Search results for: 'live li'

10 individuals who risked their lives in the Holocaust

'When the Nazis started to destroy the European Jews, the millions of non-Jews in Europe had to decide their stance: would they help the Nazis, help the Jews, or do nothing. A very small percentage resisted or helped. The great majority did nothing. More than 16,000 rescuers have been recognized officially by Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, yet no one ...

Arun Arora speaking at Living Well Conference on the 4th November

Arun Arora, author of Stick With Love, will be speaking at Living Well Conference on Sat, 4 ...

Long Story Short: Why We're Living

Happiness. Safety. Significance. Three things society tells us we’re living for, but what do they all ...
  • 22 Jun 2018

Which story do you live for?

On Thursday 21 June, we published Long Story Short by Andy Frost. His book considers three narratives that we use to shape the trajectory of our lives. Do we live for our own happiness, our own personal safety, or recognition and success, the mark we leave on the world? We ran a poll on Twitter and asked our followers which ...
  • 10 Aug 2018

Living a Heroic Life

Summer is often the time we wish for throughout the year and, if especially if you have kids, can’t wait to get away for some rest and relaxation. How do you spend your summers? Do you use it to jet off to the beach? Maybe you spend time at home with family and a barbeque. Maybe you take your children on an adventure. Before the summer comes ...
  • 26 Sept 2018

Diffusion: using books to make a difference in the lives of prisoners

We caught up with our Commercial Director Alexandra McDonald about the work she does with our Diffusion programme. Diffusion works with prisoners to improve their literacy skills. This helps with self confidence and independence, which are essential when re-integrating into the community upon release from ...

Lily-Jo Talking To Children About Mental Health Live Online Workshop

Join Lily-Jo, children's mental health expert and author of Talking to Children About Mental Health for a FREE online workshop on Talking to Children About Mental Health on February ...
  • 16 Jul 2018

Behind the Scenes: Illustrating the Children’s New Living Translation Bible

Our Commissioning Editor Juliet Trickey and Editorial Intern Miriam Huggland are on the blog today discussing the illustrations in our new NLT Children’s Bible. How does an editor brief an ...

‘Welcome’ is so much more than a word on the church noticeboard or weekly notice sheet

With the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) resources approaching publication, we are sharing an extract from David Runcorn's book Love Means Love. Love Means Love published in June this year coinciding with the original publication date for the LLF resources. In this extract David reflects on the experiences of Christians who have struggled '...or are ...
  • 12 Jan 2018

The SPCK February 2018 Releases

As well as two exciting new hardback books with their own publication dates, our latest batch of releases include two brand new children's books by comedian Paul Kerensa, two thoughtful new books from some of Christianity's most creative thinkers, and the paperback edition of Richard Harries' latest ...
  • 17 Jan 2018

Five Questions about Paul with Tom Wright

Ahead of the release of Paul: The Biography, we sat down with Tom Wright and asked him some questions about his latest book - engaging with what he's really trying to do in this new study of the life of the Apostle ...
  • 19 Feb 2018

5 minutes with Kate Bowler

We stole 5 minutes of Kate Bowler's time to find out more about the story behind her new book Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've ...

Grenfell Hope: Stories from the Community

The Grenfell Tower fire broke out on 14th June 2017 in North Kensington. Over 150 homes were destroyed and there were more than 70 ...

Red Cross Week: Mental Health Visibility

Red Cross Week celebrates the power of kindness. Learn more about mindfulness and how to help people in ...
  • 18 Jun 2018

Be present in your life

Many of us practice mindfulness in our daily lives – during our commute, before a stressful meeting, on our lunch breaks, and at the end of a busy day. It can help us to manage stress and anxiety.  There are many similarities between mindfulness and the beliefs held in Christian spirituality. Tim Stead wrote the book about how we can ...
  • 10 Jun 2018

God’s Story – why it’s bigger than our personal narrative

‘So, what’s your story?’ I love asking that question.  We use stories to find meaning and purpose. The way we respond to that question reveals something of the story we are living with our lives. In a moment, we choose where our story begins and quickly edit the headlines into an ...

My Day on the Shop Floor

16 – 23 June is Independent Bookshop Week – and we’re participating! Over the course of this week, we’ll be sharing content about our favourite independent bookshops. To start off the week, our Commercial Director Alexandra McDonald blogs about the one – one! – shift she worked in a bookshop. ...
  • 17 Jun 2018

Independent Bookshop Week - a chat with The Christian Bookshop in Birkenhead

As part of Independent Bookshop Week, we are featuring interviews with, well, independent bookshops! We chatted with The Christian Bookshop in Birkenhead about reviews, social media, comfy shoes, and – of course – books! The Christian Bookshop, 14 Grange Road West, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 4DATel: 0151 647 ...
  • 19 Jun 2018

Independent Bookshops: more than just tea and cake

We spoke with Ali, Team Leader at Quench Christian Bookshop Wokingham, and Head of Retail for both the Wokingham and Maidenhead shops, about her experience with running a ...
  • 25 Jun 2018

5 Questions for Tim Stead

After the phenomenal success of his book Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality, Tim Stead follows up with See Love Be. We chatted to him about his new ...
  • 6 Jul 2018

What story is your life telling?

By Leila Jennings ‘Narrative is the central function … of the human mind. We turn everything into a story in order to make sense of life.’ - James Bryan Smith Andy Frost’s new book, Long Story Short, provides insight into the narratives that we use to define our path in life. Many of us see life as the pursuit of ...
  • 2 Jul 2018

Keeping The Wright Momentum

This past Friday 29 June, the SPCK team and 350 guests gathered in Methodist Central Hall to hear Tom Wright in conversation with the BBC’s Martin Bashir about his book Paul: A Biography. The event was originally planned for March but had to be rescheduled because of the weather. That day in March was too icy and snowy for people to attend. ...
  • 2 Jul 2018

A chat with Peter Graystone

Our author Peter Graystone is on our blog today as part of our month-long exploration of More Ways To Read The Bible. We’ll be looking at books that consider different ways you can engage with ...
  • 3 Jul 2018

5 Questions for Andy Frost

We recently caught up with Andy Frost, author of Long Story Short. He had lots to say about writing, narratives, and looking at a bigger picture beyond our own ...
  • 3 Jul 2018

A different way to engage with the Bible

Philip Law is Publishing Director at SPCK. His previous books include A Time to Pray (Lion, 2002), The Story of the Christ (Continuum, 2006) and The SPCK Book of Christian Prayer (SPCK, 2009). Here, he discusses The One Hour Bible, our new book that he compiled and edited ...
  • 9 Jul 2018

5 Questions for Paul Hattaway

On 19 July, we will publish Guizhou by Paul Hattaway, the second in a series of books about the exponential growth of Christianity in China. Here, we caught up with him about writing and his plans for the ...
  • 16 Jul 2018

Why do books resonate with us?

‘Books aren’t luxuries. They’re lifelines.’ – Matt Haig When we read a book, we want to relate it to ourselves. We’d like it to resonate with us. When we’re shy, it’s nice to see a shy character in a story. If we like to make people laugh, we might enjoy characters who are more boisterous and ...
  • 23 Jul 2018

The Wright Momentum Continues

Through the month of July, we’ve been looking at more ways to read the Bible. We don’t always read it chronologically. We follow the guidance of a Bible study group, of a church leader, and of our families. We listen to our own needs, looking to certain passages or themes in times of difficulty and ...
  • 30 Jul 2018

The SPCK Book Club has arrived!

We’ve officially launched the SPCK Book Club – please join in the discussion with the hashtag #SPCKBookClub!  We’ve picked Falling Upward by Richard Rohr for July. This short and thoughtful book can be read in an evening, but it’s one to return to again and again. Full of wisdom from many years leading congregations, ...

Christianity and poetry – how they often go together

We are all familiar with poetry of some kind. Most likely even studied an anthology or two at school. Maybe you know a poem by heart. But how much do we really know about poetry in the Bible? Believe it or not, at least one third of the Christian Bible (and three quarters of the Hebrew Bible) is poetry. The majority of the Old Testament was ...
  • 1 Aug 2018

A Chat with Stephen Cottrell

1 August is Play Day, which encourages the value of play and imagination. Our author Stephen Cottrell has always told stories to his children. Now, he has written a children’s story too. Read about the origins of his new book The Sleepy ...
  • 6 Aug 2018

The Poetry Of Terry Waite

On 19 July, we held an event with Terry Waite, where he spoke about his books Out of the Silence and Solitude. He spoke with great humility, kindness, and compassion. Many in attendance were young when he was captured and detained. They prayed for his release. On our blog today, Terry has chosen some of his favourite poems from Out of the Silence, ...
  • 13 Aug 2018

6 Questions for Rachael Newham

We will publish Learning to Breathe by Rachael Newham this week. Here, we chat with her about writing, hobbies, and taking photos for ...
  • 16 Aug 2018

The story you need to tell

“Only a smile, only a word, only a kindness done.A brief exchange, a little light from one to one.” - John McLeod, Appreciation Poems As Too Soon, a mother’s journey through miscarriage, is published today, I wanted to share my motivation for writing the book and my hopes for it. When I endured the horror of four consecutive ...
  • 16 Aug 2018

A Chat with Editor Tony Collins

19 August is World Humanitarian Day. Our Editor Tony Collins blogs about our upcoming book They Called Us Love and the inspiration behind ...

