July 26, 2021 Edition

Industry News

ECPA adds Biola University’s Michael Pierce to C-Suite program

The top leaders of ECPA member publishers and affiliates will gather in person for ECPA’s C-Suite Symposium, held September 19-21 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. Michael Pierce, VP of Financial Affairs for Biola University will present “What Comes Next for Your Company: The Clean Sheet Initiative.”  He joins a robust line-up including Nicholas Skytland and Alicia Llewellyn, co-authors of What Comes Next? Shaping the Future in an Ever-Changing World; Al Lopus of Best Christian Workplaces Institute; and Kristen McLean of NPD Book.  The program will also feature expert panels addressing the legal landscape, reader engagement strategies, and more.

Registration and information

Faithlife conducts survey on mental health of pastors

More than 1 in 10 pastors admitted to contemplating suicide in the past year according to the 2021 Pastoral Mental Health Report compiled by Faithlife, the makers of Logos Bible Software, and Church Communications, a 29,000-member community and Facebook group.

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MTI training in Ghana postponed to 2022

Magazine Training International’s (MTI) plans for a conference in Ghana are postponed until October 2022. The delay in the conference is due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 and its variants as they continue to affect international travel and bring up health concerns for participants, trainers, and staff.

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ECPA Focus webinar series begins next week with legal updates for publishers

A panel of industry legal experts will discuss recent legal developments and best practices for publishers in a free webinar for ECPA members, next week on August 3rd at 10 am CT.  Industry attorneys Janet Stiven (Moody Bible Institute), Mike Bzozowski (HarperCollins Christian), Craig Gipson (Flagler Law Group), and moderator Brian Flagler will share their observations on important legal developments and the practical strategies they have implemented to successfully protect their clients.  REGISTER

The ECPA FOCUS series will include two other free webinars available to ECPA members:
>> DEI and Christian Publishing | August 12 | REGISTER
>> Navigating the Supply Chain | August 19 | REGISTER

Staff Announcements

Jennifer Smith hired as vice president of marketing for Nelson Books

Thomas Nelson has announced Jennifer Smith as the v-p of marketing for Nelson Books, a nonfiction imprint of the publishing group. Smith has nearly 20 years of trade publishing experience in both Nashville and New York City and has launched hundreds of books to the New York Times bestsellers list.

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Quantrilla Ard joins Embolden Media Group team

Embolden Media Group is excited to announce that they have added a new member to their team. Author, speaker, and researcher Quantrilla Ard, PhD, has been featured on Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies, Proverbs 31 OBS Today, The Martha and Mary Show, and At Home with Jackie. Her devotions have been published in "Prayer: Approaching the Throne of Grace," and her personal and spiritual insights appear regularly with First5, Patheos, iBelieve.com, Gracefully Truthful, Faith at Home for Forma, and Devotable.

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Media Announcements

Christianity Today announces new ‘Viral Jesus’ Podcast

What does it mean to live out our faith in a digital world? How are Christian leaders and creatives using social media to share the Good News? These are the themes explored in Viral Jesus, a new podcast from Christianity Today about communication and the power of social connections.

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Author Nick Vujicic joins The Influencers Podcast: From a Life Without Limbs to a Life Without Limits

Nick Vujicic came into the world with no arms and no legs, but only a six-inch appendage with two toes on the left side of his torso, and no medical explanation. “I didn’t think it was such a big deal. I was brought up in a loving home who told me that God loved me and He had a plan for me,” Nick said.  On this podcast, Nick shares his top 5 principles to turn obtacles into opportunities.

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Product News

Baker Books signs David Green, CEO and founder of Hobby Lobby

Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, has acquired a leadership book from David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby. Green’s book will take an inside look at the values and principles used to build Hobby Lobby.

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Worthy Publishing releases HOLY HOT MESS by MK Backstrom next week

Over 80 million people watched Mary Katherine Backstrom (MK) explain how she accidentally hugged a stranger to thank him for washing the windows on her car, after all it was Christmas and she thought he was in the spirit of Christmas…he wasn’t…he was actually cleaning his own car! In HOLY HOT MESS (Worthy Books, August 3, 2021), MK opens up her world, sometimes it’s heart-breaking and other times hilarious but it’s always real and relatable.

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Other News