2017 Press Releases

InterVarsity Press Titles Honored with 2017 TGC Book Awards

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 16:12:00 GMT

The Gospel Coalition honored two InterVarsity Press titles, In Search of Ancient Roots and The Economics of Neighborly Love, with 2017 TGC Book Awards.

TGC editor Ivan Mesa said, "Each year we review around three hundred titles between our academic journal Themelios and our regular book reviews section, so at the end of the year it's good to take stock of the most helpful titles from 2017."

In Search of Ancient Roots: The Christian Past and Evangelical Identity Crisis by Kenneth J. Stewart was the winner in the History & Biography category. Stewart surveys five centuries of Protestant engagement with the ancient church, showing that Christians belonging to the evangelical churches of the Reformation have consistently seen their faith as connected to early Christianity. Stewart explores areas of positive engagement, such as the Lord's Supper and biblical interpretation, as well as areas that raise concerns, such as monasticism.

Gavin Ortlund reviewed Stewart's book for TGC in November and said, "In Search of Ancient Roots is a helpful resource that not only provides context for understanding evangelical departures, but also envisions the kind of robust, historically rooted Protestantism that may discourage them from happening in the first place."

The Economics of Neighborly Love: Investing in Your Community's Compassion and Capacity by Tom Nelson was chosen as the runner-up in the Public Theology & Current Events category. Marrying biblical study, economic theory, and practical advice, Nelson presents a vision for church ministry that works toward the flourishing of the local community, beginning with its poorest and most marginalized members. Nelson resists oversimplification and pushes us toward more complex and nuanced understandings of wealth and poverty.

Tim Keller, pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, said, "Tom Nelson's new book is a great contribution to a growing and needed literature that helps churches connect to their parishes and neighborhoods and serve not only individuals, but the public good. There is an emerging awareness of the importance of this, but few volumes are as practical as this one in describing the way forward."

TGC winners and runners-up were chosen based on whether they offer gospel-centered argument and application; include faithful and foundational use of Scripture, both Old Testament and New Testament; foster spiritual discernment of contemporary trials and trends; and encourage efforts to unite and renew the church.

Christianity Today Chooses Liturgy of the Ordinary for 2018 Book of the Year

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 22:07:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press received seven Christianity Today 2018 Book Awards, including the top honor for book of the year that went to Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren.

Selected by Christianity Today editors as the title that "best embodies our pursuit of Beautiful Orthodoxy," Liturgy of the Ordinary was also the winner in the spiritual formation category of the 2018 Book Awards. Framed around one ordinary day, Warren's book explores daily life through the lens of liturgy, small practices, and habits that form us. Each chapter looks at something—making the bed, brushing her teeth, losing her keys—that the author does every day.

Ann Carlson Kennedy, a blogger at Preventing Grace, said, "No matter which chapter you’re reading, it's hard not to suffer from writer envy. Liturgy of the Ordinary is a gracious, gospel-oriented, fantastically un-preachy invitation to be a more integrated believer. Warren takes the most basic components of everyday life and turns them inside out to reveal the extraordinary work of God. You don't have to be liturgically minded to be helped by her thought, experience, and spiritual depth."

Embodied Hope: A Theological Meditation on Pain and Suffering by Kelly M. Kapic was the winning title in the theology/ethics category of the Christianity Today 2018 Book Awards. Kapic meditates on how our suffering—particularly our physical suffering—relates to the Christian faith.

Aimee Byrd, blogger and author of Housewife Theologian, said, “Embodied Hope is a breath of fresh air and a source of hope, as Kapic takes a holistic approach to pain and suffering. Rather than downplaying orthodoxy in order to be practical and compassionate, he gives us a rich teaching of Christian anthropology, Christ's person and work, and an eternal perspective. He takes care to deal with the physical aspects of suffering as well as its connection with the spiritual. This approach directs our gaze to Christ while not ignoring the hard questions that sufferers and caretakers must face."

The four IVP titles that received the Award of Merit include:

Winsome Persuasion: Christian Influence in a Post-Christian World by Tim Muehlhoff and Richard Langer received the Award of Merit in the apologetics/evangelism category. Muehlhoff and Langer present a model for cultural engagement that integrates communication theory, theology, and Scripture. “Too many books simply make assumptions about secular modern culture and about the way that we need to respond," said Holly Ordway, professor of English and apologetics faculty member at Houston Baptist University. "Muehlhoff and Langer take the necessary step of analyzing the way that culture works, especially with regard to media and social issues, and their deft analysis generates significant insights. The authors apply orthodox Christian principles to hot-button issues without being shrill or partisan. In so doing, they model what the book strives to teach."

Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life by Makoto Fujimura was honored with the Award of Merit in the culture and the arts category. Fujimura issues a call to cultural stewardship to artists and all "creative catalysts" who understand how much the culture we all share affects human thriving today and shapes the generations to come.

"Culture Care is a breath of fresh air for today's world. Fujimura invites us to find and make beauty in the world with attentive minds, grateful hearts, and generous spirits," said Jennifer Craft, associate professor of humanities and theology at Point University. "The central idea is a call to generative care—fruitful, generous, stewarding practices in a culture characterized by an attitude of openness, love, and appreciation for beauty. This call to appreciate and cultivate beauty is perhaps the most profound insight for today's culture, which prioritizes the fast, useful, or most profitable."

Mending the Divides: Creative Love in a Conflicted World by Jon Huckins and Jer Swigart received the Award of Merit in the missions/global church category. Jenny Yang, senior vice president of advocacy and policy for World Relief, said, “One of the most challenging tasks within the church in the next few decades will be the work of peace-building and reconciliation, of learning from and loving neighbors who are often very different. Taking the parable of the Good Samaritan as their starting point, Huckins and Swigart have written a practical, hands-on manual that shares their rich experiences working in peace-building across various contexts, from local to global."

The Award of Merit winner in the politics and public life category went to Restoring the Soul of the University: Unifying Christian Higher Education in a Fragmented Age by Perry L. Glanzer, Nathan F. Alleman, and Todd C. Ream. Nikki Toyama-Szeto, executive director for Evangelicals for Social Action, said, "A thorough and ambitious book, Restoring the Soul of the University issues a stirring call to Christian institutions of higher education. The authors offer a deep historical analysis, along with a careful framing of the questions, philosophies, and challenges that define the mission of the university."

