A group of international publishers and retailers was encouraged to take another look at Jesus, last night-through the lens of a Hebrew understanding of His life and times.

"He didn't have blond hair, He didn't have blue eyes," author and pastor Larry Huch told the 100 or so guests at the Whitaker House-Anchor Distributors Celebration Dinner that opened Christian Trade Association Inc.'s (CTAI) third annual Marketsquare International in Atlanta.

Pastor of DFW New Beginnings Church in Irving, Texas, Huch told how he had come to "reteach" some of Jesus' lessons "with a Hebrew understanding," which he believed brought out more of the truth. There had been "a deliberate strategy of the enemy to take the truth and rewrite it so we won't understand," he said.

Welcoming overseas visitors to the event, Huch paid tribute to Nigerian travelers he said had stood in line for seven hours to get through security clearances to make their trip.

This year's event has a record registration, in part due to it having been opened up to North American buyers for the first time and also because of its being scheduled at the same time as the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market in Atlanta.

Additionally, the adding of the first America's Christian Remainder Show to Marketsquare with seven remainder exhibitors and a workshop focused on the area as part of the education track" had also boosted interest in the event, said CTAI President Jim Powell.

"Remainder and hurt books have become a growth area for Christian stores in the midst of hard times," he said. "It simply makes sense that selling discount product encourages shoppers and helps the bottom line."

Before they dined, CTAI participants were led by Powell in reciting together Ps. 145. Among the 40-plus exhibitors at the event are Baker Publishing Group, Barbour Publishing, Crossway, Harvest House Publishers, Kerusso, Standard Publishers, Thomas Nelson and Tyndale House Publishers.

Following Marketsquare, CTAI Training and Development Director Jack Scott is to host a two-day Professional Booksellers Institute, ending Thursday.

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