Radiant Church Pastor Aaron Burke shares from the life of Joseph how to turn unfair events to our advantage

TAMPA BAY, June 9, 2023 – While it is often the categorically unfair events in our lives that derail our dreams, Pastor Aaron Burke in his literary debut shares why it is often these very struggles that fuel our passion and propel our vision. In “The Unfair Advantage: 7 Keys from the Life of Joseph for Transforming any Obstacle into an Opportunity,” releasing Aug. 8 from Thomas Nelson Publishers, he explains how responding to tragedies appropriately makes all the difference.

“While it’s comforting to hear that all the pain, all the rejection, and all the struggle is actually helping us move toward our destiny, these words aren’t necessarily true,” Burke writes. “Just because something bad happened to you doesn’t mean it will position you to receive something good. It is available, but it is not automatic. There are things you need to do, attitudes you need to adopt, resolve you need to gain, and effort you have to put in for you to walk into your destiny. This book will walk you through the strategy needed to turn what is negative into what is necessary for your destiny to come to pass.”

Burke draws inspiration from the biblical account of Joseph, who was betrayed by his brothers, enslaved unfairly, imprisoned unjustly, and forgotten about for years. No one can argue that he didn’t have reason to become bitter and give up on his dreams, but it wasn’t simply what happened to Joseph that became his unfair advantage – it was how he responded. Burke explores how Joseph’s actions and attitudes in the midst of the pain propelled him to his God-given purpose.

Beginning with a foreword by Burke’s friend and mentor, Pastor Mark Batterson of National Community Church, the book is broken into seven chapters, each one dedicated to one of Joseph’s challenges turned into unfair advantages:

• The Discouraged Dreamer
• The Redirected Reject
• The Wageless Worker
• The Seduced Saint
• The Oppressed Opportunist
• The Forgotten Faithful
• The Limited Leader

Each chapter also includes examples from Burke’s own life as well as success stories from industry icons and historic leaders bearing out his points. Discussion questions follow, encouraging readers to apply the principles discussed to their own circumstances and conditions.

“We live life forward, but we understand life backward,” Burke adds. “The only way to truly embrace hard seasons is to know these seasons are frustrating but also foundational. Our lives might look strange, but our God is very strategic. When you look backward you will see how every difficult moment was developmental for where God was taking you.”

More information and a link to pre-order “The Unfair Advantage,” are available here. For more information about Radiant Church or Pastor Aaron Burke, visit www.weareradiant.com.

About Aaron Burke
Aaron Burke (DMin, MBA) is the lead pastor of Radiant Church, which he and his wife, Katie, started in 2013 after selling everything and moving in faith to a new city. Radiant Church now has eight campuses throughout the Tampa Bay community. Aaron’s passions are building the local church and helping Christians live into their God-given potential. In addition to pastoring at Radiant, Aaron regularly speaks at churches and conferences across America. He also works heavily with planting churches and developing leaders in South Asia (Sri Lanka and India). His work with equipping leaders includes his Made for More leadership podcast and partnering with the Association of Related Churches (ARC) and the Church Multiplication Network (CMN) to train church planters. Aaron and his wife have been married since 2010 and have five beautiful children. He loves to travel, spend time with his family, and do CrossFit.

Media Contact:
Melany Ethridge
melany@alarryross.com
214-912-8934

New JourneyWise Ministry Helps Christians “Love Jesus and Love Like Jesus”

Coming Fall 2023: JourneyWise Trade Book & Life Along the Way Devotional

Memphis, TN, (May 24, 2023) — JourneyWise, a multimedia network dedicated to helping people “Love Jesus and Love Like Jesus,” will launch its first two books this fall with publishing partner Whitaker House. Releasing this September is JourneyWise: Redeeming the Broken & Winding Roads We Travel, authored by Dr. Shane Stanford, President/CEO of the Moore-West Center for Applied Theology and JourneyWise. In October, a four-volume daily devotional series, Life Along the Way, will launch volume one, Jesus with Us: Meeting Him Where He Began, with the next three volumes set to publish in 2024.

JourneyWise: Redeeming the Broken & Winding Roads We Travel is penned by pastor and author Dr. Shane Stanford, who has endured a long road of suffering. His life was forever impacted as a teenage hemophiliac when he contracted HIV and hepatitis from a blood transfusion. Stanford’s journey as a Christian and pastor has been marked by serious illnesses, personal betrayal, and early church rejection. And yet, as he enters his 32nd year of ministry and his first year leading JourneyWise, Stanford is experiencing a renewal of both joy and faith. He brings this fresh encounter to the pages of his new book.

