2014 Press Releases

IVP's Teach Us to Want Named Christianity Today's 2015 Book of the Year

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:20:00 GMT

Results of Christianity Today's 2015 Book Awards are in, and InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce that Teach Us to Want by Jen Pollock Michel was named the 2015 Book of the Year, as well as the top Christian Living title.

"I'm thrilled—and of course surprised," Michel said. "The process of writing Teach Us to Want formed me spiritually, and I'm hopeful it will do the same for readers. I've begun believing the gospel is big enough for the complexity of human desire—and that God is good enough for the contradictions of the human heart. For me, that's been terrific news."

Courtney Ressig, Her.meneutics writer and a judge for the Christian Living category, wrote, "Most of us have wanted something at some point in life. Some of us live with a deep void in our souls that never seems to be filled. How do we live with such desires? How do we respond to the emotions brought on by longing and wanting? With raw honesty and a scriptural foundation, Michel shows that our desires have a place in the journey of faith."

Three additional InterVarsity Press titles received Awards of Merit: Visions of Vocation by Steven Garber in the Christian Living category, The New Parish by Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens and Dwight Friesen in the Church/Pastoral Leadership category, and Called to Be Saints by Gordon Smith in the Spirituality category.

"I am delighted with this significant recognition of these outstanding IVP books with a special shout-out to Jen Pollock Michel for receiving the Book of the Year award!" said Bob Fryling, publisher for IVP. "One of my great joys as a publisher is to be able to read and personally benefit from so many of the books we publish—and these award-winning books are no exception. In an age of superficiality these books are written by authors with deep convictions and experiences of living the Christian life with biblical and spiritual integrity. They write with insight, humility and an ability to stir up faith and good works. I celebrate their achievements in these awards and I am grateful for their partnership with IVP."

In Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good, Garber offers a book for everyone everywhere—for students, for parents, for those in the arts, in the academy, in public service, in the trades and in commerce—for all who want to discover the virtue of vocation. Rachel Marie Stone, author of Eat with Joy, was a judge in the Christian Living category and wrote: "Many Christians struggle with envisioning what it is to be and to work in the world. Garber offers stories and wisdom that affirm the goodness and rightness of Christians pursuing callings in areas not traditionally considered ministry, but that may be missional nonetheless."

The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches are Transforming Mission, Discipleship and Community is filled with stories that offer practical insights for how each person can participate in what God is doing in the place he or she lives. David Swanson, pastor of New Community Covenant Church in Chicago, was one of the judges in the Church/Pastoral Leadership category. He wrote: "The authors explore how the limitations of staying rooted in a particular place actually provide opportunities for transformation and mission. This is counterintuitive for churches that have bought into the mobile and transient values of our culture."

In Called to be Saints: An Invitation to Christian Maturity Smith unfolds how and why Christians are called to become wise people, do good work, love others and enjoy rightly ordered affections. "Smith has written a comprehensive and compelling volume on the central importance of maturing in Christian life," said Arthur Boers, a judge in the Spirituality category and the R. J. Bernardo Family Chair of Leadership at Tyndale Seminary. "He prophetically challenges anemic views of Christian conversion and Christian living, ones that do not include and involve the imperative of growing into holiness."

Winners of Christianity Today's 2015 Book Awards are titles that judges of each category have deemed "the books most likely to shape evangelical life, thought, and culture."

For more information about these titles and other award winners from IVP, visit ivpress.us/award-winners.

InterVarsity Press Recognized for Excellence in Ebook Design

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:21:00 GMT

For the second consecutive year, InterVarsity Press (IVP) has been recognized by Digital Book World—the premier platform offering educational and networking resources for digital publishing professionals—and their partners for achieving their Quality, Excellence, Design (QED) certification on the production of IVP ebooks.

Digital Book World also announced two IVP titles as finalists for the 2015 Digital Book Awards, including Immigration by Dale Hanson Bourke and Teach Us to Want by Jen Pollock Michel in the "Ebook Flowable—Adult Nonfiction" category. The award program celebrates innovation in apps and ebook publishing.

Immigration is part of the Skeptic’s Guide™ Series of which The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict was both QED certified and named a finalist with Digital Book World in 2014. These ebooks are known for their color photographs, specialized callouts and useful graphics. Teach Us to Want was IVP's premier book incorporating the "tweetables" feature, wherein a user can quickly tweet out preselected portions of a book with minimal effort, sharing content and ideas with followers.

Digital Book World considers the awards to represent "some of the best innovation, creativity and talent in the dynamic world of digital publishing. The awards are important for helping our young industry define best practices and set the bar for standards of excellence. In the uncharted world of digital disruption, these pioneers are guiding the way to a successful and exciting future."

Immigration and Teach Us to Want were both recognized for the QED certification in their respective ebook formats, passing a rigorous 13-point quality assurance program. Some of the criteria evaluated include information organization, font treatment and consistency, and functional hyperlinks both to outside sources and referencing within. The QED certification recognizes and supports each reader's ability to access their ebooks, which means that each nominated ebook is tested on mobile, eInk and tablet screens.

"IVP is thrilled to have the QED seal on our digital books because we think it tells readers that they can have confidence in what they are buying," said Andrew Bronson, digital sales and marketing manager for IVP. "There are some ebooks out in the market that are not the best quality and customers are not always sure what they are getting. The QED seal helps to provide the confidence we want them to have."

IVP's digital publishing program continues to grow and has seen much innovation over the last year. As with Teach Us to Want, the "tweetables" feature was launched in other books including Anxious by Amy Simpson, Life Together in Christ by Ruth Haley Barton and What Your Body Knows About God by Rob Moll. Additionally, IVP continues to create ebooks in a variety of formats for different platforms and continues to convert backlist titles.

