Zondervan News

New Zondervan Small Group Site

Small Group Source is the place where all Zondervan Small Group Bible Studies will be featured.  This site features a daily blog, trailers, full video sessions, and information as well as downloadable resources for church campaigns.

And right now, you can watch the full first session from the One Thousand Gifts Small Group study by Ann Voskamp, filmed at her home in Ontario, Canada!

Here are some of the what the site has to offer:

  • Regular content from Zondervan regarding group life and group resources
  • Original and excerpted content from a wide range of Zondervan small group authors and product
  • Timely and useful information on small groups, authors, and trends
  • Campaign tools available for selected resources that can be used as church campaigns
  • Exclusive offers and giveaways for blog readers on product
  • Sneak peeks at future releases

 

Visit today! www.smallgroupsource.com

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Beginner’s Bible App for iPad: Making the Bible Fun and Interactive for Kids!

Beginner’s Bible App for iPad: Making the Bible Fun and Interactive for Kids!

The Bible is an exciting book, but sometimes it can be challenging to find new ways to keep little ones interested. That’s why Ruthie Spaans, a member of our Zonderkidz team, shares this exciting announcement about a new interactive storybook app from The Beginner’s Bible.

It’s here, it’s here! The eagerly awaited Beginner’s Bible App for iPad is now available for download in the Apple store!

The new app is based on The Beginner’s Bible, the bestselling storybook Bible of all time, having sold over 6 million copies since its release in 1989. The app contains stories, coloring pages, games, and audio, so children six and under can enjoy their favorite Bible stories all by themselves.

Why kids and parents love the app

The Beginner’s Bible App was designed for young children to easily use themselves but is also a great way for parents to connect with their kids, while teaching them biblical truths.

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Authors on the floor at ICRS

If you are a publishing professional attending ICRS convention right now, you are probably wondering what to do with all your free time, right?

Well, just in case, we thought we’d draw your attention to a few of our stellar authors who are present and available on the ICRS show floor for book signings and presentations. Most of these events are happening at the Zondervan booth (which is booth #223). Be sure to make your way over to say hi, greet an author, and get your book signed!

Christine Caine

Daring to do what God calls you to do
Already today Christine Caine has signed her testament of transformational insight and witness to God’s power to rescue, Undaunted: Daring to do what God calls you to do.

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Announcing the Beginner’s Bible Storybook App for iPad (Watch the Video)

Announcing the Beginner’s Bible Storybook App for iPad (Watch the Video)

We’re excited to announce that the best-selling children’s Bible of all time, The Beginner’s Bible, is coming soon for iPad as a storybook app!

The Beginner’s Bible App will be free for all to download. It will include 6 Bible stories, coloring pages and a game.

Get your first look at the app when you watch the video, then sign up to be notified as soon as it’s available!

Watch the video

We are so excited about the app’s upcoming release!

A child’s first Bible is so important. It can set a child on a course of lifelong Bible exploration. The Beginner’s Bible is the first print Bible that many children receive in their life – and for good reason. The book is a vibrant, engaging introduction to the characters and stories in God’s Word.
We set out to create an app that captures the appeal of the book. From the app you can expect:

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Chuck Colson’s Call to Christians

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Our longtime partner and friend Charles Colson passed away on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at the age of 80.

Chuck lived what he preached: repentance and complete life transformation, made possible by the grace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though we can be happy he’s with the Lord now, we miss him. We are praying for his friends and family.

We wanted to share the following message from Chuck with you. You can also watch Chuck’s message.

-Adam Forrest, Zondervan Blog

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Gender Stereotypes in Church: Margaret Feinberg on Gender’s Role in the Pew & in Pursuit of God

 

The church may depend on gender stereotypes more than God does.

Yesterday the Her.meneutics blog (Christianity Today's blog for women) posted about Margaret Feinberg's experience of pursuing God. This is a topic which Margaret has discussed with great insight in Zondervan Bible studies such as Pursuing God's Beauty and Pursuing God's Love, and in her recent book Hungry for God.