Shane Stanford was introduced to the JourneyWise concept as a young boy, when his grandmother encouraged him to be “JourneyWise.” She taught him the value of discovering and applying wisdom during every season of life. Shane writes: “My grandmother always said that the best kind of wisdom was the wisdom you learned on the road of life. Wisdom gleaned from the steps you took along the way could change you. Grow you.”

As a lifelong student of the Bible, Shane Stanford recognized his grandmother’s wisdom reflected in Jesus’ most famous discourse, known as the Beatitudes. And Stanford’s new book, JourneyWise, reveals how the Beatitudes are more than poetic verses at the start of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” The Beatitudes, he writes, present the very essence of Jesus’ ministry, establish the overall tone of Jesus’ teaching ministry and reveal His most deeply held values.

As Stanford unpacks the daily wisdom of the Beatitudes, JourneyWise readers will discover how to:

• Find meaning in each step along the path of life
• Be transformed by the journey as a whole
• Align your values to reflect the life of Jesus
• Have Jesus Himself as your life companion, tapping into His wisdom
• Intertwine your own story intimately with Jesus and his followers
• Be transformed in day-to-day living
• Love Jesus and love like Jesus along the way

“The steps and stops along the way can settle in and shape us as Jesus participates in the journey with us,” Shane Stanford explains. “This bond defines a life that is not just ‘lived well,’ but a life that my grandmother would have called ‘JourneyWise.’ A type of wisdom gleaned from each step along the way so that we are faithfully formed by the journey as a whole.”

Christians can access JourneyWise discipleship resources across a variety of platforms. The ministry recently launched two podcasts: The JourneyWise Podcast with co-hosts Shane Stanford and Dr. Ronnie Kent, and The Choosing Cheer Podcast hosted by Nicolet Bell. A third podcast will launch summer 2023; the You Matter Podcast will be an interview-based show hosted by Shane Stanford. In 2024, JourneyWise will publish a year-long video curriculum designed for church-wide use. JourneyWise has also partnered with United Theological Seminary, Asbury Seminary, and World Methodist Evangelism, to create a library of topical articles at www.JourneyWise.Network.

JourneyWise creates multimedia discipleship resources across numerous platforms and is led by Dr. Shane Stanford, President/CEO of the Moore-West Center for Applied Theology. JourneyWise was founded by sisters Betty Moore and Carole West, daughters of Kemmons Wilson (founder of Holiday Inn), along with their husbands, Jack Moore (former Chair and CEO of Regions Bank) and Dr. Bill West (world renowned oncologist; founder of the West Cancer Center in Memphis, TN). https://journeywise.network/

Whitaker House is part of Whitaker Corporation, which also includes Anchor Distributors, Whitaker House Español, and Word Alive, its Canadian distribution division. A Christian, family-owned business established in 1970, Whitaker Corp. is dedicated to proclaiming the power of the gospel and ministering to the spiritual needs of people around the world. www.WhitakerHouse.com IG: @WhitakerHouse

Dr. Shane Stanford (MA, Duke University; DMin, Asbury Theological Seminary) is President/CEO of The Moore-West Center for Applied Theology and JourneyWise. Stanford served as a pastor and church planter for more than thirty years, most recently as Senior Pastor of a 5,000+ member church in Memphis, TN. Dr. Stanford is the author of several books, including JourneyWise, The Seven Next Words of Christ, The Cure for the Chronic Life, and The Eight Blessings: Rediscovering the Beatitudes. Shane Stanford’s memoir, A Positive Life, details his experiences as an HIV+ and HepC+ hemophiliac, husband, father, and pastor. He is the co-host of the Covenant Bible Study program, now used in more than 1,000 churches. Shane Stanford is married to Dr. Pokey Stanford, and they have three adult daughters and two sons-in-law. www.JourneyWise.Network IG: @DrShaneStanford

Media Contact: Jana Muntsinger, MMPR, jana@mmpublicrelations.com, 832-247-9308

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JourneyWise: Redeeming the Broken & Winding Roads We Travel
By Shane Stanford
Available September 5, 2023, from Whitaker House Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-8-88769-060-5 • US $17.99 • Paperback • Pages: 208
BISAC: Religion/Christian Living/Spiritual Growth (REL012120)

Review copies, reprint permission and interviews are available.
Contact Jana Muntsinger, McClure Muntsinger Public Relations, 832.247.9308, jana@mmpublicrelations.com.