"IVP values the QED certification program because it helps us to measure the quality of the ebooks we are producing against the evolving standards of the publishing industry and, ultimately, to meet the increasing expectations of readers," said Sally Craft, director of digital publishing at IVP. "We are thrilled to have two books stand out as finalists in the annual Digital Book Awards competition."

For more information about IVP's ebooks, please visit ivpress.us/browse/ebooks. For more information about the QED program with Digital Book World, please visit www.digitalbookworld.com.

InterVarsity Press Announces IVP Audio

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:31:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press will soon be offering readers a chance to "read" while on the move with new digital offerings. IVP will be releasing fourteen books in audio format from February through September 2015.

"In our busy and increasingly digital world, this is a new opportunity to get our books into the hands and, more specifically, the ears of our readers," said Jeff Crosby, IVP's associate publisher. "This is a new and convenient way for our established readers to enjoy old favorites and new releases."

IVP has already released the digital download and three audio CDs in English, Spanish and Korean for Called: The Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today by Fuller Theological Seminary president Mark Labberton.

Crosby said the primary objective for releasing a line of audio books is to produce significant Christian books in audio format in multiple languages. IVP also aims to use these audio books to stimulate creative "just show up" book clubs. Crosby added, "The audio book small group is a developing trend that IVP Audio can serve with titles of distinction from authors—both classic and contemporary—that readers want to engage with."

The list of IVP audio books will include:

John Stott—Your Mind Matters
Mark Labberton—The Dangerous Act of Worship
Mark Labberton—The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor
John White—Daring to Draw Near
Andy Crouch—Playing God
Steven Garber—Visions of Vocation
Amy L. Sherman—Kingdom Calling
Sharon Garlough Brown—Sensible Shoes
M. Robert Mulholland Jr.—Invitation to a Journey
Ruth Haley Barton—Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership
David G. Benner—The Gift of Being Yourself
James W. Sire—Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All?
Joshua Choonmin Kang—Deep-Rooted in Christ
Mark Labberton—Called (both digital download and three audio CDs)

Visit ivpress.us/browse/audiobooks for more information about IVP Audio.

InterVarsity Press Receives Top ECPA and Midwest Publishing Awards

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:40:00 GMT

October was a month of awards for InterVarsity Press (IVP), with four books receiving honors from the Midwest Publishing Association (MPA). IVP designer David Fassett also received top honors from the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association (ECPA) for his work on Death Before the Fall.

The Midwest Publishing Association presented the awards to the four IVP books at its 63rd Midwest Publishing Book and Media Show on October 16. IVP won the top award, the Award of Excellence, in the scholarly/reference category for the Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity, in the general trade category for Playing God, and in the school publishing category for Christianity and Developmental Psychopathology. In the special trade category, IVP won Honorable Mention for Coffee with Jesus.

Through these awards, the MPA honors excellence in publishing and showcases all the talent the Midwest region has to offer. "We are honored and grateful to the Midwest Publishing Association for recognizing the hard work that goes on at IVP," said Anne Gerth, director of production and fulfillment. "And congratulations to Cindy Kiple for her beautiful cover designs on all the winners and interior layout on the Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity. Congratulations to Beth McGill for the great interior designs on Coffee with Jesus, Playing God, and for Christianity and Developmental Psychopathology. And congratulations to Jim Erhart for excellence in the manufacturing process."

Fassett received a Top Shelf Book Cover Award during an ECPA PUBu session at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. "We are thrilled that the ECPA has recognized David Fassett's excellent cover design work," Gerth said.

The Top Shelf program highlights book design excellence, intelligence and beauty. "We are grateful to all who participated in the program with their quality entries," ECPA President/CEO Mark Kuyper announced.

InterVarsity Press Releases Newly Discovered Lightfoot Commentaries

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:34:00 GMT

The Acts of the Apostles, the first in a three volume set of newly discovered commentaries by J. B. Lightfoot, has been published by InterVarsity Press (IVP) this month. Joseph Barber Lightfoot (1828–1889) was one of the great biblical and patristic scholars of the nineteenth century in any language, and certainly in English. IVP is thrilled to make these important volumes available.

Andrew T. Le Peau, associate publisher and editorial director, said of the author, "J. B. Lightfoot was the N. T. Wright of his time—a scholar and bishop of Durham who carved new paths of Biblical study for generations to come."

Lightfoot is considered by many to be a scholar well ahead of his time and one of the great minds of his or any generation. He is known especially for his writings on Paul's letters and the apostolic fathers.

"J. B. Lightfoot is universally recognized as one of the most brilliant and important biblical scholars of the nineteenth century, so the publication of his heretofore largely unknown comments on Acts is an exciting publishing event," said David Congdon, assistant editor for IVP Academic. "We are indebted to Ben Witherington III and Todd Still, as well as Jeanette Hagen. In their rough, unfinished nature, these manuscripts give us a window into Lightfoot's mind at work."

Witherington, professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and member of the doctor faculty at St. Andrews University in Scotland, found hundreds of handwritten pages of biblical commentary by Lightfoot at the Durham Cathedral Library in the spring of 2013.

Witherington brought Todd D. Still, the William M. Hinson Professor of Christian Scriptures in the George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University, into the project. They began to digitize all the relevant documents with the help of Asbury Seminary and Baylor University. They were also supported by the invaluable transcription and editing help of Jeanette Hagen, a PhD candidate in New Testament at Durham University. Even in their incomplete form, these commentaries represented a goldmine for historians and biblical scholars. The now published documents are sure to provide readers with a new appreciation for Lightfoot's contributions.

"The past, as Lightfoot would say, is not mere prologue; it is the foundation of our faith and on it we must stand. Lightfoot reminds us again and again that history matters, that nothing can be theologically true that is historically false, that a gnostic sort of spirituality that divorces itself from the original Greek text and context of Acts is not a Christian approach to spiritual formation but a heresy against which the church fathers fought vigorously," said Witherington.