6 Ways to Help Families Who Are Less Fortunate

‘We’ve been so busy feeding everybody else that we’ve forgotten about ourselves!’ said Aunt Miranda. ‘I didn’t think of that,’ said Ellie.  Sylvia Green’s delightful and heart-warming picture book, We’re Hungry Too, helps adults and children alike to think about caring for creation, ...
  • 28 Aug 2018

How was your journey?

Sean Stillman's memoir God's Biker will be published on 20 September. Here, he chats with us about a different way to frame travel ...
  • 31 Aug 2018

A Chat with Cole Moreton

Today is National Maritime Day. Cole Moreton’s forthcoming book The Light Keeper is set in London and The South Downs. Here, he chats with us about his writing and the setting of his new ...
  • 10 Sept 2018

Helping the Helper

10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day. When one person intervenes and saves another from suicide, the support can go to the person who wanted to end their life. More care and attention must go to the helper. Here, Tim Cantopher blogs about helping someone who has prevented another person’s ...
  • 6 Sept 2018

National Read A Book Day

6 September is National Read A Book Day. Richard Harries, author of Haunted by Christ, blogs for us about the importance of reading and the effect that literature can have on our perspective, how we see ourselves and the ...
  • 8 Sept 2018

SPCK works to improve prisoners’ literacy skills

Rebecca Mulhearn is the project manager for Diffusion. She previously worked as a commissioning editor for SPCK and lives in Bedfordshire with her husband, two daughters and cat. In honour of International Literacy Day, she blogs about her work with Diffusion, a programme designed to help prisoners improve their literacy ...
  • 6 Sept 2018

5 Questions for Sarah Meyrick

Sarah Meyrick studied Classics at Cambridge and Social Anthropology at Oxford, which gave her a fascination for the stories people tell and the worlds they inhabit. She has worked variously as a journalist, editor and PR professional. She is the Director of the Bloxham Festival of Faith and Literature which is a small literary festival that takes ...
  • 11 Sept 2018

Replay and Regret? Responding to Shame

Our #SPCKBookClub pick for October is I Thought There Would Be Cake by Katharine Welby-Roberts. Rachael Newham, author of Learning to Breathe, shares her thoughts on this honest ...
  • 17 Sept 2018

God values who we are

Liz Carter, author of the forthcoming Catching Contentment, shares her thoughts on our book club pick I Thought There Would Be Cake by Katharine ...
  • 21 Sept 2018

International Day of Peace - Sean Stillman finds peace on the road

For International Day of Peace, Sean Stillman ...
  • 24 Sept 2018

I thought there would be cake too!

Tim Gough is the author of Rebooted, which looks to the Bible to reframe how youth ministry works for our generation. We gave him a copy of I Thought There Would Be Cake, our book club read for this month, and he had lots to ...
  • 15 Oct 2018

Work that we're called to do

Barbara Fox chats with us about the genesis of her new book Midwife of Borneo, in which she tells the story of the life and work of Wendy Grey ...
  • 26 Sept 2018

The Wisdom of Dr Dawn Harper on Fitness Day

Dr Dawn Harper is on our blog for Fitness Day, sharing her wisdom about the benefits of regular exercise. We all have to find the fitness that works well with us and makes us feel motivated. When we find what we enjoy, we look forward to our ...
  • 26 Sept 2018

Catching up with Andrew Gant

Andrew Gant will be at Southwark Cathedral on 2 October in conversation with Professor Jane Glover. Here, he chats with us about his work as a composer. Is writing music similar to writing a ...
  • 2 Oct 2018

The work we're called to do

Has anyone ever said to you, ‘Maybe acupuncture is your calling?’ Perhaps you’ve you thought to yourself, ‘Medicine is my calling.’ What difference does work take on when we feel it’s something we’ve been called to do? April Holden explores this theme in her new book They Called Us Love, which publishes ...
  • 6 Oct 2018

A Revolution in Your Head? How social prescribing could change the world

Emma Drew, author of The Whole Person Recovery Handbook, is on our blog for World Cerebral Palsy Day. The language we use to talk about diagnoses and conditions has a profound effect on the treatment of it.  How can social prescribing help result in better outcomes, ones that look at health in a way that’s more ...
  • 5 Oct 2018

SPCK Assemblies are perfect for teachers on World Teachers' Day

SPCK Assemblies are a great resource for teachers to use with their students. We chatted with Rebecca Parkinson about the assemblies she's been working on. Happy ...
  • 3 Oct 2018

Restricted Diet? Mindfulness Lends a Helping Hand

Catherine G Lucas is the author of four books on the holistic approach to mental health. Her latest in the Sheldon Press Mindful Way series is out now: Life Crisis: the Mindful Way. In her writing, Catherine draws on both her personal and professional experience, as a mindfulness trainer. Her one-day retreat on Kindfulness & Nutrition: ...
  • 4 Oct 2018

Catching up with Alexa Tewkesbury

Alexa Tewkesbury chats with us for #WorldAnimalDay about children’s books, her love of animals, and the things we can do to protect ...
  • 8 Oct 2018

Music to our ears - new additions to the SPCK Assemblies programme

This month, we’ll publish a biography of Johann Sebastian Bach by composer and author Andrew Gant.  He is writing a music assembly for the SPCK Assembly programme.  We caught up with Rebecca Parkinson about the addition of music assemblies to the ...
  • 9 Oct 2018

Pink and Blue - Baby Loss Awareness Week 2018

Loss is painful, lonely, and can cause deeper grief than we ever imagine. Jane Clamp has worked tirelessly to open the conversation surrounding baby loss. It’s hard to talk about. That’s why it needs to be spoken ...
  • 8 Oct 2018

Catching Up With Cole Moreton for Libraries Week

Cole Moreton is on our blog for Libraries Week. His new book The Light Keeper publishes in May of next ...
  • 11 Nov 2018

Reflections on the end of the Great War

On Remembrance Sunday, Alan Billings shares his ...
  • 11 Oct 2018

Faith carries us through hardship

We all want to contribute to something that is bigger than ourselves. We all want to make a difference in the lives of the people around us. When we serve people who need our help, we might be putting our own lives at risk. They Called Us Love is the story of a woman whose call to service was bigger than her own personal struggle. April’s ...
  • 12 Oct 2018

6 Questions for John Bowker

We chatted with John Bowker recently about his new book Religion Hurts, which publishes 18 ...
  • 16 Oct 2018

Sylvia Green's Tips for Reducing Food Waste

Sylvia Green has been a children’s author for many years.  Her books include several ‘Christmas animal’ books published by Scholastic.  We’re Hungry Too is her first picture book for SPCK. It is a full colour picture book with a fun story that encourages children to learn about caring for the natural world and ...
  • 22 Oct 2018

What can compel us to write nonfiction?

What makes a good biography? Barbara Fox reflects on her work in journalism and how it led to the writing of Midwife of Borneo. Though she’d planned to write fiction if she ever wrote a book, her editing and journalistic skills helped her to write nonfiction. While we can often plan to write one book initially, we can sometimes end up ...
  • 27 Oct 2018

The Importance of Good Mentorship

Christopher Dines is on our blog for Mentoring Day. Recovery from addiction takes an incredible amount of personal strength and resilience, but it also requires tremendous support from friends, family, and professionals. Having a mentor can make all the difference when healing from an ...
  • 1 Nov 2018

Kate Charles on writing

It’s officially #NaNoWriMo and we’re chatting with Kate Charles today about books and ...
  • 6 Nov 2018

Where do writers get their ideas?

