Zondervan Announces TNIV Bible Partnership with newsboys

Zondervan Announces TNIV Bible Partnership with newsboys newsboys Offers Fans Direct Access to TNIV on newsboys.com GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans of EMI CMG/Sparrow's internationally-renowned Christian recording artists, newsboys, have another reason to support the band and visit their website at http://www.newsboys.com/ . (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050107/LAFRU3 ) Zondervan and newsboys today announced a partnership that will make the New Testament of Today's New International Version of the Bible, or TNIV, available on newsboys' website as a PDF. And in April 2005, a newsboys' song and a TNIV endorsement from lead singer Peter Furler will be included on the TNIV MP3 New Testament CD, which will be available in retail stores. A TNIV endorsement from lead singer Peter Furler is currently included as an insert in the latest newsboys CD, devotion, as well as in the back of The Purple Book, which is a Bible study produced by newsboys and Every Nation. The TNIV is a new Bible translation published by Zondervan that will release in both Old and New Testaments on Feb. 4, 2005. The TNIV, which was translated by the same committee that translated the world's bestselling modern English translation, the NIV, will be published in creative, innovative formats to engage the hearts and minds of 18- to 34-year-olds. According to newsboys lead singer Peter Furler, engaging today's generation with the Bible is incredibly important. "There was a time in my life when, even though I believed that Jesus was the way, I still felt lost. Even though I believed he was the truth, I didn't have much truth in me. I believe this is right where the enemy wants each of us. A state where we know little of what God has said, leaving us captive to our own thoughts, robbing us of the strong foundation we need in order to thrive," Furler said. "The only foundation that will prevail is the one built on God's Word. That's why I'm proud to stand with Zondervan, bringing the Word to today's generation. That's why I believe so strongly in Today's New International Version, the TNIV; a new translation that speaks the timeless truth of God's Word in the language of today." A national Harris Interactive poll conducted earlier this year found that 18- to 34-year-olds are highly receptive to the TNIV: 77 percent of them found the TNIV easier to understand than the NIV, and 72 percent of them found the text more readable. "newsboys is a perfect partner for the TNIV, as they play before hundreds of thousands of 18- to 34-year-olds every year," said Brad Doll, senior director of marketing for Zondervan's 18- to 34-year-old Bible team. "newsboys is just as passionate as we are about reaching today's generation with a Bible translation that is incredibly accurate and incredibly readable. We're extremely proud to be partnering with them." In February of 2005, Zondervan will release nine innovative TNIV Bibles, designed specifically to reach 18- to 34-year-olds, both Christians and those spiritually-intrigued. A recent Harris Interactive poll sponsored by Zondervan showed that almost 60 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds believe the Bible is relevant to their lives, but more than half never read it or read it less than once a year. The TNIV has been in development for nearly a decade under the direction of the Committee on Bible Translation, or CBT, a fully independent group of top evangelical scholars from around the world. The CBT is the same body that translated the NIV, the most read, most trusted modern English translation. Because English is constantly changing and the NIV was first published more than 30 years ago, the CBT saw the need to produce a text that more accurately reflected today's language. "The TNIV will be the biggest Bible translation launch in history, based on the breadth of products offered and the promotion that we intend to do," said Paul Caminiti, publisher and vice president of Bibles at Zondervan. "We know there is a need for this translation and we're thrilled to begin reaching today's generation with God's word in compelling, innovative formats, all supported by a translation that is uncompromisingly accurate and absolutely faithful to the original biblical texts." For more information on the TNIV, visit http://www.tniv.com/ . For more information on newsboys and to read the TNIV New Testament, visit http://www.newsboys.com/ . Zondervan is the leading Christian communications company in the world. Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, produces Bibles, books, new media products, gift products from its Inspirio group and children's products from its Zonderkidz group. The world's leading Bible publisher, Zondervan holds exclusive North American publishing rights to the New International Version of the Bible, the bestselling modern English translation in the world. More than 215 million copies of the NIV have been sold or distributed worldwide. Visit Zondervan on the web at http://www.zondervan.com/ . About newsboys Produced by Peter Furler, devotion follows the band's award-winning, gold- selling Adoration: The Worship Album, which featured the No. 1 single "He Reigns" and generated the sold-out Adoration: The Tour earlier this year. Having over five million career sales, 19 No. 1 hit singles and continual record-breaking attendance at concerts, the four-time GRAMMY nominated newsboys has additionally attracted national mainstream media coverage from Newsweek, ESPN II, USA Today, CNN and CBS Sunday Morning, among others. Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050107/LAFRU3 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: Zondervan CONTACT: Tara Powers or Eric Lubbers of Lambert, Edwards & Associates, Inc., +1-616-233-0500, or tpowers@lambert-edwards.com , for Zondervan Web site: http://www.tniv.com/ http://www.newsboys.com/ http://www.zondervan.com/ ------- Profile: International Entertainment