Christian curriculum publisher Alpha Omega Publications has named Denise Laudenbach president of the company. Laudenbach previously served as the company’s vice president of sales.

In her new role, Laudenbach will oversee the educational company, which provides academically rigorous Christian curriculum to homeschool families and Christian schools worldwide, as well as an accredited online school for grades K-12, Alpha Omega Academy.

Suspends Speaking, Publication After Charges Filed

Controversial Mars Hill Church Pastor Mark Driscoll announced Sunday he will step down from the pulpit for at least six weeks while church leadership examines formal charges filed with the church last week by 21 former pastors.

Award-winning Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman took to Twitter today to say he is “honored & humbled” by the way one of his songs comforted the family of Ebola virus victim Nancy Writebol.

Writebol and Dr. Kent Brantly contracted the often deadly virus while they were working in Africa as Christian aid workers. They were flown to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, where they were successfully treated for the virus and are expected to make full recoveries. Writebol was quietly released from the hospital on Tuesday; Brantly was released today.

Rocky Mountain Gift Show Introduces ‘Smoking Accessories & Gifts’ at the Aug. 21-25 Show

Pre-registered buyers for the Denver Gift, Home, Jewelry & Resort Show more than doubled over last year, the Gift Show team recently announced, with 1,030 buyers registered a week prior to the show, up from 460 at the same time in 2013. The Rocky Mountain Gift Show, which runs Aug. 21-25 at the Denver Mart, credits the rise in registrations to “grassroots efforts” and “big name” speakers for the show’s seminars. New interest may also have spiked due to the show offering “Smoking Accessories & Gifts” for the first time.

Social Media Campaign Sensation Raises $41.8 million in 3 Weeks

Casting Crowns’ Mark Hall, best-selling author John Maxwell, actress Candace Cameron Bure, and literary agent Chip MacGregor are just a few of the hundreds of Christian authors, agents, artists and other personalities joining the ALS “Ice Bucket” Challenge and posting their videos on Facebook, Instagram and other social-media sites. The celebs join tens of, if not hundreds of thousands of people who have participated to date by having buckets of ice water dumped on their heads in order to bring awareness to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Even as the first school bells ring around the nation, many families have lots of school-supply shopping left to do. The National Retail Federation’s latest Back-to-School/College Surveys show that the average family with children in grades K-12 completed just half (49.9%) of their shopping by mid-August, down slightly from last year (52.1%).

“As the shopping season draws to a close, budget-conscious parents are likely hoping that end-of-summer sales and promotions will be just what they need to wrap up their school lists,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Much of the delay this summer could also stem from families holding out for a sales-tax holiday in their state, as well as from influential teenagers who want to first see what their friends are buying before they ask Mom and Dad to commit to their fall needs.”

Michael W. Smith invited A-list artists Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood and other best-selling singers to join him on his upcoming Christmas release, Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas, due in stores Sept. 30. Three-time GRAMMY-winner Smith also partners with longtime friend Amy Grant, U2 frontman Bono, Jennifer Nettles, Little Big Town and Michael McDonald on the holiday release. Smith will launch "The Spirit of Christmas Tour" later this fall, including co-billed shows with Amy Grant in Dallas, Minneapolis and Atlanta.

“This is the most unique and unusual record I've ever done in my 31-year career,” Smith said. “The entire record was sequenced together before we recorded one song…There’s my granddaughter’s voice singing the song from Home Alone, plus the whole orchestral and symphonic feeling of Christmas, mixed together with all these amazing voices and guests--yet it all fits together in a remarkable way."