2023 Press Releases

Sandra L. Glahn Signs Two-Book Contract with IVP Academic

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:39:00 GMT

Sandra L. Glahn has signed a two-book contract with IVP Academic for the spring 2026 release of A Woman's Place Is in the Story. Her second contracted book, a work in biblical studies yet to be determined, will release at a later date.

Alexandra Horn, marketing manager for IVP Academic, said, “There is scholarship that moves scholarship forward, and then there’s scholarship that has the potential to heal the church. Sandra L. Glahn is a rare and superb scholar whose work has the ability to do both.”

Glahn (PhD, University of Texas at Dallas) is professor of media arts and worship at Dallas Theological Seminary, where her emphases are first-century backgrounds related to women, culture, gender, and the arts. She has authored or edited more than twenty books, including Vindicating the Vixens, Earl Grey with Ephesians, Sanctified Sexuality (coeditor), Sexual Intimacy in Marriage (coauthor), and most recently Nobody's Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament.

“Working with Sandra Glahn on her stellar book Nobody’s Mother has been a career highlight for me personally, as I daresay that book will be a highlight for readers,” said Jon Boyd, acquiring editor and IVP’s academic editorial director. “Her meticulous scholarship behind the scenes is matched by her skilled attention to the craft of writing, so I’m frankly reveling in the prospect of reading her next manuscript.”

In Nobody’s Mother Glahn combined spiritual autobiography with scholarly exploration to take readers on a journey to ancient Ephesus and across early church history. Ultimately, she lays a biblical foundation for men and women serving side by side in the church.

Boyd said, “Nobody's Mother zoomed all the way in on Ephesus, and her next book zooms way back out to consider the biggest arcs of Scripture’s narrative, and how women are present in them, not segregated off to the side. Glahn knows how to read a story (just as she knows how to write one), so her insights should be golden.”

Glahn’s next book, A Woman’s Place Is in the Story, will provide a broader view of the role of women in the whole of Scripture. Glahn said, “First, we had men’s history. As a corrective, we added women’s history. Now it’s time to integrate the two. Women in the Bible are participants in the grand narrative rather than missing altogether or stars of isolated cameos. A woman’s place is in the story. She’s not absent from it nor is she a sidebar. This work will explore how women of the Bible appear in their literary contexts—that is, how their narratives fit as part of a whole.”

Glahn says that she is passionate about subjects relating to women, gender, and justice. This focus came out of the decade that Sandra and her husband spent going through infertility and pregnancy loss. “Our trauma led me to take a closer look at the Scriptures and their blueprint for marriage, women, gender, the human body, and bioethics,” Glahn said.“The answers I found drove me to look more closely at the cultural backgrounds that influence biblical texts that relate to these topics. I love helping people engage their hearts and minds in these important issues.”

Glahn is represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc. Both titles will have world rights.

Kelli Trujillo and Rachel Freire O’Connor Join IVP Editorial Team

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 19:53:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce that Kelli Trujillo has accepted the position of trade editor. The IVP editorial team also welcomes Rachel Freire O’Connor as associate project editor.

Ted Olsen, IVP’s associate publisher and editorial director for media and trade books, said, “Kelli is one of the most perceptive editors I know. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone with such skill at identifying and shepherding gifted writers who are passionate for Scripture, spiritual formation, and social justice. Her authors love her. Readers love her too—they just usually don’t know it.”

Trujillo comes to IVP with more than two decades of editorial experience. She spent ten years working in a variety of roles at Christianity Today, including as CT’s managing editor, projects editor, and editor of Today’s Christian Woman. Prior to her time with CT, Trujillo worked for Group Publishing, where in five years she advanced from associate editor to editor and then to senior editor. She completed a double major in English literature and humanities from Valparaiso University, where she served as the chapter president for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF). Trujillo has also studied spiritual formation at Denver Seminary and comparative literature at Butler University.

Trujillo said, “I highly value IVP’s unique ethos, values, and leadership in the voices IVP spotlights; the rich, thoughtful, and curious Christian faith IVP champions; and the kingdom vision IVP books embody. I am eager to be part of IVP’s team producing books and other resources that draw readers deeper into Scripture, deeper into prayer, deeper into lives shaped by the love and grace of Christ.”

Trujillo’s first day with IVP’s editorial team is January 22.

O’Connor began her work at IVP in November. Previously she worked as acquisitions associate for Baker Books, and from 2014 to 2019 she was a secondary literature, philosophy, and writing teacher at Trinity Christian School in Montville, New Jersey. O’Connor received her bachelor of arts degree in English and master of arts in English literature from Seton Hall University.

Olsen said, “It was clear from the moment we hired Rachel that she is eager and able to amplify diverse and underrepresented voices in Christian publishing. She has the kind of creative and organized mind and humble confidence that makes her a great fit at IVP.”

Seven IVP Titles Receive 2024 CT Book Award Recognition

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 19:59:00 GMT

Christianity Today has released the winners of its 2024 CT Book Awards, and InterVarsity Press had seven titles recognized with Awards of Merit or as finalists in individual categories. The honorees from IVP include:

Christian Living/Spiritual Formation Award of Merit: On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living by Alan Noble

Church/Pastoral Leadership Award of Merit: In Church as It Is in Heaven: Cultivating a Multiethnic Kingdom Culture by Jamaal E. Williams and Timothy Paul Jones

Apologetics/Evangelism Award of Merit: Humble Confidence: A Model for Interfaith Apologetics by Benno van den Toren and Kang-San Tan

Bible and Devotional Finalist: Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal by Esau McCaulley

Biblical Studies Finalist: Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament by Sandra L. Glahn

Missions/Global Church Finalist: Faithful Disobedience: Writings on Church and State from a Chinese House Church Movement by Wang Yi, edited by Hannah Nation and J. D. Tseng

Politics & Public Life Finalist: Just Discipleship: Biblical Justice in an Unjust World by Michael J. Rhodes

“We and others in our industry respect these awards due to the rigorous review that the content receives,” said IVP President and Publisher Terumi Echols. “It’s not a popularity contest. It honors what nourishes the soul, challenges the mind, moves the heart, and strengthens our walk as Christians.”

On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living, the CT Award of Merit recipient in the Christian Living/Spiritual Formation category, is a deeply personal essay by Alan Noble, who considers the unique burden of everyday life in the modern world. Sometimes, he writes, the choice to carry on amid great suffering—to simply get out of bed—is itself a powerful witness to the goodness of life, and of God.

Ethan McCarthy, Associate Editor at IVP, said, “The idea was to do a really short, widely accessible book that drew on some of Alan’s previous cultural criticism work (his book You Are Not Your Own in particular), but in a much more immediate and personal vein, applying some of those ideas to the particular experience of mental suffering. I think it’s Alan’s loveliest work to date: it’s got the kind of concision and clarity that show not only Alan’s skill as a writer, but also how much he’s wrestled with these ideas. It’s at once almost jarringly realistic about the reality of human suffering, but completely saturated in the sober hope of the gospel.”