See a complete list of past IVP award winners.

IVP Welcomes New Director of Finance

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 20:12:00 GMT

After nineteen years as director of production and fulfillment for InterVarsity Press, Anne Gerth will be retiring on December 8, 2017.

Jeff Crosby, IVP's publisher, said, "Gerth came to IVP in 1998 and has played significant roles in IVP's growth over the years. She pioneered our work with print-on-demand technology, in partnership with Lightning Source, Incorporated. She also provided a great deal of training and development work for IVP staff. We are grateful for the impact she has left on the work of IVP and on us as her friends and colleagues."

Gerth said, "What a privilege and honor it has been to serve Christ through my work at InterVarsity Press. Retiring after nineteen years feels bittersweet, but I leave here knowing my work will continue in the very capable hands of Terumi Echols. I’m thrilled that Terumi will be taking on the operations and fulfillment area I leave behind."

Gerth's work will be picked up by Ben McCoy, IVP's current production manager and managing editor, and by Echols, who has been hired as director of finance and fulfillment operations, a combination of two roles vacated by retirement over the past fifteen months. Echols' background includes more than twenty years of accounting and tax experience for small to midsized businesses and nineteen years with Christianity Today where her last position was executive vice president and publisher. In her role with IVP she will oversee the finance department, customer contact center, distribution center, and general services.

Crosby said, "Terumi comes to us as a seasoned senior leader whose direct reports I called spoke of her 'investment in individuals and teams' and whose supervisors I called spoke of her as a 'person with tremendous capacity, adaptability, and commitment to excellence.' Terumi's experience in publishing and her commitment to our mission made her stand out from the other candidates."

Echols said, "I am humbled by the Christ-centered focus and dedication of the people who work at InterVarsity Press. It is my hope to apply my accounting and publishing experience and communication skills to support the continued strength and health of InterVarsity’s ministry."

IVP Art Director Honored with Four 2017 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 15:30:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is pleased to congratulate art director David Fassett for his work on four designs that were chosen for 2017 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). Judges chose sixteen books, one Bible, and a book of Psalms to represent the year’s best designs. Fassett received the most awards of all the designers represented.

The Top Shelf Award program is managed by ECPA in order to recognize design excellence in the Christian publishing industry. “The Top Shelf award program continues to honor and celebrate art, design, and creativity in Christian publishing,” said Stan Jantz, ECPA executive director. “The caliber of these winning designs is testament to the extreme talent and expertise in our industry.”

Fassett’s four award-winning cover designs include

The Decalogue: Living as the People of God by David L. Baker

Recapturing the Wonder: Transcendent Faith in a Disenchanted World by Mike Cosper

Introduction to Political Science: A Christian Perspective by Fred Van Geest

Embodied Hope: A Theological Meditation on Pain and Suffering by Kelly M. Kapic

“When he was hired more than seven years ago as a graphic designer for marketing materials, David Fassett quickly distinguished himself with exceptional work on our catalogs, advertisements, and sales collaterals,” Jeff Crosby, IVP’s publisher, said. “In recent years David has elevated his contribution significantly through the creation of powerful cover designs for both academic and trade titles. He was a student of design as an undergraduate and that impulse to stay abreast of design trends and deploy them through his work has clearly been recognized by his peers who have awarded these Top Shelf Awards. We are grateful for the recognition David has received and, even more, for his contribution to our work and mission at InterVarsity Press.”

ECPA announced the winners of this year’s awards on November 7 at Lipscomb University in Nashville during the opening session of ECPA PubU. Winning book covers are featured at TopShelfAwards.org.

IVP Announces Two New Editors

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 18:53:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is pleased to welcome Katelyn Beaty as a freelance acquisitions editor and to announce the promotion of Ethan McCarthy to assistant editor.

As a freelance acquisitions editor for IVP, Beaty will acquire six to eight books a year and work at IVP one day a week to meet with the publishing committee and editorial team about forthcoming titles. Beaty is an editor at large with Christianity Today, where she previously served as the magazine’s youngest and first female managing editor.

“Katelyn Beaty has proven her ability to find new voices and develop them in her work with Christianity Today and Her.menutics,” said Cindy Bunch, associate publisher, director of editorial. “The authors she has worked with in those settings sing her praises. We are eager to see her bring her skills to the book publishing world as she acquires new authors for us.”

Beaty is the author of A Woman’s Place: A Christian Vision for Your Calling in the Office, the Home and the World (Howard Books) and the companion group study guide from Abingdon Press. She has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Vox and has spoken at Q, the Festival of Faith and Writing, Jubilee, Movement Day, Princeton Theological Seminary, Biola University, Made to Flourish, and HOPE International. A native of Ohio and graduate of Calvin College, she lives in the Chicago suburbs, where she attends an Anglican church and enjoys running, reading, and the occasional karaoke outing.

McCarthy joined IVP in 2014 as an academic editorial assistant and was promoted to assistant project editor in 2016. He has worked on titles such as Liturgy of the Ordinary, Movies Are Prayers, and Embodied Hope. In his role as assistant editor McCarthy will acquire and edit new titles. He will also work closely with Beaty throughout the editorial process for the books she acquires.

“Ethan McCarthy has been an excellent and constantly growing contributor in the InterVarsity Press editorial department,” Bunch said. “He has already stepped in and developed a number of book projects. He brings insight, patience, and care to his work with authors. Promoting him into this new role working with authors was a natural next step.”

McCarthy did his undergraduate studies at Toccoa Falls College, where he majored in biblical studies and English. He got his MDiv at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and served as the editor of TEDS’s graduate student paper, the Graduate Scrawl. McCarthy has also been a staff writer at Christ and Pop Culture since 2013. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife and three children.

Ed Stetzer Inks Two-Book Deal with InterVarsity Press

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 19:12:00 GMT

Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center and the Billy Graham Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College, will publish two books with InterVarsity Press on the past, present, future, and trends of evangelicalism. The first book is set to release in the spring of 2019.