"The discovery of hitherto unknown exegetical works by J. B. Lightfoot is a rare gift, full of potential for fresh insight both about the man himself (acknowledged worldwide as the leading scholar of his day) and, as he would have wished, about texts which he knew so well and which themselves express the heart of the gospel," praised N. T. Wright, professor of New Testament at the University of St Andrews. "An unexpected and exciting addition to the core library of seminal biblical studies."

The Acts of the Apostles is the first volume in the set, and the projected second and third volumes will explore the Gospel of John and then 2 Corinthians and 1 Peter, respectively. To learn more about The Acts of the Apostles or The Lightfoot Legacy Set, visit ivpress.us/the-lightfoot-legacy

Fuller Seminary President Uses Unique Means to Reach Students, Graduates with Called

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:17:00 GMT

Recognizing the challenges seminary students face as they graduate, Fuller Seminary and its president, Mark Labberton, are doing all they can to arm Fuller faculty, staff, students and graduates with Labberton's new book, Called: The Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today.

First, Fuller set out to make the book accessible to every student, including the large numbers of Korean and Spanish-speaking students at the seminary.

"Prompted by Fuller's vision for the project, we are thrilled to be simultaneously releasing this book in three languages together with our Korean and Spanish publishing partners. It is an exciting opportunity to reach a broad spectrum of readers both in the United States and across the world," said Cindy Bunch, Labberton's editor at InterVarsity Press.

Thanks to a generous gift from a longtime friend of Fuller, copies of Called were sent to all Fuller faculty, staff, students and graduates with a surprise note in each book that was revealed on Fuller's Instagram account (@fullerseminary) in September: "We were excited to pass out free copies of Mark's new book to faculty and staff today, and he wrote a letter to put inside. When we opened it, we were shocked: Mark is donating all the royalties from Called to create student scholarships!"

Labberton said, "Donating the royalties of Called to our students comes both out my own need when I was a student and out of the deep awareness and empathy for the need of Fuller's current students. They are passionately pursuing God's call and I am doing all I can, as Fuller is doing all it can, to lighten the financial burden. We are committed to forming leaders for a changing church and world. I am delighted these royalties can help that effort."

Bob Fryling, publisher at IVP, said, "Mark Labberton has been a great friend and partner with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and InterVarsity Press. He is the author of three very successful IVP books and embodies a common ministry vision of being a thoughtful and active witness in the world. Mark's generous decision to use his royalties from his new book Called for scholarships reflect his deep commitment to the work of God by investing in students. IVP is privileged and delighted to publish Mark and his books."

In Called, Labberton briefly identifies the crisis facing today's church and provides a fundamental understanding of every Christian's vocational call in our world. Labberton writes: "People ask many questions about how their lives relate to the world. What are our lives in this world about? What are we to make of being human? Why are we here? Is there a reason we are alive, and, if so, how would we know what that is? These questions are brought on at times by beauty and joy, but also by the daunting facts of our own lives or of the world around us. We look around in doubt, in pain, in suffering. These are human questions asked throughout history by those inside and outside the church." Labberton's other books with IVP include The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call to Justice and The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor: Seeing Others Through the Eyes of Jesus.

Labberton said, "I believe IVP wants to do all it can to help its authors and readers live into God's call. Sharing in this effort together has been very exciting, not least in their commitment for Called to come out simultaneously in English, Spanish, Korean, digital and audio!"

The Korean publisher for Called is Korea IVP (www.ivp.co.kr/) and the Spanish publisher is Editorial Mundo Hispano (www.editorialmh.org/).

IVP Announces Book Acquisitions by Influential Voices on Culture and Reconciliation

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:37:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of three books by Makoto Fujimura, Andy Crouch and the late Richard Twiss, authors who have been described as a culture shaper, a visionary on culture and a reconciler. Their books are set to release in 2015 and 2016.

"For decades, IVP has been committed to offering a multiplicity of voices to enrich the church. These new books by Fujimura, Crouch and Twiss will do just that'" said Andy Le Peau, associate publisher for editorial at InterVarsity Press.

Makoto Fujimura, cultural shaper

Fujimura is an artist, writer and speaker recognized worldwide as a cultural shaper. His work is featured at galleries around the world, and he is one of the first artists to paint live on stage at New York City's legendary Carnegie Hall as part of an ongoing collaboration with composer and percussionist Susie Ibarra.

"Makoto Fujimura is a world-renowned visual artist, and his work has often explored the intersection of suffering and faith," said Al Hsu, senior editor for IVP Books. "Now his forthcoming book takes him on a personal journey into Japanese history to the time of persecution chronicled by Shusaku Endo's novel Silence. Fujimura's book will be published in conjunction with the release of Martin Scorsese's film version of "Silence" around Christmas 2015, which will be an opportunity for our culture to reflect on the possibility of faith in a suffering world where God seems silent."

Le Peau added, "It will be a publishing event to have Makoto Fujimura, one of the most important Christian artists of our day, offer historical and personal perspectives on Endo's book and what the experiences of Christians in Japan can teach us all."

Read more Makoto and his work at www.makotofujimura.com.

Andy Crouch, visionary on culture

Andy Crouch, known as one of Christianity's most compelling visionaries on culture, will be releasing a follow-up to his book Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power, in which he unpacked the dynamics of power that either can make human flourishing possible or can destroy the image of God in people.

"Andy Crouch continues to be one of the most incisive, clearheaded observers of our day," Le Peau said. "This new practical book will help leaders embrace their authority without just playing it safe so they and those they lead flourish and grow fully."

Crouch's first book with IVP, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling, won Christianity Today's 2009 Book Award for Christianity and Culture and was named one of the best books of 2008 by Publishers Weekly, Relevant, Outreach and Leadership. Crouch currently serves as the executive editor of Christianity Today, where he is also executive producer of This Is Our City, a multiyear project featuring documentary video, reporting and essays about Christians seeking the flourishing of their cities.