Noble (PhD, Baylor University) is associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, cofounder and editor in chief of Christ and Pop Culture, and an advisor for the AND Campaign. He has written for The Atlantic, Vox, BuzzFeed, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and First Things. He is also the author of Disruptive Witness and You Are Not Your Own.

The Award of Merit recipient in the Church/Pastoral Leadership category, In Church as It Is in Heaven: Cultivating a Multiethnic Kingdom Culture by Jamaal E. Williams and Timothy Paul Jones, shows how multiethnic churches provide a unique apologetic for the gospel. Along the way, the authors tell the story of their own church—a majority-white congregation which is being transformed into a family that reflects the diversity of heaven. “This is as clear and compelling a book about the multiethnic church as I know of,” said McCarthy. “These guys bring not only real skill as writers, and a learned and compelling biblical basis for their model, but also a wealth of practical experience from their own church. This isn’t a bunch of nice-sounding ideas, or a ‘what if?’ kind of book. It’s coming out of the actual struggles and joys of working toward the multiethnic kingdom of God in our actual churches, with actual people.”

Jamaal E. Williams (DEdMin) serves as lead pastor of Sojourn Church Midtown in Louisville, Kentucky, and as president of the Harbor Network. Timothy Paul Jones (PhD) teaches apologetics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves as a preaching pastor at Sojourn Church Midtown. In addition, he has authored or co-authored more than a dozen books, including Finding God in a Galaxy Far, Far Away; Christian History Made Easy; and, with James Garlow and April Williams, the bestselling The Da Vinci Codebreaker.

Humble Confidence: A Model for Interfaith Apologetics received the 2024 CT Award of Merit in the Apologetics/Evangelism category. Coauthored by Benno van den Toren and Kang-San Tan, Humble Confidence provides a global, intercultural introduction to Christian apologetics. They present a model of apologetics as crosscultural dialogue and accountable witness, then explore how it plays out in relation to specific contexts and the major world religions—including primal religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, secularism, and late-modern spiritualities.

“I’m delighted that CT’s judges have recognized what a remarkable book this is,” said Jon Boyd, Associate Publisher and Academic Editorial Director. “Humble Confidence both inspired and stretched me in my thinking about crosscultural apologetics, so it doesn’t surprise me that the authors have been awarded this honor. Van den Toren and Tan’s very approach to apologetics itself opens up new territory in interfaith dialogue, and then they deliver on their title’s promise—with exemplary levels of both Christian humility and Christian confidence.”

Van den Toren (PhD, Theological University in Kampen) is professor of intercultural theology at the Protestant Theological University in Groningen, the Netherlands. He has taught in French-speaking Africa and at Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University, and his books include Christian Apologetics as Cross-Cultural Dialogue and Reasons for My Hope: Responding to Non-Christian Friends.

Tan (PhD, Aberdeen University) is general director of BMS World Mission. He is also chair of the Commission on Mission and provides leadership for the Global Baptist Mission Network of the Baptist World Alliance, and he has previously served as head of mission studies at Redcliffe College and executive director of AsiaCMS.

Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal by Esau McCaulley is the 2024 CT Book Award finalist in the Bible and Devotional category. In this short volume, priest and scholar McCaulley introduces the season of Lent, showing us how its prayers and rituals point us not just to our own sinfulness but also beyond it to our merciful Savior. Lent is part of the Fullness of Time Series which invites readers to engage with the riches of the church year, exploring the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of the seasons of the church calendar.

The IVP finalist in the Biblical Studies category was Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament by Sandra L. Glahn. “It seemed highly unlikely to me that anyone could say anything fresh about 1 Timothy 2. Sandra Glahn has proven me wrong,” said Amy Peeler, professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. “With its close attention to material culture and biblical text, Glahn’s evidence demands that we understand Artemis differently and therefore read this passage with fresh eyes. Immediately compelling through Glahn’s honest personal narrative, Nobody’s Mother kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t wait to see Glahn’s conclusions. Now that I’ve read them, I know I’ll be thinking about them, and changing how I teach this text, for a long time.”

Faithful Disobedience: Writings on Church and State from a Chinese House Church Movement was a CT Book Award finalist in the Missions/Global Church category. Featured here is a manifesto by well-known pastor Wang Yi (edited by Hannah Nation and J. D. Tseng) and his church, Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, to clarify their theological stance on the house church and its relationship to the Chinese government. Wang Yi is a leader of a Chinese house church. He is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence for refusing to comply with PRC regulations regarding church registration.

The IVP finalist in the Politics & Public Life category was Just Discipleship: Biblical Justice in an Unjust World. Biblical scholar Michael Rhodes argues that the Bible offers a vision of justice-oriented discipleship that is critical for the formation of God’s people. Grounded in biblical theology, virtue ethics, and his own experiences, he shows that justice is central to the Bible, central to Jesus, and central to authentic Christian discipleship.

For a complete list of IVP award winners visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

Ministers of a New Medium Named Best Major Publication by Concordia Historical Institute

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 18:07:00 GMT

IVP Academic’s Ministers of a New Medium was named the best major publication by the Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) at its fiftieth annual Awards Banquet on November 2. Every year, the CHI Awards Banquet honors scholars from across the nation—even, in some years, across the globe—who are moving Lutheran history forward through their research and publications.

In Ministers of a New Medium: Broadcasting Theology in the Radio Ministries of Fulton J. Sheen and Walter A. Maier Kirk D. Farney explores the work of two groundbreaking leaders in religious broadcasting: Fulton J. Sheen and Walter A. Maier. These clergymen and professors—one a Catholic priest, the other a Lutheran minister—each led the way in combining substantive theology and emerging technology to spread the gospel over the airwaves. Through weekly nationwide broadcasts, Maier’s The Lutheran Hour and Sheen’s Catholic Hour attracted listeners across a spectrum of denominational and religious affiliations, establishing their hosts—and Christian radio itself—as cultural and religious forces to be reckoned with.

Farney examines how Sheen and Maier used their exceptional erudition, their sensitivity to the times, their powerful communication skills, and their unwavering Christian conviction, all for the purpose of calling the souls of listeners and the soul of a nation to repentance and godliness. Their combination of talents also brought their respective denominations, Roman Catholicism and Missouri Synod Lutheranism, from the periphery of the American religious landscape to a much greater level of recognition and acceptance. With careful attention to both the theological content and the cultural influence of these masters of a new medium, Farney’s study sheds new light on the history of media and Christianity in the United States.