 

Margaretwide

 

The Her.meneutics blog asked Margaret if her view of pursuing God is related to her view of gender. Margaret replied, "My personality informs [my spirituality and experience of God] far more than gender ever could."

Then Margaret added something that has Twitter abuzz: 

Gender often remains an acceptable way to stereotype people in the church. I think we're all made in God's image—God's beautiful, breathtaking, complex image and it is good.

Margaret goes on to discuss how male leaders and local churches can encourage women to use their gifts in ministry. If you're interested, I recommend you read the post on the Her.meneutics blog.

 

What Do You Think?

Do you feel like your church views you as a gender stereotype? Share your thoughts in a comment on this post.

As a youngish man, I don't feel like my local church has stereotyped me too badly. For every Wild Game Dinner, they also host a film discussion (which is more my speed). I realize this isn't everyone's experience and I'd like to hear yours.

- Adam Forrest, Zondervan

 

Also of Interest

Learn more about Hungry for God
Learn More

Margaret Feinberg on Women in Politics (Zondervan Blog post).
Margaret (@mafeinberg) blogs at margaretfeinberg.com.

Learn more about her book Hungry for God.

 

 

(This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer's opinions are their own, and are shared for information purposes only. To receive new blogposts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)

 

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Celebrating Easter with Kids: Recommended Books, Activities, and Sweepstakes

The Easter story can be heavy stuff to teach our young ones! That’s why Ruthie Spaans, a member of our Zonderkidz team, shares these recommendations for Easter books and free activities for kids, plus a limited-time sweepstakes. (Enter the Beginner’s Bible Easter Sweepstakes by March 26, 2012.)

For Christians around the world, the Easter season marks the foundation of our faith. Easter is when we celebrates the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus — heavy stuff to teach to little ones!

That’s why our Zonderkidz team is always searching for new ways to teach Christ’s message to your kids. Our goal is simple: to encourage you to spend time with your child, and with God. We pore through parenting blogs, investigate the latest trends, and hang on every word when others share how they’re teaching matters beyond ABC’s and etiquette, delving into the deeper things of our faith.

Fun Books that Go Deep

Learn more about the Beginner's Bible Deluxe Edition

If you are looking to teach your preschoolers the deeper messages of the resurrection in fun yet inspirational ways, we recommend the Beginner’s Bible resources. The Very First Easter, The Beginner’s Bible Book of Prayers, Jesus Saves the World (an I Can Read book), and The Beginner’s Bible Deluxe Edition are wonderful tools to help you introduce the Easter story, with traditional art, fun characters, and even audio narration!

Inspirational & Fun Activities

Some parents like to use food or crafts as the theme. Others look for the latest technology, such as apps, to tell the Easter story in a way that today’s generation of kids accept without question. Still others combine traditional holiday activities with a theological twist to illustrate the story.

I encourage you to visit TheBeginnersBible.com and The Beginner’s Bible Facebook page for weekly devotions, coloring pages, stickers, and other teaching resources. We even have an animated Easter video on YouTube for you to enjoy!

As a special treat, we encourage you to enter The Beginner’s Bible Easter Sweepstakes on Facebook, for your chance to win a set of some of the newest products in The Beginner’s Bible lineup.

Enter the Beginner’s Bible Easter Sweepstakes

Enter the Beginner's Bible Easter Sweepstakes

 

 

We wish you a blessed Easter season, and pray each day for our parents and children’s ministries that work hard to bring Christ’s message to kids!

- Ruthie Spaans, Zonderkidz

(This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer’s personal opinions are shared only for information purposes. To receive new Zondervan Blog posts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)

 

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Hi Creativity, Meet Ministry… (The UNTITLED Blaine Hogan Interview)

 

Blaine Hogan’s UNTITLED: Thoughts on the Creative Process is a declaration of war against the blank page.

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In this interview with long-time creator Blaine (Creative Director at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL) you will get a taste of his insights on attacking the blank page, executing vision, getting more out of contemplation, and as Blaine writes, “creating beauty from the inside out.”