Coming Soon: Volume One, Life Along the Way daily devotional
Jesus with Us: Meeting Him Where He Began
by Dr. Ronnie Kent, Anthony Thaxton, Dr. Shane Stanford, Dr. Ray Cummings
Releases October 17, 2023
ISBN: 9798887690582 • US $17.99 • Paperback • Pages 208

Ada, Mich. (May 23, 2023)— Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is pleased to announce it recently signed a two-book deal with Erin Moon, the resident Bible scholar on The Bible Binge podcast and creator of the popular Substack newsletter The Swipe Up.

Her first book, scheduled for release in early 2025, is tentatively titled I Have Questions. The book will be for readers who feel the disenchanting divergence between God as he says he is and cultural Christianity. Through a compassionate and curiosity-friendly framework, they will discover how to reconstruct a Jesus-centered spirituality that is strong and authentic enough to sustain the weight of living in our complex world today.

“When I went through my own experience of disentangling the spirituality of my youth, I desperately wished for a guide to help me make sense of the rubble around me,” said Moon. “I am delighted to partner with Baker and offer a way forward for those who desire to transform the fear and trembling of childhood religion into the wonder and curiosity of a grown-up faith.”

Moon is represented by agent Jonathan Merritt with the Christopher Ferebee Agency.

“Erin is a trusted voice and a gifted community-builder who has never shied from asking real questions, and this book speaks to the heart of the questions that matter most to her readership,” said Stephanie Duncan Smith, senior editor, Baker. “Baker Books is honored to partner with her in her highly anticipated traditional publishing debut.”

Erin Hicks Moon is a writer, podcaster, and storyteller who helps people disentangle faith by creating kind and curious communities that welcome honest doubt and pressing questions. She’s the Resident Bible Scholar on The Bible Binge podcast, where she uses her 20+ years of Bible study writing and editing experience to gently rebuke and hilariously re-teach what we did (and didn’t) get in Sunday school. She’s also the online mayor of her weekly newsletter and subscription community, The Swipe Up, as well as the writer of several Bible study guides. A displaced Texan in Alabama, there is a yellow queso-sized hole in her heart. Erin is married with three kids and an emotional support dog who needs his own emotional support.

Baker Books has a vision for building up the body of Christ through books that are relevant, intelligent, and engaging. We publish titles for lay Christians on topics such as discipleship, apologetics, spirituality, relationships, marriage, parenting, and the intersection of Christianity and culture. We also publish books and ministry resources for pastors and church leaders, concentrating on topics such as preaching, worship, pastoral ministries, counseling, biblical reference, and leadership. Learn more at www.BakerBooks.com.

Contact: Kelli B. Smith, (616) 676-9185 x394, ksmith@bakerpublishinggroup.com

Chris Broussard and Matthew Daniels Co-Host a New Video Bible Study featuring Andrew Young, Senate Chaplain Barry Black and other Notable Voices

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 22, 2023 – A new transformative video Bible study, Share the Dream: Shining a Light in a Divided World through Six Principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., inspires and encourages viewers to transform their communities, cities and nations for Christ by embodying the biblical principles of love, conscience, freedom, justice, perseverance and hope.

Share the Dream offers a timely exploration of the timeless values that have the power to unite and ignite change in a world facing a tide of division, strife and violence. It releases from HarperCollins Publishing in collaboration with Urban Ministries, Inc., and The K.I.N.G. Movement on August 8, just weeks prior the momentous 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28.

“In these difficult and dangerous times, this material needs to be in the arsenal of those who seek to bring healing to our hurting nation,” said U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black of Share the Dream.

Co-hosted by Matthew Daniels, J.D., Ph.D., a human rights and counter-terrorism expert, and Chris Broussard, an acclaimed journalist and broadcaster for FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports Radio, Share the Dream brings together an esteemed lineup of high-profile figures who lend their insights and perspectives. Featured contributors include:

• Ambassador Andrew Young
• U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black
• ABC News Broadcast Journalist Linsey Davis
• GRAMMY Award-winning musical artist Lecrae; and
• U.S. Senator Chris Coons.

“Many of us have been sidelined for too long and paralyzed by the complexity of the issues facing us. We don’t know what to do, so often we do nothing. But that’s a formula for social disaster,” said Daniels. “In order to truly enact change, we have to build networks and communities that can model and spread the ideas that are the spiritual and educational antidote to ideologies of hatred, racism and violence.”