Read more about Andy and his work at www.andy-crouch.com.

Richard Twiss, reconciler

Richard Twiss, who died unexpectedly in February 2013, was the cofounder and president of Wiconi International, which seeks reconciliation between Native Americans and other Americans. IVP will be releasing his unpublished manuscript titled Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys: A Native American Expression of the Jesus Way.

"Richard Twiss was one of the key Native/Indigenous leaders of our time, and his untimely death in 2013 was a great shock to many of us," said Hsu, editor for Twiss's book. "But we're grateful that he still speaks to us through this manuscript, which he had essentially completed just days before his passing. In it we hear his prophetic critique of colonialism and a compelling vision for contextualization, ministry and mission. It's an honor for IVP to be entrusted with his final words as a gift for the wider church."

In 1972, Twiss was a participant in the forced occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Building in Washington, DC, with the radical political group the American Indian Movement or "AIM." Twiss later became a Christian minister, author and public speaker. His vision was to "serve as a bridge builder and consultant, nationally and internationally, to develop understanding, respect and mutual appreciation for one another, especially among Native American/First Nations people."

Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys will release in July 2015.

InterVarsity Press Receives Three Awards at Logos Bookstores' 2014 Convention

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:35:00 GMT

It was another successful year for InterVarsity Press at the annual Association of Logos Bookstores convention and awards ceremony. InterVarsity Press won awards in three categories: Author of the Year, Best Book in the category of Christianity and Culture, and Best Book in the category of Spirituality. The awards ceremony took place in Atlanta on June 22 at the start of the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS).

Jeff Crosby, IVP's associate publisher and director of sales and marketing, said, "All of us at InterVarsity Press are grateful for the good ongoing work of Logos Bookstores and for their interest in stocking and promoting thoughtful Christian books such as those written by J. I. Packer, Dallas Willard and Os Guinness. We've had a long and fruitful relationship with Logos dating back to the late 1960s and the first of its stores near the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, started by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. We are privileged to accept these three awards on behalf of our authors."

J. I. Packer was awarded Author of the Year for 2014. Packer is regarded as one of the most influential evangelicals in North America. He is Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and his writings include books such as Knowing God, A Quest for Godliness and Rediscovering Holiness. He has preached and lectured widely in Great Britain and North America and served as general editor of the English Standard Version of the Bible published in 2001, and theological editor of the Study Bible version.

Living in Christ's Presence: Final Words on Heaven and the Kingdom of God by Dallas Willard was praised as Best Book in the category of Spirituality. Exploring what it means to live well now in light of God's kingdom, this book is adapted from the talks given at the February 2013 Dallas Willard Center Knowing Christ Today Conference. Each chapter is followed with an illuminating dialogue between Dallas Willard and John Ortberg.

Honored as the Best Book in Christianity and Culture, The Global Public Square: Religious Freedom and the Making of a World Safe for Diversity by Os Guinness seeks a return to the first principles of religious and political freedom. Hearkening back to the "soul liberty" of English Puritan Roger Williams, Guinness argues that a society's greatest bulwark against abuse lies in its people's freedom of conscience.

This year's awards were presented by Becky Gorczyca, the executive director of the member-owned Association of Logos Bookstores, who stated, "It is our pleasure to work with IVP on an ongoing basis and to celebrate quality publishing each year with the presentation of Author of the Year and Books of the Year awards."

The Kent, Ohio, based nonprofit Association of Logos Bookstores serves independent Christian bookstores in the United States, Canada and the Bahamas.

Lanier Theological Library Hosts Christianity on Trial Gathering

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:33:00 GMT

Mark Lanier, a top US trial lawyer, is most widely known for his courtroom battles with powerhouses such as Vioxx and Toyota. But he will tell you that being a trial lawyer is just his day job. On Saturday, August 2, he took time to focus his attention on his real passion as he spoke to a crowd at the Lanier Theological Library chapel about his new book Christianity on Trial: A Lawyer Examines the Christian Faith.

Lanier's lifelong commitment to Christianity and his undergraduate education in biblical languages have nurtured his passion for developing his faith. In 2010, he founded the Lanier Theological Library, one of the nation's largest private theological collections, which houses over seventy thousand books, biblical artifacts and museum-quality reproductions of ancient documents.

"Saturday's event was the first time I have ever spoken at the Lanier Theological Library," Lanier said, "and I was thrilled to hear the questions that people asked during the Q and A, showing that they are engaging with the book and exploring some of these key issues."

Speaking to an overflow gathering, Lanier was introduced by Ken Starr, president and chancellor of Baylor University and former solicitor general of the United States. Musician and author John Michael Talbot began the evening with music, and Bob Fryling, publisher of InterVarsity Press, closed the program by thanking Lanier for his partnership with InterVarsity Press.

The evening concluded in the library with a reception and book signing lasting more than an hour. Fryling said, "It was a wonderful evening of celebrating an author, a book and a powerful expression of Christian faith full of grace and truth."

In Christianity on Trial, Lanier presents a persuasive case for the Christian faith and leaves the verdict up to the readers—as the jury—to decide what is worthy of belief and what is not.

"This is an extraordinary trial lawyer's version of Mere Christianity," said Starr. "In his inimitable fashion, Mark Lanier combines his superb expertise as a courtroom lawyer with profound knowledge of biblical scholarship and thoughtful reflection on daily life. Fearless in tackling the most difficult matters of belief, this engaging book speaks to all those interested in seeking truth—whether in the courtroom, in the library or in everyday life."

Lanier said, "I wrote Christianity on Trial with the aim that readers would use the book to examine core questions of God and faith. I'm also honored that the kind people from InterVarsity Press took the time to attend the event. I'm grateful for their partnership in publishing Christianity on Trial. I hope that each copy of the book that is sold will encourage exploration of the Christian faith and lead to many fruitful and blessed conversations."