Full disclosure: Blaine’s UNTITLED eBook isn’t published by Zondervan, but I believe you creators (writers, pastors, teachers, worship leaders, and artists of all stripes) will be encouraged and empowered by Blaine’s perspective. I look forward to hearing your comments! -AF

 

ZBLOG: In UNTITLED you ask, “Is there anything in my work I love so much I would eat it?” That’s my first question: What are you hungry for?

Visit Blaine's blog
Blaine Hogan

BLAINE: Movement. Heart movement. In myself first and then in an audience. I’m starving for and always on the lookout for something that I find deeply moving. As I continue to explore this discipline of the creative process, I find that the more I can discipline myself to being open and to exploring various corners of things, the chances for finding things in this vein dramatically increase. And when I find something that moves me, I want to eat it. I want to internalize it, through the lens of my own story — then I want to figure out the best way to tell it.

 

ZBLOG: You support artistic “fringe exploration” and “rebellion,” but you also observe, “sometimes artists get so carried away with their rebellion they begin to wage war with their own center of gravity.” What is your center of gravity? And how do you recommend other artists stay centered?

BLAINE: Put simply, the continually refining work of Christ in my life. I grew up Catholic so I find myself repeating the Lord’s Prayer throughout the day without even knowing it. For me this has always been centering. Contemplation is another thing I use to stay centered. Probably everyone reading this works in a fast paced environment, and the opportunity for silence and meditation I imagine is rare. However, if we aren’t quiet, I’m not sure we can stay centered. When we stop we recognize our breath — something we didn’t “work” to do. It just happens. This is the cosmic mystery of Christ within us. We center ourselves when we stop.

 

ZBLOG: A good number of people I know, both non-Christians and Christians, believe that creative thinking and doctrinal thinking are at loggerheads. Do you see a tension between the artist’s work and the theologian’s? Or can Michaelangelo and Martin Luther sit at the same table?

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March 3, 2012 Only: Get Karen Kingsbury’s “Bailey Flanigan” eBooks 70% Off

 

(Update on March 4, 2012 – The Kindle Daily Deal for Bailey Flanigan eBooks is now closed. Thank you to everyone who joined us in congratulating @karenkingsbury yesterday, and everyone else who participated! -Adam Forrest, Zondervan)

We're excited for novelist Karen Kingsbury because Amazon.com hand-picked her Bailey Flanigan series as a Kindle Daily Deal! 

Today [March 3] only, the first three volumes in the Bailey Flanigan series (Leaving, Learning, and Longing) are 70% off, just $2.99 apiece. Since the special will disappear when the clock strikes midnight, we recommend you take advantage of the deal right now! [The Kindle Daily Deal is no longer related to Karen Kingsbury]

Find the Bailey Flanigan eBooks in the Kindle Store

  

If you use a Nook or iPad…

Find the Bailey Flanigan eBooks here:

Barnes and Noble Learn More
iTunes Store Learn More
Christianbook.com Learn More

 

About the Bailey Flanigan Series

The latest series of novels from Karen Kingsbury begins with Bailey Flanigan leaving Bloomington for the adventure of a lifetime. Featuring members of the popular Baxter family, this series will present the much-anticipated finale of the Bailey Flanigan & Cody Coleman story. 

 

Buy Book 1 for KindleLeaving (Volume 1)
Bailey's won an audition for a Broadway musical in New York City, and she's determined to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! But is she really ready to leave family and friends for the loneliness of the big city? And what of Cody? With him in Indianapolis, the distance, new friends and circumstances begin to reveal cracks in their relationship. Buy for Kindle

 

Buy Book 2 for Kindle

Learning (Volume 2)
While Bailey grows closer to her dream of being an actress and dancer in New York, Cody becomes immersed in the lives of the high school football team he is coaching. Neither Bailey nor Cody feel complete without the chance to share their dreams with one other, but can distance truly make the heart grow fonder? Or will Cody turn to others, especially when tragedy strikes? Buy for Kindle

 