“This dual biography offers compelling portraits of Fulton J. Sheen and Walter A. Maier, each of whom had a rare ability to both cultivate and communicate theological insights,” said Kathleen Sprows Cummings, director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, University of Notre Dame. “Pairing these media sensations—one Catholic, one Lutheran—allows Farney to tell a story about religion and radio in American culture that is even broader and more interesting than the sum of its parts. In an age when many lament the corrosive effect of new media on faith and morals, the efforts of Sheen and Maier to harness emerging technologies in service of their respective faith traditions offer not only an interesting story about America’s past but also a measure of hope for its future.”

Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) is the Department of Archives and History for the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. CHI exists to trumpet the treasures of the Lutheran legacy. In addition to its activities as an active archive open to the public for research, CHI also seeks to increase the awareness and appreciation of the church’s history within the LCMS through maintaining two museum exhibits, recognizing major publications on Lutheran history, and sharing the story of the LCMS and her faith with the world.

For a complete list of IVP award winners, visit www.ivpress.com/award-winners.

IVP Creative Director Receives Six 2023 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:51:00 GMT

IVP creative director David Fassett was honored for his design work with six 2023 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). The Top Shelf Book Cover Awards program is managed by ECPA to recognize design excellence in the Christian publishing industry.

“David Fassett is one of IVP’s greatest assets,” said Cindy Bunch, IVP vice president, editorial. ”These awards are a testament to the range of his design abilities, including both academic and trade lines: general spirituality, apologetics, theology, and pastoral ministry. He is always pressing boundaries, inviting readers to pick up our books and explore new ways of seeing God at work in the world. I am so grateful to have David Fassett as the IVP art director. We are honored to have him receive these awards.”

Fassett joined InterVarsity Press (IVP) as a marketing designer in 2009. He was promoted to senior graphic designer in 2014, to art director in May 2017, and now serves as IVP’s creative director.

Fassett’s six award-winning cover designs in the nonfiction category include:

Creating the Canon: Composition, Controversy, and the Authority of the New Testament by Benjamin P. Laird
Learning Humility: A Year of Searching for a Vanishing Virtue by Richard J. Foster
More Than Things: A Personalist Ethics for a Throwaway Culture by Paul Louis Metzger
The Offensive Church: Breaking the Cycle of Ethnic Disunity by Bryan C. Loritts
The Resilience Factor: A Step-by-Step Guide to Catalyze an Unbreakable Team by Ryan T. Hartwig, Léonce B. Crump Jr., and Warren Bird
Wandering Toward God: Finding Faith amid Doubts and Big Questions by Travis Dickinson

ECPA announced the winners of this year’s awards during ECPA PubU Online, the industry’s publishing training program gathering over three hundred publishing professionals this year. ECPA president Jeff Crosby announced the winners in four categories: Bibles, Children, Fiction, and Non-Fiction. This year’s judges reviewed nearly two hundred fifty entries and chose a record number of forty-one winning designs from sixteen publishers, with the design teams at Crossway, InterVarsity Press, and Moody Publishers earning half of the wins. Winning book covers are featured at TopShelfAwards.org.

For a complete archived list of IVP’s Top Shelf Award-winning book covers, visit ivpress.com/award-winners

IVP Kids Title Receives Black Authors Matter Children’s Book Award for Best Illustrator

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 16:33:00 GMT

The National Black Book Festival has awarded LaTonya Jackson the 2023 Black Authors Matter Children’s Book Award for Best Illustrator for her work on the IVP Kids title Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit.

The Black Authors Matter Children’s Book Awards (formerly Jerry Pinkney Children’s Book Awards) were established to honor excellence in African American literature. The 2023 award winners were announced during the annual National Black Book Festival, which was held October 26 through 28 in Houston, Texas.

Written by Esau McCaulley Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit was also a 2022 finalist in the religion category of the Jerry Pinkney Awards. McCaulley said, “I am so proud of LaTonya. When I saw the artwork, I immediately fell in love with it. I am glad that others recognize her talents as well!”

Jackson is an artist and illustrator living in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she teaches art to elementary and middle school students. A classically trained artist, LaTonya transitioned to children’s illustrations after becoming a mom and experiencing the joy of seeing things through her son’s eyes.

“It was so much fun to have LaTonya bring this story to life!” said IVP Kids editor Elissa Schauer. “Each page of Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit is not only evidence of LaTonya’s artistic talent, but it puts on full display her exceptional creativity. We are grateful for her fantastic contribution to this book, and so excited that she is receiving this well-deserved honor.”

Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit tells the story of Josey, who is spending the day with her dad, getting her hair braided at Monique’s Beauty Shop, and picking out a new red dress for Pentecost Sunday. In the process, she learns to celebrate the differences she sees all around her as part of God’s plan for his creation.

Schauer said, “We talk a lot about the valuable messages in our books, but we probably don’t say enough about how significant the illustrations are in helping convey those messages. The illustrations matter! LaTonya’s illustrations in this book are spot on, because they capture the emotions, the joy, and the wonder of Esau’s message so well. It was an ideal match!”

IVP Kids is an imprint that presents themes such as justice, spiritual formation, and discipleship, that have always been cornerstones of IVP throughout its seventy-five years. These topics are now being offered in a kid-friendly way. Schauer said, “IVP inhabits a unique space in the world of publishing, and we hope that IVP Kids is able to do so as well. Our deep desire is that children and families would enjoy reading together, and that the content of these books would spark meaningful conversations for years to come.”

IVP Kids launched its first book, Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver, in October 2021 and has continued to release four to six new children’s books each year on topics ranging from anxiety and grief to disability and diversity.

For a complete list of children’s titles from IVP, visit ivpkids.com.

IVP's Get in The Word with Truth’s Table Podcast Surpasses One Million Downloads

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:22:00 GMT

Less than two years since the first episode released on January 1, 2022, IVP has announced that the Get in the Word with Truth’s Table podcast has surpassed one million downloads.

Get in The Word with Truth’s Table is a daily Bible podcast featuring two cohosts of the popular Truth’s Table podcast—Christina Edmondson and Ekemini Uwan—who narrate the entire Bible and offer daily prayers over the course of a year.

“Hitting the one million download milestone for Get in The Word with Truth’s Table is an affirmation and confirmation of the importance of this kingdom work,” said Uwan. “We knew there was a void in the audio Bible podcast market, and we sought to fill that void so that Black women and everyone knows that the gospel of Jesus Christ belongs to us too.”

Produced in partnership with the popular show Truth’s Table, Get in The Word with Truth’s Table is one of a growing number of projects underwritten by IVP’s Every Voice Now initiative, which seeks to amplify and elevate voices of color.