Final Book in Biblical Imagination Series Launched with Event at Baker Book Store

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:39:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press author and singer-songwriter Michael Card presented his latest book, John: The Gospel of Wisdom, with a concert and reading at the Baker Book Store in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on August 2. Over one hundred people gathered to hear Card read from the book and perform music.

"It was exciting to see the warm welcome from the Grand Rapids community for Michael Card on Saturday evening," said Sue Smith, Baker Book Store manager CBA chairman of the board. "Our goal here at Baker is to serve the church, both with quality product and experience. Our doors are open to the Grand Rapids community as a place to gather together in fellowship. When publishers such as InterVarsity Press come alongside us in this objective, we are empowered in our service... As [Card] taught from his newest book, we are reminded of his vigor for the Word of God. What a gifted teacher."

Card engaged with the crowd through classic songs such as "Joy in the Journey" and "Immanuel," as well as new songs from the John album. Card took suggestions from the crowd for additional songs to collectively sing, and spent about thirty minutes answering questions from fans and readers interested in his background and work on the Biblical Imagination Series.

John: The Gospel of Wisdom is the fourth and final installment in his Biblical Imagination Series, a commentary set engaging the four Gospel writers at the level of informed imagination. This work is a culmination of Card's studying the four Gospels, taking seriously the individual life and voice of each biblical writer and allowing readers to recapture the beauty and power of Christ. Card has released a complementary music album for each Gospel as well, providing extended musical meditations on the wisdom of Jesus.

"Working on the Biblical Imagination Series throughout the past six years with Michael Card has been an absolute delight," said Jeff Crosby, associate publisher and director of sales and marketing. "His insight into the Gospel texts and their application to our lives—both in song and the four books—is remarkable. With each of the four launches, we enjoyed collaborating with a leading retailer to bring these books and recordings to an individual market where Michael's messages have found a wide audience, including Minneapolis, Chicago, central Pennsylvania and now Grand Rapids. IVP extends its thanks to Sue Smith and the staff of the Baker Book Store for helping us celebrate the release of the volume on John's Gospel, and the completion of the series."

Card closed out the evening by interacting with attendees and long-time fans one-on-one, signing books and sharing in their stories.

"Baker Book Store did a terrific job helping Michael Card to celebrate the completion of the Gospels project he did with InterVarsity Press," said Card's manager, Holly Benyousky. "Michael was welcomed warmly at Baker Book Store by a standing-room only crowd where he read from his final Gospel volume and sang several songs from the CD. He included some old favorites, which many in the audience sang along with him, an added sweetness to the night. We have been partnered and supported by the best in our association with both InterVarsity Press and Baker Book Store. For those people and others along the way, we are most grateful."

For more information about Baker Book Store, please visit bakerbookstore.com. For more information about the Biblical Imagination Series and Michael Card's books and CDs, please visit ivpress.us/the-biblical-imagination-series.

IVP Hires New Associate Editor

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:27:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press welcomes Helen Lee, an award-winning writer and editor, as the associate editor for IVP Books and IVP Praxis. Her first day will be September 2.

"We received an overwhelming flood of applications from qualified and talented candidates for our general books editor opening," said Cindy Bunch, editorial director for IVP Books. "Helen Lee met all my desires and expectations—and more. She brings not only an incredible educational and vocational background, but she is already networked in overlapping and expanding circles with our author and reader base. I am thrilled to have her begin working with us."

Lee has more than two decades of experience publishing in the Christian market, beginning with her role as a reporter and then editor at Christianity Today. She is the author of The Missional Mom and the coeditor of and contributor to Growing Healthy Asian American Churches. She is also the cofounder of the Best Christian Workplaces Institute, which runs the annual Best Christian Places to Work survey. Lee has won multiple awards from the Evangelical Press Association for her reporting and devotional writing; her work has appeared in publications and websites such as Christianity Today, Leadership Journal, sojo.net, urbanfaith.com and the Jesus Creed blog at patheos.com.

"Helen Lee brings a tremendous background to this strategic role at InterVarsity Press," said Jeff Crosby, associate publisher and director of sales and marketing. "Her career has spanned the roles of author, editor, entrepreneur and researcher, and she has excelled in all facets. I'm delighted to have the opportunity to work with her as we continue to acquire and market thoughtful Christian books for the university, the church and the world in the years ahead."

Lee has a BA in bioethics from Williams College, a MA in interdisciplinary studies from Wheaton College and a MBA from Babson College with a focus on entrepreneurship. Her connection to InterVarsity Press goes back to her undergraduate years, where she was a part of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship as a student and later served on the IVCF staff for two years.

"I met both IVCF and IVP when I was in college," she said. "God used both organizations to help me find my way back to him, and I cannot even imagine where I would be spiritually without the influence and ministry of either."

Lee added, "I adore books, especially those that challenge, inspire and encourage Christians to live with their hearts, souls, minds and strength for God and his kingdom. These are the type of books that IVP publishes. I am excited to be a part of the team that helps to bring these kinds of resources to the broader church. And to work alongside the talented professionals and authors at IVP? Tremendous."

Lee is married to classical pianist and Moody Bible Institute professor Brian Lee. They have three sons and are members of the Naperville Evangelical Covenant Church.

Andy Crouch's Playing God Honored with IndieFab Award

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:29:00 GMT

Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power by Andy Crouch received the honorable mention award in the non-fiction religion category for Foreword Reviews' 2013 IndieFab Book of the Year Awards. Out of hundreds of titles submitted for the category, fourteen were named finalists, and Playing God was one of the four top winners. The IndieFab Award winners were chosen by a panel of one hundred librarians and booksellers.

"Andy Crouch is one of the most significant and influential Christian leaders today," said InterVarsity Press publisher Bob Fryling. "In his latest book,Playing God, his keen cultural analysis and deep spiritual integrity enable him to write with wisdom and authenticity about redeeming the gift of power in the church and in the world. IVP is privileged to have this strong and continued publishing partnership with Andy Crouch as it is a delight to share and promote such common vision and values."