In keeping with our #NaNoWriMo theme, we interviewed Sarah Meyrick, author of The Restless Wave, about her idea for her new novel. How do you begin with an idea and turn it into a ...
  • 11 Nov 2018

Rev Dr Mark Davidson's reflections on Remembrance Sunday

Rev Dr Mark Davidson, author of War Cries, is on our blog today for Remembrance ...
  • 12 Nov 2018

Joseph and the Bully Boys

Fiona Veitch Smith is on our blog for Anti Bullying Week. Why do people bully and what can be done to address it?  ...
  • 12 Nov 2018

Prayer as a form of self-care

Gemma Simmonds, author of The Way of Ignatius, is on our blog for self care week, discussing how prayer is as essential to self-care as healthy eating, good sleep, regular exercise, and time with friends and ...
  • 16 Nov 2018

Caring for yourself whilst you care for others

Dr Jennifer Bute, author of the new book Dementia From The Inside, was once a missionary doctor in Africa, and later a GP and educator for 25 years until she developed dementia. Jennifer had to resign from her work but realised understanding dementia from the inside was a ‘glorious opportunity’. Now Jennifer is much in demand as a ...
  • 16 Nov 2018

How to be a Dementia-friendly Church

Dr Trevor Adams is Director of Passionate Dementia Care, which offers training and consultancy to churches and Christian organisations in supporting people living with dementia. Trevor is a nurse and specialises in dementia care. He holds a doctorate in dementia care, has written widely and spoken at dementia conferences and universities in the UK, ...
  • 19 Nov 2018

How We Use Our Profits

SPCK has been publishing Christian books for over three hundred years – in fact, it’s the third oldest publishing house still operating in the UK! So it won’t be too surprising if you’ve come across our books before, or only know us as a ...
  • 20 Nov 2018

Alexa Tewkesbury's 3 wishes for all children

Alexa Tewkesbury has written several children’s books for us. It seems only fitting that she’d be on our blog for World Children’s Day, sharing her wishes for today’s ...
  • 21 Nov 2018

The expression of faith through art

‘Pictures can reach parts of the theological imagination that words cannot.’ Jane Williams considers the representation of faith through ...
  • 22 Nov 2018

What motivates us to do missionary work?

When you would like to work as a missionary, how do you get started and how can you stay involved? April Holden, who co-wrote They Called Us Love with Deborah Meroff, writes about her personal missionary experience and offers advice for getting involved with organisations like Operation ...
  • 27 Nov 2018

Ruth Clemence's Top 5 SPCK Reads of 2018

Blogger and book reviewer Ruth Clemence has read many of our books over the last year. We’ve asked her to pick her ...
  • 28 Nov 2018

Books that can change your life

Books are an invaluable source of power. They can teach you many things, show you different perspectives and in turn shape who you are along the way. We have selected a number of books that will shape your thinking and, possibly, change your ...
  • 2 Dec 2018

How can we prevent slavery?

Ben Cooley, CEO of anti-trafficking charity Hope for Justice, has a vision to live in a world free from slavery. Since it was founded 10 years ago, Hope for Justice has grown to become one of the world’s leading NGOs in this sector, active across four continent. Thanks to a team of former senior police investigators and detectives, lawyers, ...
  • 3 Dec 2018

#IDPWD2018: how can we make life and church more inclusive for people with disabilities?

3 December is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Roy McCloughry, author of The Enabled Life, blogs for us about how we can be inclusive of people with ...

3 biography recommendations from SPCK for Christmas

We read biographies to understand the world around us, to learn more about other people, and to see ourselves in others’ experiences. We don’t need to be a celebrity or a public figure to write a moving story. Books about ordinary people can be just as compelling as the biography of a famous painter or guitarist, if not more. For our ...
  • 6 Dec 2018

A Very Brief History of SPCK’s Charitable Work

Our Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel reflects on the values that led to the creation of SPCK, and how those values are still what drive us today.    ...
  • 5 Dec 2018

Managing MS Naturally

Tessa Buckley grew up near Epsom race course in Surrey. As a child, she spent a lot of time writing and illustrating stories. After leaving school, she studied interior design at Chelsea College of Art and worked in architecture and design in London until 1989, when she was forced to give up her career after developing multiple sclerosis. That was ...
  • 10 Dec 2018

You Didn’t Tell Me I Had To Do Something!

Sean Stillman, author of God’s Biker, shares his thoughts for Human Rights ...
  • 7 Dec 2018

Is my gift enough?

SPCK’s Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel blogs about generosity. It benefits everyone ...
  • 11 Dec 2018

Jessie Faerber's hopes and dreams for 2019

Jessie Faerber published More Than Just Pretty this year. We caught up with her about writing and future ...
  • 10 Dec 2018

5 Questions for Stephen Cottrell

Stephen Cottrell, author of The Sleepy Shepherd, chats with us about books, writing, and his plans for ...
  • 12 Dec 2018

Andy Frost's plans for 2019

We caught up with Andy Frost  about how the last year has been, especially since the publication of his book Long Story ...
  • 13 Dec 2018

Connection and Compassion at Christmastime

The holidays can be particularly hard for people who are in recovery from addiction. Christopher Dines considers ways that we can help ourselves and others during the holiday season, especially when we look to prevent ...
  • 14 Dec 2018

#FridayReads - Unpopular Culture by Guvna B

Our E-Commerce Executive Vita shares her thoughts on Unpopular Culture by Guvna ...
  • 17 Dec 2018

6 Questions for Kenneth Stevens

We caught up with Kenneth Stevens, author of Winter Tales, about writing and his plans for ...
  • 18 Dec 2018

Ruth Clemence's thoughts for International Migrants' Day

Blogger Ruth Clemence shares a review of They Called Us ...
  • 19 Dec 2018

Life-affirming memoirs make perfect Christmas gifts

Everything Happens For A Reason (And Other Lies I've Loved) by Kate Bowler was picked as one of Bill Gates's top reads this past summer.  It was a great book to read in your hammock on the beach, and it's still fabulous to read cuddled up by the fire with a cup of cocoa.  Life-affirming memoirs resonate with us all year ...
  • 19 Dec 2018

Q&A with John Goldingay

John Goldingay and Tom Wright recently published The Bible For Everyone. We chat with John about the skills a good translator needs and the importance of providing an updated ...
  • 21 Dec 2018

The deeply personal nature of poetry

Terry Waite’s new book Travels with a Primate will publish in February 2019. He’s on our blog to discuss Out of the Silence, his deeply moving and personal collection of poetry and ...
  • 2 Jan 2019

Building resilience: boundaries not barriers

How can we become more resilient? Justine Allain Chapman considers the importance of establishing and maintaining healthy ...
  • 3 Jan 2019

The peace that passes all understanding

Has your therapist or acupuncturist ever encouraged you to develop a mindfulness practice? Do you sit in front of YouTube tutorials and wonder if you’re doing it right? Do you feel frustrated because you’re afraid that you’ve done it wrong? You’re not alone. Christopher Dines talks us through mindfulness. There is no right ...
  • 14 Jan 2019

SPCK in Durham for the 1698 Club Dinner

Fundraising Assistant Catriona Brickel blogs about the 1698 Club Dinner that took place on 11 ...
  • 17 Jan 2019

Do love. Don't judge.

We ran a poll on Twitter asking what our readers wanted to see more of on our blog. The overwhelming majority asked for content based around our memoirs and biographies. Sean Stillman, author of God’s Biker, was the perfect person to ask to ...
  • 22 Jan 2019

Catching up with Michael Cassidy

Michael Cassidy, author of Footprints in the African Sand, blogs for us about his role in the dissolution of the ...
  • 23 Jan 2019

Gemma Simmonds on things she'd tell her younger self

Gemma Simmonds is a religious sister of the Congregation of Jesus. She began her ministry teaching at secondary level in the UK and went on from there to missionary work among women and street children in Brazil. She trained in Christian spirituality at the Ignatian spirituality centre in Wernersville, USA and this led to work as a retreat giver ...
  • 4 Feb 2019

What Not To Say To Someone Who Has Been Subjected To Abuse

4 – 10 February is Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week. Natalie Collins, author of Out of Control, shares what to not say to someone who has been subjected to ...
  • 5 Feb 2019

Brave New Year

Andrew Adam, author of Thomas Cochrane and the Dragon Throne, blogs for us about the Chinese New ...
  • 6 Feb 2019

#ReclaimSocial – Post Positive in 2019!

Social media has so much potential to be a force for good. We can re-connect with old friends easier than ever before, share important news articles and keep distant family up to date with changes in our lives. Social media has also been central to campaigns and protests, as demonstrated by the viral #metoo campaign. But it is impossible to deny ...
  • 12 Feb 2019

What is freedom?

What is freedom? Diffusion workshop at HMP North Sea Camp Did you know that SPCK provides free easy-to-read books to prison reading groups? Our Diffusion books are specially written to help prisoners who need to improve their reading confidence so that they are better able to find employment on release. We also work to change, attitudes, thinking ...
  • 13 Feb 2019

Struggling to find space? Follow Jesus into the desert.

The desert is a vast and beautiful. The colours of the sky and the sand and the piercing blue against the reds and the yellow, are intense. A few years ago, on an 8 days retreat in the Egyptian desert, three days of which were solitary and fasting, I was struck by the space and sheer beauty of the desert. It was a struggle to get away, with four ...
  • 14 Feb 2019

Five non-fiction books – International Book Giving Day

With international book giving day taking place today, this entirely volunteer-based initiative is aimed at giving awareness and sharing the love of books. Originating in the UK, volunteers and book lovers alike join in on the yearly celebration worldwide by giving the gift of books to others with the hope of instilling in them an affinity and ...