“When Ekemini first shared with us her dream of creating an audio Bible featuring the voices of women of color, I had no idea whether or not IVP could bring this dream to reality,” said Helen Lee, IVP’s Director of Product Innovation. “Thankfully, through the generosity and support of IVP’s Every Voice Now fund and The Grace & Mercy Foundation, both of which caught Ekemini’s vision, we have been honored to create a resource that continues to bless and inspire listeners every day. Reaching this milestone underscores the reality that so many people want to hear God’s Word in voices that either resonate with their lived experiences or that expand those experiences to include marginalized voices. Historically in the church, the voices of Black women have not always been among those heard and heeded. I’m so grateful to Ekemini and Christina for lending their respected and trustworthy voices towards this project that will help listeners hear and obey God’s Word.”

Edmondson (PhD, Tennessee State University) is a higher education instructor, organizational consultant, and cohost of the Truth’s Table podcast. She is the coauthor of Faithful Antiracism and has served in a variety of roles including as the Dean for Intercultural Student Development at Calvin University. She is also a certified Cultural Intelligence facilitator, public speaker, mental health therapist, and a consultant in the areas of ethics, equity, and Christian leadership development. Her writing has been seen and referenced in outlets like Essence.com, YourBlackWorld.com, and Gospel Today magazine.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with our colleagues at IVP to bring this resource to the public,” Edmondson said. “First and foremost, Get in The Word with Truth’s Table presents the power and beauty of God’s Word through the voices and prayers of Black women. We’re grateful and amazed at reaching one million downloads, and we are trusting God for one million more. We know that God’s Word lifts burdens, transforms hearts, and reassures us of the bounty of grace extended to all of us.”

Uwan (MDiv, Westminster Theological Seminary) is a public theologian and the cohost of the Truth’s Table podcast. Her writings have been published in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Huffington Post Black Voices, Christianity Today, and The Witness: A Black Christian Collective. Ekemini has appeared on MSNBC, and her insights have been quoted by NPR, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker, among other publications. In 2021, she earned the IMPACT Award from The Institute for the Study of the Black Christian Experience.

Featuring the New English Translation and a reading plan developed by Peter Schrock of Bible Study Together, the Get in The Word with Truth’s Table episodes move chronologically through the Old Testament and make relevant connections between the Old and New Testaments along the way, interweaving Scripture passages together in a single tapestry so that Old Testament stories, psalms, and prophecies connect as much as possible to New Testament teaching without losing their original context.

“The partnership between InterVarsity Press and Get in The Word with Truth’s Table has been a great example of what we strive to do—to create and publish resources that deepen lives in Christ,” said IVP publisher Terumi Echols. “What this milestone of one million downloads means is that so many people have had their faith deepened through the encouragement of the Scripture and prayers offered in each podcast episode. I am deeply grateful to the hosts, Christina Edmondson and Ekemini Uwan, for the investment of their time and willingness to collaborate with us on this meaningful and important reading of Scripture that has blessed so many listeners.”

Nijay Gupta and Amy Peeler Sign Contract for IVP Academic’s Hard Sayings of the New Testament

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 20:01:00 GMT

Respected New Testament scholars Nijay K. Gupta and Amy Peeler have signed a contract with IVP Academic to serve as volume editors for Hard Sayings of the New Testament, scheduled to release in 2026.

The forthcoming volume will be a continuation of the Hard Sayings series that began in 1983 with the publication of The Hard Sayings of Jesus by F. F. Bruce, which was then followed by Hard Sayings of Paul by Manfred Brauch in 1989. The most well-known volume, Hard Sayings of the Bible by Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, and Manfred Brauch, was published in 1996. The Hard Saying books eventually became one of the first dynamic features of the IVP website with a rotating banner that linked to the “Hard Saying of the Day.” This daily feature is still active and continues to draw readers decades later.

“The Hard Sayings books were an important set of foundation blocks in IVP’s long history of Bible reference books connecting top-notch scholarship with felt needs of a wider readership of Christians,” said Jon Boyd, IVP’s academic editorial director. “The original books still have their place (and some remain in print), but this ‘reboot’ forty years on will bring both the questions and the scholarship solidly up to date. Professors Gupta and Peeler have deep knowledge of what’s needed to do the project justice in both the academy and the church. We are grateful to them for their passion for refreshing an IVP classic.”

Gupta (PhD, New Testament, University of Durham) is a professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. His books include Tell Her Story and Worship That Makes Sense to Paul, and he’s written Bible commentaries and over a dozen academic articles in theological journals. He is also coeditor of the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (Second Edition).

Peeler is the Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College and a priest in the Episcopal Church (USA). Author most recently of Women and the Gender of God (Eerdmans, 2022) and the Hebrews commentary in the Commentaries for Christian Formation series (Eerdmans, 2024), she continues to research and teach on these topics and others across the New Testament.

With Gupta and Peeler as series editors of Hard Sayings of the New Testament, they will feature contributions by nearly twenty contributors. “What sets this apart from a commentary or other reference work is that each section is focused on a ‘hard saying’ or tricky passage, so it’s going after common felt needs of readers more than what each scholar thinks is important,” Boyd said.

Gupta said, “I remember purchasing Hard Sayings of the Bible when I was in seminary, twenty years ago. It was an invaluable resource for Bible study. The opportunity to produce a new version for a new generation is a dream come true. Curious Bible readers today are asking some new and different questions about the Bible; Dr. Peeler and I are excited to bring together a team of experts to engage those meaningful questions.”

IVP Bible Studies Imprint Launches in February 2024

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 15:51:00 GMT

IVP has announced the launch of a new imprint called IVP Bible Studies that will kick off with the February 2024 release of Upheld: Meeting Our Trustworthy God Through Isaiah—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Kori de Leon.

In addition to the small group and Bible study resources that carried the IVP Connect label, the IVP Bible Studies imprint will include a new collection of Bible studies that continue IVP’s legacy of rich Bible content while featuring trusted Bible teachers, fresh perspectives, and an accessible format.

“We wanted these Bible studies to include all the key elements that participants expect: group sessions, video teaching, and individual studies throughout the week,” said executive editor Elissa Schauer. “And we’ve also designed these studies to be accessible and engaging. So whether someone is newer to Christianity or they’ve grown up in the church, they’ll experience both the relevance and refreshment of studying Scripture.”

Bible studies have been a significant part of IVP’s publishing history. As an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), an interdenominational Christian campus ministry founded in 1941, IVP’s history with Bible study is closely tied to its outreach on college campuses. In the early 1940s, Jane Hollingsworth brought her experience with Bible study to IVCF. As millions of men went to war in Europe and Asia, many jobs were filled by women—like Jane, who was recruited to join IVCF campus staff in 1942. A Wheaton College graduate, Hollingsworth had been trained in inductive Bible study at the Biblical Seminary in New York, and she went on to write IVP’s first inductive Bible study guide in 1943 titled Discovering the Gospel of Mark.

In 1985 IVP published the first seven of what have become the press’s most recognizable Bible studies, LifeGuide Bible Studies (LBS). Since then, IVP has sold more than fifteen million copies of the nearly one hundred fifty LBS titles.