“Ed Stetzer is one of the church’s most perceptive thought leaders today,” said Al Hsu, senior editor for IVP Books. “He grounds his perspectives in cutting-edge research, and his work as a ministry practitioner and missiologist is deeply rooted in historic evangelical identity and mission. IVP is thrilled to partner with him in helping the church move forward in the midst of cultural complexity.”

Stetzer’s extensive research work and leadership experience, previously with Lifeway and currently with Wheaton College and the Billy Graham Center, has established him as a major contributor to conversations on the North American missional church, church planting, church revitalization, and Christian cultural engagement.

“Ed has a unique voice in evangelicalism that is grounded, thoughtful, and incisive,” said Helen Lee, director of marketing for InterVarsity Press. “He is the kind of author who reflects evangelicalism at its best, and we are honored to be working with him to bring his ideas to the church and beyond.”

Stetzer’s first book to be published, tentatively titled Evangelical Landscape, begins with a look back at evangelical roots and identity, proceeds to map out where the evangelical church is today, and shows how a robust evangelicalism will move forward. This includes showing how the church must stay true to evangelical distinctiveness and mission by engaging with cultural issues in biblically sound ways, while at the same time pursuing the common good and welcoming outsiders and the marginalized.

The second book, tentatively titled Entrepreneurial Evangelicalism, will look at ministry innovations and religious reconfiguration during the mid-1980s to 2010—a period notably marked by the continuing decline of mainline churches, eroding denominational loyalty, and the corresponding rise of large, evangelical nondenominational churches. Relying on the research arm of the Billy Graham Center, this book will present data collected through a large-scale phone survey of American Protestant churches and in-depth interviews with pastors of large churches and facilitators of ministry innovations. The book will examine three central questions:

What were the influential ministry innovations introduced by large, evangelical churches during the mid-1980s through approximately 2010, and how did they influence ministry paradigms and ways of doing church?
Who (individuals and organizations) were the influential innovators and thought leaders of this period?
What patterns can be discerned in the pathways and mechanisms used to diffuse these innovations to other churches?

“I am so glad to be partnering with InterVarsity Press as evangelicals think through important issues about who we are and where we go from here,” said Stetzer. “IVP is a publisher known for its passion for mission, and as we seek to live on mission in the world we find ourselves, I look forward to serving the church in partnership with them.”

InterVarsity Press has a long history of publishing books on the history of evangelicalism as well as its current developments and rising voices. Stetzer’s research and writing align well with the goals of IVP to “influence, engage, and shape the university world and our contemporary culture for the sake of Jesus Christ and his kingdom in the world.”

“Ed Stetzer’s work in the areas of research and missiology have made a tremendous impact on our understanding of the church, its impact and challenges, and its relationship to contemporary culture,” said Jeff Crosby, IVP publisher. “I am grateful for the chance to publish these projects and to link arms with Ed’s work at the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton. We look forward to a fruitful relationship in the years ahead.”

IVP Academic Announces Editorial Personnel Changes

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 20:42:00 GMT

After more than thirty years of acquiring and editing academic titles for InterVarsity Press (IVP), Dan Reid has announced that he will be retiring on December 31, 2017.

“Dan Reid is one of the most respected, gifted, and longest-tenured people in the world of academic publishing,” Jeff Crosby, IVP’s publisher, said. “He has been a significant part of building IVP Academic’s stature and impact over the past three decades. His imprint on us as people and on our academic program will continue for years to come.”

Reid (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary), currently associate publisher for academic, joined IVP as a reference book editor in 1986 and was the developmental editor for IVP’s award-winning New and Old Testament dictionaries. He also wrote his own academic studies, including God Is a Warrior, cowritten with Tremper Longman III. For many years Reid was senior acquisitions editor for reference and academic books, and in January 2016 he became the IVP Academic editorial director. Jon Boyd, who has worked with Reid as the associate IVP Academic editorial director since 2016, will fill that position.

“Dan Reid is legitimately a living legend in the world of academic publishing, and his intellectual exploits here over the past four decades have got us where the press is today (a very good place),” Boyd said. “We’re going to miss him personally after his retirement, but I’m thankful we’ve got the rest of the year to squeeze as much professional wisdom out of him as we can. Building on this foundation, I’m excited to look toward the future of IVP Academic’s mission, one I’m convinced is crucial to the vitality of the university and the church alike.”

Boyd has his MA in Old Testament and Semitic languages from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and his PhD in history from Johns Hopkins University. He was hired as IVP’s digital communications manager in 2012. Prior to that he worked as the director of communications at North Park University. He has also served as a senior editor at Britannica.com, an online division of Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., and as web producer and associate director of graduate and faculty ministries with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Cindy Bunch, associate publisher, director of editorial, said, “The editorial department has been delighted to have Jon Boyd join our ranks this past year. His expansive range of reading, study, and personal interests make him an ideal editorial director for our academic line. From the nuances of grammar to the conceptual work of developing books in disciplines ranging from theology to psychology to history and more, he engages it all with relish. I look forward to partnering with him in his new role.”

Amid their changing roles, Boyd and Reid have also hired a new academic editor: Anna Moseley Gissing. Boyd said, “Anna impressed us with the thoughtfulness of her approach to academic authors and readers and with the maturity of her scholarly insights when interacting with some high-octane material. We think she’s going to impress the authors and audiences she works with, too.”

Gissing most recently served as associate editor for IVP Books. Prior to coming to IVP she was the associate director of Women in the Academy and Professions (WAP), a division of InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries. She was also the editor of The Well, a website designed to support women in graduate and professional schools and on faculty. Gissing has graduate degrees in theological studies from Beeson Divinity School and in New Testament from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She has also served as senior writing instructor for Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte.

“Anna is one of those applicants who looks great on paper, and then you meet her, get to know her a little better—and you see she’s even more remarkable than you realized,” Boyd said. “I couldn’t be happier to have her on the IVP Academic team. It’s going to be a joy to share her skills, insights, and personal gifts with authors and the readers we serve together.”

Gissing joins the IVP Academic editorial team, which also includes David McNutt (PhD, Cambridge University), associate editor, who has been with IVP Academic for four years. His responsibilities include IVP’s Reformation Commentary on Scripture and a range of theological fields, including theology and the arts.

