With the exception of drugstores, every sector--including discounters, department stores and apparel sellers--did better than expected, Thomson Reuters said. Of individual retailers, more than three-fourths outperformed expectations. "These results are very encouraging," Ken Perkins, president of research company Retail Metrics, told the newspaper. "Consumers seem to be coming out of hibernation."

Named Publisher of the Year, IVP also won the Best Academic Book category for Justification: God's Plan and Paul's Vision by N.T. Wright. Baker Publishing Group was also named Publisher of the Year--the second year in a row it was recognized with the award.

"We are pleased to announce that Lisa has joined the Beers Publishing Group, where she will lead the team that acquires all nonfiction titles," said Ron Beers, senior vice president at Tyndale. "We are thrilled that Lisa has made the move from Tyndale's editorial division to the publishing division, where she will now be able to combine her exceptional editorial and relational skills with her keen sense of the market."

A 20-year veteran of the publishing industry, Jackson has worked in the newspaper field before serving as associate editor for Christian Parenting Today, a former publication of Christianity Today International. For the past 10 years, Jackson has served as senior editor at Tyndale, working directly with authors such as Beth Moore, Tony Dungy, James Dobson, Steve Saint, George Barna, Nancy Ortberg, Erwin Lutzer,and Gracia Burnham.

Theule-Van Dam joined Baker Academic in 2004 as acquisitions and administrative assistant before being promoted to editorial associate in 2006. She received an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master of divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary.

"From the day she first walked through our doors, Arika has impressed us with her keen mind, her pastoral wisdom, her commitment to excellence and her infectious enthusiasm," said Baker Publishing Group Associate Publisher Jim Kinney. "We are delighted for the opportunity to have her in a more substantive role, one in which she'll serve authors more directly. We're confident that authors and readers alike will benefit from Arika's editorial expertise."

New and revised studies from 'Be' teacher Warren Wiersbe, whose 'words transcend generations'

The words of one of Christian publishing's most celebrated writers are being introduced to new readers, thanks to a variety of new resources from different publishers.

New titles and revised studies from Warren Wiersbe—an internationally known Bible teacher, broadcaster, former pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago and the author of more than 150 books—have been or will be published by David C. Cook, Baker Books and CLC Publications.

In September, Cook released The Transformation Study Bible, comprising commentary from the 50-plus books in the popular "Be" Bible commentaries spanning 30 years. In January, the publisher also began releasing revised editions of the "Be" books such as Be Diligent, Be Authentic, Be Basic and Be Obedient as well as four books in "The Wiersbe Bible Study Series"—new companion pieces for the "Be" series for small groups.

"I believe Dr. Wiersbe is a special and gifted Bible teacher whose words transcend generations," said Dan Rich, senior vice president and publisher for Cook. "He has a gift to make Scripture come alive and make everyday sense to the average Joe. As he says, he puts the cookies on the bottom shelf. Such a gift needs to be preserved and passed on to our children and, in turn, to their children."

Wiersbe, now 81, is also still delivering new material for readers. Two new books, Too Soon to Quit (CLC Publications), about finishing well, and On Earth As It Is In Heaven (Baker Books/Baker Publishing Group)—a look at the Lord's prayer—released in February.

"I'm a maverick," Wiersbe told Christian Retailing. "If I have an idea for a book, I go to work. I don't tell anyone, and when it's finished, I worry about finding a publisher and contracts."

The "Be" series has more than 6 million copies in print. Last summer at the International Christian Retail Show, Wiersbe was honored with a CBA Life Impact Award in recognition of his "devotion to Christ and faithfulness to God's Word," as a result of which "multiplied millions of believers around the globe have discovered the glory of God and have seen Christ come to life in relevant ways."

Wiersbe attributed part of its longevity to its accessibility for the average reader or Bible student.

"I'm a one-gifted person," he said. "I admire those multi-gifted people. All I do is use words, and I've tried very hard to present them where a man, woman, teenager could all read and understand them. One of the greatest compliments I've ever received is when a kid came out of one of my sermons and said, 'I understood every word you said.' "

Wiersbe also expressed amazement at news of a Pentateuch collection of the "BE" books, focusing on the first five books of the Old Testament, which was translated and introduced to Chinese readers.

"It's remarkable," he said. "They're distributing (them) with the permission of the communist government. It's inexplicable. When you hear things like that, it makes you say, 'Hey, God's at work.' "

Wiersbe is again at work on another new book, focusing on the "I am" statements of God from the Bible. Release date, title and publisher have not been announced.

