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Baptist Publishers, Take Note

Did you know you have a significant anniversary to celebrate this summer? From the Amsterdam 400 site:

In the early 1600s  a group of religious refugees from England gathered in the back room of an Amsterdam bakery to pray and study the Bible together. By 1609 a group of them had formed what we have come to know as core Baptist convictions, especially the necessity of a believers’ church, separated from state control and practising believers’ baptism. From these modest beginnings the Baptists spread through England, North America and Europe and beyond to become a worldwide movement with a community of around 100 million members today.

Do you have any books on Baptist history that you can promote to the press? How can else might you take advantage of this opportunity to highlight your heritage?

Tough Times for Christian Book Events

Christian Book Expo, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's first event for the general public, was held this past weekend in Dallas. However, the Dallas Morning News reports it drew only 1,500 attenders:

"It's far less than we had hoped for," said Mark Kuyper, [ECPA] president and CEO

... Kuyper said the marketing strategy relied too much on networking through publishers, authors and church groups and would have to include billboards and other advertising to pull in a much larger crowd.

Meanwhile, ChristianTrade Association International regretfully announces,

Marketsquare Europe show won’t be held in 2009 due to the present economic conditions in Eastern Europe and worldwide. However, the convention is currently slated for October 2010 in Oradea, Romania [just  before the Frankfurt Book Fair.]

PubU Content Available Online

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's annual training conference for publishers, Publishing University, took place earlier this month. If you'd like to get the handouts or see some of the PowerPoints or even some video of the sessions—from workshops on such topics as leadership, international markets, effective workflow, innovation, digital content, creativity, and more—they are available here. 

Anniversaries

Publisher's Weekly "Religion Bookline" reports,

Paraclete Press is celebrating 25 years in publishing and also has another reason to celebrate—its fiscal year ended on August 31 and book sales were up by 29%. The mid-sized publisher of Christian books, sacred music and educational DVDs for churches and libraries is enjoying dramatic sales growth in a difficult economic climate.

Meanwhile, other publishers celebrating notable anniversaries include Editora Ultimato in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Certeza Argentina in Buenos Aires, both of whom thank God for 40 years of service to His Church.

China: Hong Kong Book Fair Grows

Local newspapers report a record 829,967 visitors attended the ’08 Hong Kong Book Fair, an increase of 8.7 percent compared to last year’s 760,000. A survey by suppliers and participating companies during the Fair showed fiction to be the most popular, followed by self-help books or those about recent events. Books on religion ranked third and children’s fourth. Visitors to the week-long Fair included more than 6,200 from outside Hong Kong, 30 percent more than last year. Booths in 13 halls showcased 480 publishers from 21 countries. Both English and Spanish language books had high visibility.

Asian Christian Writers Conference

Media Associates International will hold an Asian Christian Writers Conference on Oct. 16-19, 2008 in Chiangmai, Thailand. Download the conference brochure.

CTAI: Marketsquare Asia Expands

ChristianTrade Association International has announced that Marketsquare Asia, to be held Sept. 7-9, 2008 in Hong Kong, will also include the Korea Christian Rights Fair, Sept. 4-5, 2008 in Seoul. After the event, publishers may participate in a new Indonesian Christian Book Fair, to be held Sept. 12-13 in Jakarta. The Global Publishers Alliance of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association is helping to provide scholarships for the event.

For more information e-mail info@ChristianTrade.com or visit www.ChristianTrade.com.

International Publishers Meet in Korea

The International Publishers Association is holding its congress this week in Seoul, Korea, in conjunction with the Seoul International Book Fair 2008. The Frankfurt Book Fair newsletter includes an interview with Jens Bammel, secretary general of the IPA about the event.

India: STL-OM Christian Book Fair Starts Today

The Morung Express reports that STL-OM Books today kicks off a six-day event in Kohima, Nagaland, India, adding that the Christian organization seeks, through its books, "to impart knowledge that will positively affect individuals and shape societies and a nation that will have a better, peaceful and responsible co-existence.”

Internet Evangelism Day

Do you know anyone who's been brought closer to Christ by reading? If you are involved in literature ministry, the answer is a resounding YES. Through print resources—especially the Bible—the Holy Spirit confronted us with the Gospel, led us to our knees, encouraged us,  transformed us, confirmed our calling, and taught us about the Church. What, then, are we to make of the use He makes of new media—including the Internet? On Sunday April 27, 2008, churches will observe Internet Evangelism Day. Celebrate the work of God... everywhere He is made known.