Translation captures emotion of Scriptures’ original languages

BroadStreet Publishing announces the launch of The Passion Translation Bible beginning with seven titles: The Psalms: Poetry on Fire; Proverbs: Wisdom From Above; Song of Songs: Divine Romance; Luke and Acts: To the Lovers of God; John: Eternal Love; Letters From Heaven: By the Apostle Paul (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 and 2 Timothy), and Hebrews and James: Faith Works.:

Developed by a team led by linguist, missionary and author Dr. Brian Simmons, the new translation (thepassiontranslation.com) recaptures some of the “lost language” missing from translations that have not fully captured the emotional meanings and implications of Scripture. The new translation incorporates the ancient Aramaic scripture.

“Aramaic and Hebrew are related linguistically, and both are considered to be passionate and poetic,” Simmons said. “Greek speaks to the mind, while Aramaic-Hebrew speaks powerfully to the heart. By referencing the text written in the very language in which Jesus taught, and then overlaying that with the Greek, we are able to translate the root meanings of the Scriptures in a new, fresh way.”

The translation aims to add a spiritual dynamic by delving into the Aramaic texts along with the Greek to provide contemporary readers with an understanding of the emotion and nuance found in the original writings.

“Words are containers for truth,” Simmons said. “Every generation needs a relevant, accurate translation that speaks to them. Our approach to translating Scripture includes an emphasis on the original emotive intent of the text.

“God refuses to meet us only in an intellectual way,” he added. “God wants to meet us at heart level, so, with this translation, we are aiming for the words to go heart-deep and allow people to encounter the heart of God.”

Simmons said it was his aim to translate the original languages so that English speakers “have the same response as the original hearer when they first heard.”

Simmons is the U.S. director for Harvest International Ministries. As a missionary, he and his wife, Candice, pioneered church plants in Central America. As a linguist, he co-translated the Kuna New Testament for the Paya-Kuna people of Panama.

Even before the full Bible is released in the new translation, it has touched more than 100,000 lives through an initial version of a few completed books. The other books of the Bible are in the process of translation and will be released in stages by 2017, when the entire work will be complete. —Johnson

Former Abingdon Press executive Pamela Clements to lead new impulse and inspirational book imprint

Worthy Publishing has named Pamela Clements vice president and associate publisher of the company’s newly launched imprint, Inspired. The 3-year-old company also has acquired major children’s brand Ideals and, with the transaction, access to licenses for VeggieTales with DreamWorks Animation and the Berenstain Bears with Warner Bros.

The Inspired imprint will offer impulse-read, felt-need, inspirational, self-help and devotional titles from such authors as Laura Story, Stu Epperson, Margaret Feinberg and Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott.

“Pamela’s wide experience with author acquisition, product development, brand management, creative marketing and promotion make her the ideal person to launch a new imprint,” said Byron Williamson, president and CEO of Worthy Publishing Group. “She led the Abingdon team that won an unprecedented 15 Christian Retailing’s Best Awards—presented at the 2014 CBA convention—and was named publisher of the year by the AWSA [Advanced Writers and Speakers Association].”

Clements said she was “thrilled” to join the Worthy team.

“I love the mission and the books that they have been publishing, particularly the opportunity to build a creative new imprint,” she said. “It’s exciting to be a part of a growth-oriented company committed to reaching out to readers with life-changing content.”

Most recently associated publisher  overseeing Christian Living and fiction with Abingdon Press, an imprint of The United Methodist Publishing House, Clements lost her post in late summer to the “reassessing and realigning” of Abingdon’s Christian Living and fiction programs, which were said to result because of the “rate of change and shifting structure in our industry and the resulting challenges faced by all religion publishers,” Abingdon President and Publisher Neil M. Alexander said.

Inspired recently shipped its first titles, including Hope for the Caregiver by Peter Rosenberger, which was featured this month on NBC’s Today Show during the Kathie Lee and Hoda hour.