InterVarsity Press Welcomes Monarch Butterflies and Reconstructs Prairie

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 20:10:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is honored to be partnering with the DuPage County (IL) Monarch Project as a result of recent work done to their property’s landscaping. Continuing in their commitment to care for the environment, IVP replaced much of their landscaping with milkweeds and butterfly-friendly native plants and was recognized as an official monarch waystation in the county.

“InterVarsity Press has always had a commitment to environmentally responsible publishing through our use of recycled and FSC [Forest Stewardship Council] certified paper and our various recycling initiatives,” said Anne Gerth, director of operations and fulfillment for IVP, who oversaw the landscaping work. “Adding a native plant installation and prairie to our landscape further promotes ecosystem mindfulness within IVP and our surrounding community.”

In June IVP renovated their property’s landscaping, located amid an industrial park, in the hopes that it will contribute to the survival of monarch butterflies. Additionally, IVP incorporated a prairie planting to recognize that at one time more than 60 percent of Illinois was tallgrass prairie—today just over 2,000 high quality original prairie acres remain in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“The monarch population has declined by up to 90 percent in recent years, and US Fish and Wildlife is currently considering listing it as an endangered species,” Lonnie Morris of the DuPage Monarch Project said. “Every bit of new habitat, as was planted at InterVarsity Press, plays a critical role in the protection of this beloved butterfly. Dupage Monarch Project is pleased InterVarsity Press has joined the local recovery effort with its new monarch friendly landscaping.”

IVP hopes that this installation will help members of the community reacquaint themselves with the original landscape of Illinois by getting to know some of its native plants. Included among the native grasses are prairie dock, compass plant, pale purple coneflower, and Culver’s root.

“As we watch these native flowers and grass grow and bloom through the season, we replicate a piece of our history,” said Jeff Crosby, IVP’s publisher. “These plants, once established, need less water because of their deep root systems—some of which plunge more than fifteen feet into the ground. They provide healthy habitat for many important pollinators and other insects."

“IVP has long published books on issues related to ecological concerns and caring for God’s creation,” Crosby continued. “This project is a tangible application of the ethics those books have espoused. And after nearly three decades in our building, it was time to freshen up our landscaping. So joining forces with a worthy cause such as the DuPage Monarch Project and planting Illinois native prairie plants was an added bonus as we undertook that.”

More information about the plight (and importance) of monarch butterflies can be found here: worldwildlife.org/species/monarch-butterfly.

For further information about the DuPage Monarch Project, please visit dupagemonarchs.com.

Author of Bestselling "The Good and Beautiful God" Launches New Series

Wed, 19 Jul 2017 19:18:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce that James Bryan Smith, author of the bestselling The Good and Beautiful God, is launching a series of three new books beginning with the August 2017 release of The Magnificent Story: Uncovering a Gospel of Beauty, Goodness, and Truth.

Smith is the author of ten books, five with InterVarsity Press, including the award-winning The Good and Beautiful Series, which is part of IVP’s Apprentice Resources. The series includes The Good and Beautiful God, The Good and Beautiful Life, and The Good and Beautiful Community. His most recent book, Hidden in Christ, released in May 2013. Smith is a theology professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, and is a founding member of Richard J. Foster’s spiritual renewal ministry, Renovaré. He also serves as the director of the Apprentice Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation at Friends University.

“We are pleased to be continuing with James Bryan Smith and the Apprentice Institute with three new books,” said Cindy Bunch, IVP’s associate publisher, editorial. “Jim brings real-life application to spiritual formation concepts in a way that is bearing fruit in the lives of many. As Jim’s editor, I am grateful to be one of the first to read his new work.”

Smith says this new series of books will focus on the life of Jesus, who revealed God’s glory (beauty), who went about doing good, and who was himself the truth. “The subjects of beauty, goodness, and truth are of great importance to all people, and these ideas I have been working on have deeply impacted my life with God,” he said. “God is beautiful, good, and true, and he has created us to long for all three. I pray these books will bring a sense of wonder and gratitude and faith to all who read them.”

The first book, The Magnificent Story, is a spiritual formation resource that is meant to help both individuals and groups understand the magnificent story of Christ in their lives.

“James Bryan Smith has opened his new series with a book that slices open the tough layers of the false, ‘shrunken’ gospel that has formed within the Christian tradition to reveal the tender truth of Christ. The true gospel is winsome, fragrant, and heart-stirring,” Bunch said. “Where the Apprentice Series began with the important question of who God is, this series now begins with the good news of God’s message to us in Christ. It is a magnificent story.”

Soon to be followed by The Magnificent Journey: Living Deep in the Kingdom (Fall 2018) and The Magnificent Mission: Called and Sent by the Storyteller (Fall 2019), the field-tested material within these resources includes spiritual practices at the end of each chapter and a group discussion guide.

Scot McKnight, professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, said, “The distinctive contribution of The Magnificent Story is its attentiveness to the power of stories to destroy us, diminish us, and deprive us, or to free us, redeem us, and empower us. Spiritual formation teachers have occasionally known the power of story, but none has it so central as James Bryan Smith. I consider The Magnificent Story to be a long leap into the deep graces of spiritual formation, not just for individuals but for small groups and churches.”

IVP-USA to Serve as North American Distributor of UK Titles for SPCK

Fri, 14 Jul 2017 19:20:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press (IVP-USA) is pleased to announce that through an expanded partnership with Inter-Varsity Press (IVP-UK) and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) it will soon be distributing a wealth of thoughtful Christian titles from the United Kingdom to readers throughout the United States and Canada.

Up until a few years ago IVP-USA’s books were represented in Europe by IVP-UK through its Partnership Distribution program. In October 2015, when IVP-UK came under the management of SPCK, IVP-USA also partnered with SPCK to make its stock of books available through Macmillan Distribution Limited (MDL) with SPCK offering sales representation to key accounts and local shops in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. Now IVP-USA and SPCK will expand their partnership by having IVP-USA serve as the distributor of SPCK and IVP-UK titles throughout North America.

SPCK, the United Kingdom’s leading Christian publisher, has been around since 1698, making it the third oldest English publishing house still operating today. Over the centuries SPCK has distributed over thirty million books and has provided the means for translating the Book of Common Prayer into more than two hundred languages.

