Ted Dekker's The Sanctuary (Center Street) has reached No. 12 on the General best-sellers from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), tracking sales for the week ending Nov. 10, according to Pubtrack Christian data. The book was released Oct. 30.

The Top 20 General best-sellers were: 1. Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 2. I Declare, Joel Osteen (FaithWords); 3. Jesus Calling, Young, large print deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 4. Jesus Today, Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 5. The Bridge, Karen Kingsbury (Howard Books); 6. Jesus Calling, Young, deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 7. The Harbinger, Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine/Charisma House Book Group); 8. Praying God's Word, Beth Moore (B&H Books); 9. Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo (Thomas Nelson); 10. Multiply, Francis Chan, Mark Beuving (David C Cook); 11. Grace, Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson); 12. The Sanctuary; 13. The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing); 14. Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman (Zondervan); 15. Unglued, Lysa TerKeurst (Zondervan); 16. One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp (Zondervan); 17. Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxas (Thomas Nelson); 18. Full Disclosure, Dee Henderson (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 19. A Wreath of Snow, Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook Press); and 20. The Bridesmaid, "Home to Hickory Hollow" No. 2, Beverly Lewis (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group).

The Top 10 Fiction best-sellers were: 1. The Bridge; 2. The Harbinger; 3. The Sanctuary; 4. Full Disclosure; 5. A Wreath of Snow; 6. The Bridesmaid; 7. The Christmas Pony, Melody Carlson (Revell/Baker Publishing Group); 8. Placebo, "Jevin Banks" No. 1, Steven James (Revell/Baker Publishing Group); 9. Susanna's Christmas Wish, Jerry S. Eicher (Harvest House Publishers); and 10. Coming Home, Karen Kingsbury (Zondervan).

The top five Bibles were: 1. The Story, NIV, deluxe, hardcover, New International Version (Zondervan); 2. ESV Pew & Worship Bible, hardcover, large print, navy blue, English Standard Version (Crossway); 3. NLT Chronological Life Application Study Bible, hardcover, New Living Translation (Tyndale House Publishers); 4. NIV Adventure Bible, Italian Duo-Tone, chocolate/toffee, New International Version (Zonderkidz); and 5. NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, hardcover (Zonderkidz).

Family Christian Stores plans to give 100% of its profits to benefit Christian causes, mainly ministries serving widows and orphans, under the chain’s new ownership announced yesterday. The 280-store chain that employs about 4,000 people will continue its operations in a largely “seamless” way, said CEO Cliff Bartow.

In the buyout, Family’s management team partnered with a group of Atlanta-based Christian businessmen to acquire the company from its private equity owners. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

Family Christian reported that while its ownership structure and financial purpose has changed, there will be no impact on core operations, stores or staff.

Family Christian Stores announced today that its management team has partnered with a group of Atlanta-based Christian businessmen to acquire the company from its private equity owners.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed involving the nation's largest Christian retail chain with 280 stores in 36 states. Family Christian reported that while its ownership structure and financial purpose has changed, there will be no impact on its core operations, stores or staff.

Under the new ownership, the Grand Rapids, Mich., chain has pledged to contribute 100% of its profits to Christian causes, specifically ministries serving widows and orphans both in the U.S. and abroad.

Family Christian's James Fund charity was founded in 2003, sponsoring mission trips with staff and giving more than $2 million to organizations and projects caring for widows and orphans, company officials said.

The new ownership structure will allow Family Christian to not only equip Christians in their daily walk, but also to increase the chain's impact by providing substantial financial support to faith-based causes.

"The management team and our investors are buying Family Christian because of our shared belief that the company is uniquely positioned to be both a best-in-class Christian retailer and a significant source of financial support to help those in need," said Cliff Bartow, president and CEO of Family Christian. "While we have long been committed to giving to Christian causes, we felt called to multiply our impact.

"We have been on a journey for several years to find potential like-minded Christian owners who share our passion and calling, and believe it's the providence and sovereignty of God that we met and now partner with our new co-owners," he added.

The investment group comprised of the three businessmen includes Richard L. Jackson, founder and CEO of Jackson Healthcare, the nation's third-largest health care staffing company; Larry Powell, president of Powell Family Enterprises, a private equity investment company; and Michael Kendrick, founder of Blueprint for Life and Ministry Ventures, a nonprofit organization dedicated to launching new ministries.