Michael Cassidy - My Life and Times: Part 1

Alongside the African Enterprise, I (like SPCK) am committed to reaching people and discipling them by books and Christian literature - Michael Cassidy's book publishes ...

I'm a bit like a mosquito

On International Women's Day, Hope Rising 365 author Meg Cannon is on the blog to talk about the women whose wisdom and wonder inspire Meg ...

How to recognise abuse

Our author and Gender Justice Specialist Natalie Collins explores ways to recognise signs of abuse, and what we can do to better understand the ...

Give the gift of story this Mother's Day

As Mothering Sunday approaches, give Mum a story that will touch her heart in a way no other gift ...

Schools assemblies can be fun!

Do you remember your school assemblies? I do, and how I wish I would forget some of them! We had one teacher, who would insist on taking Monday morning assemblies. Sure, you might think that he should be applauded for stepping up and taking on the task that no one else wanted. But you would be ...

Prayer Experiment Activity

What do you think of when you think of prayer? For a lot of people, it brings up images of being told to sit still and close their eyes while someone else ‘says a prayer’; or of reciting words from a page. Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, author of The Prayer Experiment series, teaches a fun prayer experiment to try with your ...

Who Cares About HIV?

For World Health Day, Who Cares About HIV? author, Paul Kybird, explains the new book, the challenges of those living with HIV, and their engagement with pastoral ...

Very Brief Histories Event

The Very Brief History series is a collection of short, accessible introductions on histories, legacies, and movements that have shaped the world written by industry experts. Our event on Saturday features four speakers uncovering the lives of Thomas More, Immanuel Kant, Byzantine Christianity, and Julian of Norwich. ...

News from the Independent Publishing Guild Awards

I am delighted to announce that we have been nominated for the Digital Publishing Award, and Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year (having received this two years in a row)! Learn more about how our school assemblies website is helping teachers grab the attention and engage young people. Today, millions of young people are facing pressures ...

Spanning the Decades

Sarah Meyrick introduces our new blog series where she takes you through the decades of her new novel, The Restless Wave, as well as inspiring stories from her own family ...

Spanning the Decades: 1940s

Sarah Meyrick's third installment of Spanning the Decades features the research that went into The Restless Wave and her own personal history with Church Stowe, available for pre-order ...

Natural Holy Places: Britain's Top 10

Nick Mayhew-Smith, author of The Naked Hermit, rounds up a five-year journey into the wild sacred spaces of Britain with a top 10 list of the most enchanting holy ...

Spanning the Decades: 1960s

Sarah Meyrick's fourth Spanning the Decades post for her new book The Restless Wave, available for pre-order ...

SPCK's Diffusion Project

All of us face personal struggles in our lives. Most us have the privilege of a stable upbringing, shelter, security and the safety that comes with ...

Mindfulness, Spirituality & Mental Health Awareness Week

Tim Stead, former Vicar, mindfulness teacher and author of See, Love, Be – Mindfulness and the spiritual life writes for Mental Health Awareness ...

Spanning the Decades: The Restless Wave

Sarah Meyrick's final post for our Spanning the Decades series is all about families and how to survive them. Order her new book, The Restless Wave, available ...

Prayer Experiment - Minecraft Church

Looking to engage your family in new creative ways of prayer? With our partner publisher Baker Books, we've paired these two titles to help you find creative ways to pray for your whole family! Like this Minecraft Church activity from Miranda Threlfall-Holmes' The Prayer Experiment ...

Dementia from the Inside

Louise Morse discusses her book with Dr Jennifer Bute, Dementia from the Inside, for Dementia Action ...

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Debra Green, author of Mountain Moving Prayer, is the National Director and founder of ROC which aims to work alongside the church in ways that demonstrate the Christian faith-in-action. She chats about how encouring faith to live out in ...

Inspiring hope: SPCK’s ministry to prisoners

Did you know that SPCK uses its skills as a publisher to help prisoners improve their reading skills? As a Christian charity we consider our work with prisoners to be a direct response to Jesus’ commandment to minister to those in prison (Matthew 25:36). SPCK’s Diffusion books are specially written to help adults who need to improve ...

Loneliness Awareness Week

Today marks the start of Loneliness Awareness Week, started three years ago by Marmalade Trust to change the way we think and acknowledge ...

Working with Richard Rohr

In his decades as a globally recognized teacher and Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr has helped millions understand and engage with matters of faith and spirituality. Alison Barr, Commissioning Editor and Publisher at SPCK tells us what it's like working with such an internationally renowned ...

Christian Summer Festivals

Three of the top Christian Summer Festivals to look out for this Summer, many of which are featuring SPCK authors. Find out more in the following blog ...

Coffee with Sarah Meyrick

Sarah Meyrick recently published her second novel, The Restless Wave. Set across three generations, the book emcompasses themes such as love, family, faith and history, with some of her inspiration coming from her own family history. We managed to find a quiet few minutes to catch up with Sarah and talk about all things ...

16 and a Half Ways to Upgrade Your Faith

We’ve all been there. One minute we’re sky-high in our relationship with God, and the next we’re questioning whether he’s listening to us at all. But what if there was a way to get past the ups and downs?  Youth Pastor Bob Wallington suggests ways to help us maintain a relationship with God in his book 16 and a Half ...

World Population Day and Christian Demographics

Our Global Advocacy Manager Dr Angus Crichton reflects on the continuing expansion of humanity and the shift of worldwide ...

The Light Keeper - blog post from Cole Moreton

Find out more about Cole Moreton's upcoming book The Light Keeper and how to win a night's stay at the Belle Tout ...

Why would a young man choose to follow Jesus in 2019?

With a million demands on their time and a million suitors for their attention, why would a young man follow Jesus? Martin Saunders, author of The Man You're Made To Be reflects on present-day masculinity, the challenges that young men are facing, and why young men need strong role models to ...

The Man I'll Pray You'll Be

Author and mum Rachael Newham hopes for many things for her little boy, many of which are reflected in Martin Saunders' new book The Man You're Made to ...

What challenges will humanity face? - as explored in The Human Odyssey

Stephen Green's upcoming book The Human Odyssey raises important questions about the future of humanity. Will we all live in cities by the end of the century? Will conflict be unavoidable? Will we be on a journey towards self-centred individualism? In this blog post Stephen gives us an idea of what of to expect in his upcoming ...

Book Launch on the Thames with Cole Moreton

Join Cole Moreton aboard the Tamesis for the London launch of his book The Light Keeper. If you're situated on the South Coast there's a few other events to keep in your diary too. Find out more in this blog post taken from Cole's latest ...

The Challenges of Urbanization

From one end of Eurasia to the other, societies are now either already highly urbanized or in the process of becoming so. In The Human Odyssey Stephen Green explores the challenges that are posed by this change. In the following blog post Stephen introduces us to his chapter on 'The forces unleashed by ...

Mark Oakley on Greenbelt Festival and the Poet George Herbert

We catch up with Mark Oakley to find out more about his appearance at Greenbelt Festival. We also hear about his admiration for two great poets, one of which he reflects upon in his upcoming book, My Sour-Sweet ...

Why life with dementia can be fulfilling and positive

Living with dementia is often accompanied with a negative stigma. Jennifer Bute's story proves that it is still possible to live positively with dementia, and there is much that can be done when living with this ...

Storytelling at Greenbelt by Murray Watts

Storytelling has always been a big part of Murray Watts' life. It started with his mother reading him the works of Hans Andersen and Grimms' Fairy Tales, which later led to his live broadcasts of monologues and parables on Radio Merseyside in 1971. It's now come full circle to the publication of 'Yours Truly', a collection of 18 brilliant and ...

Augustine’s Confessions, the story of his journey to adult Christian faith

On 28th August we celebrate the feast of St Augustine of Hippo. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a Roman African, early Christian theologian and philosopher from Numidia. Saint Augustine of Hippo is just one of twenty Christians that Rowan Williams reflects upon in his new book Luminaries. In this extract we learn about 'Augustine's Confessions' ...

Measuring success in the Church - do the numbers count?

How do we measure success in the Church? Should we even be using the word 'success'? Are churches failing if they're not growing? And do numbers really count? Vicars are often faced with questions such as these and long-standing minister Alan Bartlett knows all about these challenges. Alan has been an Anglican priest for 25 years and is now working ...

Exploring Patterns of History - an extract from The Human Odyssey

The long human odyssey of self-discovery has reached a crucial stage: everything we do affects everyone and everything else - and we know it. In this extract from Stephen Green's new book The Human Odyssey he explores patterns of history and questions whether these patterns justify the narrative of a human journey - an odyssey which, for ...

New for September 2019

6 New books for September 2019. From autobiographies to anthologies there's something for everyone, so grab a hot drink and embrace the benefits of hygge with a new read for Autumn ...