The video study consists of dynamic lessons that delve into each of the six principles, accompanied by an engaging study guide to facilitate individual or group reflection. Each lesson combines powerful teachings, thought-provoking discussions, and real-life applications to encourage viewers to live out these principles in their daily lives.

“Dr. King’s dream was rooted in the love of God for all humanity – for all of His children made in His image. In other words, there was a profoundly spiritual dimension to the early Civil Rights Movement,” said Broussard. “For our nation to thrive, we need to help a new generation better understand, live and experience the Gospel-based principles at the heart of the dream to which Dr. King dedicated his life. That’s why we created Share the Dream.”

Share the Dream provides an invaluable opportunity for individuals and communities to deepen their understanding of Dr. King’s legacy and the profound impact of the biblical principles that motivated him, bridging the gap between the past and the present in the pursuit of a more just, compassionate and unified society.

“Dr. King and other courageous men and women were able to change history through the power of a dream that was rooted in the Gospel and the love of God for all of His children made in His image,” said Urban Ministries’ CEO, C. Jeffrey Wright. “Our Share the Dream series explores the profoundly spiritual dimension to the early civil rights movement. We also show how the Gospel-based principles behind the astonishing success of that movement can be applied in our nation and our world. Perhaps this is most clearly seen in the famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech that Dr. King delivered on August 28, 1963, in which he called for racial equality in America.”

To learn more about Share the Dream: Shining a Light in a Divided World through Six Principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. visit sharethedreamstudy.com.

About UMI
UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.) is the largest independent religious media and publishing company serving the African American market. Founded in 1970 in Chicago, Illinois, by Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr., UMI creates positive, transformative analog and digital content based on a biblical worldview that is especially empowering to the African American community. UMI offices are in suburban Chicago. UMI exists to disseminate culture changing, biblically sound content and has tremendous credibility in producing high quality material reaching millions of people throughout the globe.

About The K.I.N.G. Movement
K.I.N.G. is a national Christian Men’s Movement geared toward strengthening men in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ by providing brotherhood, encouragement, accountability, knowledge, and fellowship. The name K.I.N.G. is an acronym for Knowledge, Inspiration, and Nurture through God. K.I.N.G. is a non-denominational movement that seeks to unite true Bible-believing Christian men across racial, denominational, generational and political lines. It is our hope that Christian men can move past their minor doctrinal differences and work together to expand the Kingdom of God. While founded by Chris Broussard in South Orange, New Jersey, K.I.N.G. has local chapters across the United States.

About HarperCollins Christian Publishing
The world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. comprises the Thomas Nelson, Zondervan and HarperChristian Resources publishing groups, BibleGateway.com, FaithGateway.com, StudyGateway.com and ChurchSource.com. The Company produces bestselling Bibles, inspirational books, academic resources, curriculum, audio, and digital content for the Christian market space. Bible Gateway is the world’s largest Christian website with more than 20 million unique visitors each month. HarperCollins Christian Publishing is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. with additional offices in the U.S. and Mexico. For more information visit HarperCollinsChristian.com.

MAY 2023 | WESTMONT, IL—IVP Academic has announced promotions for three members of its editorial team, including Rebecca Carhart to associate academic editor, Colton Bernasol to associate project editor, and Zach Gordon to associate academic managing editor.

Jon Boyd, associate publisher and academic editorial director, said, “I’m thrilled about the editorial team we’ve assembled for IVP Academic—truly a new kind of team with a diversity of expertise, publishing experience, backgrounds, and academic specialties.”

Rebecca Carhart joined IVP in 2012 as an editorial associate, and since 2018 has been in a project editor role for IVP Academic, working with authors and shepherding books through the production process. As an associate academic editor Carhart will develop new books and work closely with authors to strengthen their academic titles throughout the process to publication. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work very closely with Rebecca for years. She makes everything she touches better,” Boyd said. “She’s so productive that she’s always looking for opportunities to work with more authors on more books. This move positions her for that.”

Colton Bernasol was a research assistant at Wheaton College and a graduate assistant in multicultural student affairs for the Latino/a/e community at Northwestern University before he joined IVP in June 2022 as academic assistant project editor. Bernasol will now have an expanded role to concentrate on working with scholars in theology and philosophy to acquire, develop, and publish their books. Boyd said, “Everyone who gets to work with Colton—authors and IVP colleagues alike—will count their blessings. He brings a deeply knowledgeable passion for theology and philosophy along with a Christian integrity that’s inspiring.”