Out of IVP’s mission to prioritize what IVP does best—creating valuable content—the IVP Bible Studies imprint will encompass the current LBS titles, along with the newly launched Bible study format.

The upcoming collection is for both groups and individuals and can be used in a variety of ways. “These studies are great for a church to use—for Bible study, small groups, or adult Sunday school classes—and they are just as appropriate for a few friends who prefer to meet at a coffee shop. But even folks who aren’t connected with a group can still engage with these studies and have a meaningful experience,” Schauer said.

Each study will focus on a portion of Scripture through a thematic lens. The current tentative schedule of titles among the forthcoming IVP Bible Studies includes:

February 2024: Upheld: Meeting Our Trustworthy God Through Isaiah—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Kori de Leon
April 2024: Moms at the Well: Meeting God Through the Mothers of Scripture—A 7-Week Bible Study Experience by Tara Edelschick and Kathy Tuan-MacLean
May 2024: Hear My Prayer: Learning from the Faith of Elijah—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Liz Ditty
June 2024: Live in the Light of Christ: Radiating the Hope of the Letters of John—A 6-Week Bible Study Experience by Tara Beth Leach

Other authors contracted for 2025 IVP Bible Studies include Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, Kristel Acevedo, and Ashley and Bryce Hales.

Each study includes six to eight weeks of content, and each week begins with a group session: a teaching video and discussion questions designed to take about sixty minutes. The group session is followed by five days of individual study, each designed to take about twenty to thirty minutes. The content for individuals includes both traditional Bible study as well as a variety of opportunities for reflection and prayer.

These IVP Bible Studies are authored by a cast of wise Bible teachers and pastors. Schauer said, “I’ve been so encouraged in my work on these studies. The folks teaching us are passionate about God’s word—encouraging and guiding us every step of the way!”

For a complete list of IVP Bible Studies, visit www.ivpress.com.

Saint Patrick the Forgiver from IVP Kids Receives Bronze Moonbeam Children’s Book Award

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 19:34:00 GMT

Saint Patrick the Forgiver from IVP Kids has won the 2023 Bronze Moonbeam Children’s Book Award in the spirituality and religion category.

This is Ned Bustard’s second Moonbeam Award. His first children’s book with IVP Kids, Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver, also won a Bronze Moonbeam Award in 2021. “It’s been such a joy to work with Ned Bustard on several books for IVP Kids!” said IVP Kids editor Elissa Schauer. “Saint Patrick the Forgiver reminds us that March 17 is about so much more than shamrocks and leprechauns, because Saint Patrick led a remarkable life of love and faith and forgiveness.”

Launched in 2007, the Moonbeam Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to celebrate children’s books and lifelong reading. The purpose of the Moonbeam Awards is to highlight books that encourage children to be generous and compassionate, and to stand up for the rights of themselves and others. The awards attract nearly 1,500 entries from around the world.

Saint Patrick the Forgiver is a retelling of the fascinating life of the real Saint Patrick. After escaping from slavery in Ireland, Patrick is prompted by God’s love to return to the land of his captivity and share the Christian faith with its inhabitants. Saint Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and is Ireland’s patron saint.

Bustard, who is both the author and illustrator of Saint Patrick the Forgiver, said, “I’m third-generation Irish with my family coming from Donegal in the northwest region of the island. I feel like, in many ways, Patrick is my saint. Certainly, my family grew up in an area that was Christian because of the work of Patrick. My faith heritage can be traced through to him.”

Bustard also added, “Saint Patrick gives us examples of what it looks like to live a life of forgiveness. He also shows us what it looks like to give up our lives for the kingdom of God. . . . Saint Patrick is a bridge to our culture across which we can walk to discuss what real Christianity looks like. Many people may not have heard of Saint John or Saint Matthew, but they will have heard of Saint Patrick. For those with children in their lives, they can honor Saint Patrick’s Day as a day to celebrate with Irish food and music while focusing on God’s work through the life of Saint Patrick, which is why this book can be helpful.”

Bustard is a graphic designer, a children’s book illustrator, an author, and a printmaker. As the creative director for Square Halo Books Inc. and curator of the Square Halo Gallery, he has lectured at colleges, schools, churches, and conferences. His work is found in numerous titles including Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver, The O in Hope, Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups, and Every Moment Holy. He lives with his family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

For a complete list of children’s titles from IVP, visit www.IVPKids.com.

InterVarsity Press Announces Guests for Season Five of The Disrupters Podcast, Launching October 16

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 15:32:00 GMT

The fifth season of The Disrupters podcast launches on October 16 with a discussion between host Kaitlyn Schiess and her first guest, Tyler Burns, president of The Witness. Together they will begin to explore this season’s central question: What does it mean to disrupt ourselves in a meaningful way?

Seasons one and two of The Disrupters podcast, hosted by Esau McCaulley, asked the question, What does it mean to disrupt the church? Seasons three and four, hosted by Nancy Wang Yuen, asked the question, What does it mean to disrupt culture? For the fifth season, Schiess will explore the ways that Christians can prepare themselves—spiritually, emotionally, and relationally—to faithfully disrupt the church and the world. Pastors, scholars, activists, and therapists will share their own experiences of formation and transformation to educate and inspire listeners who seek lasting change, both within themselves and in their communities.

The Disrupters season five guests are:

October 16

Tyler Burns is a pastor, speaker, writer, and podcaster. He currently serves as the president of The Witness, an organization founded to educate, encourage, and empower Black Christians to be free in soul and in body. He also cohosts the organization’s flagship podcast Pass the Mic.

October 23

Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor and bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Try Softer as well as her new book Strong like Water. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain.

October 30

Russell Moore is Christianity Today’s editor in chief and the director of the Public Theology Project. An ordained Baptist minister, Moore served previously as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and, before that, as the chief academic officer and dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also taught theology and ethics. Moore also hosts the weekly podcast The Russell Moore Show and is cohost of Christianity Today’s weekly news and analysis podcast, The Bulletin.

November 6

Walter Kim is the president of the National Association of Evangelicals. He previously served as a pastor at Boston’s historic Park Street Church and at churches in Vancouver, Canada, and Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as a campus chaplain at Yale University. He preaches, writes, and engages in collaborative leadership to connect the Bible to the intellectual and cultural issues of the day. He serves on the boards of Christianity Today and World Relief and consults with a wide range of organizations.

November 13

Shannan Martin, author of Start with Hello, The Ministry of Ordinary Places, and Falling Free, is a speaker and writer who found her voice in the country and her story in the city. She also works as a cook at The Window, a local nonprofit dedicated to feeding its community. Martin is currently running for a seat on the city council in her hometown of Goshen, Indiana, as she desires to love her neighbors through local political activism.