Academics dissect Christian games and dolls in considering 'good or ill' of religious toys

Some of the leading Christian toys and games have come under scrutiny from two academics examining the intersection of faith, play and business.

The likes of Missionary Conquest, Kingdom of Heaven and the Messengers of Faith Bible dolls are "palpable evidence of global commerce, pluralism and shifts in social engagement—signifiers of 21st century meaning-making," according to Nikki Bado-Fralick and Rebecca Sachs Norris.

The pair—associate professor and director of the religious studies program at Iowa State University and associate professor and chair of religious and theological studies at Merrimack College respectively—discuss "the mixture of consumerism with religiosity" in their Toying With God: The World of Religious Games and Dolls.

Released in February by Baylor University Press, the duo's 232-page book asks whether humans have "blended fun with spirituality for good or for ill?" Though the book includes details of Jewish and Muslim play products, most of the emphasis is on Christian materials.

The book came out as one of the Christian suppliers referenced in it—the makers of the "Left Behind" video games—announced that its second offering, Left Behind: Tribulation Forces, had been accepted by Family Christian Stores for the leading chain's computer game selection.

The move "supports our belief that Christian video games will become one of the fastest-growing sectors of the video game business in the next five years," said Troy Lyndon, CEO of maker Inspired Media Entertainment.

In their book, Bado-Fralick and Norris note criticism of the first Left Behind: Eternal Forces game for its violent content and wonder whether Bible character action toys from One2believe's Spirit Warriors and Almighty Heroes—created by G.I. Joe originator Don Levine—are "harmless and wholesome alternatives to more destructive toys or are they helping to prepare children for religiously sanctioned violence?"

Other Christian games the authors look at include Bibleland, The Richest Christian, Journeys of Paul and The Ungame. Toys from evangelical suppliers that are referenced include Resurrection Eggs, the Armor of God play sets and the Train Up a Child Bible figures, which include a Job model with realistic sores.

While tracing the historic place of dolls and figures in religion, the book observes that contemporary versions provide "an interesting intersection of religion with identities of race, gender, sex and politics."

Among the writers' criticisms are that while Journeys of Paul "supports a non-competitive atmosphere ... it contradicts the idea of community itself, since there is no cooperation or meaningful interaction between players."

They are harsher on Missionary Conquest, whose name is "more than suggestive of colonialism" and which "displays stereotyped and arrogant attitudes that are no laughing matter outside of the world of board games and in the real world of global politics." Though the game may be intended as lighthearted, they say, it "displays a frightening ethnocentrism that is quite dangerous given the political climate of the present day."

Considering the ways ritual and play contribute to learning, Bado-Fralick and Norris said that "there are strong suggestions that ritualized play with religious games and toys can indeed perform a formative role in the development of children—but quite possibly not in the manner intended."

Religious video games also came up for evaluation recently at the technology news and analysis Web site, arstechnica.com. It referenced Left Behind: Eternal Forces and other Christian games in an article looking at "when religion and games intersect—and how it often goes badly."

The report judged that "games with heavy religious content are usually fringe projects, independently created and oftentimes sporting dodgy production values." It added: "By including anything that goes even remotely beyond basic concepts or happens to be even a bit controversial, developers risk the ire of a lot of people who could easily be offended enough to boycott the title."

Appeal for help to stay in business prompts donations from churches and retailers

A longtime Christian store has received "a big response" to an e-mail S.O.S. appeal for help to stay in business.

Located six miles north of Detroit, His Hand Christian Bookstore in Warren, Mich., has been open for 35 years, but was in danger of having to close its doors because it was about $50,000 in debt.

"It's not just the economy," owner Betty Stutzky wrote in an e-mail circulated in January. "It's the big chain stores, the Internet and maybe apathy."

Stutzky—who wrote the e-mail along with her husband, Harold, and granddaughter, Julie Rastelli, both of whom work at the store—sought donations for their 1,600-square-foot store. Harold Stutzky said that the store's $1,700 monthly rent was paid for February, largely from donations received after Christian Retailing reported about their situation.

"We got a big response," he told Christian Retailing. "We've gotten calls from Portland, Ore., New Orleans and Georgia, to name a few. We've received over $10,000, and it's still coming in.

"People are sending us notes and scriptures," he added. "Six Christian stores and former retailers have sent us money. One gave us $100. They understand what we're going through because they're going through the same thing. … It makes us feel really good. If this wouldn't have happened, we would have closed on Feb. 1."

Noting that more than 150 people, churches and Christian retailers "followed their heart and sent a gift,' Harold Stutzky said they were "forever thankful" for the response and were "praying for wisdom to use the gifts wisely to further God's kingdom."