Zach Gordon completed his MA degree in theological studies from Regent College, Vancouver, in May 2021 before he joined IVP in August 2021. In his new role as associate academic managing editor Gordon will add to his project portfolio a number of academic series, notably the Reformation Commentary on Scripture (RCS). Boyd said, “Zach has been managing IVP Academic titles through production for quality, timely delivery, and he’s got the theological and biblical chops to contribute to their development throughout the editorial process, too. The RCS is in great hands.”

Together, Boyd adds, these three changes puts the academic editorial team in a place to grow the line that has been such a rich and substantial part of IVP’s history. He said, “The ‘new news’ today is about these particular promotions, but the three new roles should systemically strengthen the whole team, in fact, and give us new opportunities collectively. We’re better positioned than ever, I think, to acquire and develop great books across the range of university disciplines.”

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

Nashville, Tenn., May 2023 – Zondervan Books, a renowned publisher of Christian literature, is delighted to announce the acquisition of John Inazu’s new book, Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect. Represented by Susan Andreone of Legacy Management, Inazu’s unique insights into the intersections of law, faith, and empathy are drawn from his rich personal and professional experience, including as Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. His poignant, thought-provoking, and often humorous stories  will captivate readers while sharpening their skills for honest and effective engagement with those different from them, and enrich Zondervan Books’ thought-provoking catalog. Webster Younce, Vice President and Publisher at Zondervan Books secured world rights to the book. Accompanying the project as Editor is Paul Pastor, a skilled professional known for his expertise in crafting compelling narratives.

Learning to Disagree promises to be a stimulating exploration of how adopting a lawyer’s mindset of seeing multiple perspectives at the same time can foster empathy in an increasingly divided world. Inazu’s expertise and engaging storytelling will shed light on the transformative power of understanding our differences. Charitably engaging hard topics such as critical race theory, responses to sexual assault, campus protests, and clashes over religious freedom, this book will provide readers with valuable insights for engaging meaningfully in a diverse society. This book is scheduled to release in April 2024.

“In our polarized culture, voices of empathy and reason feel like a breath of fresh air. John Inazu is such a voice, and we at Zondervan look forward to sharing this insightful, entertaining, and inspiring book with readers.” – Paul Pastor, Sr. Acquisitions Editor at Zondervan Books

Zondervan Books’ commitment to publishing literature that inspires, challenges, and encourages aligns perfectly with the vision and purpose behind Learning to Disagree. This collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to bridge divides and promote constructive dialogue in faith and public life.

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 of Zondervan Books, Devin.Duke@HarperCollins.com

 

Bloomington, MN (May 30, 2023)—Popular Bible teacher and podcaster Tara-Leigh Cobble’s new book, Israel, joined the Wall Street Journal’s bestseller list on April 29, 2023. Israel has claimed the No. 10 spot on WSJ‘s hardcover nonfiction bestseller list and the No. 9 bestseller placement on Publishers Weekly’s hardcover frontlist nonfiction list.

Israel combines thirty-one biblically rich devotionals with 350 photos of modern-day Israel into a spectacular coffee table book, revealing the beauty of this country in a way rarely depicted on the printed page. Cobble, creator of The Bible Recap, has led boutique teaching tours of Israel since 2014. The book gives readers an unforgettable tour of the Holy Land, unveiling Israel’s features, flora, and people, all while making deeper connections with its biblical stories and truth.

Whenever Cobble visits Israel, she is always struck by the contrast between the dusty ruins that people picture in their minds and the vibrant colors and contrasts she experiences in real life. Israel truly is a gorgeous destination, worth visiting for its beauty as well as its historical significance.

But more than anything, Cobble wants to connect readers to the God who makes flowers bloom in the desert and who came as a human to this incredible corner of the world.

Israel is available everywhere books are sold.

Tara-Leigh Cobble’s zeal for biblical literacy led her to develop an international network of Bible studies called D-Group (Discipleship Group). Every week, over 300 men’s and women’s D-Groups meet weekly in homes and churches around the world to study Scripture. She also writes and hosts a daily radio feature called The God Shot and a daily podcast called The Bible Recap designed to help listeners read and understand the Bible in a year. The Bible Recap podcast has been downloaded more than 230 million times, and thousands of churches around the world have joined their reading plan to know and love God better.

For more information:
taraleighcobble.com | thebiblerecap.com | mydgroup.org
Social media: @taraleighcobble | @thebiblerecap | @mydgroup

Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, seeks to uplift readers’ families, faith, and free time with our library of industry-leading fiction and bestselling, Christ-centered nonfiction.