“SPCK is a company with a long and storied tradition of publishing quality books for the theological academy and the global church,” said Jeff Crosby, IVP-USA’s publisher, in announcing this new partnership. “The addition of the IVP-UK imprint to what SPCK has long published made our alliance for North American distribution a win-win proposition. I’m delighted to expand the partnership that was already in place for UK distribution of our titles and work even more closely with Sam Richardson, Alexandra McDonald, Steve Mitchell, and their entire team in London. We look forward to a fruitful and profitable relationship as we bring their titles to market here in the United States and Canada.”

Alexandra McDonald, commercial director for SPCK and IVP-UK, said, “SPCK and IVP-UK are thrilled to be partnering with IVP-USA to distribute its range of books in the United States. We feel an affinity with IVP-USA across our lists of books which allows us to create a new partnership to complement our range of titles and roster of authors and enable our books to reach new readers.”

Titles that will now be readily available to North American readers include the following:

Creation, Power & Truth by N.T. Wright
A Celtic Liturgy by Pat Robson
A trilogy of classics in spirituality and spiritual formation, which includes The Living Flame of Love by John of the Cross, Introduction to the Devout Life by Francis de Sales, and Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich
Places of Pilgrimage by Ian Scott Massie
Come, Lord Jesus by Stephen Motyer
Aidan, Bede, Cuthbert: Three Inspirational Saints by David Adam
But is it True: Honest Responses to 10 Popular Objections to the Christian Faith by Michael Ots

“I have long admired the unique perspectives of SPCK and IVP-UK books,” said Justin Paul Lawrence, director of sales at IVP-USA. “Both lines mesh naturally with many of the key areas in which we already publish. I am excited to be able to connect North American readers even more to writers like Tom Wright, Tim Chester, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, and Michael Reeves. Given that InterVarsity Christian Fellowship was originally a British import, this partnership makes a lot of sense and will hopefully be profitable for both presses.”

IVP-USA and IVP-UK both have their roots in the International Fellowship for Evangelical Students, known as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the United States and the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship in the United Kingdom. They have historically been linked as the primary publishers in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively, for authors like John Stott and series such as the New Studies in Biblical Theology and the Bible Speaks Today.

“The long-standing friendship between IVP-UK and IVP-USA has grown and deepened as we both continue our work of publishing books full of biblical truth, wisdom, and encouragement,” said Steve Mitchell, publisher for IVP-UK. “We base our vision and mission on the foundation of Scripture, and we look forward to this new chapter in our shared story which will allow us to offer to the church in the USA and Canada an even broader selection of IVP-UK titles.”

Read more about the partnership or see a complete list of SPCK titles.

"Barefoot" and "Silence and Beauty" Receive Logos Bookstore Association Awards

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 16:00:00 GMT

Two InterVarsity Press titles were honored with 2017 Logos Bookstore Association Awards.

Barefoot: A Story of Surrendering to God by Sharon Garlough Brown received the 2017 Logos Award for Best Fiction. Barefoot is the third book in the Sensible Shoes Series, which follows the journeys of Hannah, Meg, Mara, and Charissa as they gain a new understanding of friendship, spiritual truths, and a deeper life with God.

Emily P. Freeman, author of Simply Tuesday, said, “During a difficult year of loss in my own life, I found great comfort in this fictional tale of four friends with true-to-life faith. The way they relate with Christ and one another in grief, disappointment, celebration, and joy served as a kind companion to me personally, as well as a creative reminder of some of my favorite spiritual practices.”

The 2017 Logos Bookstore Association Award for the Christianity/Culture category went to Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering by renowned international artist Makoto Fujimura. Inspired by Shusaku Endo’s novel Silence, first published in 1966 and one of the greatest works of twentieth-century Japanese literature, Fujimura took on a pilgrimage of grappling with the nature of art, the significance of pain, and his own cultural heritage.

Fujimura served as a consultant on the 2016 film Silence directed by Martin Scorsese, who said, “Makoto Fujimura is a remarkable artist and writer, and his engagement with the writings of the great Shusaku Endo—and Silence in particular—is deep and impassioned, as you will discover on every page of this book. By way of response to a great artist, Fujimura has created a quietly eloquent meditation on art and faith, and where they converge.”

Jeff Crosby, IVP’s publisher, said, “We have had a long, fruitful, and enjoyable association with Logos Bookstores, from the earliest years in Ann Arbor through to the current time. We are deeply grateful for their recognition of these important and beautifully-executed books by Makoto Fujimura and Sharon Garlough Brown. Logos continues to select, promote, sell, and—through these awards—honor thoughtful Christian books that make an impact on readers.”

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

IVP Acquires Operation World Resources from Global Mapping International

Fri, 07 Jul 2017 20:57:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press (IVP) and Global Mapping International (GMI) announce the acquisition by IVP of GMI's Operation World product line.

For the past five years IVP and GMI have been publishing partners serving the Operation World team in publishing the seventh edition of Operation World. With this acquisition, IVP is now the sole owner and publisher of the Operation World CD, DVD, ebook, and Prayer Map. IVP also acquired the digital rights to The Future of the Global Church by Patrick Johnstone, founder of Operation World, and Johnstone and Dean Merrill's subsequent books, Serving God in Today's Cities and Serving God in a Migrant Crisis.

"GMI has made a tremendous impact on the global missions community throughout its history, and we have been privileged to partner with them on Operation World since January of 2012," Jeff Crosby, IVP's publisher, said. "We are saddened by GMI's closure but are honored to continue a portion of their work through the acquisition of these publishing assets they have curated and helped to promote."

"As GMI closes, we are encouraged that our partnership of over thirty years with Operation World will be continued through InterVarsity Press," said Jon Hirst, CEO of GMI. "Their passion for global mission and commitment to quality make us confident of the future availability of the Operation World resources."

About Operation World

Operation World is widely regarded as the definitive volume of prayer information about the world and is the recipient of the ECPA Gold Medallion Award for Excellence in Evangelical Christian Literature. Operation World is published by InterVarsity Press.

About InterVarsity Press

Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church, and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.

IVP Titles Named Finalists for 2017 Dallas Willard Center Book Awards

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 18:11:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce that three books were chosen as finalists for the 2017 Dallas Willard Center Book Awards.