Foreword Reviews is the only review magazine solely dedicated to discovering new independent books. IndieFab is Foreword's Book of the Year program and honors titles for their editorial excellence, production, originality, accuracy and contribution to their genre. The IndieFab website reads, "When we find the amazing [books] that stand out from the crowd, we make sure that everyone knows about them. Foreword's IndieFab Awards are more than just a shiny sticker on the front of a book; they help connect the best indie books to readers eager to discover new stories written by previously unknown authors."

In Playing God, Andy Crouch unpacks the dynamics of power that can either make human flourishing possible or destroy the image of God in people. While the effects of power are often very evident, he uncovers why power is frequently hidden. He considers not just its personal side but the important ways power develops and resides in institutions.

The IndieFab Award winners were celebrated at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Las Vegas on Friday, June 27 at 6 p.m. with awards in over sixty categories.

For more information about Andy Crouch and Playing God visit culture-making.com and ivpress.us/playing-god.

IVP Crescendo and The Gospel Coalition Honor Women for Reflections on Faith and Work

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:26:00 GMT

The Gospel Coalition asked women attending the 2014 National Women's Conference June 27-29 in Orlando to submit 750-word reflections on faith and work that answered three questions:

What do you do everyday?
How do you feel about what you do?
When have you found your work particularly meaningful?

Of the 145 women who submitted reflections, twenty-five were chosen to attend a special dinner at the Hilton Orlando on June 27 hosted by TGC's Every Square Inch and Kathy Keller, and sponsored by InterVarsity Press/IVP Crescendo. The special guest speaker was Jen Pollock Michel, author of Teach Us to Want: Longing, Ambition and the Life of Faith.

Bethany Jenkins is the director of Every Square Inch, an initiative that aims to help local church leaders and ordinary Christians alike to see every aspect of their lives, especially their work, under the lordship of Christ. After reading the women's essays, Jenkins wrote, "These women are doing a lot. They are mothers, wives, consultants, counselors, educators, entrepreneurs, sisters, daughters, caretakers and writers—often at the same time. Their work includes assessing risk, planning family schedules, creating technology systems, driving carpools and striving 'to write Christ' on their children's hearts. One woman, when asked to identify her industry from a list of options, said, 'I qualified for 11 industries, so I chose other.'"

Michel's book summed up many of the women's reflections: "We simply can't ignore desire. Like a heartbeat, desire pulses steadily in the backdrop of our lives. We may not always be aware of the work desire is doing, and yet it provides much of the necessary energy on which we rely. We get out of bed, go to work, get to the gym, marry (or not), have babies (or not), write books—follow Jesus—because in some measure, we want to."

Michel said of the women who were chosen for dinner, "I felt incredibly humbled to be in the company of so many godly and ambitious women. They are doing great good for the kingdom in all kinds of different sectors. At my table alone, I met women in health management, urban development, orphan care and philanthropy. Their commitment to their communities was very inspiring."

InterVarsity Press gave each attendee several books, including a copy of Pollock's Teach Us to Want to encourage them in their faith and work. "Sponsoring the Every Square Inch Dinner was an honor and a privilege," said Lorraine Caulton, brand manager for IVP Crescendo, "not only because we had the chance to introduce Jen Pollock Michel but because hearing these women's stories on faith and work didn't just leave us with inspiring 'what ifs' but real-world accounts that we all can relate and aspire to."

Additional information about Jen Pollock Michel is available at www.jenpollockmichel.com.

IVP Crescendo Author Signs Contract for Sensible Shoes Trilogy

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:50:00 GMT

Sharon Garlough Brown has signed a contract with InterVarsity Press for two follow-up books to Sensible Shoes: A Story About the Spiritual Journey (IVP Crescendo).

Brown said, "I am delighted and deeply honored to partner again with the gifted team at IVP, and I'm excited about exploring the ongoing spiritual formation of the characters in Sensible Shoes. Jesus masterfully used the power of story to reveal the heart of God and to invite people to participate in the kingdom. I pray that God will use these books to stir imagination and longings, cast a vision for deepening life in Christ, and encourage readers to say yes to walking closely with him."

Sensible Shoes is the moving story of four strangers as they reluctantly arrive at a retreat center and find themselves drawn out of their separate stories of isolation and struggle and into a collective journey of spiritual practice, mutual support and personal revelation.

In March 2013 Kathie Lee Gifford recommended Sensible Shoes as one of her favorite new things on NBC's Today. She said, "If you’re a spiritually inclined person I think you'll really love it. It's about four women, every one of them coming from a different place spiritually. But all of them in need of a new, fresh cup of mercy, if you know what I mean. So it's terrific. I highly recommend it."

The next book in the trilogy, set to release in Fall 2016, will follow the same characters. Although the story is still coming together, Brown said that the next two books will take the characters through a season of Advent waiting for Christmas and then follow them through a Lenten retreat to Easter.

"Sharon Brown is a gifted storyteller with the heart of a pastor," said Cindy Bunch, Brown's editor and IVP's associate editorial director. "She has a unique way of writing narrative that instructs the reader in the deep ways of God, pointing the way further down the road of life in the Christ. We are delighted and honored to continue to partner with her. And I can’t wait to see what happens next as these stories unfold."

Brown is a pastor and spiritual director with the Evangelical Covenant Church. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, Jack, and son, David.

For women wanting to read Sensible Shoes as a group, a twelve-week companion guide is available as a free download at www.sensibleshoesclub.com.

IVP Launches "Tweetable" Ebooks

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:53:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce the release of its first ebook featuring "tweetable" functionality, wherein a user can quickly tweet out preselected portions of a book with minimal effort, sharing content and ideas with followers.