Worthy’s acquisition of the Ideals children’s book brand and product lines was announced Oct. 10. A 50-year-old children’s category-leader with offices in Nashville, Ideals was owned by Danbury, Connecticut-based Guideposts, which was founded by Norman Vincent Peale and publishes Guideposts and Ideals magazines. Ideals publishes 25 to 30 books each year, including picture books, board books, and novelty and sound books.

The Ideals Christmas picture book The Sparkle Box won the 2014 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Christian Book Award for children’s books. Holiday board books from Ideals regularly rank at the top of Nielsen BookScan charts each year.

“My roots in children’s books are more than two decades deep, having launched WordKids, Tommy Nelson and now WorthyKids,” said Byron Williamson, president and publisher at Worthy. “I got my start in children’s publishing with the conception and development of the International Children’s Bible (ICB). Worthy is excited to welcome the Ideals team into the Worthy family, effective immediately.”

Connecting the Ideals brand with WorthyKids brings about the return of former associate Dale Wilstermann. Formerly with Worthy before moving to Guideposts/Ideals, Wilstermann will serve as vice president of sales at Ideals/WorthyKids. Peggy Schaefer, a children’s specialist serving as vice president and associate publisher, will continue to lead the product-development team. —Christine D. Johnson

Christian retailers see big boost in sales of Bible teacher’s practical books with publisher’s promotional effort

Not many authors have had more than 100 books published, but Joyce Meyer is one of those few. Her century title—God Is Not Mad at You: You Can Experience Real Love, Acceptance & Guilt-free Living (FaithWords)—came out in 2013, so with her 2014 titles, she inches above that distinctive mark.

Meyer has been a foundational author for the FaithWords program since the house acquired her entire backlist and began contracting new books back in 2002. In total, FaithWords has sold more than 30 million copies of Meyer’s books in all formats. She typically does two trade books each year—in April and September—and a devotional book near the end of the year. Her devotionals alone have sold over 3 million copies, with the 2014 release titled The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude.

“Her top two geographic markets are New York and Los Angeles,” Zettersten said. “You don’t think of New York and L.A. as particularly Christian, but she’s popular everywhere and is on TV daily.”

Meyer’s television and other broadcasts feature teaching that is usually tied to the topic of her books, which helps drive retail sales because “customers want their books now; they don’t want to wait to get her books through the mail,” Zettersten said. “When Joyce says, ‘Wherever books are sold,’ that is literally true.”

Gary Davidson, vice president of CBA sales and marketing for FaithWords, observed that Christian retail stores comprise a significant percentage of overall retail sales for Meyer’s products. This year, he said, FaithWords “offered extra discounts on new releases as well as backlist titles to celebrate ‘The Year of Joyce.’ Her overall sales are up 7% over previous years due to the emphasis at CBA retail.”

Meyer sees Christian retailers as a vital part of her sales team.

“It’s our mission through our ministry to share Christ and love people all over the world, as much as we possibly can,” she said. “I’m so grateful that my books are being distributed by businesses and ministries to help us do that. I certainly couldn’t to it all on my own, and I don’t take this privilege for granted. We can do so much more when we work with others.”

Her newest book, Good Health, Good Life: 12 Keys to Enjoying Physical & Spiritual Wellness, hits stores this month, just in time to help readers step into the New Year with a tool to help them set health goals.

“God has an awesome plan for you, and whatever shape you are in today, you do not have to stay that way,” said Meyer in a recent interview with Christian Retailing. “If you want to improve the way you look and feel, you can do it by learning and applying biblical principles that lead to good health—spirit, soul and body.”

Good Health, Good Life is the second in a series of condensed, $10 books derived from earlier, best-selling titles by Meyer.

“We’ve had great success with this format with John Maxwell, selling over a million copies at that price and in that format,” said Rolf Zettersten, senior vice president and publisher for Hachette Book Group, of which FaithWords is a part. “We thought we should apply that idea to Joyce Meyer as well.”

Meyer’s first release in the smaller format is titled The Approval Fix: How to Break Free From People Pleasing (2014). Good Health, Good Life is derived from Meyer’s 2006 best-seller Look Great, Feel Great: 12 Keys to Enjoying a Healthy Life Now.