"Each of these men have been blessed with professional success and share a mutual calling to give back to help those in need," Bartow said. "This alignment of business acumen and Christian calling led them to the collective decision to join with us to acquire Family Christian and move it from an organization that contributes 10% of its profits to one that contributes 100% of its profits to faith-based charities and ministries.

"It is the hope of all involved that this transition can be a model of Christian business and ministry excellence that can be replicated by other organizations that wish to use their business resources to maximize kingdom impact," he added.

The chain has "ambitious plans" to grow its revenue and increase financial support for ministries around the world, including maintaining store update efforts and looking at new product assortments and resources to better meet the lifestyle needs of customers, company officials said.

"We are excited about what this ownership change means for our customers, staff and vendor partners who join us in the ongoing Christian pursuit of putting faith into action," Bartow said. "In many ways, we are returning to our roots as a Christian, family-owned business focused on making a significant impact in helping those in need.

William Blair & Co. served as financial advisor to the investors.

Francis Chan's Multiply (David C Cook) debuted at No. 12 on the General best-sellers from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), tracking sales for the week ending Nov. 3, according to Pubtrack Christian data. The book was released Nov. 1.

The Top 20 General best-sellers were: 1. Jesus Calling, Sarah Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 2. The Bridge, Karen Kingsbury (Howard Books); 3. Jesus Calling, Young, deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 4. Jesus Today, Young, hardcover (Thomas Nelson); 5. Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo (Thomas Nelson); 6. The Harbinger, Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine/Charisma House Book Group); 7. Crazy Love, Francis Chan (David C Cook); 8. The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson (Zondervan); 9. Jesus Calling, Young, large print deluxe (Thomas Nelson); 10. Selections From One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp (Zondervan); 11. Grace, Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson); 12. Multiply; 13. Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman, hardcover (Zondervan); 14. One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp (Zondervan); 15. Full Disclosure, Dee Henderson (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 16. The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing); 17. Heaven Changes Everything, Todd and Sonja Burpo (Thomas Nelson); 18. Unglued, Lysa TerKeurst (Zondervan); 19. The Love Dare, Alex and Stephen Kendrick (B&H Books); and 20. Battlefield of the Mind, Joyce Meyer (FaithWords).

The Top 10 Fiction best-sellers were: 1. The Bridge; 2. The Harbinger; 3. Full Disclosure; 4. The Sanctuary, Ted Dekker (FaithWords); 5. The Bridesmaid, "Home to Hickory Hollow" No. 2, Beverly Lewis (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 6. All Things New, Lynn Austin (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group); 7. The Christmas Bride, Grace Livingston Hill (Barbour Publishing); 8. A Wreath of Snow, Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook Press); 9. To Whisper Her Name, "Belle Meade Plantation" No.1, Tamera Alexander (Zondervan); and 10. The Breath of Dawn, Kristen Heitzmann (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group).

The top five Bibles were: 1. NIV Adventure Bible, hardcover, New International Version (Zonderkidz); 2. The Story, NIV, deluxe, hardcover (Zondervan); 3. NIV Thinline Bible, black bonded leather (Zondervan); 4. NLT Chronological Life Application Study Bible, hardcover, New Living Translation (Tyndale); and 5. The Voice Complete Bible, hardcover (Thomas Nelson).

Resurrected after a four-year hiatus, Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's (ECPA) Publishing University (PUBu) received a positive reception this fall from Christian publishing professionals.

Held Oct. 22-23 at Wheaton College outside Chicago, PUBu12 drew 195 attendees.

Attendees were "very upbeat," ECPA President and CEO Mark Kuyper told Christian Retailing. "They seemed to be excited to connect with each other and learn."

Citing economic turbulence within the Christian product industry, ECPA moved PUBu from a physical event to multiple online webinars in 2009. The last time PUBu was held in Chicago was in 2008, attracting 175 professionals and featuring 10 tracks.

"We knew in 2008 that publishers would slash training and travel budgets when the economy fell apart, and [so we] waited until they told they were ready to send their staff to PUBu again," Kuyper said. "We relaunched with four key communities rather than 10, and we limited the event to an evening networking reception and a single day of sessions rather than two days of sessions.

"Most sessions were also led by community leaders rather than outside speakers," he added. "We also held the event at Wheaton College instead of a hotel, which provided an ideal classroom setting and reduced costs dramatically."

There was no overall theme for PUBu12, but its "four communities" focused on marketing, editorial, rights and licensing, and production.