The Book and Research Awards initiative is one way that the Dallas Willard Center works to promote and recognize exemplary scholarship that addresses Dallas Willard’s primary concerns for the Christian spiritual formation movement and the broader academic and church communities. The IVP titles that received this honor are the following:

Meeting God in Scripture: A Hands-On Guide to Lectio Divina by Jan Johnson offers forty Scripture meditations, organized topically, and gives the tools needed to practice lectio divina on your own. Carolyn Arends, director of education at Renovaré, said, “Jan Johnson has a particular anointed genius for guiding people into interaction with the living God through his Word. Her winsome, accessible lectio divina exercises have been invaluable to the students at the Renovaré Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation, and it’s exciting to see her guides become more widely available. Meeting God in Scripture is a real gift for any of us who desire to spend more time with—and deepen our friendship with—the triune God.”

Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering by internationally renowned artist Makoto Fujimura was inspired by Shusaku Endo’s novel Silence, first published in 1966 and one of the greatest works of twentieth-century Japanese literature. Silence took Fujimura on a pilgrimage of grappling with the nature of art, the significance of pain, and his own cultural heritage. His artistic faith journey overlaps with Endo’s as he uncovers deep layers of meaning in Japanese history and literature, expressed in art both past and present. He finds connections to how faith is lived in contemporary contexts of trauma and glimpses of how the gospel is conveyed in Christ-hidden cultures. Silence and Beauty was also awarded the 2016 Aldersgate Prize by the John Wesley Honors College at Indiana Wesleyan University and named the 2017 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year in the category of counseling and relationships.

Rational Faith: A Philosopher’s Defense of Christianity by renowned philosopher Stephen Davis argues that belief in God is indeed a rational and intellectually sound endeavor. Drawing on a lifetime of rigorous reflection and critical thinking, he explores perennial and contemporary challenges to Christian faith. Davis appraises objections fairly and openly, offering thoughtful approaches to common intellectual problems. C. Stephen Evans, professor of philosophy and humanities at Baylor University said, “Davis is fair to the critics of Christianity and careful not to claim more than his arguments warrant. This is a book that will be helpful to both believers and unbelievers. The tone is personal and down-to-earth; the reader comes away with a sense of having had an enjoyable, stimulating, and possibly life-changing conversation.”

Cindy Bunch, IVP’s associate publisher, editorial, said, “As one of the publishers of Dallas Willard’s work, we are honored to be recipients of these awards. It is gratifying to see the range of books on the arts, Scripture, apologetics and more. The scope of the awards reflects the importance of developing the Christian mind in all areas of life and in that way is truly honoring of Dallas Willard’s legacy.”

See a complete list of IVP award winners at ivpress.com/award-winners.

"The Gift of Hard Things" Receives Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 20:30:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce that The Gift of Hard Things by Mark Yaconelli was selected as the 2016 Silver Winner in the Self-Help category of the nineteenth annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.

In The Gift of Hard Things: Finding Grace in Unexpected Places Yaconelli uses extraordinary stories from his own life and the lives of others to offer a narrative journey through ways in which disappointments have turned into gifts. Anne Lamott, author of Traveling Mercies, said, “To my thinking, Mark Yaconelli is one of this country’s most important and articulate spiritual teachers. Anyone seeking knowledge and union with God will be informed, edified, nourished, and utterly charmed by The Gift of Hard Things. I savored every story and was nurtured by the expression and depth. It is a book absolutely after my own heart.”

Each year, Foreword Reviews shines a light on a select group of indie publishers, university presses, and self-published authors whose work stands out from the crowd. Thousands of books are entered each year, and a panel of over 120 librarians and booksellers take part in the judging, narrowing it down to a group of finalists and winners that represent the best books, all independently published, in over sixty categories. Winners in each genre—along with Editor’s Choice winners and Foreword’s INDIE Publisher of the Year—were announced during the 2017 American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago on June 24.

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

Operation World Announces Free Mobile App for Global Prayer Movement

Fri, 02 Jun 2017 13:45:00 GMT

Operation World (OW), the ministry behind the definitive global prayer handbook, is pleased to announce the worldwide release of a new, free mobile app.

Millions of Christians have used Operation World resources since the 1960s to pray for the nations, and in 2012, OW partnered with InterVarsity Press when IVP acquired Biblica Books, the original publisher of Operation World. Now in its 7th edition, the prayer handbook covers the entire populated world and includes geographic information, a daily prayer calendar, answers to prayer, challenges for prayer, and more. The OW team hopes that the app will allow an even greater number of people to gain access to this content and join the global prayer movement.

“There is something of ‘God on the move’ that occurs through the united, fervent, sustained prayers of his people that otherwise does not occur,” said Jason Mandryk, author of Operation World. “Imagine the possibilities of what can happen when thousands upon thousands unite together from across the whole earth to lift up the world before him, day after day, nation after nation!”

The app allows users to receive reminders to pray for the “country of the day,” easily retrieve OW research statistics, read in-depth prayer requests and praise reports given for each country of the world, and more.

The Operation World app was developed in partnership with Global Mapping International (GMI) and Missional Digerati.

“It has been GMI’s great privilege to support Operation World over so many years,” said Jon Hirst, president and CEO of GMI. “Few resources in the history of the church have done more to challenge believers to pray for the nations.”

Download the Android app on Google Play and a version for Apple on the App Store. For more information, go to operationworld.org/prayer-app.

About Operation World

About Missional Digerati

Missional Digerati is a Christian non-profit mobile and web application development team dedicated to using technology to deliver the gospel to every nation.

IVP Announces Art Director and Academic Marketing Manager

Fri, 26 May 2017 14:26:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce the appointments of David Fassett to art director and Jeff Gissing to academic marketing manager.

Fassett joined IVP as a marketing designer in 2009, and was promoted to senior graphic designer in 2014. During his time at IVP he has worked closely with Cindy Kiple, who retired in May after fifteen years as art director. Fassett designed several award-winning book covers, including Death Before the Fall and The Radical Pursuit of Rest. He also redesigned IVP’s marketing catalogs and contributed to the design of IVP’s new website.

IVP publisher Jeff Crosby said, “We look forward to the versatile design capabilities and technological know-how that David will bring to IVP as art director.” Fassett moved into his new role on May 1.