November 20

Luke Bretherton is Robert E. Cushman Distinguished Research Professor of Moral and Political Theology and senior fellow of the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University. His most recent book is titled Christ and the Common Life. He also hosts the Listen, Organize, Act! podcast, which focuses on the history and contemporary practice of democratic organizing and the role religion plays in forms of grassroots, democratic politics.

November 27

Amy Williams, a youth ministry veteran, ministers to teens involved in gangs and those lost in the criminal justice system with a key strategy of life-on-life mentoring. As a certified gang intervention specialist, she heard God’s call to move into a Latino gang neighborhood in Chicago’s Humboldt Park community to be a “Hope Dealer” doing street outreach and walking life with young people on her block. Amy is project coordinator at New Life Centers, bringing in restorative justice programming to youth at juvenile prisons.

December 4

Michael Wear is the founder, president, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution based in the nation’s capital with the mission to contend for the credibility of Christian resources in public life, for the public good. For well over a decade, he has served as a trusted resource and adviser for a range of civic leaders on matters of faith and public life, including as a White House and presidential campaign staffer. Michael is a leading voice on building a healthy civic pluralism in twenty-first-century America.

December 11

Mark Charles is coauthor of Unsettling Truths. He was also a 2020 Independent candidate for the office of President of the United States. His vision is to build a nation where “We the People” truly means #AllThePeople. Charles is one of the leading authorities on the 15th-century’s Doctrine of Discovery and its influence on US history and its intersection with modern-day society.

December 18

Kathryn A. Freeman is a leader, writer, and speaker at the intersection of faith, justice, and culture. She has served as the director of public policy for the Texas Baptists Christian Life Commission. She also worked as the press secretary to two Texas-elected officials and a policy attorney for two nonprofits focused on issues affecting low-income families. Kathryn is one half of the podcast Melanated Faith, which is a conversation about race, faith, and culture from the perspective of two Black Christian women.

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

IVP’s Bestselling The Road Back to You Draws More Than One Million Enneagram Enthusiasts

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:07:00 GMT

Published in 2016 by InterVarsity Press, The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery quickly became the go-to primer for the ancient personality typing. Coming up on its seventh anniversary in October, the book that Publishers Weekly calls “the most popular Enneagram title to date” has officially sold more than one million copies, contributing to widespread Enneagram interest and the growing numbers of Enneagram enthusiasts.

While the Enneagram has gradually been gaining interest since the 1970s, its popularity has become more of a phenomenon in recent years. In March of 2023 #enneagram had 370 million views on TikTok, and in the past two years more than twenty-one thousand articles across hundreds of well-respected media outlets have been written about the Enneagram. The Enneagram is also fully embraced by some corporations as a tool that can help workers collaborate better. Certified Enneagram coaches are often hired for office retreats or HR seminars.

The Enneagram, a personality typing system known for its uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, has seen a spike in popularity in the last decade. Providing clear, action-oriented explanations of the positive and negative dynamics of each of the nine Enneagram types and pairing them with poignant personal stories, The Road Back to You, coauthored by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile, puts the wisdom of an ancient tool within easy, entertaining reach for greater self-awareness, offering insights into personal and professional relationships, and profound applications for spiritual growth.

Jena Lee Nardella, cofounder of Blood:Water and author of One Thousand Wells, said, “As a newbie to the Enneagram, The Road Back to You offered a delightful and accessible way to honestly examine my own motivations and consider the best path toward growth and flourishing. This book is a must-read for those who seek to not only understand themselves better, but those closest to them as well.”

In an interview with CNBC Abbey Howe, an Enneagram coach since 2020, says she grew up taking the Myers-Briggs Test and other personality tests, but said the Enneagram is different. She first heard of the Enneagram test from a friend but didn’t take it seriously until she read The Road Back to You. “I cried all the way through it,” she said. “I felt like my whole life I had been really anxious and wanting to make my parents proud of me and it felt like life or death. I had to succeed at whatever I put my mind to and failure was not an option.”

“The deeper you go, the more you learn about how much [the Enneagram] offers us in terms of honestly finding our way back to who we were before,” said Stabile in a June 2023 interview with Women’s Health. “We had to put on so much protection and personality to make our way in the world.” Enneagrams are based on motivation, not behavior, she explains, and each type has an unconscious motivation that influences how they act.

Witty and filled with stories, The Road Back to You allows Enneagram fans and those curious about the Enneagram to peek inside each of the nine Enneagram types not only to learn and relearn more about themselves, but also to start to see the world through other people’s eyes, understanding how and why people think, feel, and act the way they do.

The nine Enneagram types are:

Type One: The Perfectionist
Type Two: The Helper
Type Three: The Performer
Type Four: The Romantic
Type Five: The Investigator
Type Six: The Loyalist
Type Seven: The Enthusiast
Type Eight: The Challenger
Type Nine: The Peacemaker

“Over the years people have told me that working with the Enneagram has helped them find healing in their marriages, relate to their children with greater understanding, and become more forgiving, patient, and compassionate toward those who differ from them,” writes Cron. “They know the crooked timber from which their own hearts are made.

“I do not believe the Enneagram is infallible or inerrant. I do not think it is the be-all and end-all of Christian spirituality. People go through life without ever hearing about it and they get along just fine.

“That said, here’s my advice: If you find that this book supports you on your spiritual path, great. If not, don’t throw it away. Put it on your bookshelf instead. It might come in handy one day. Life hands us a challenging syllabus. We need all the help we can get.”

Ian Morgan Cron is a bestselling author, nationally recognized speaker, Enneagram teacher, counselor, Dove Award–winning songwriter, and Episcopal priest. His books include the novel Chasing Francis and spiritual memoir Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me. His most recent book is titled The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True Self. Ian draws on an array of disciplines—from psychology to the arts, Christian spirituality and theology—to help people enter more deeply into conversation with God and the mystery of their own lives.

Suzanne Stabile is a highly sought-after speaker, teacher, and internationally recognized Enneagram master teacher who has taught thousands of people over the last thirty years. She is the author of The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships and The Journey Toward Wholeness: Enneagram Wisdom for Stress, Balance, and Transformation. She is also the creator and host of The Enneagram Journey podcast. Along with her husband, Rev. Joseph Stabile, she is cofounder of Life in the Trinity Ministry, a nonprofit, nondenominational ministry committed to the spiritual growth and formation of adults.

InterVarsity Press Announces Next Host of The Disrupters Podcast, Launching October 16

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 14:36:00 GMT

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.

Carmen Joy Imes Signs Contract with IVP Academic for Becoming God’s Family

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:01:00 GMT

Carmen Joy Imes, author of Bearing God’s Name and Being God’s Image, has signed a contract with IVP Academic for the Fall 2026 release of a third book titled Becoming God’s Family.

Imes (PhD, Wheaton) is associate professor of Old Testament at Biola University. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, she is the author of Bearing YHWH’s Name at Sinai, Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters, and the editor of Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends.