"We often think of reading as a relatively solitary experience, but in reality—and maybe even increasingly so—it's fundamentally social," said David Zimmerman, associate editor at IVP. "People want to know what their friends are reading; they want to process what they're reading with their friends. This isn't just speculation; it's evident in the way books are bought, the way books are publicized, and in the rise of book reviewing mechanisms like Goodreads. Books are meant to be shared. With these 'tweetables' we’re shortening the path for people to do so."

IVP believes this will add much value to the social aspect of reading, allowing their readers and authors to connect in a variety of ways over important content. This innovative feature is one that IVP hopes to continue in upcoming projects where readers will benefit by connecting online. The way the technology works within the ebook is through preselected pull quotes in the text that include a "tweet this" button, allowing for single-click sharing through the reader's Twitter feed. Each tweet includes the text of the selected pull quote, a link to the book's page on IVP’s website, the author's Twitter handle and an appropriate hashtag for creating further discussion.

Sally Craft, IVP's director of digital publishing, said of these enhanced ebooks, "We believe we may be the first publisher to offer ebook readers the advantage of this Twitter service to share thought- or discussion-provoking quotes from a book quickly and easily to their Twitter feeds, and to engage with the book's author and other readers on Twitter at the same time. We look forward to finding out what readers think about it and how they use it."

Teach Us To Want, the first ebook from IVP with this new enhancement, is now available in a variety of formats including mobi (Kindle), epub (Nook, iBooks, etc.) and PDF.

"Jen Pollock Michel was the obvious choice for launching this initiative with 'tweetables,'" said Zimmerman, project editor for Teach Us to Want. "Her writing is so elegantly simple—really concise, pregnant sentences that carry meaning on their own but also convey much more to be discovered. That's exactly what a tweet should be. She's also Twitter-native; when we pitched the idea to her she was immediately enthusiastic about it because she understands the potential of social media as extending far beyond the ephemeral stuff that so many people assume to be the norm. I expect that her readers will appreciate this feature of her ebook; it will make it easier for them to do what they are predisposed to do, which is to share what they read with the people they share virtual space with."

For more information about IVP's ebook program, please visit ivpress.us/browse/ebooks.

Holy Is the Day Author Receives Canada’s Top Literary Prize

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:55:00 GMT

"This is an incredible honor and really such a grace to be in this room with so many people who love our Lord and who treat words as holy things," said IVP author Carolyn Weber as she accepted the Grace Irwin Prize, Canada's largest literary prize for Christian writers, for her memoir Surprised by Oxford. Her book Holy Is the Day (IVP Crescendo) was also one of the top four books in the running for the Word Awards Grace Irwin Prize for best Christian writing across Canada.

The Word Awards are designed to raise the profile of Christian Canadian writers and to encourage them in the pursuit of excellence. The awards, sponsored by the Word Guild, were presented at a black tie gala on June 11 in Mississauga, Ontario, and given in twenty-eight categories to Christian Canadian writers for works published in 2013.

Word Award entries were narrowed to a shortlist of about one hundred finalists. Judges looked for underlying evidence that the writer's Christian worldview informed and influenced the writing. Entries were judged according to excellence of writing, impact (the inspirational or informational value), suitability to target audience, originality and freshness of style.

"This is all new to me, still a bit of a shock!" said Weber of the recognition of both of her books. "But I am so very grateful. It is especially precious to me coming from Canada, and being back home now."

Surprised by Oxford is Weber's memoir of her surprising journey from agnosticism toward a dynamic personal faith in God during graduate studies in literature at Oxford University. Her journey eventually took her family back to Canada. She currently writes and lives in London, Ontario with her husband and their four children.

Holy Is the Day: Living in the Gift of the Present is a collection of spiritual reflections that traces the way God's grace is a gift of the present. Weber shares poignant stories of endurance, humility, compassion, remembrance and gratitude, as well a harrowing account of her near-death experience.

"Carolyn Weber's voice and the arc of her spiritual story, as seen in both Surprised by Oxford and Holy Is the Day, is an important one for us to listen to and engage with," said Jeff Crosby, IVP's associate publisher. "Her unique blend of humor, wisdom, and vision of the Jesus-following life is compelling. These awards, for two books of substance and clarity, are richly deserved."

For more information about Holy is the Day go to ivpress.us/holy-is-the-day. For more information about Carolyn Weber visit www.pressingsave.com.

Top U.S. Trial Lawyer Uses Famed Legal Skills to Defend the Christian Faith

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:18:00 GMT

Mark Lanier is hailed as a "superstar among plaintiffs' lawyers" by the National Law Journal and "the top class action attorney in America" by U.S. News & World Report. Gaining national attention from courtroom battles with powerhouses such as Vioxx and Toyota, Lanier now applies his legal skills to the Christian faith in his new book Christianity on Trial, set to release in June 2014.

"This is an extraordinary trial lawyer's version of Mere Christianity," said Ken Starr, former solicitor general of the United States. "In his inimitable fashion, Mark Lanier combines his superb expertise as a courtroom lawyer with profound knowledge of biblical scholarship and thoughtful reflection on daily life. Fearless in tackling the most difficult matters of belief, this engaging book speaks to all those interested in seeking truth—whether in the courtroom, in the library or in everyday life."

As well as being featured prominently in dozens of newspapers and journals, Lanier is a frequent guest on television news shows such as CNBC's Squawk Box, Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto and Fox Business News' highly rated Varney & Company with Stuart Varney.

Even with his storied career, practicing law is just a day job for Lanier. His lifelong commitment to Christianity and his undergraduate education in biblical languages have nurtured his passion for developing his faith. In 2010, he founded the Lanier Theological Library, one of the nation's largest private theological collections, which houses over seventy thousand books, biblical artifacts and museum-quality reproductions of ancient documents.

Lanier told the Houston Chronicle, "Like a lot of people who study religion, you question your faith and beliefs. I've been through the questioning, and I'm more convinced than ever that there's truth in who God is. It is the driving force behind who I am and what I do."