SPCK works to improve adult literacy

Did you know 1 in 6 adults in England have very poor literacy skills? Rebecca Law, Project Manager of SPCK's Diffusion Books tells us about the work that the project does to help prisoners, ex-offenders and homeless people improve their reading skills so they can find work and build a more hopeful future for ...

Who were the Mayflower Pilgrims?

16th September is Mayflower Day. Mayflower Day commemorates the day the ship set sail from Plymouth, England in 1620. The story of the first New England settlers has been told many times but not much has been told about what motivated these pilgrims to face the hazards of the transatlantic crossing. Historian Derek Wilson addresses this in his new ...

Busting the Myths of Dementia

Alzheimer's Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness, provide support and demystify dementia. The impact of Alzheimer's Day is increasing but there is still lack of information surrounding dementia. Louise Morse, co-author of Dementia from the Inside writes about the common myths of dementia and explains how the biggest hope is to ...

An Introduction to Twice-Rescued Child

Nearly 80 years after the Second World War the horror and sorrow still grips our hearts. There are countless stories of the families torn apart, yet so many individual lives, individual stories, are lost in the pages of time. Twice-Rescued Child follows the real-life story of Thomas Graumann, who at 8 years old excitedly boarded a ...

National Poetry Day with Janet Morley

In the lead up to National Poetry Day we speak to Janet Morley about her latest anthology Love Set You Going: Poems of the ...

"I have no tendency to be a saint" (John Henry Newman)

On 13th October 2019 Blessed John Henry Newman will be canonised a Saint by Pope Francis. Historian Eamon Duffy describes Newman's intellectual journey as one of the most remarkable of the nineteenth century. In John Henry Newman: A Very Brief History Eamon provides an engaging and judicious introduction on the life and legacy of this ...

How true friendship breaks down the stigma of mental illness

Thursday 10th October is World Mental Health Day, a day to help raise awareness and encourage open conversation. This year's theme is suicide prevention. Rachael Newman was aged just six when she had her first suicidal thought. In her book Learning to Breathe she shares her journey into and out of the darkness of depression. In this extract from ...

Black History Month and Extraordinary Saints

Black History Month allows us to take time to consider the individuals who have been relegated not just to the side-lines of history but forgotten through the ages. Sharon Prentis, Intercultural Mission Enabler and Dean of BAME Affairs for the Church of England in Birmingham tells us that whilst there has been a marked improvement in acknowledging ...

Why you should read this book... Q&A with Tricia Goyer, author of Twice Rescued Child

We catch up with Tricia Goyer, author of Twice Rescued Child. She tells us what inspired her to write the book and what we as readers can take away from the ...

How we can work together to create a truly inclusive church community

As we approach the end of Black History Month we're sharing an adapted extract from Ben Lindsay's book, We Need To Talk About Race. In this extract Ben explores the ways in which we can create an inclusive Church community effectively. He also discusses why inclusivity means much more than just having a diverse congregation, which, on its own, ...

Hope unleashed from a firefighter

With news of the official report into the Grenfell Tower fire being released today Gaby Doherty, author of Grenfell Hope reflects on the courage shown by the firefighters as well as the criticism they faced for the policies they operated ...

Saints known and unknown

All Saints' Day is celebrated in honour of all saints, known and unknown. In Every Tribe we learn about saints from a wide range of backgrounds. Pauli Murray is one of them. She was canonized by the Episcopal Church in 2012. In this extract poet and teacher Rachel Laurence reflects on the legacy of this ...
  • 11 Nov 2019

Top 3 Biographies

If you're looking for your next biography or in need of some inspiring wisdom why not check out our biography recommendations. New books by Rowan Williams and Tim Farron are featured, as well as an introduction to the life and legacy of John Henry ...

The most unlikely art critic in the history of TV

SPCK’s Publishing Director, Philip Law, tells us about what it was like working with the late Sr Wendy Beckett. Not long before she died she agreed to compile a list of her all-time favourite paintings, the result is recently published Sister Wendy's 100 Best-loved Paintings. Sample pages from this exciting new art book are available to view ...

New for November 2019

With the clocks going back an hour and the weather getting a lot colder there's no matter time to treat yourself to a new book or two to see you through the Winter months. November sees the publication of a great selection of books. New books include the biography on cricketer and bishop David Sheppard and Rupert Shortt's rebuttal on Richard ...

SPCK's AGM and Inaugural Annual Lecture

SPCK supporters ponder the mysteries of the Middle East with Terry Waite and Andrew White at SPCK’s inaugural Annual ...

New for December 2019

December sees the publication of a great selection of titles for Lent 2020. So if you've started your Lenten preparations early make sure to keep an eye out for these new books. Highlights include Saying Yes to Life: The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2020 and The Glory of the Cross by Cardinal Vincent ...

How to start your devotional journey

If you're looking for a new devotional or looking to start your devotional journey we've chosen three devotional books to help you to pause and reflect throughout the year ...

Top 10 Gifts for Him

Whether he's a fan of sport or an avid reader of suspense novels our ‘Top 10 Gifts for Him’ will inspire you to find that perfect book to gift this Christmas. Make sure you place your order before 19 December 2019 for pre-Christmas ...

What can I buy an Ordinand this Christmas?

Whether it's a book that celebrates the tradition of ordained pastoral ministry or a resource to help them communicate church in our ever-changing digital culture, there's sure to be a thoughtful and meaningful gift in our hand-picked selection of Christmas gifts for those training in ministry. Make sure you place your order before 19th December ...

The Evangelist as a Companion

Today on the Feast Day of John, Apostle and Evangelist, we are sharing an extract from Anglican Evangelists: Identifying and Training a New Generation. In this extract editor Martyn Snow writes about his own experiences of his vocation to ministry and how to be a 'true evangelist' we must accompany people on their own journey rather than ...

Taking Action to Save Water

Water is a key theme throughout Saying Yes to Life: The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2020. Whilst Ruth Valerio reflects on light and water in relation to the Days of Creation (Genesis 1), she also relates this back to the environmental, ethical and social concern that we face today with Climate Change. In this extract from the book ...

Is there such a thing as ‘women’s spirituality’?

Do women write differently from men? Is there such a thing as ‘women’s spirituality’? Liz Hoare asks these questions and more in her introduction to Twelve Great Spiritual Writers. In this short extract from the introduction Liz reflects on the history of women as writers and explains why she has chosen to write about these twelve ...

Your Own Call Less Ordinary

What next after university? In this extract from Rich Wilson's A Call Less Ordinary he shares his experience of coming to the end of his time at university and how it was around this time that he became aware of God's ...

Announcement: David Adam

With great sadness, we have to announce that the much-loved Celtic spirituality writer, David Adam, died suddenly at home on Friday 24 January, aged ...

An Evening with Tom Wright

Join Tom Wright on 12th March 2020 at Westminster Chapel where he will be talking on the subject of Jesus, Paul and the Question of God. He will then be interviewed by Justin Brierley on themes raised in his talk, after which he will answer questions pre-submitted by the audience. Find out how to get your tickets in this blog ...

The Real Life of a Ministry Mum

Here's part two of our Q&A with Jules Middleton, a ministry mum whose upcoming book Breaking the Mould seeks to challenge the ‘shoulds’ and stereotypes that surround both roles. In this second part of our Q&A Jules tells us who inspires her and what advice she would give to parents with a call to ...

An Irrepressible Journey

‘I sometimes feel we are sold a myth that we somehow download our purpose in our twenties and then work on that until we “achieve our dreams”,’ speaker, writer and coach Cathy Madavan shares with SPCK ahead of the launch of her new book, Irrepressible: 12 principles for a courageous, resilient and fulfilling ...

Why the title 'Irrepressible'?

"These twelve principles mean a lot to me and have formed so much of my thinking over recent years. I hope they will give other people some practical handholds and a good dollop of hope". Cathy Madavan, speaker and author of Irrepressible: 12 principles for a courageous, resilient and fulfilling life tells us why she wrote the book, why ...

‘Don’t just pretend to love others – really love them’

Today is International Women's Day, a global event that celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. To tie in with this awareness day we're sharing an extract from Helen Roberts' new book The Comparison Trap. In this extract Helen reflects on a passage from Romans 12:9-15 (NLT) and explores Paul's letter ...

Our Lady of Vladimir

Ahead of Mothering Sunday we're sharing an extract from Love Set You Going by Janet Morley. In this extract the poem Our Lady of Vladimir by Rowan Williams is featured alongside a reflection by ...

10 Ways to Combat Jealousy

To tie in with the publication of The Comparison Trap, author Helen Roberts suggests 10 ways that we can combat ...

Keeping up-to-date with SPCK authors

In this blog post you will find a list of author-led online events, radio interviews, Facebook LIVE events, Twitter takeovers and much ...

Digital Platforms for Churches During Coronavirus

How do you meet and connect with your church in place of gathered environments, small groups and pastoral conversations? Mark Crosby, author of So Everyone Can Hear explains the many digital platforms that are available and when best to use ...

