God Moments (13): Tackling a Financial Crisis

How can God turn an overwhelming debt load at a publishing house into a series of God Moments? At Here’s Life Publishers we were a for profit subsidiary of Campus Crusade for Christ, with the chairman of the Board the executive vice-president of Crusade. What I did not realize when I arrived as editorial director was that Here’s Life Publishers was being kept afloat by regular draws on a “slush fund” at Crusade, that our losses would be half a million on sales of just over two million the year I arrived.

God Moments (11): Entering the World of Book Clubs

When you are leaving a publisher for another one, what kind of farewell should you expect? I was obviously not going to a competitor of Moody Press, since the Christian Herald Association was known for its magazine and its book clubs, not its book publishing program. Despite that it came as quite a surprise when I was invited to have lunch with Dr. George Sweeting, president of Moody Bible Institute. Even though I had been acquiring editor for several of his books, I wondered what was on his agenda.

God Moments (8): My Jewish Connection

What happens when an innovative evangelistic product offends the sensibilities of influential people? In the late 1960s the editorial team at Moody Press became an active proponent of a creative evangelistic and discipling tool, a magazine they called Emit, Time spelled backwards. It purported to have been published during the last year or so of Jesus’ life, including news reports on Jesus trial, crucifixion and resurrection.

News: Les at Write to Publish Conference

Forty-one years ago Les, then editor of Moody Press, and Glenn Arnold, journalism professor at Moody Bible Institute, decided to initiate a writing seminar. Initially a two-week course with college credit, it eventually morphed into a three-day conference.