Contact:
Tara Powers, Brian Burch
(616) 233-0500
tpowers@lambert-edwards.com
bburch@lambert-edwards.com
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., October 1, 2007 -- Zondervan, the world's leading Bible publisher, has donated 1,600 copies of the audio book of the year, Inspired By…The Bible Experience, to Prison Fellowship, the world's largest non-profit prison outreach ministry. Inspired By…The Bible Experience features more than 400 world-renowned celebrities and Christian leaders, including Forest Whitaker as Moses, Bishop T.D. Jakes as Abraham, Cuba Gooding Jr. as Jonah, Denzel and Pauletta Washington performing Song of Songs, Nick Cannon as Adam and Angela Bassett as Esther.
Zondervan and Prison Fellowship's goal for Inspired By… The Bible Experience is to foster Bible engagement among prisoners by making the Bible available to them in a fully-produced audio format. The copies will be distributed to prison chaplains through 21 Prison Fellowship regional offices for shared use in 1,600 prison libraries across the country.
"Zondervan and Prison Fellowship have a shared goal of transformation," said Mark Earley, president of Prison Fellowship. "The best way to change our world is to transform the hearts of the people and families within our communities, and we believe that truly restorative change comes only through building a relationship with Jesus Christ. The availability of a fully-produced audio version of the Bible only amplifies the impact that this product and this partnership will have."
Critically acclaimed for its best-in-class production quality, the New Testament edition of Inspired By… The Bible Experience has quickly become the category leader. Since its release last fall, Inspired By… The Bible Experience has sold more than 325,000 units and has become not just the bestselling audio Bible, but also one of the industry's fastest-selling new Bibles, outselling perennial bestsellers.
"We have the utmost respect for the work Prison Fellowship is doing to bring God's truth to prisoners, and we are proud to equip them in advancing the great work they are already doing," said Paul Caminiti, vice president and publisher of Bibles at Zondervan. "We hope our donation of Inspired By… The Bible Experience will help inmates experience the Word of God like never before."
Inspired By…The Bible Experience Complete Bible is releasing this month. View the Electronic Press Kit.
In addition to brisk sales, Inspired By… The Bible Experience has received unprecedented consumer satisfaction and national recognition, including numerous five-star reviews, Audio Book of the Year -- the highest honor of the Audio Publisher's Association -- an AudioFile Earphones Award and a nomination for an NAACP Image Award, among others.
About Prison Fellowship
Prison Fellowship was founded by former Nixon aide Chuck Colson in 1976. Now the world's largest prisoner-focused ministry, Prison Fellowship brings life-changing hope to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families across the United States and in 114 countries. Prison Fellowship is a ministry of PFM, also led by former Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley.
Zondervan, a
HarperCollins company, is a world leader in Christian communications and the leading Christian publishing brand. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general and academic resources by influential leaders and emerging voices, and been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., with offices in San Diego and Miami, Zondervan conducts events and publishes its bestselling
Bibles,
books,
audio,
video,
curriculum,
software, and
digital products through its
Zondervan,
eZondervan,
Zonderkidz,
Youth Specialties,
Editorial Vida, and
National Pastors Convention brands. Zondervan resources are sold worldwide through retail stores, online, and by
Zondervan ChurchSource, and are translated into nearly 200 languages in more than 60 countries. Visit Zondervan on the Internet at
www.zondervan.com (mobile site:
zvan.mobi).