Barbour Publishing announced yesterday the launch of Shiloh Run Press, a new publishing imprint.

In addition to providing a new category umbrella for Barbour’s original full-length fiction line, acquisitions for Shiloh Run Press will focus heavily in the Christian Living category and on new and experienced authors with fresh messages for today’s Christians.

HarperCollins Christian Publishing announced today plans to expand WestBow Press. The strategic self-publishing alliance between HarperCollins Christian and Author Solutions will begin to service the Zondervan publishing group, as it currently does Thomas Nelson.

In 2009, Author Solutions and Thomas Nelson formed an alliance to offer a publishing alternative to new authors. Under the WestBow imprint, the companies were able to provide a self-publishing services division and use it to discover emerging Christian authors.

With the 2014 Vacation Bible School (VBS) season upon us, Concordia Publishing House encourages retailers and churches to see VBS as a safe place for kids.

“VBS should be a safe haven for kids, where everyone is equal in the eyes of the Lord and all are loved and welcomed,” said Jessica Stetson, VBS leader and Christian educator. “Kids don’t need more labels—they need Jesus.”

Ed Stetzer, best-selling author and president of LifeWay Research, will be hosting Praise the Lord on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Friday, Jan. 10.

A regular host of Praise the Lord, Stetzer will be joined by megachurch pastor Matt Chandler, who will tell the story of his brain tumor and God’s providence. At The Village Church in Texas, Chandler has been preaching on the message of recovery through the gospel, a message that also will be shared in a major release called Recovering Redemption (B&H Publishing Group), releasing in May.

The 2014 Christian Retailing’s Best Awards program is now open for business. Vendors and authors may submit their 2013 and backlist products for the 2014 awards during the Jan. 6-Feb. 24 nomination period.

Companies who nominate products by Feb. 14 will save with the Early Bird option (for every five paid, get one free). The nomination fee remains at $60 per item entered, and companies do not need to send in the physical products they are submitting.

Last year was full of big stories: mergers, key releases, notable deaths, controversies, milestones, new brand launches and emergent industry trends. In addition to reflecting on some of the most important stories of 2013, the January issue of Christian Retailing features a special International News section dedicated to Christian retailers around the world.

The issue also includes plenty of recent news and exclusive features, including award winners, Common Core controversies and the debut of a monthly “Retail Successentials” column by Bill Nielsen—veteran retail executive and president of The Equation Team—that offers practical, effective advice for getting the most out of your time, money and energies.

Dr. Caroline Leaf, author of Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health (Baker Books/Baker Publishing Group) will be appearing in a new documentary-style series on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Switch on Your Brain will be a 13-episode TV series featuring much of Leaf’s research and teachings on overcoming and eliminating toxic thoughts.

The show will air Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. EST beginning Jan. 7. It can be watched on local TBN stations or online at http://tbn.org.