Imes is a regular contributor to The Well, a fellow of Every Voice, and serves on the advisory council for the Bible Literacy Conference. She is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Society of Biblical Literature and serves on the board of directors of the Institute for Biblical Research.

Following up on her two previous books with IVP Academic, Becoming God’s Family is Imes’s call for the West to recover the “multicultural nature of the people of God and the way the presence of God dwells among us.”

Imes says, “The first book sought to recover the value of the Old Testament, particularly the law at Sinai, for believers’ identity and vocation. The second book, a ‘prequel,’ broadened the scope of inquiry to the identity and purpose of all humans by going back to Genesis 1–11. This third book aims to recover what in the West is a neglected dimension of biblical faith, hiding in plain sight from the beginning to the end of the biblical canon. Our Western individualism prevents us from appreciating the truly communal and multicultural nature of the people of God and the way the presence of God dwells among us. Biblical salvation is not just another and more effective means of self-actualization, as though God were freeing us from slavery to sin so that we could pursue our individual dreams unhindered. Rather, the Bible invites us into a group project and offers us a place to belong. Becoming God’s Family will offer a robust biblical theology of community, highlighting God’s intention to dwell among us collectively. When we attend to these themes in Scripture—God’s presence among the community—we discover that we were never meant to walk alone.”

Becoming God’s Family was acquired by Rachel Hastings, associate academic editor of IVP Academic. She said, “We need more books with a constructive and hopeful vision for the church, and I can think of no scholar more equipped for the task than Carmen. Her scholarly expertise coupled with her ability to speak in a way that resonates with both the academy and the church will undoubtedly make this book a valuable addition to her work in Bearing God’s Name and Being God’s Image.”

Ted Olsen to Serve as IVP’s Associate Publisher and Editorial Director for Media and Trade Books

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 22:07:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce that Ted Olsen has been named associate publisher and editorial director for media and trade books.

Olsen said, “From reading my parents’ copy of John Stott’s Basic Christianity as a kid to reading Carmen Imes’s Being God’s Image last week, I’ve been formed and informed by IVP books. IVP’s reputation for prompting Christians to go deeper and grow deeper is clearly no accident. But it’s not just IVP’s books but also its staff that have shaped me—I know so many men and women there who are curious about the world, committed to the truths revealed in Scripture, and caring toward their coworkers. I’m eager to explore what we can build together.”

With twenty-seven years of experience at Christianity Today (CT), Olsen has had a significant and lasting impact on the development of Christian journalism. Olsen was one of the world’s first religion bloggers. He also served as news editor at CT, managing editor, and editor of The Behemoth (a magazine devoted to awe and wonder). During the past six years Olsen served as CT’s editorial director and most recently as executive editor, spearheading CT’s overall editorial strategy.

In a Twitter post on March 6, Olsen said, “After twenty-seven years and four months—my entire adult life—I feel called to find out what’s next for me after CT. I’m so grateful to have served there from news intern to executive editor.”

In this next step as associate publisher and editorial director, Olsen will oversee the vision for IVP’s trade publishing. He will also be doing trade acquisitions and support editorial initiatives around IVP books. His first day will be Monday, July 10.

“Ted Olsen’s bookshelves reveal that he’s an ideal hire for IVP as his shelves are already filled with our books,” said Cindy Bunch, IVP vice president, editorial. “His theological context and long CT tenure further suggest his compatibility with the vision and work of Christian publishing. And his media background will add depth to the editorial team as we expand into some new publishing areas that will complement our books. I am looking forward to working with Ted at IVP.”

Olsen holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he currently lives with his wife and two children.

God, Right Here from IVP Kids Receives Gold Mom’s Choice Award®

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:46:00 GMT

IVP Kids is pleased to announce that God, Right Here has earned the gold Mom’s Choice Award Honoring Excellence Seal of Approval.

The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for children, families and educators. The program is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services.

Written by Kara Lawler and illustrated by Jennie Poh, God, Right Here is a picture book for children ages four to eight. Earning the gold Mom’s Choice Award® distinguishes God, Right Here as among the best in family-friendly products. “We are so excited to see God, Right Here receive this recognition,” said IVP Kids editor Elissa Schauer. “Kara Lawler’s beautiful writing and Jennie Poh’s delightful illustrations make for a winning combination!”

God, Right Here is a celebration of God’s creation and the changing seasons. It reminds children that God’s handiwork can be found all throughout nature, and every season is full of beauty and wonder. No matter the time of year, the wonders of creation reflect that God is always with us, always right here.

“In God, Right Here, whimsical illustrations combine with captivating narrative to form a celebration of seasons and the God who is present in each one,” said Jenny Albers, author of Courageously Expecting. “Children will adore encountering the treasures found in nature, all while discovering that God is right here, in everything. While we delight in God’s creation, God delights in us—always—which is the message this beautiful book will plant in the hearts of our children.”

Kara Lawler holds a BA in English and an MA in education. She is the author of Everywhere Holy and her writing has also appeared on The Today Show, Huffington Post, and Parenting.com. As a contributor to magazines and websites, some of her essays have been read and shared millions of times.

Jennie Poh studied Fine Art at The Surrey Institute of Art & Design, alongside illustration courses at Central Saint Martins. As an illustrator, she loves to connect with nature—namely through making her own paintbrushes and textures with leaves, bark, flowers, and anything else she may find while walking outside. She also enjoys using watercolor and inks, which make wonderful splatters and splotches on the page.

For a complete list of IVP award winners, visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

IVP Academic Announces Three Editorial Promotions

Fri, 26 May 2023 01:49:00 GMT

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.”

IVP Releases the On Getting Out of Bed Podcast for Mental Health Awareness Month

Mon, 15 May 2023 21:46:00 GMT

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, and in support of the growing number of people who struggle with mental affliction, InterVarsity Press (IVP) will release the On Getting Out of Bed podcast on May 15.

Hosted by Alan Noble, author of the book by the same name, this podcast series delves into the everyday struggles of modern life, with Noble and guests discussing how the simple act of getting out of bed can be a powerful testament to the goodness of life and God.

“To get out of bed is not to just physically get out of bed, although it includes that,” Noble said. “It also means choosing to embrace the life God that has given you as opposed to despairing and staying stuck.”

In this four-episode podcast Noble invites special guests to share their own experiences struggling to get out of bed. Offering wisdom and compassion, each episode offers hope and support to those who struggle with sorrow, despair, anxiety, and mental illness.

Noble said, “This is not going to be a podcast that tells you what do or how to do it, or how to fix yourself. Instead, we are going to have conversations about what we have experienced and what we know to be true about the basic human experience of suffering, and how challenging it is to live in the modern world with our anxiety and our depression and our mental illness, and persevere.”

