receive a copy of the signed book, on Tuesday, March 21, at 6:05pm ET. Fans can go to https://livesigning.com/unexpectedlight  to pre-order and submit questions to the author. Arroyo will appear on Facebook and speak to how the book came together, while signing copies for fans.

He will also appear on FOX & Friends the day of the book release, March 21.

Illustrated by Kristina Gehrmann, the book will be for children 4-8 and beyond who will enjoy learning how small moments and events in one’s life can create a big change, much like Edison’s life did.

Based on the younger years of inventor Thomas Alva Edison, the book highlights the support of his mother, Nancy Edison, who understood Thomas had a special curiosity and went on to school him at home to help expand his worldview and understanding of all things nature and science. Edison’s curiosity often got him into trouble, but also led to his love of chemistry, the mechanics of the telegraph and more. His struggle with deafness at an early age also compelled him to become a compulsive reader. Edison’s mother was his biggest advocate, and he opened up an “invention factory” in 1876 to honor her after her unexpected death.

The Turnabout Tales series will feature pivotal moments in other historic lives, each revealing  challenges faced, paths changed and history turned.  More books will be announced later in 2023.

“We often forget that talent is nurtured by love and belief. I was drawn to Edison when I read a comment where he attributed his entire career as an inventor to his mother,” says Arroyo, host of the global news program The World Over Live on EWTN, and a FOX Contributor. “At a critical point, when he was tossed from school, it was Edison’s mother who recognized his spark and changed the trajectory of his life.  My hope is that the whole series will inspire kids and their families to be open to the direction of their children’s gifts and interests. Often it is by looking back that we can see the best way to go forward –and that’s what I hope to do with Turnabout Tales.”

The book includes an author note and bibliography for further reading. A Teaching Guide and Activity Guide will also be available for free download to parents and educators at www.zonderkidz.com.

“…the light of the invention within Tom might have never illuminated the world, had it not been for a mother who first saw the glow of curiosity in her Al.” – The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison

Advance copies of the book and interviews are available upon request. Please contact Publicity Director Jessica Westra at jessica.westra@harpercollins.com or Velvet Kelm at velvet@mcollective.com for more information.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison
By New York Times bestselling author Raymond Arroyo
Illustrated by Kristina Gehrmann
Hardcover w/Jacket, $17.99
9780310799238
March 21, 2023 On Sale

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
“This moving, hidden story of one of our great inventors, in Raymond Arroyo’s skillful hands, becomes a lesson in the power of love and family.  This Turnabout Tale will touch any parent who has ever defended or encouraged their child and inspire any student who has been underestimated.  There’s true light in this tale.”
– Kathie Lee Gifford, Best-selling author and 4-time Emmy award winning entertainer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Raymond Arroyo is an internationally known, award-winning journalist, producer, and New York Times bestselling author.  As a Fox News Contributor and Editorial Advisor to the top-rated, The Ingraham Angle, he has created the popular “Seen and Unseen” and “Friday Follies” segments that have become audience favorites.  He regularly files reports for FOX and appears across the network.

As founding News Director, Managing Editor and Lead Anchor for EWTN News, he is seen in more than 350 million homes on six continents each week and heard on more than 500 AM/FM affiliates and a stand alone Sirius channel throughout the U.S.  Arroyo established EWTN News and The World Over Live in 1996, which he hosts from Washington D.C. each week.

Five of his adult books, including his biography of Mother Angelica, were all New York Times bestsellers.  His first picture book, The Spider Who Saved Christmas, was also a New York Times bestseller.  Additionally, he is author of the bestselling Will Wilder series for young readers.  In 2015, Arroyo founded Storyented.com, a literacy initiative to inspire reading by connecting the world’s great authors and their readers.  Arroyo resides in New Orleans and Washington D.C. with his wife Rebecca and their three children.

• https://raymondarroyo.com/
• https://twitter.com/raymondarroyo
• https://www.facebook.com/ArroyoRaymond
• Literary Initiative: storyented.com

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 a world-leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications. Zondervan, as part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan’s offices are located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

Media Contact:
Jessica Westra, Director of Publicity, Zonderkidz, Jessica.westra@harpercollins.com, 616.403.6628
Velvet Kelm, 615.476.9933

Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. announces seven finalists for the Christian Indie Awards sponsored by the Christian Independent Publishers Association (CIPA).

The Elk Lake Publishing Christian Indie (CIPA) Award Finalists are:

• Bible Study:
  Bible Study Briefs: God’s Will, Unraveling the Mystery by L. G. Westlake
• Children’s Picture Book:
  Do Your Best, Tess! by Janet Morris Grimes
• Children’s 8–12:
  Into the Great Marinara by Nicolas C. Day
• Children’s 8–12:
  No Bones About It by Annette O’Hare
• General Fiction:
  Into the Room by Steven Rogers
• Novella:
  Awakened by T. E. Bradford
• Speculative:
  Beneath the Deep by Andrea Chatman

Publisher Deb Haggerty said, “We have been blessed with exceptional authors who call Elk Lake home. Our family atmosphere and incredible support team make us extremely proud. And our ten finalists in the Selahs and seven in the CIPA awards show the success of our mission.”