Words for Worrying Times

Rachael Newham, author of Learning to Breathe has provided some encouraging words to reflect upon during these challenging ...

SPCK Authors at Spring Harvest Home

From 13th to 17th April Spring Harvest will be delivered direct to your living room via a free online conference on YouTube. Many SPCK authors are taking part in Spring Harvest Home and you will be able to find out more about them in this blog post. You will also find here the latest edition of SPCK Today which is a special Spring Harvest edition. ...

Escapism Reads for Uncertain Times

In these uncertain times being able to immerse yourself in a good book can be a welcome escape. In this blog post you will find book suggestions from our fiction imprint: Marylebone ...

Oh God, help - an extract from Godbothering

Why bother with God? Do you know what matters in life? What are the limits of kindness? Why doesn’t God intervene? What are you worth? For twenty years, bestselling novelist Rhidian Brook has pondered such questions on Radio 4's Thought for the Day. 100 of his thoughts have been recently published in his book Godbothering. We're sharing ...

Q&A with David Wilbourne, Author of Just John

David Wilbourne has been a 'John Habgood observer' for 37 years. Just John: The Authorized Biography of John Habgood has been a long time in the making, as we learn in this Q&A with David it took four years to complete just one chapter. Find out in this first part of our Q&A what it was like to write this biography and whether David, ...

Publishing in a Pandemic - How is Ready to Rise helping to empower readers during this time

Jo Saxton's book Ready to Rise is hitting the shelves and virtual shelves at an unprecedented time of global crisis. Naturally, Jo didn't have a global pandemic in mind when she put pen to paper, but readers have told her that they feel this book is empowering them for this moment. We catch up with Jo in this Q&A and find out her ...

You are not alone, an extract from Baby Change

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is a week-long campaign dedicated to talking about mental illness during and after pregnancy. In the introduction to Baby Change, Anne Calver writes that she '...did not find anything to help parents emotionally, mentally or spiritually as they prepared for and transitioned into life as mums and dads'. In ...

He is Our Anchor of Hope, an extract from Broken by Fear, Anchored in Hope

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and we're sharing an extract from Rob Merchant's upcoming book: Broken by Fear, Anchored in Hope. Drawing on his own experience, Rob shows how healing starts when we acknowledge and accept our vulnerability. Knowing our place before God and surrendering wholly to Christ, we can discover forgiveness and ...

Thomas Graumann, the boy who fled the Nazis

It is with great sadness that today we hear of the passing of Thomas Graumann, one of the last children rescued by British humanitarian Nicholas Winton. Thomas' story was published in the book Twice Rescued Child, co-written with Tricia Goyer. Last year we caught up with Tricia and she told us what it was like working with Thomas and ...

Tears, Locked Doors and Doubt - an extract from God and the Pandemic

Today sees the publication of Tom Wright's new book God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection on the Coronavirus and its Aftermath. In this extract from the book Tom Wright draws parallels between the tears, locked doors and doubt that are present in the Gospel of John with the tears, locked doors and doubt that we are experiencing ...

What is it like to be a young carer?

Today marks the start of Carers Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. According to the last census, there are 166,000 young carers in England, but recent research suggests that the actual figure ...

What is Resilience? And Why Now is the Time to Practise It

Several years ago when Meg Warner began writing the drafts for Joseph: A Story of Resilience Brexit was only a 'pipe dream'. Later, in the editing stages Brexit had become the greatest challenge to have struck the UK for many decades. In March 2020, the book entered the final stages of publishing and the coronavirus pandemic had threatened to ...

Q&A with Faith in Later Life

We chat to Carl Knightly, CEO of Faith in Later Life about upcoming book Finishing Well: A God's-eye view of ...

Mental Health and Wellbeing during a Time of Uncertainty

In this time of uncertainty, it is even more important to pay attention to our mental health and wellbeing, checking our blind spots and being honest with ourselves and others. It is this honesty that make Rob Merchant’s Broken By Fear, Anchored In Hope such an important book for this season. Here, Rachael Bell and Simon Ponsonby ...

SPCK wins £1,000 Movement for Good award

Thank you to those of you who nominated SPCK for a Movement for Good award. We're delighted to announce that SPCK's Diffusion prison literacy project has won the £1000 Movement for Good award! Find out more in the following press ...

Love Means Love: Same-sex Relationships and the Bible

Last month saw the publication of Love Means Love by David Runcorn. Prior to publication we sent out review copies of the book to a number of individuals who we thought would be interested in reading it. In this blog post you will find a review from Emma, a supporter of the Campaign for Equal Marriage in the Church of England. She tells us what it ...

Vocation isn't just about ordained ministry

What do you think of when you hear the word 'vocation'? Many think of routes into ordination or authorized lay ministry. Vocation is much more than that as John Pritchard explains here in this adapted extract from his new book Handbook of Christian ...

How Talk Can Transform Us

'The idea of talking to someone for eight hours might have been daunting for some people, but this is what Rowan and I have been doing for more than a decade'. Greg Garrett tells us about the many conversations he had with Rowan Williams, and how these conversations became a book, giving readers the chance to be a 'fly on the ...

Notes on Love by Lauren Windle - publishing July 2021

We're delighted to announce our latest acquisition, Notes on Love by journalist, speaker and recovering addict Lauren Windle. Perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton’s Everything I know About Love and Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail but who felt that they didn’t capture the nuances of what it means to date within church culture. Find out ...

Lesson 90: Be Nice

Tola Doll Fisher reflects on Ephesians 4.31, and how it can be used to remind us to not engage in behaviour that can negatively impact another's mental health. This extract from her book Still Standing is Lesson 90: Be ...

Black theology as a resource for transformative ministry

Is God Colour-Blind? by Anthony G. Reddie has been recently revised and updated for 2020. This new edition contains a new afterword on why Black Lives Matter. In this blog post you will find a extract taken from the introduction of the book. It is here that Anthony explains how this book can be used by Christian ministers and those in lay ...

But Where Are You Really From?

‘Where are you from?’ I’m asked.‘The UK,’ I reply. ‘I mean where are you really from?’ ‘Zambia,’ I reply. In this blog post you will find a short video of Amanda Khozi Mukwashi reading from the opening chapter of her book But Where Are You Really From? The extract is also ...

'... a springboard for future sustainable change' - Black History Month 2020

As we celebrate Black History Month this October, we ask retired superintendent Dr Leroy Logan, MBE what Black History Month means to ...

National Poetry Day 2020 - Hope by George Herbert

National Poetry Day is celebrated every year on the first Thursday of October, and encourages everyone to enjoy, discover and share poetry. With this in mind, we are sharing a poem by George Herbert called Hope, with a commentary from Mark Oakley. This is an extract from Mark Oakley's volume My Sour-Sweet Days: George Herbert and the Journey of the ...

World Mental Health Day 2020: Greater Investment – Greater Access

The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day on 10th October every year. With the current worldwide pandemic, an already dire mental health landscape has seen mental health conditions rise across the globe. Mental health is a topic that many Christians struggle to talk about. In Broken by Fear: Anchored in Hope, author Rob ...

Who doesn’t like making top-ten lists?

In this extract from We are Satellites by Martin Saunders, we learn how lists of favourite films, books, music or games all have one thing in common, and that is: the creative arts. With creative arts having the same common root of human creativity, where does that creativity come ...

5 Beautiful Books for Children

With the festive season fast approaching we are delighted to share with you these 5 beautiful books for children. With wonderfully illustrated covers and pages, each one these books will delight young readers as they open them on Christmas day and treasure them ...

What to buy your minister this Christmas

In this blog post you will find a selection of gift ideas for vicars, pastors, and those training in ministry. Whether they are expanding their church’s online presence, are involved with the Living in Love and Faith developments, or looking for ways that their church can be fully inclusive, these books will nourish leaders and help them to ...

Gifts with Strings Attached

Receiving a generous gift is often much harder than giving. We can feel obligated or humbled, depending on who is doing the giving. It’s a real challenge to daily accept and believe God’s grace as the ultimate loving gift with no strings ...

Thoughtful Gifts for Her

If you’re unsure what to buy your wife, girlfriend, sister, mother, or daughter, then look no further as we suggest some gift ideas to help you find that perfect ...

Judge Deb and the Battle of the Bands: A Bedtime Story with Paul Kerensa

Join in the fun with Paul Kerensa as he does a live bedtime reading of his delightful retelling of the story of Judge Deborah. This reading is taking place on Wednesday 2nd December 2020 via Zoom Webinar, and is also being broadcast LIVE to ...

SPCK’s AGM – An Annual Gathering in Exceptional Times

On 19th November 2020, our AGM took place via Zoom. Find out more about the event in this blog ...