Guests on the On Getting Out of Bed podcast series include:

Tish Harrison Warren, author of Liturgy of the Ordinary and Prayer in the Night, is a weekly contributing newsletter writer for the New York Times and writes a monthly column for Christianity Today. She has worked in ministry settings for over a decade as a campus minister with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, as an associate rector, and with addicts and those in poverty through various churches and non-profit organizations.

Curt Thompson (MD, Wright State University) is a board-certified psychiatrist and the founder of Being Known, an organization that develops resources for hope and healing at the intersection of neuroscience and Christian spiritual formation. He is also the author of The Soul of Shame, The Soul of Desire, and Anatomy of the Soul.

Heather Thompson Day is associate professor in the department of visual arts, communication, and design at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She runs an online community called I’m That Wife and hosts the Viral Jesus podcast. An interdenominational speaker, Heather is the author of books including It’s Not Your Turn, Confessions of a Christian Wife, How to Feed the Mediavore, and I’ll See You Tomorrow. She is a contributor for Religion News Service, Newsweek, and the Barna Group, and she previously taught at Colorado Christian University.

Wendy Alsup is the author of Companions in Suffering, Practical Theology for Women, The Gospel-Centered Woman, and By His Wounds You Are Healed. Wendy also teaches math at a local community college and is editor at theologyforwomen.org.

“There are lot of us experiencing mental affliction of one kind or another, and there’s wisdom to be gained from each other,” Noble said. “My hope is that you’ll feel seen, and encouraged, and inspired, and built up, so that you can get out of bed.”

The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell Receives 2023 Nautilus Book Award

Thu, 04 May 2023 19:28:00 GMT

The recent winner of a gold Illumination Book Award, The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell by Kelly Flanagan has also been honored with a 2023 Nautilus Book Award.

The Nautilus Book Awards have been around for more than twenty years and seek to celebrate and honor books that support conscious living and green values, wellness, social change and social justice, and spiritual growth. Centered around themes of personal growth, spiritual transformation, and the dynamics of interpersonal relationships, The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell was awarded the silver medal in the large-publisher fiction category of the Nautilus Book Awards.

This debut novel from psychologist Kelly Flanagan details the life of Elijah Campbell, who is on the verge of losing his writing career, his faith, and his marriage when a recurring childhood nightmare drives him back to his hometown, Bradford’s Ferry. There, his encounters with loved ones both past and present shed light on the reason his wife left him—and the meaning of his nightmare. However, beyond the light he begins to glimpse something even more terrifying—a decision he must make either to continue hiding the secrets of his past or unhide the only thing that can save his marriage: himself.

“I knew from the first page that Elijah Campbell was a special character,” said Susie Finkbeiner, author of The Nature of Small Birds and All Manner of Things. “Every chapter, paragraph, and sentence that I read proved me right. This novel is infused with gentle storytelling that reminded me of Wendell Berry, elegant prose that brought to mind Marilynne Robinson, and salt of the earth characters reminiscent of Leif Enger. The great delight that I found while reading, however, was what Kelly Flanagan brought to this story that only he could—a deep insight into what makes us human and how that makes us worthy of being seen and known.”

Flanagan (PhD, Pennsylvania State University) is a clinical psychologist and is the founder of a private practice in Naperville, Illinois, that offers services to teens, adults, couples, and families. The author of The Marriage Manifesto, Loveable, and True Companions: A Book for Everyone About the Relationships That See Us Through, he has also written for publications such as Christianity Today, Reader’s Digest, and Huffington Post. In 2014, a letter he wrote to his daughter led to their appearance on the TODAY Show. Flanagan is a popular blogger and speaks regularly on topics related to marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation.

For a complete list of IVP award winners, visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

Three IVP Titles Named Finalists for 2023 Christian Book Award® Program

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 14:14:00 GMT

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has announced that three IVP titles are among the finalists for the 2023 Christian Book Award® program.

The IVP finalists include the following:

Christian Living

The Soul of Desire: Discovering the Neuroscience of Longing, Beauty, and Community by Curt Thompson

Psychiatrist Curt Thompson suggests that underneath all our longings is the desire to be known—and what’s more, that this fundamental yearning manifests itself in our deep need to make things of beauty, revealing who we are to others. Desire and beauty go hand in hand.

“In his previous books, The Soul of Shame and Anatomy of the Soul, Curt Thompson integrated neuroscience and theology seamlessly, cheering us on in a hopeful, unhurried journey toward healing,” said singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken. “In Curt’s new book, The Soul of Desire, he brings it all back to the start, setting us right in the path of God’s beauty. With the skillfulness of a therapist and the earnestness of an evangelist, Curt Thompson implores us to see how God desires for us to create beauty in the context of confessional community—that our lives would be authentically generative, like works of art.”

Faith and Culture

The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism by Paul D. Miller

Paul D. Miller, a Christian scholar, political theorist, veteran, and former White House staffer, provides a detailed portrait of—and case against—Christian nationalism. Building on his practical expertise not only in the archives and classroom but also in public service, Miller unravels this ideology’s historical importance, its key tenets, and its political, cultural, and spiritual implications.

Russell Moore, editor in chief for Christianity Today, said, “I can think of no one more qualified to speak to the pressing issue of Christian nationalism than Paul Miller. Despite the bleak subject, this book is full of confidence, conviction, and hope. Liberal democracy matters. The kingdom of God matters more. Those who care about either or both should read this work.”

Ministry Resources

Road to Flourishing: Eight Keys to Boost Employee Engagement and Well-Being by Al Lopus

If you regularly ponder and discuss your organization’s culture or you have never given it much thought, you will benefit from the principles Al shares in this book,” said Peter Greer, president and CEO of HOPE International. “In its pages, you will meet leaders who are actively shaping workplace culture. Whether you work within the nonprofit or for-profit sector, you will gain a greater awareness of your organization’s needs and how to build a vibrant culture and an engaged team. Al shares stories from some of the countless organizations the institute has helped on the path to flourishing, and implementing his advice will help yours too.”

Lopus, cofounder and CEO of Best Christian Workplaces Institute, has studied hundreds of organizations to discover eight key drivers in companies with healthy culture and engaged employees. He gathers best practices from across a range of companies and ministries to demonstrate how people at all levels can work together to accomplish work that matters. Principles and real-life examples provide concrete ways that organizations can flourish by building fantastic teams, cultivating life-giving work, attracting and retaining outstanding talent, and much more.

The Christian Book Award® program recognizes the highest quality in Christian books and Bibles and is among the oldest and most prestigious awards program in the religious publishing industry. Finalists and winners are selected in twelve categories. The winners will be revealed and finalists/winners celebrated at an awards celebration held in conjunction with the ECPA Leadership Summit in Nashville on May 9.

For a complete list of IVP award-winning titles, visit www.ivpress.com/award-winners.