“Look Great, Feel Great was the result of a major turnaround in my life that led me to better health spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically,” Meyer said. “Going through my own journey of healing and restoration made me want to help others who are struggling too. This new book is another way to take the 12 practical keys that I discovered through my own experience and share them with people who need to make the same kind of changes.”

The book offers space in each chapter for the reader to make notes to establish his or her needs and goals and how to work toward them.

“I’m excited about this because just learning information doesn’t change your life; it’s what we do with it that makes the difference,” Meyer said. “I really believe the principles in this book—put into action—can help bring breakthroughs in people’s lives that will make them healthier than they’ve ever been.”

To introduce Meyer’s new books, FaithWords offers video footage for Christian retail websites, and the company put a major emphasis on flyer ad placement with key accounts and marketing groups for Meyer’s September release titled Living Courageously: You Can Face Anything, Just Do It Afraid.

That new title, plus her Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind and You Can Begin Again: No Matter What, It’s Never Too Late are top sellers in Christian retail stores, with Battlefield of the Mind consistently on best-seller lists.

“I just don’t know any other inspirational author who has had such a sustained writing presence and been so successful over the last 12 years,” Zettersten said. “Many authors come and go, but I don’t know of any other who, year in and year out, is selling 2 to 3 million copies of her books.”

Meyer believes strongly in the power of the written word.

“I live to write, and books are a wonderful way to teach the Word because they can go anywhere we can send them!" she said.
“God has given me the desire to do this, and He has given me the ability to write,” she added. “So every book I write, it ultimately comes together by His grace and the direction He gives me for it.”

She’s already preparing for the release of her April 2015 title Get Your Hopes Up! Expect Something Good to Happen to You Every Day, with another in September titled The Mind Connection, a follow-up to Battlefield of the Mind. FaithWords also is planning a third in the $10 book line titled Let God Fight Your Battles.

Meyer will do a book tour for the first time in several years in spring 2015.

“Joyce Meyer is simply one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met,” Zettersten said. “She’s always working on writing her books, running a huge ministry and preparing her teachings for broadcast or for events. She has an amazing ability to work hard and stay focused—and she’s never missed a deadline in 12 years.”

The Parable Group and Parable Christian Stores announced today the expansion of their National Gift Card program.

With the expansion, customers have the flexibility to redeem gift cards at all Parable stores and on Parable.com, regardless of where the gift cards were purchased. Customers can choose from six gift card designs and are able to check the outstanding balance of a gift card on Parable.com.

God The Father garnered enthusiastic reactions from moviegoers this past weekend. Total box-office gross for the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2 was $52,587. The per-screen average was $3,506 landing it in the Top Ten at No. 9 for all films in release. Based on the weekend results, Rocky Mountain Pictures is now considering the film for expansion.

“Our sole mission was to bring this story to the big screen to positively impact audiences,” said the film’s subject and narrator Michael Franzese. “I hope my testament can affect those who may be traveling down a dark road to see the light. And that it is possible to turn your life around to be better stewards to the world, not only for yourself, but your family, friends and community.”

Zondervan has announced the promotion of Tom Dean to vice president of marketing for the nonfiction trade team.  

Dean began his career with Zondervan in 2001 and has held various positions during his tenure. Originally hired to be the associate publisher for the Inspirio gift imprint, Dean has worked with the nonfiction trade team for the past six years. 

Alive Communications is celebrating its 25th anniversary and using the occasion to rebrand the Colorado Springs, Colorado-based agency with a new name, website and logo. The agency led by founder and President Rick Christian also announced new signings for major new productions in television and film as well as millions in new book deals by the end of the year.

“We changed our name from Alive Communications to Alive Literary Agency and unveiled a fresh new look across the board,” Christian said. “This anniversary presents a great opportunity to celebrate our legacy efforts, but also to freshen things up with a total makeover and showcase the tremendous momentum of our team this coming year in Hollywood and across all publishing sectors.”