Send The Light Distribution has relaunched its Great Value Books (GVB) website for the Christian retail channel. The remainder/overstock/closeout division of Send The Light, GVB has been shipping low-cost Christian books around the world for more than 20 years from its 131,000-square-foot facility in Waynesboro, Ga.

Features of the new GVB website include access to more than 4,000 high-discount Bibles and Christian books. The site also has improved search capabilities, a shopping cart, live inventory updates and information on its freight consolidation services.

"This new website is a great improvement for our trade customers both in the U.S. and overseas," said GVB General Manager Mark Phillips. "Previously, this information simply was not available to them without calling us to place their order or sending a fax. Now customers can check to see if we have what they need 24/7 and place the order online.

"Our customers had been asking for the online shopping feature for a very long time," he added. "I'm pleased we are finally able to offer them this possibility and stay competitive in an information age where technology needs are rapidly changing. ... The overstock and remainder product is sold on a first-come, first-served basis and is nonreturnable.

GVB offers books in numerous categories, including Christian living, Bibles, children, church life, ministry, theology, general interest and gift books from publishers such as Zondervan, Thomas Nelson, Moody Publishers, WaterBrook Press, Harvest House Publishers and Barbour Publishing. GVB is the exclusive distributor internationally of Dake Bibles.

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Several Christian publishers and companies in Colorado Springs, Colo., have been impacted by a massive wildfire that began Saturday, June 23, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents and devouring an untold number of homes.

Local authorities estimated that more than 15,000 acres were burned by the Waldo Canyon Fire, as 32,000 people were evacuated and an unknown number of those were left homeless after the fire destroyed their homes, KKTV reported. More than 20,000 residences and 160 commercial structures remain threatened Wednesday morning by the fire, which has doubled in size and is only 5% contained—with no rain in the immediate forecast, The Denver Post reported.

Due to the wildfire, The Navigators and NavPress building was mandatorily evacuated June 23 by city officials. "We do not have an update on the extent of the fire on The Navigators property," said a posting today on NavPress' Facebook page. "We do know that several nearby buildings and homes have burned. All Navigators personnel, including staff, guests and students, were safely evacuated from the area long before the fire approached. Please pray for God's protection for the people and property of Colorado Springs, and for the hundreds of courageous men and women fighting the fire."

One CBA staff member has been evacuated from home and another employee is "on the edge right now," Curtis Riskey, CBA executive director, said. "From our offices, we could see the fire moving down the mountain and the flames enveloping homes. ... So far, we don't believe that any of our retailers have been directly impacted."

Rick Christian, founder of Alive Communications, told Christian Retailing that his literary agency office stayed open, but "everybody continued working with both ears and eyes on the news."

"The fire is turning nasty," he said. "Two staffers are now on mandatory evacuation, and the flames are easily visible from the office. The sky looks like a bad war zone, like something horribly apocalyptic. Many, many homes very close by are in jeopardy. We have two pastors and their families living in our home at this point who were also evacuated last night."

Alive Communications Chief Financial Officer Sonya Stricklin added: "The wind is so bad and the smoke so thick that it is literally dark right now. The sun is orange, barely seen through the smoke. I can smell smoke very heavy in the building. It is truly a very strange feeling."

A literary agent for Books & Such Literary Agency, Rachelle Gardner said her family didn't have to evacuate, but her husband, Brian, a firefighter for the city of Colorado Springs since 2007, was fighting the wildfire.

"Technically, it's business as usual," she said. "But with Brian gone fighting the fire, I found it difficult to focus in the usual way. Plus, he was supposed to be off work and helping with the kids. That fell to me, so my work has definitely been interrupted. ... My family has not been in imminent danger, but God has been faithful to keep our spirits up and surround us with praying friends."

Boosted by a strong endorsement from conservative talk show host Glenn Beck, Messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn's The Harbinger (FrontLine/Charisma House) has sold more than 415,000 copies and gone to reprint eight times.

Released Jan. 3, the novel—a warning of God's judgment to America—has been on the New York Times Paperback Trade Fiction best-seller list for 24 weeks; USA Today's Top 150 Best-Selling Books for 23 weeks; and has been on Amazon.com's top 100 best-seller list for several months.

The Harbinger received a bump in sales after Beck mentioned the book on his radio and television programs, calling it "incredible and the essence of the truth." Cahn—who leads Beth Israel Worship Center in Wayne, N.J., one of the country's largest Messianic congregations—is scheduled to appear today and tomorrow, June 26-27, on The Glenn Beck Show.

Subtitled "The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret of America's Future," The Harbinger traces the parallels between events in the U.S. since the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Click here for airtimes.

Learn more about The Harbinger and other prophecy-based fiction in Fiction Focus in the Christian Retailing's forthcoming August issue.

Premier Christian Media/CCP Ltd. has ceased publication of the trade publication Christian Marketplace and reduced the number of editions it publishes of The Christian Marketplace consumer magazine from five to two a year.

Both magazines—made available for free to the Christian retailing trade in the U.K.—are funded solely through advertising revenue. The demise in the last four years of two major bookshop chains and a key distributor combined with the impact of a downturned economy and rising postal charges had made a significant impact on income streams, Premier/CCP said.