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

Ada, Mich. (May 30, 2023)—Baker Publishing Group honors the legacy of Mrs. Elizabeth Sherrill, who passed away Saturday, May 20, 2023. Elizabeth and her husband, John, who died in 2017, launched Chosen Books in 1970.

A faithful follower of Christ and servant to many, Elizabeth responded to John’s idea of beginning a publishing company with, “Why not? It would be fun.”

Corrie ten Boom’s bestselling memoir, The Hiding Place, first published in 1971, was co-written by Elizabeth and John with Corrie herself. The book continues to reach generations today with sales surpassing 3.5 million copies and climbing.

Elizabeth was a supremely gifted writer and editor who produced more than 30 books and 2,000 articles throughout her lifetime. Ever the wordsmith, she brought to life the stories of David Wilkerson (The Cross and the Switchblade), Brother Andrew (God’s Smuggler), and George G. Ritchie (Return from Tomorrow).

In its earliest days, Chosen Books operated out of a refurbished Quaker schoolhouse in Lincoln, Virginia. Eventually, in 1992, it was acquired by Baker Publishing Group. Jane Campbell, now-retired editorial director of Chosen, worked closely with Elizabeth and remembers, “Elizabeth was a Christlike model of a writer-editor who was fastidious and top-notch in her work, yet unfailingly kind and gracious in her relationships.”

In May 2018, the ECPA presented to Elizabeth the Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of Elizabeth and John’s contributions to Christian publishing and global impact for the cause of Christ.

Chosen Books continues to publish 30 new titles a year under the leadership of publishing veteran Kim Bangs, editorial director since 2021. Kim acknowledges her team is standing on strong shoulders and wholeheartedly agrees, “Yes, Elizabeth, it is fun.”

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.

Contact: Deirdre Close, (952) 829-2529, dclose@bakerpublishinggroup.com

CPH Reads, a summer reading program all about Jesus, begins May 31, 2023.

ST. LOUIS—Many families are looking for extended learning activities for their children during the summer. With Concordia Publishing House (CPH) ’s summer reading program, CPH Reads, kids will be challenged to dig into books and learn about Jesus’ grace. From May 31, 2023, through August 11, 2023, everyone who completes the reading challenge will be eligible for a chance to win prizes.

This program encourages children to read Christ-centered books all summer. With the newly updated program rules, readers will be able to log minutes spent reading any book. But readers are encouraged to choose CPH’s selection of books, which will help them find hope in God’s Word. Those interested in participating can register and learn more about how to log minutes by visiting cph.org/reads.

According to the Children’s Bureau of Southern California, reading every day has been proven to benefit a myriad of developmental habits in children, including improved language skills and increased concentration. While any book is eligible for earning minutes in this challenge, CPH provides participants with a list of CPH books categorized by age. Readers can also take the CPH Reads quiz to find their next book.

For more information about participating in CPH Reads, contact CPH Public Relations Specialist Erica Sontag.

About Concordia Publishing House
Concordia Publishing House (CPH) is the publishing arm of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. For more than 150 years, CPH has been providing individuals, churches, and schools with products that are faithful to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. From books and Bibles to church supplies, curriculum, and software, CPH offers more than 10,000 products to support the proclamation of the Gospel worldwide. Visit CPH online at cph.org.

Contact: Erica Sontag, Public Relations, 314-268-1303, Erica.Sontag@cph.org

Elizabeth Sherrill received the Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018

June 5, 2023 — In 2018, ECPA presented to Elizabeth the Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her, and her late husband John’s, contributions to Christian publishing.

ECPA president and CEO Jeff Crosby recently reflected:

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Elizabeth Sherrill’s work, alongside that of her husband John and two of their friends as they formed Chosen Books in 1971, dramatically elevated the profile and the impact of Christian publishing throughout that decade and beyond. From the company’s first book by Corrie ten Boom to other major releases such as Charles Colson’s Born Again, David Wilkerson’s The Cross and the Switchblade and Brother Andrew’s God’s Smuggler, Elizabeth’s gifts as a manuscript stylist, editor, and publisher were enormous. She knew how to tell a story with power and with an economy of words, and the books she touched were brought to a mass market audience.

I was privileged to chair ECPA’s recognition committee the year it awarded her and, posthumously, John Sherrill with our Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. And as a bookseller in the 1980s, I marveled at the way the books she touched and inspired readers toward belief.

Elizabeth Sherrill passed away Saturday, May 20, 2023. Her husband, John, passed away in 2017.  Elizabeth produced more than 30 books and 2,000 articles throughout her lifetime.