Buy Book 3 for Kindle

Longing (Volume 3)
After a long and lonely silence from Cody Coleman, Bailey Flanigan becomes closer to her one-time Hollywood co-star, Brandon Paul. Nights on the town in New York City and long talks on the balcony of Brandon's Malibu Beach home make Bailey dizzy with new feelings and cause her to wonder if her days with Cody are over forever. Buy for Kindle

 

 

About Karen Kingsbury

New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury is America's favorite inspirational novelist, with over 20 million books in print. Her Life-Changing Fiction™ has produced multiple bestsellers, including Leaving, Take One, Between Sundays, Even Now, One Tuesday Morning, Beyond Tuesday Morning, and Ever After. Karen is also a nationally known speaker with several women's groups. Find out more about Karen, her books, and her appearance schedule at www.KarenKingsbury.com and visit her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorKarenKingsbury

 

More to Come for the Baxter Family Characters
Loving (Bailey Flanigan Series, Volume 4) hits stores on March 27. In the fourth and final book of the series, Bailey is planning a wedding. But is she marrying the right man? (This volume is available for pre-order, but it's not included in the Kindle Daily Deal or Gold Box New Deal.)

Coming Home: A Story of Unending Love and Eternal Promise hits stores June 26, 2012. As the Baxters make plans to come together for a summer lakeside reunion, the unthinkable happens. Coming Home — a stand-alone novel — can serve as either a grand introduction or a beautiful conclusion to the saga of the Baxter Family.

Find the Bailey Flanigan eBooks in the Kindle Store

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Reader Favorites from February: Top 9 Blog Posts + other Posts of Note

 

Top 9 Posts from February

Ranked by reader traffic and feedback.

1. Remembering Jan Berenstain The original illustrator of the Berenstain Bears books, Jan Berenstein, has passed away. We share our personal memories of her.

2. Mothers: How You Could Get Published in the New NIV Mom's Devotional Bible This contest for moms who write is still open, but only until March 15, 2012!

3. How to Overcome Your Fear of Fasting If you've ever had interest in fasting but feel a little intimidated, I highly recommend this piece. An original guest post by author and nutrition expert Kristen Feola (@kristenfeola).

4. Four Simple Prayer Starters for a Stronger Marriage via Gary Thomas (@GaryLThomas). Prayers about getting more out of your marriage. Excerpt from Sacred Marriage DVD Group Study.

5. Tough Love: Jesus and 1 Corinthians 13 See what happens when we trade out the word "love" for "Jesus" in 1 Corinthians: "Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind. He does not envy, he does not boast…" A fascinating excerpt via Craig Blomberg's NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Corinthians.

6. A Prayer Against Anger from Common Prayer Pocket Edition. Useful!

7. Spirit-filled Living vs. Just "Trying Harder" Jim Cymbala (@jimcymbala) reveals the important contrast between relying on ourselves and depending on the Spirit. Which do you do? Excerpt from his new book Spirit Rising.


8. When the Answer to Prayer is Bigger than Our Brain via Mark Batterson (@MarkBatterson). "The same God who hovered over the chaos at the beginning of time is hovering over your life, and you never know when His answer will reenter the atmosphere of your life…"

9. Why Not Risk? A Risk Analysis Tool + Case Study Ben Carson shares his method for making risky decisions, then applies the method to a case from his own life: Should he share his Christian faith in the workplace?

More Posts of Note

1. Discover WHO You are and WHOSE You Are A recap of Kary Oberbrunner's livechat on how to find your identity and purpose in Christ. I especially like Kary's "Secret Name" Test, which I recommend you check out in the post.

2. On Ash Wednesday – Remembering We're Dust A rich contemplative piece from Walt Wangerin, Jr.'s Lent devotional book, Reliving the Passion.

3. Pursuing a Manhood that's Honest, Strong, and … Weak? Author Wes Yoder on the essential ingredients of manhood. (They may not be what you think.)

4. God is With You, and He Doesn't Quit Feel like you're facing an impossible challenge? Find out how God was faithful to his people in helping Nehemiah rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Excerpt from Kristen Feola's (@kristenfeola) book The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast.

 

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