Christianity on Trial follows the format of a traditional legal trial with Lanier taking you from opening statement to closing summation by way of testimony from well-known witnesses. These sources and many others investigate the sticky subjects of the Christian worldview that are commonly overlooked by skeptics or marginal believers. Lanier presents a persuasive case for the Christian faith and leaves the verdict up to you—as the jury—to decide what is worthy of belief and what is not.

"Mark Lanier's work in the courtroom has been widely lauded, and deservedly so. But it is his work in teaching and challenging Christians and skeptics alike regarding the veracity of the Christian story that drew us to him," said Jeff Crosby, IVP's associate publisher and director of sales and marketing. "We are delighted to be a part of making such an important message, from such a strong communicator, known in North America and throughout the world."

New Parish Movement Spreading to Neighborhoods in U.S. and Canada

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:41:00 GMT

Common perception holds that the Western church is dying. But there is a movement that has escaped traditional measures of success as neighborhood parishes spring up in the everyday life of cities all over North America. Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens, and Dwight J. Friesen detail this phenomenon in their book The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches are Transforming Mission, Discipleship and Community (IVP Praxis). In May they embarked on The New Parish book tour on a quest to discover, meet with and encourage people in parishes throughout the United States and Canada.

"From the tranquil small town of Silverton, Oregon, to the bustle of East Oakland, from seeing old friends in Carmel, California, to meeting new ones in Long Beach, this New Parish book tour has been gift after gift," Soerens said.

The New Parish book tour kicked off after the 2014 Inhabit Conference in Seattle in April, where hundreds of practitioners, pastors, entrepreneurs, community leaders and lay people from all over North America come together to connect, collaborate and celebrate the work being done in thousands of neighborhoods and parishes.

As cofounders of the Inhabit Conference and the Parish Collective, Sparks, Soerens and Friesen have seen—in cities, suburbs and small towns all over North America—how powerful the gospel can be when it takes root in the context of a place, at the intersection of geography, demography, economy and culture.

"The authors of The New Parish have spent the last several years traveling to over three hundred communities across the country where they have discovered groups of Christians who are renewing their neighborhoods and bringing the hope of the gospel to their local communities," said Andrew Bronson, brand manager for IVP Praxis books. "They found a movement taking place that many of us don’t know about. The church is going local in significant ways."

Bronson continues, "Now, with the release of The New Parish, Tim, Paul and Dwight are touring the country again and meeting even more people who are starting on the journey of engaging with the neighborhoods they live in and seeking for those neighborhoods to thrive. Everywhere they go they are discovering a quiet revolution of sorts where Christians are taking ownership of their own neighborhoods."

In June and July the authors will visit Surrey, Kelowna, Calgary, and Edmonton in Canada. In August they will road trip to cities in the Midwest.

"Ordinary heroes are knitting a fabric of care everywhere we go," Soerens said. "I'm brimming with gratitude that this book is helping to spark new friendships and imagination. We can't wait to for the second leg in Western Canada."

For more information visit www.newparish.org.

Revised IVP "Black Dictionary" Wins Prestigious ECPA Award

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:16:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press is pleased to announce that the second edition of the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels was awarded book of the year in the category of Bible Reference for the 2014 ECPA Christian Book Awards. The announcement was made on the opening evening of the ECPA Leadership Summit on Monday, April 28, as a part of the ECPA Awards and Anniversary banquet.

"The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels uniquely serves both the academy and the church with not only rich scholarship but with a foundational allegiance to Jesus as Lord," said Bob Fryling, publisher at InterVarsity Press. "It is a privilege to be able to publish such a widely acclaimed and essential reference book for scholars, pastors and all students of Jesus and the Gospels. We are grateful for the editors and all of the contributors that have made this such a remarkable and valued resource."

This book joins Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, Dictionary of New Testament Background, Dictionary of the Later New Testament and It's Developments and Dictionary of Paul's Letters as a winner in ECPA's prestigious book award program, which has been promoting quality and excellence in publishing since 1978. IVP's series, known affectionately as the "black dictionaries" for their cover design, has grown in popularity within the scholarly community over the last two decades. With more than 300,000 volumes sold, the IVP Bible Dictionary Series has been used in countless venues worldwide for contemporary evangelical scholarship and discussion.

"I was privileged to usher the first edition to its publication in 1992, and I was gratified then by its reception as a fresh and authoritative recasting of the Bible dictionary genre," said Dan Reid, project editor and senior acquisitions editor for IVP Academic. The original edition of the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels received a Christianity Today Critics' Choice Award in 1993. "That edition served for over twenty years as a first stop in Gospel research and study, and it also enjoyed wide and durable service as a course textbook. The full-on makeover represented by this second edition brims with advances and refinements in our knowledge. It was a delight to bring it to completion and deliver it to a new generation of readers."

To learn more about the IVP Bible Dictionary Series or to purchase the entire set, visit ivpress.us.

InterVarsity Press Welcomes New Academic Editor

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 20:13:00 GMT

InterVarsity Press welcomes David W. McNutt as its new associate editor for IVP Academic and project editor for the Reformation Commentary on Scripture.

McNutt received his bachelor of arts degree from Pepperdine University, master of divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, master of letters (theology) from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and his PhD from the University of Cambridge, England.

McNutt previously served as a guest assistant professor of theology at Wheaton College and as the associate pastor for pastoral care at First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn (IL).

His essays and reviews have appeared in the International Journal of Systematic Theology, Religion and the Arts, Christian Scholar's Review,Books and Culture and elsewhere.

"David McNutt brings to IVP Academic an excellent, well-rounded theological education as well as teaching, pastoral and editorial experience," said Dan Reid, senior acquisitions editor for IVP Academic. "All of this makes him exceptionally well-suited for overseeing the Reformation Commentary on Scripture and engaging the exciting and multifaceted opportunities in theological publishing today."