Gissing will begin his work as academic marketing manager on June 12. He previously served as the pastor for discipleship at First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem in Pennsylvania. Gissing was also on campus staff for nearly a decade with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the Graduate and Faculty Ministries department. He has a BA in philosophy and religion from Samford University, an MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary, and is also working on his master of theology at Westminster.

“We are delighted that Jeff Gissing will be joining our team in the role of academic marketing manager,” said Helen Lee, IVP’s director of marketing. “He spoke our language from the start with his love for and knowledge of our academic line, and we also appreciated his deep understanding of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship through his years of service on the Graduate and Faculty Ministries team. We have no doubt he will contribute a great deal to the furtherance of our academic line in the years to come.”

Gissing said, “IVP books have had a significant impact on my own intellectual and spiritual development, and so the prospect of joining the press brings me great joy!”

"The Road Back to You" Coauthor to Release Relationships Enneagram Book with IVP

Fri, 12 May 2017 19:10:00 GMT

The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile has quickly become IVP's bestselling title after releasing in October 2016. InterVarsity Press is now pleased to announce that in April 2018 Stabile will be launching another book about the Enneagram titled The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships.

The Enneagram, an ancient personality typing system, is known for its uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, both positively and negatively. Stabile, an internationally recognized Enneagram master teacher, has conducted more than five hundred Enneagram workshops at renowned universities, churches, and for-profit and nonprofit entities. Along with her husband, Rev. Joseph Stabile, she is also the cofounder of Life in the Trinity Ministry, a nonprofit, nondenominational ministry committed to the spiritual growth and formation of adults.

"One of the privileges of being an editor is learning from authors," said Cindy Bunch, IVP's associate publisher, editorial. "It has been my delight to learn more about the Enneagram from Suzanne Stabile in our work on The Road Back to You. She has a wealth of wisdom on applying the Enneagram to relationships, and I look forward to being on the front lines of reading and learning from her again."

Jeff Crosby, IVP's publisher, said, "Suzanne's work in support of the coauthored book The Road Back to You has clearly demonstrated her keen ability as a communicator of the Enneagram tool of self-discovery. She has been a delight to work with from start to finish, and we are privileged to bring her next book with its unique focus on relationships to market next year."

The Road Back to You, a primer on the Enneagram, has introduced more than fifty thousand readers to the Enneagram numbers. Stabile says that the intended audience for The Path Between Us is those people who know their Enneagram numbers and want to improve their relationships at work, in their community, and at home.

"My hope is that my work in this book will add understanding and insight to a conversation about problems and rewards in relating to other people," Stabile said. "At the same time I will suggest some new patterns of behavior that will enhance our contribution to healthy relationships and suggest ideas for relating to people of each number whether or not they know the Enneagram."

Sheryl Fullerton, Stabile's agent, first got to know Stabile as an Enneagram student and friend. They have now known each other and collaborated on various projects for ten years, most recently on the publishing of The Path Between Us. "I have always seen Suzanne as an incredibly gifted teacher, a delightful (and funny) person, and a deeply wise spiritual mentor, so when she asked me to be part of publishing her book, I was glad to help," Fullerton said. "I am also a longtime admirer of IVP and its staff. That admiration grew exponentially as I’ve seen the excellence of what they have done to make The Road Back to You a bestseller. So when it came time for Suzanne to write her new book, The Path Between Us, we knew IVP was the best home for it. We are so happy that IVP agreed."

ECPA Chooses Three IVP Titles as Finalists for 2017 Christian Book Awards

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 21:59:00 GMT

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) chose three InterVarsity Press (IVP) titles as finalists for its 2017 Christian Book Award program. Impossible People, New Dictionary of Theology, and Saving the Bible from Ourselves are among the fifty-nine finalists selected as the year's best Christian titles. Five finalists were chosen in eleven categories. The winners will be announced at the ECPA Awards Celebration held at the industry's Leadership Summit on May 2 in Colorado Springs.

"These finalists emerged from a rigorous judging process and represent the best our industry produced this past year. Even more important is the impact these excellent books, Bibles, and resources are having on the church and wider culture," said Stan Jantz, ECPA’s executive director.

Impossible People: Christian Courage and the Struggle for the Soul of Civilization by Os Guinness is an ECPA finalist in the Faith & Culture category. Guinness argues that we must engage secularism and atheism in new ways, confronting competing ideas with discernment and fresh articulation of the faith. Christians are called to be impossible people, full of courage and mercy in challenging times. Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life, said, "I read everything Os Guinness writes because he always challenges my thinking and enlarges my perspective. Impossible People may be his most important work. Read it, then buy five copies for friends and discuss it together. The message is that important. This could be the most important book you read this year."

New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic is one of the five finalists in the Bible Reference Works category. This new edition combines excellence in scholarship with a high standard of clarity and profound insight into current theological issues. Over three hundred contributors form an international team of renowned scholars, including Marcella Altaus-Reid, Richard Bauckham, David Bebbington, Kwame Bediako, Todd Billings, Oliver Crisp, Samuel Escobar, John Goldingay, Tremper Longman III, John McGuckin, Jennifer McNutt, Michael J. Nasir-Ali, Bradley Nassif, Mark Noll, Anthony Thiselton, John Webster, and N. T. Wright. "New Dictionary of Theology is a single volume, one-stop resource that is valuable for anyone who wants a useful primer and introduction to the grand spectrum of theology," said Martin Williams of Vox Reformata.

The third ECPA finalist from IVP is Glenn Paauw’s Saving the Bible from Ourselves: Learning to Read and Live the Bible Well in the Bible Study category. "Glenn Paauw has written a serious and compelling book on the Bible," said Walter Brueggemann of Columbia Theological Seminary. "The tone of his writing is puckish enough to keep us turning pages for more. After identifying our lazy readiness to reduce the Bible to convenient 'scripturettes,' Paauw guides us to a way to the adult work of serious engagement with the Bible." Paauw introduces readers to seven new understandings of the Bible as steps on the path to recovering one deeply engaged Bible. With each "new" Bible presented, deficiencies in how we currently interact with the Bible are explored, followed by recommendations for a new practice.

