ChristianTrade becomes part of CBA

The ChristianTrade board voted to be consolidated into CBA last month. Stay tuned for more information. Visit the CBA website for details.

Nurture National Writers

There are only a few Christian publishers in Zimbabwe. Most often, it is churches who publish materials of interest to their members, asking known authors to write on specific topics, or publishing translations. Such practices do not allow for developing national writers, but doing so is in a publisher’s best interest in the long run. National writers benefit publishers and their target audiences. How can publishers help prospective writers to develop their skills? More here!

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CAVA Serves the Church

Christian Audio Visual Action, known as CAVA, partners with churches and other Christian organizations to enable believers to evangelize in Southern Africa. CAVA seeks to produce relevant and affordable literature and audio-visual material. Based in Harare, Zimbabwe, the ministry has ten staff members, eight of whom are involved in publishing. More here!

Your Turn 5 [Print on Demand]

This issue of Cook Partners offers four very different approaches to print on demand publishing. Whether you are engaged in it or not, the following questions will help you and your staff when you plan for the future. More here!

Your Turn 4 [Practical Exercises]

Use the following group discussion questions to lead a brainstorming session with your employees. You might be surprised at the results! More here!

Your Turn 3 [Niche Publishing]

Niche is a word derived from French (nicher, to nest) and, before that, Latin (nidus, nest). Among the definitions listed at Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary lists the following definitions are used in this issue to apply to the work we do as publishers: “a place, employment, status, or activity for which a person or thing is best fitted” and “a specialized market.” Are you the publisher best fitted for your niche? How do you reach niche markets? The questions below may help you think more deeply about niches and what they mean to your company. More here!

Your Turn 2 [Brain-Storming Session]

Whatever may be the language of your books, the following questions may help you lead a brainstorming session with your employees. More here!

Your Turn

There is a purpose to our publishing: the proclamation of the Gospel. It was Jesus’ Commission to the Twelve and now the responsibility of every believer: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:18) The focus of this issue is how publishers accomplish this task through their work. More here!

You Did Not Publish Me

If Jesus were in the world today, and was an author, what would He write about? And, would He get published? From what we know of Jesus, it is safe to say that most of His writing would be about love for God, for neighbors, for enemies. Jesus would want His readers to understand God’s love for humanity—that He became one of them and died in their stead. This simple but profound truth is often lost in contemporary Christian publishing. More here!

Writing in a War Zone

A professor at Bethlehem Bible College witnessed the shooting of a 16-year-old. He bled to death. An Israeli soldier shouted at the small crowd who gathered around the injured boy: “Anyone who comes near will be shot.” What can that Christian teacher write from such an experience? How does he tell the world about justice? How can he apply Biblical concepts to reach the audience who witnessed the violence and the killing? How can he
explain the roots of the conflict to those misled by mass media? Or, how can he discuss love for one’s enemies or Bible verses that relate to Israel? More here.