Press Release
April 29, 2008

GPA CULTIVATES LEADERS AROUND THE GLOBE
Christian Publishers Poised to Reap a Harvest of Souls

Contact:
John Eames at 480-966-3998 or john@eamesliterary.com
Tina Jacobson at 800-927-0517 ext. 101 or tjacobson@tbbmedia.com


Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX — For average Christians in America, particularly those living in the Bible Belt where Christian bookstores flourish and “family-friendly” Christian radio is the music of choice at the local grocery store, it is difficult to truly appreciate the spiritual thirst that exists in regions where many have never had access to the Bible or Christian literature. Many in the world long to know God’s truth, and they are waiting for someone to put it in their hands.

For sixteen years, Global Publishers Alliance (formerly Evangelical Christian Publishers Outreach) has initiated programs that have brought the message of Christ to spiritually needy people around the world. As a sister organization to the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, GPA is strategically positioned to provide valuable training, resources, and connections to Christian leaders in developing countries with a heart for spreading the gospel message to their own people through the publishing and distribution of Christian materials.

“The published word has probably been the most powerful tool through the ages the Holy Spirit has used to draw people into relationship with God. People are hungry for it. When the Iron Curtain fell, for example, the Bible might have been one of the highest, if not the highest, demanded print products in the former Soviet Union,” recalls GPA President and CEO John Eames. When several Christian publishing houses pooled their resources to meet this demand through The Moscow Project, the idea for Evangelical Christian Publishers Outreach—later renamed Global Publishers Alliance—was born.

“While we here in North America live in an intensely media-saturated society, many parts of the world are still struggling to be able to come into possession of the most basic Christian content,” Eames says. “At GPA, one of our main roles is to develop the leadership in those regions so that they will eventually create their own Christian content.”

To that end, the GPA board has adopted a bold new mission statement. GPA exists for the purpose of developing high potential Christian publishing leaders around the world so that Christian books and media are available in all strategic regions and languages by 2015. These languages include Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.

With vital programs in China, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, South America, and other developing regions, GPA is engaged in self-sustaining projects focused on four strategic pillars:

  • Training
  • Information and Data Sharing
  • Connections and Networking
  • Direct Strategic Initiatives
Some of GPA’s past successes include Special Assignment Seed Grants that have helped develop a Christian literature center in Iraq, distribution centers in Africa and Brazil, and the translation and distribution in the Middle East of Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and Steps to Peace with God by Billy Graham. GPA has also helped establish networking opportunities among international publishers at industry events such as CBA International Retail Show, ECPA Publishing University, the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Beijing Book Fair, and Book Expo America.

Currently, the organization is promoting the International Publishers Training Project, designed to meet the critical need of international publishing ministries for practical education in building a viable, self-sustaining business. Another strength of the GPA approach is the Partners in Publishing program, which matches experienced U.S. publishers with Christian publishers in the developing world who show the potential to grow and become self-sufficient. Through one-on-one mentoring, these budding publishers can reach their full potential. At the 2008 Beijing Book Fair, GPA will continue building relationships between U.S. and Chinese publishers.

Some of the most exciting GPA initiatives are taking place in the Middle East. An e-commerce web site to provide for the distribution of Arabic Christian products to Arab-speaking Christians worldwide is underway. There are also plans to provide Arab-speaking Christians with a core list of curriculum or books in Arabic—a body of work that will educate believers immersed in the current volatile religious climate of the Middle East on living the Christian life in the Muslim context. The information will be made available in several formats: print, PDF, on-line, and audio. GPA will also supply curriculum for a Christian liberal arts university set to launch in Beirut, Lebanon in 2008.

“Cooperation between Christian publishers is the great strength of GPA,” Eames says. “Together, with the Lord’s blessing, we can accomplish so much more for the Kingdom than any of us could on our own.” For more information about GPA initiatives and how you can support this ministry, visit the GPA website at www.globalpublishers.org.