See a complete list of IVP's award-winning titles at ivpress.com/award-winners.

IVP Titles Make Short Lists of WORLD Magazine’s Best Books of 2016

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 20:09:00 GMT

WORLD Magazine included two IVP titles on its short lists of the Best Books of 2016, which includes books published between April and December 2016. WORLD also cited IVP best-selling classic Knowing God by J. I. Packer as one of the "better reading options than last year's Christian bestsellers."

In response to the list of the top fifty best-selling Christian books of 2016 released by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association in January, Jamie Dean, national editor for WORLD, asked pastors, authors, and leaders for books they'd like to see on a list of books most read by Christians. In a March 18 article Dean wrote, "Instead of demanding health and wealth, pastors Terry Johnson and John Piper both picked J. I. Packer's Knowing God, with Packer's reminder the Bible doesn't teach God will ‘shield his loved ones from trouble when he knows that they need trouble to further their sanctification.'"

Knowing God, first published by IVP in 1973, has sold more than one million copies in the United States alone, and in 2006 Christianity Today voted it one of the top fifty books that have shaped evangelicals. Packer is regarded as one of the most influential evangelicals in North America, and in 2014 was also named Author of the Year by the Association of Logos Bookstores.

The Best Books of 2016 were also announced in the March 18 issue of WORLD. Marvin Olasky, editor in chief of WORLD News Group, wrote, "This year on the pages that follow five WORLD staff writers and five World Journalism Institute (WJI) graduates review thirty short-listed books from twenty-three publishers."

Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering by internationally renowned artist Makoto Fujimura made the short list as one of the best books in the Understanding the World category. Inspired by Shusaku Endo's novel Silence—one of the greatest works of twentieth-century Japanese literature—Fujimura grapples with the nature of art, the significance of pain, and his own cultural heritage. Mindy Belz, senior editor at WORLD, said, "Silence and Beauty is part memoir, part cultural treatise, and part expedition into Japan's sixteenth-century hidden Christians—the subject of the Shusaku novel, which Fujimura summarizes in an appendix. He has much to offer twenty-first century Christians who ponder how faith can express itself in a hostile culture."

Silence and Beauty was also awarded the 2016 Aldersgate Prize by the John Wesley Honors College at Indiana Wesleyan University and named the 2017 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year in the category of counseling and relationships.

The other IVP title to make the WORLD short list as one of the best books in the Science, Math, and Worldviews category was Taking Pascal's Wager: Faith, Evidence and the Abundant Life by Michael Rota. Laura Hendrickson, a graduate of WJI, described the book this way: "Rota defends the idea of seventeenth-century mathematician/philosopher Blaise Pascal that faith in Christ is reasonable because there’s much to be gained and little to lose. Rota addresses the criticism that such a commitment is self-serving, and then relies on decision theory and common apologetics arguments about the fine-tuning of the universe and the historicity of Christianity, as well as the simpler and possibly more satisfying argument that Christianity simply makes sense of humanity's situation. He then moves from abstract arguments to concrete examples of the power of Christian commitment through the stories of the lives of faithful individuals."

Taking Pascal's Wager also received Christianity Today's 2017 Book of the Year Award of Merit in the apologetics/evangelism category.

Visit ivpress.com for a complete list of honored IVP titles.

Four IVP Titles Named Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalists

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 20:54:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce that four IVP titles have been recognized as finalists in Foreword Reviews’ nineteenth annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards. Finalists were narrowed down by Foreword’s editors from over 2,200 individual titles spread across sixty-five categories. IVP books were chosen as finalists in the following categories:

Religion (Adult Nonfiction)

Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering by internationally renowned artist Makoto Fujimura was inspired by Shusaku Endo’s novel Silence, first published in 1966 and one of the greatest works of twentieth-century Japanese literature. Silence took Fujimura on a pilgrimage of grappling with the nature of art, the significance of pain, and his own cultural heritage. His artistic faith journey overlaps with Endo’s as he uncovers deep layers of meaning in Japanese history and literature, expressed in art both past and present. He finds connections to how faith is lived in contemporary contexts of trauma and glimpses of how the gospel is conveyed in Christ-hidden cultures. Silence and Beauty was also awarded the 2016 Aldersgate Prize by the John Wesley Honors College at Indiana Wesleyan University and named the 2017 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year in the category of counseling and relationships.

Self-Help

In The Gift of Hard Things: Finding Grace in Unexpected Places Mark Yaconelli uses extraordinary stories from his own life and the lives of others to offer a narrative journey through ways in which disappointments have turned into gifts. He writes, “We are small, sensitive creatures with short lifespans, in a world that is often chaotic, capricious, mysterious, terrible, and wonderful all at the same time. Failure, disappointment, loss, and other difficult experiences call us to accept our humanity, feel grateful for what has been given, receive the care of others, and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit.” Anne Lamott, author of Traveling Mercies, said, “It is a book absolutely after my own heart.”

Religious (Adult Fiction)

Barefoot: A Story of Surrendering to God by Sharon Garlough Brown is the third book in the Sensible Shoes Series, following Sensible Shoes and Two Steps Forward, a 2015 INDIEFAB finalist. Emily P. Freeman, author of Simply Tuesday, said, “During a difficult year of loss in my own life, I found great comfort in this fictional tale of four friends with true-to-life faith. The way they relate with Christ and one another in grief, disappointment, celebration, and joy served as a kind companion to me personally, as well as a creative reminder of some of my favorite spiritual practices.”

Body, Mind & Spirit

In The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile offer a primer on the Enneagram, an ancient personality typing system. Cron and Stabile forge a unique approach—a practical, comprehensive way of accessing Enneagram wisdom and exploring its connections with Christian spirituality for a deeper knowledge of ourselves, compassion for others, and love for God. Witty and filled with stories, this book allows you to peek inside each of the nine Enneagram types.

Each year, Foreword Reviews shines a light on a select group of indie publishers, university presses, and self-published authors whose work stands out from the crowd. In the next three months a panel of volunteer librarians and booksellers will determine the winners in each category based on their experience with readers and patrons.

Foreword Reviews will celebrate the winners during a program at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago in June. They will also name the Editor’s Choice winners and Foreword’s 2016 INDIE Publisher of the Year during the presentation.

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