"The expanded goal for the communities is that they will provide opportunities for our members to connect through our socially networked site to share articles, white papers, forums, pictures throughout the year, as well possible webinars or other creative learning options," Kuyper said.

Bailey Utecht, an editorial assistant at Moody Publishers, said the event was "a unique and invaluable resource for publishing professionals."

"For me, the highlight of PUBu was observing the differences in how different publishers do their work and evaluating our publishing house in light of those observations," she said.

Read the full report in the January issue of Christian Retailing.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, has launched its first mobile app created in partnership with best-selling Amish fiction author Suzanne Woods Fisher.

The free Amish Wisdom app is available for all Apple products, providing a daily proverb drawn from the Pennsylvania-Dutch tradition.

"Whenever I posted Amish proverbs and sayings on my social media outlets, there was always a huge response," said Fisher, whose Revell book, Amish Proverbs, an Evangelical Christian Publishers Association 2011 Book of the Year finalist, will be re-released in paperback in October. "People wanted more. It seemed as if an app of daily Amish proverbs would be a fun and creative way to connect with readers and provide what they have been asking for. Everybody seems to love those pithy sayings of wit and wisdom. They're timeless."

The app will also allow users to listen to archived podcasts from Fisher's weekly "Amish Wisdom" radio program.

Click here to download the Amish Wisdom app. 

Meanwhile, Logos Bible Software has improved its free Bible app, offering customizable reading plans, Community Notes, split-screen viewing and more media.

"This mobile app lets you access a massive library of digital resources and study tools," said Logos President and CEO Bob Pritchett. "No matter where you go, your library and study notes are with you."

Click here for more information on on Logos' Bible apps.

Leading apparel company Kerusso has provided assistance to the Long Island, N.Y., area, impacted last month by Hurricane Sandy, called one of the worst storms in the nation's history. The U.S. death toll from the Oct. 29 storm has topped 100.

The largest Atlantic hurricane on record knocked out power for millions, causing at least $20 billion in damage, USA Today reported. Sandy was the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane, only surpassed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Kerusso CEO and President Vic Kennett said that his Berryville, Ark.-based company donated more than 6,100 items, including 1,990 sweatshirts and 2,230 winter caps. The clothing is being distributed throughout Long Island by Men's Discipleship Network (MDN).

"Our hearts go out to the victims and their families," Kennett said. "We pray that the apparel will help clothe those in need, and that the messages of hope on these items will be an encouragement."

MDN's John Tomasseli added: "This clothing will go to people in need, and we're thankful that Vic and the people at Kerusso are able to help, filling physical needs and opening doors to ministering to spiritual needs."

Meanwhile, Sandi Patty and Jason Crabb are scheduled to do a special benefit performance Nov. 24 at Calvary Baptist Church in New York City. All proceeds from the concert, part of the pair's A Christmas Celebration tour, were to be given to World Vision for the organization's Sandy relief efforts in the New York and New Jersey.

Robin Hogan, general manager of the Christian Cultural Center Bookstore in Brooklyn, N.Y., said the store was closed for two days due to Sandy.

"I have lived in New York for over 40 years and I have never experienced anything like Hurricane Sandy," Hogan, who was recently appointed to the CBA board, told Christian Retailing. "New York has the largest transportation system in the United States, and the subways were flooded with salt water from the Atlantic Ocean.

"Praise God for His mercy and grace," she added. "As a staff, along with our church, we prayed before the storm for the protection of our church, store, staff, families and communities. God answered our prayers because our families and homes were safe and secure."

Based in Phillipsburg, N.J., P&R Publishing was shut down by Hurricane Sandy for four-and-a-half days, starting Oct. 29.

"Many of our staff were without power," said P&R Publishing Sales and Marketing Vice President Ian Thompson. "All our staff were safe. ... On Monday, Nov. 5, we still didn't have phones back. Some of our employees were still out of power."

Headquartered in the New York City borough of Manhattan, American Bible Society (ABS) was closed due to the storm.

"We are very thankful to report that there was no loss of life or serious injury to [ABS] staff," said Geoffrey Morin, ABS's chief communications officer.

Random House's building in New York City was unaffected and remained opened, despite being buffeted by high winds and heavy rain from Sandy, said company spokesman Stuart Applebaum. The company's Maryland distribution center was shut down for 30 hours on the day the storm hit, but was back in full operation the next evening.