Our Need for Renewal - Reflecting back on SPCK’s 2020 Annual Lecture

SPCK’s well-received AGM and annual lecture on 19 November gave us all, “much to ponder and act on.” as one attendee told us. The virtual event was hosted by broadcast journalist, Genelle Aldred in conversation with four esteemed SPCK authors who shared their understanding of ‘renewal’ and responded to questions from ...

A Reminder by Sarah Bessey

You don’t have to be productive and you don’t have to change the world. You’re already so loved. You don’t have to be smart. You don’t have to be simple. You don’t have to read all the right books by the right people. You’re already so loved. An extract from A Rhythm of Prayer edited by Sarah ...

The Entombment

'When Titian painted the Entombment, the plague was raging in Venice. The consciousness of death must have been on everyone’s mind, and perhaps specially on Titian’s, because he was very old'. In this blog post you will find an extract from The Art of Holy Week and Easter by Sister Wendy Beckett. Many will agree that this specific ...

Celebrating the launch of homegroups.org.uk

Today we're launching Home Groups! The largest source of free, high quality, curated small group material on the Internet. Find out more about this exciting new website in this blog ...

Miss, What Does Unprecedented Mean?

The pandemic has doubled if not tripled the workload and the angst for teachers. Some colleagues I know are physically in the classroom, teaching surprisingly-large numbers of pupils while streaming those lessons live to pupils at home. Fran Hill, author of Miss, What Does Incomprehensible Mean? tells us what teaching in a pandemic ...

Are UK churches doing enough to fight climate change?

Just 1 in 10 young people believe their church is doing enough to respond to the climate crisis. What can the Church do to combat this concern among young ...

'A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change'

#ChoosetoChallenge is this year's theme for International Women's Day. With this mind, we are sharing an extract from Josephine Butler: A Very Brief History. Josephine challenged social attitudes to women and campaigned for women's rights. In this extract, author Jane Robinson tells us about Josephine's far-reaching influence, and how one of her ...

We're launching a new imprint!

Launching in July 2021, Form will publish books that help busy readers to cultivate spiritual rhythms and practices in everyday ...

Weep with Those Who Weep - Online Conversation 8th April 2021

Join Elaine Storkey, Natalie Collins, Genelle Aldred and Rob Merchant for an online conversation on 8th April on Zoom ...

God's Brilliantly Big Creation Story Book Launch!

Find out how you can join this exciting book launch in the following blog ...

Weep with Those Who Weep - audio recording

The audio recording from the Weep With Those Who Weep event is now ...

Unbelievable? The Conference 2021

This year’s conference is hosted by Justin Brierley & Ruth Jackson. It will bring together world-renowned historians, theologians and communicators, including NT Wright, Tom Holland, Clare Williams and Sean & Josh ...

Faith in Fiction

Join us for a live broadcast at 7.30pm on Thursday 20th May 2021 as we celebrate the publication of Catherine Fox’s latest novel Tales from ...

Leadership 101 Book Launch

Find out how you can attend the Leadership 101 book launch in the following blog ...

What makes all-age worship so difficult?

In this adapted extract from Worship for Everyone, Nick and Becky Drake address the challenges of all-age worship, and suggest practical steps to help overcome ...

The Case for Christianity, as told by a lawyer

'Lawyers are meant to be interested in proof. What’s the proof for Christianity?'. A question often presented to Simon Edwards, the subject of ‘proof’ brings with it much debate. Christianity cannot be demonstrated as true in the same way that a mathematical equation can be, so how can it be ...

Q&A with Ruth Valerio & Paul Kerensa

We chat to Ruth Valerio and Paul Kerensa about their new book Planet Protectors: 52 Ways to Look After God's ...

SPCK Authors at United Breaks Out 2021

Find out which SPCK authors are taking part in United Breaks Out ...

Just Leadership Book Launch

The Just Leadership book launch is taking place both online and in-person on 16th September 2021. Find out how you can attend in the following blog ...

The New Rules of Social Media

When used correctly, social media can be a helpful tool for youth leaders. There is of course a dark side to social media. In this extract from Leadership 101, Tim Alford, National Director of Limitless provides 5 top tips for using social media ...

Just Leadership TV Series

This Autumn join Simon Barrington and Justin Humphreys as they host the Just Leadership TV Series on ...

Through the Year with SPCK Group

Explore our wide selection of inspirational and enlightening daily devotionals and 365 Children's Bibles to connect with God each ...

Lent Starts On March 2nd

This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, March 2nd - also known as Ash Wednesday. It's never too early to start preparing for Lent. Sign up for our daily Lent reflections delivered straight to your inbox and explore our wonderful selection of Lent titles, including Embracing Justice, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book for 2022. ...

20% Off Mental Health Resources

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we've put together a selection of SPCK titles that encourage and support mental health, from inspirational biographies to insightful books on mindfulness and self-care. All 20% Off this ...

The Queen and SPCK

Over the past 70 years of her reign, Queen Elizabeth’s support for SPCK and its mission has remained steadfast, a continuation of the centuries of royal patronage we have enjoyed since our charity was founded by Thomas Bray in ...

Loneliness Awareness Week 2022: what can faith teach us about isolation and despair?

For Loneliness Awareness Week 2022, we’re highlighting some of our books that speak profoundly to mental illness, and how to pursue faith amid loneliness and ...

SPCK and Lexham Press announce UK partnership

SPCK is pleased to announce that it will become the sole sales and distribution partner for Lexham Press in the UK and the European Union (EU). Lexham Press titles will be available from Wiley Distribution Services from 15th January ...

CRT Awards 2022

Find out in this blog post which books from the SPCK Group have been shortlisted for the 2022 CRT ...

Made to Rise Event - Exploring mental health and transformational faith

Register for our Made to Rise free event on September 22nd where we will discuss mental health and transformational faith with SPCK authors Pastor Mick Fleming, John-Paul Flintoff and ...

Remembrance Sunday

To mark Remembrance Day, taking place this Sunday, we've created a free Remembrance Day Service to use at home or at ...

Advent Books 2022: Discussion and Readings

Join Church House Bookshop on Wednesday 23 November at 7pm to hear Nicholas Holtam talk about his Advent book Sleepers Wake: Getting serious about climate ...

Blue Monday Week: Save 10% on Mental Health Resources

Banish January Blues and save 10% this Blue Monday Week on inspirational and uplifting Mental Health Resources. ...

Guest Post: Lily-Jo's Blue Monday Tips for Talking to Children About Mental Health

Lily-Jo, a children’s mental health expert and author of Talking to Children About Mental Health, shares with us her top tips for helping you AND your child through the January ...

SPCK Authors at Spring Harvest 2023

Spring Harvest is back on April 10th to April 14th, and we're thrilled to be publishing Flipped, the official theme book, and The Beatitudes, the official workbook. To celebrate, we're offering 20% OFF books from all attending ...

Celebrate International Children's Book Week

Celebrate International Children's Book Week with 20% OFF the Adventuring Girls series. ...

Amy Scott Robinson Discusses her Adventuring Girls series

Amy Scott Robinson, author of the Adventuring Girls series, discusses traditional fairytales, fierce heroines, and what she hoped to achieve with her Adventuring Girls series. ...

Cathy Madavan and Why Less Means More

Cathy Madavan, author of Irrepressible, has a new book out this month - Why Less Means More. Learn how you can leave fear and franticness behind and discover that less can really lead to more. Save £2 OFF this month with our coupon code. ...

The Promise and Peril of AI: An interview with Stephen N. Williams

Delve into the fascinating and complex world of Artificial Intelligence with Stephen N. Williams, co-editor of The Robot Will See You Now. Learn about the potential benefits and ethical considerations associated with AI, and explore the ongoing debate on whether AI research is moving too fast. Don't miss our 20% OFF Discount Code! ...

Coronation Sale: Enjoy 20% OFF the entire website!

Celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty The King Charles III this Saturday, the 6th of May, with 20% OFF our entire website until May ...

SPCK Authors at Big Church Festival: Storytelling and Crafting Tent!

Join us and our amazing authors at our Storytelling Tent at Big Church Day Out on the 27th & 28th of May! Crafting space, chill out library and live readings from all your favourite children's authors, and ...

The Company of Heaven Catherine Fox Blog Tour

Join Catherine Fox, author of Company of Heaven - the fifth book in the beloved Lindchester Chronicles series, on her fabulous blog tour taking place on the 18th- 26th of ...

SPCK Authors at New Wine United 23 26-30 July

Join SPCK Authors Cathy Madavan, John McGinley, Malcolm MacDonald, Bishop Emma Ineson, and Paul Harcourt at New Wine United 23. ...

SPCK Author Sir Terry Waite appointed Knight Commander

We're thrilled to congratulate SPCK author Sir Terry Waite on his appointment as Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) for his services to ...

SPCK Authors at Creation Fest!

Join SPCK Authors Sarah Yardley and Hope Virgo at Creation Fest on the 3rd to the 6th of ...