Christian Marketplace became free to retailers in 2006 as a demonstration of support, a practice that was extended to other trade "subscribers" and to church leaders and influencers. The Christian Marketplace consumer magazine was launched in 2010 as a marketing tool for retailers. The first 300 copies of each issue were also provided free of charge to stores.

The September issue of the trade magazine will be the final issue. The consumer version will be published in late September and will then follow a March and October publication cycle tying into the pre-Easter and Christmas period. It will continue to publish 100,000 copies per issue.

Premier/CCP said these decisions in no way reflect negatively on Clem Jackson, editor of the magazines, who was lauded by the directors for his hard work and dedication.

This summer, Premier/CCP is launching a new bi-monthly, Childrenswork Magazine, for all Christians working with children. And in the near future, the company plans to launch digital versions of all of its titles, including Youthwork and Christianity magazine for iPad, Kindle and smartphone formats.

Bolstered by Father's Day sales, Gregory Slayton's Be a Better Dad Today! (Regal Books) returned to top spot of the Top 20 General list from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA). The list from ECPA tracks sales for the week ending June 16, according to Pubtrack Christian data.

The remainder of the Top 20 General best-sellers are: 2. Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman (Zondervan); 3. The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson (Zondervan); 4. Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 5. The Harbinger, Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine/Charisma House Book Group); 6. Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo (Thomas Nelson); 7. Implosion, Joel C. Rosenberg (Tyndale House Publishers); 8. Jesus Calling, Young, deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 9. Jesus Calling, Young, large print deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 10. The Resolution for Men, Stephen Kendrick, Alex Kendrick, Randy Alcorn (B&H Books); 11. The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing); 12. Crazy Love, Francis Chan (David C Cook); 13. Kingdom Man, Tony Evans (Tyndale House Publishers); 14. Nearing Home, Billy Graham (Thomas Nelson); 15. Building Family Ties with Faith, Love, and Laughter, Dave Stone (Thomas Nelson); 16. One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp (Zondervan); 17. Spirit Rising, Jim Cymbala (Zondervan); 18. Battlefield of the Mind, Joyce Meyer (FaithWords); 19. Through My Eyes, Tim Tebow (Zondervan)); and 20. Through My Eyes, Young Readers Edition, Tim Tebow (Zondervan).

The Top 10 Fiction best-sellers are: 1. The Harbinger; 2. The Fiddler, Beverly Lewis (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 3. Mortal, "Books of Mortals Series," No. 2, Ted Dekker, Tosca Lee (FaithWords); 4. Loving, "Bailey Flanigan Series," No. 4, Karen Kingsbury (Zondervan); 5. The Touch, Randall Wallace (Tyndale House Publishers); 6. Dry as Rain, Gina Holmes (Tyndale); 7. Illusion, Frank Peretti (Howard Books); 8. The First Gardener, Denise Hildreth Jones (Tyndale); 9. The Tehran Initiative, Joel C. Rosenberg (Tyndale); and 10. The Betrayal, "Precinct 11 Series," No. 2, Jerry B. Jenkins (Tyndale).

The top five Bibles are: 1. The Story, hardcover, New International Version (Zondervan); 2. ESV Thinline Value Edition Bible, TruTone, midnight, flame design, English Standard Version (Crossway); 3. NKJV Start! Study Bible, red, New King James Version (Thomas Nelson); 4. NIV Adventure Bible, hardcover, (Zondervan); and 5. ESV Thinline Value Edition Bible, TruTone, chestnut, filigree design, English Standard Version (Crossway).

Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) this week honored the writers and publishers of last year's most-performed Christian songs on U.S. radio and TV during its annual Christian Music Awards, held at the organization's headquarters in Nashville.

For the third consecutive year, TobyMac was recognized as Songwriter of the Year along with Casting Crowns frontman Mark Hall, singer/songwriter Matt Maher, Southern gospel's Kyla Rowland and songwriter/producer Chris Stevens. The unusual five-way tie occurred because the artists each wrote or co-wrote two of the songs on the year's most-performed list.

"I Smile" was named Christian Song of the Year. Written and recorded by Kirk Franklin, the song was published by Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing and Bridge Building Music. Additionally, EMI CMG Publishing was recognized as Publisher of the Year.

During the June 19 event, the Isaacs, Jason Crabb and Chris Tomlin performed. BMI, a performing rights organization that recognizes the writers and publishers of the most-performed Christian songs on radio and television, presented awards for songs in five categories, including Christian Rock, Contemporary Christian, Inspirational, Urban Gospel and Southern Gospel.

Click here for the complete list of 2012 BMI Christian Music Award winners.

E-book sales surpassed hardcover books from U.S. publishers for the first time, according to the latest figures from the Association of American Publishers (AAP).

Adult e-books brought in $282.3 million in the first quarter of the year—a 28.1% increase from the same period a year ago. In comparison, sales of adult hardcovers totaled $229.6 million in the first quarter of the year—up 2.7% from the same period in 2011.