March 2023 | WESTMONT, IL—IVP Academic is pleased to announce that L. Michael Morales has signed a series editor agreement for new Essential Studies in Biblical Theology (ESBT) books.

Rachel Hastings, associate editor of IVP Academic, said, “Michael will continue to guide this series with his careful and thoughtful scholarship and his passion for accessible biblical theology. I’m thrilled to be working with him on the expansion of the ESBT series.”

Morales is professor of biblical studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Taylors, South Carolina. Previously he was provost and professor of Old Testament at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Florida. He is the author of The Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus, Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?, and Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption.

Essential Studies in Biblical Theology (ESBT) explores the central or “essential” themes of the Bible’s grand storyline. Taking cues from Genesis 1–3, each author teases out a unique theme throughout the entire sweep of the history of redemption. The ESBT project functions as a whole in that each theme is intentional, and each volume does not stand solely on its own merits. The individual volumes interlock with one another, and, taken together, form a complete and cohesive unit. Written for students, church leaders, and laypeople, the ESBT is intended to be an introduction to core biblical-theological themes of the Bible—accessible, yet rich in content.

Morales will take over for current ESBT series editor Benjamin L. Gladd, who will remain the editor for the ten volumes that have been contracted up to this date. Gladd’s titles include:

• From Adam and Israel to the Church by Benjamin L. Gladd
• Exodus Old and New by L. Michael Morales
• Rebels and Exiles by Matthew S. Harmon
• The Path of Faith by Brandon D. Crowe
• God Dwells Among Us by G. K. Beale and Mitchell Kim
• Face to Face with God by T. Desmond Alexander
• The Hope of Life After Death by M. Jeff Brannon
• The Beginning and End of All Things by Edward W. Klink III (forthcoming)
• The Return of the Kingdom by Stephen G. Dempster (forthcoming)
• Idolatry by Catherine Leigh McDowell (forthcoming; title not finalized)

Gladd (PhD, Wheaton) is professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary. His publications include Hidden But Now Revealed, Making All Things New, and The Story Retold.

Contact:  Krista Clayton | 630.734.4013 | kclayton@ivpress.com

3rd March 2023, Prague, Czech Republic — Readers of the Bible and followers of Christ can now gain new insights as they study Scripture thanks to a recently launched one-volume commentary on the whole Bible. The Central and Eastern European Bible Commentary (CEEBC) is the result of several years of work from over 100 Bible scholars and theologians from Central and Eastern Europe. Spanning contributions from twenty countries within the region, this is the first work of its kind.

The release of this commentary adds to the growing collection of similar volumes now published or underway in several regions of the world that have been supported by Langham Partnership — a global ministry founded by the late preacher and author John Stott. Their mission is to equip Christian leaders in the Majority World, which is where the majority of Christians reside. Over the last two decades Langham Partnership has fostered this mission through the support of major regional one-volume commentaries. To date, seven regions have produced these commentaries covering Africa, South Asia, the Slavic region, Middle East, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia with many of these regions producing them in multiple languages.

During the launch of the CEEBC at the Církev Bratrská in Prague, attendees, including many contributors, editors, local Christians, and members of the Langham Partnership, celebrated the commentary and recounted its story. Pavel Černy, a former president of the Církev Bratrská and resident of Prague, hosted the event and led the evening’s activities, which included singing, organ performances, and multiple guest speakers.

International Director of the Langham Partnership, Rev. Tayo Arikawe shared:

“It is with joy that we have come to celebrate. I want to welcome on behalf of Langham Partnership International, all the academics who have participated in this commentary, all of the leaders of different churches that have made some effort to be part of it. And the idea that there has been a lot of cross-cultural working together in this process speaks volumes.”

Local church leaders commemorated the work and attendees received a keynote address from Rev. Dr. Christopher J. H. Wright entitled, “The Whole Bible for our Whole Context.” During his speech, he reflected on the importance of the Bible to give us wisdom and lead us to salvation:

“Today, more than ever, we need the voices of all God’s people, sharing their insights, their understanding of the word of God in all its ancient power and contemporary relevance.”

As well as celebrating, it was a time of reflection and remembrance. One of the chief architects and the general editor of the CEEBC, Corneliu Constantineanu, died from COVID-19 in 2021. Dr. Constantineanu, who was loved by many, was described as a bridge builder and advocate for the necessity that Christian academia must be in service of the church, not for the sake of academia. At the time of his death, Dr. Constaneanu had completed two-thirds of his work on the commentary. His place in this project was taken on by one of the CEEBC’s theological editors, Peter Penner, who shared his thoughts on this during the launch:

“This was an attempt, which has been successful, to bring this diverse group, these diverse countries with their very different languages, together. Here Corneliu has been very instrumental in bringing together, bridging, and connecting people. In diversity, to bring unity. 

So this is one symbol; I hope it is one big step. And I hope we will follow with some more steps as we continue in this direction.”  

The commentary is now available in English, published by Langham Partnership’s official publishing house in their Langham Global Library imprint. Discussions are already underway with partners in the region for possible translations into several languages in the coming years.

• Find out more about the CEEBC, 
• See the CEEBC launch on our YouTube channel: 
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov1FXlOYZ_A 
• Get more information about Langham Partnership. 
• Download the Media Pack.
• For press related questions and information on the CEEBC, please contact sophia.soloviy@langham.org