Patrick Regan OBE Brighter Days Tour

Join Patrick Regan OBE on his Brighter Days tour across the UK! Read on for dates and book launch locations. ...

Patricia J. Murphy, author of God is Everywhere, at AASL

Patricia J. Murphy, author of God is Everywhere, is at AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS in Tampa, Florida on October 19th - ...

SPCK January New Releases

Explore our fantastic six new titles out this ...

The Best Self-Help Books to Brighten Your January

Looking for best self-care books to support your mental health? Here, we round up our top ten books about mental health, anxiety, depression, stress, and personal growth. ...

Explore Our February New Releases

Discover our amazing new releases this month! From the perfect baptism, christening and dedication gifts to our multimillion bestselling children's Bible - The Children's Bible in 365 Stories, there is sure to be something for every child this ...

Share Your Love of Reading this World Book Day!

Share your love of reading this World Book Day! With over half of children saying they don't enjoying reading, it's more important than ever to support children in learning how to love reading. We've compiled some of our bestselling children's books we know children and young readers will ...

Children Interview Tom Wright: My Big Story Bible

Watch children chat with bestselling author and theologian Tom Wright about his new Bible for children: My Big Story ...

Discover our March New Releases

Discover our new releases this March! From My Big Story Bible by bestselling author Tom Wright to Lauren Windle's insightful and entertaining Notes on Feminism, there's a book everyone can ...

Celebrate Earth Day With 7 Earth-Friendly Reads For Kids

Today is Earth Day! Celebrate Earth Day with your child or grandchild with 7 inspiring fiction and nonfiction books all about the Earth and the environment. These captivating books will inspire kids to make god's world a cleaner and more beautiful place to ...

SPCK Authors Speaking at Big Church Day Out!

SPCK Authors Speaking at The Big Church Festival are Joshua Luke Smith, Paul Kerensa, Dai Woolridge, Sarah Yardley and Cath ...

SPCK Authors Rowan Williams & John Lennox Speaking at The Hay Festival

SPCK Authors Rowan Williams and John Lennox will be speaking at The Hay Festival: How The Light Gets ...

SPCK Authors At St Andrews Literature Festival

St Andrews Bookshop will be hosting their first ever annual Christian literature festival! We're thrilled that several of our authors will be speaking at the ...

Discover Our New June Releases

Explore our amazing new releases this ...

17 Books We Can't Wait To Read This Summer!

Explore seventeen wonderful books that we can't wait to read this ...

Explore Enduring Wisdom: Read Extract

Read an extract from our beautiful new gift book - Enduring Wisdom: Words of Hope By Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ...

SPCK Authors Speaking at Satellites 2024

Three of our incredible authors will be speaking at Satellites 2024 -an inspirational youth event helping young people to put God at the centre of their lives : Martin Saunders, Lauren Windle, and Justin ...

Discover Our CRT 2024 Award-Winning Books!

We're delighted that two of our books have been awarded CRT awards - Brighter Days by Patrick Regan for Christian Life Book of the Year and Tom Wright's My Big Story Bible for Children's Book of the ...

Rachel Mann Do Not Be Afraid Advent Videos

Watch Free Advent Weekly Videos to accompany the bestselling Advent book - Do Not Be ...

10 SPCK Books That Defined 2024

Let's celebrate ten SPCK Books of 2024! A Year of Faith and ...

Understanding the Bible: 10 Essential Books to Deepen Your Christian Faith

Discover 10 essential SPCK books that make understanding the Bible easier, deepen your Christian faith, and help you connect with the teachings of the Bible in a meaningful way. ...

Trailblazer Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin Launches Inspiring Autobiography at Waterstones Piccadilly

Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin’s autobiography, The Girl from Montego Bay, was launched at Waterstones Piccadilly, celebrating her inspiring journey as Britain’s first black woman ...

SPCK Shortlisted for Independent Publisher of the Year at the 2025 British Book Awards

SPCK is honoured to be shortlisted for Independent Publisher of the Year at the 2025 British Book Awards, reflecting our commitment to publishing Great Christian books and inspiring readers ...

Discover Our Latest Releases: Inspiring Reads for March 2025

Discover our newest releases, featuring inspiring stories, insightful theology, and fresh Bible editions designed to deepen faith and spark ...

Bible Sales Surge Among Gen Z: SPCK's Role In The Growing Demand

Gen Z is driving a surge in Bible sales, seeking meaning, mental well-being, and faith through Scripture like never ...

Stories She’ll Love: Meaningful Books to Gift This Mother’s Day

Celebrate Mother’s Day with meaningful, faith-filled books for every woman who’s shaped your story — from mums and mentors to daughters and ...

SPCK Wins Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year at the Independent Publishing Awards 2025

SPCK has been recognised for publishing excellence, winning Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year and the Virtusales Metadata Award at the 2025 Independent Publishing ...

New Christian Books to Inspire Every Generation – May Releases from SPCK

Discover SPCK’s latest Christian reads—from Justin Brierley’s powerful apologetics to inspiring and accessible children’s titles for churches, schools, and ...

We Need to Talk About Race: A Bold New Christian YA Book and More June Releases

Discover bold, fun, and essential new Christian books for every generation, from empowering YA reads to trusted church ...

John Lennox: Apologetics and Christ’s Return

Renowned Oxford mathematician and Christian apologist John Lennox will speak at the Cambridge Apologetics Conference 2025 on how Christ’s return and the renewal of creation shape Christian witness ...

John Lennox Speaking on the Book of Daniel at Teach the Word 2025

Renowned Oxford mathematician and Christian apologist John Lennox explores the compelling relevance of the Book of Daniel at Teach the Word 2025 in Oxford, in a family-friendly conference designed to inspire and ...

SPCK Group Wins Christian Book of the Year and Autobiography of the Year at the CRT Awards 2025

SPCK Group is celebrating a double win at the CRT Awards 2025. Read the full story behind our award-winning books, Discovering Christianity and The Girl from Montego ...

Witney Book Launch: Rachael Newham & Rachel Bearn Share Their Inspiring New Books

Join SPCK authors Rachael Newham and Rachel Bearn in Witney on 27th September for an evening of inspiration, faith, and the launch of their new books Beloved is Where We Begin and A Year to Slow ...

New SPCK Books to Grow Your Faith in 2025

Discover SPCK’s new Christian books for 2025: devotionals, Bible guides, and spiritual formation titles to inspire growth, prayer, and purpose in the year ...

SPCK Group Celebrates 50 Years at Frankfurt Book Fair

SPCK Group celebrates 50 years at the Frankfurt Book Fair, honouring our enduring legacy of faith, innovation, and commitment to connecting readers ...

Who Am I? Rediscovering Our True Identity This Advent

In Who Am I?, Bishop Nick Baines invites us this Advent to pause, reflect, and rediscover our true identity in Christ—the God who seeks us out with love, grace, and surprising ...

Dame Sarah Mullally Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury

SPCK celebrates Dame Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, and her inspiring Advent and Lent ...

Guest Post: Why Belovedness Matters More Than Resolutions This New Year

In her heartfelt guest post, Rachael Newham, author of Beloved is Where We Begin, invites readers to embrace gentleness and God’s love in the New Year instead of chasing unrealistic ...

UK Bible Sales Are Up 134% Since 2019

Discover why more people, especially younger readers, are returning to the Bible and how Scripture continues to speak into everyday ...

My Creator Calling: A Poem from Hope Rising 365 by Meg Cannon

An encouraging poem from Meg Cannon’s Hope Rising 365 explores how God meets us in our weakness and calls us from darkness into hope and new ...

Why People Still Come to Church: Voices from Southern Africa

The Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba shares reflections from Southern Africa on why people still come to church—highlighting worship, community, resilience and faith in the midst of ...

Stories of the Saints: Inspiring Saints Every Child Should Know

Discover inspiring saint stories for children as Margaret McAllister shares the remarkable lives of Christian heroes featured in Stories of the ...
  • 5 Dec 2018

Alan Barker's take on a classic Christmas story

Alan Barker chats with us about his inspiration for writing his new book The Shepherd Who Couldn't ...

Australian Christian Book Of The Year

Jesus Through Muslim Eyes by Richard Shumack has been shortlisted for the 2021 Australian Christian Book of the Year Award! Find out more in this blog ...

Jesus, the Earth, and Environmental Justice (an extract from Justice for Christ's Sake)

Twenty years before Greta Thunberg arrived on the scene, Bishop James Jones asked young people how worried they were about the future of the world. In an assembly of 250 young people, all of them raised their hand to show concern. In this extract from his memoir, Justice for Christ's Sake, James reflects on this time and how it led him explore what ...

Join SPCK author John-Paul Flintoff on an Online Pilgrimage

Join John-Paul Flintoff, author of Psalms for the City, on an online pilgrimage as he etches exquisite and quirky illustrations on to the streets of ...