Introducing Maureen Girkins, Zondervan’s CEO

Here’s the interview. She is the new head of Zondervan Publishing. In the interview, she describes her journey from Roman Catholic to evangelical Christianity. I was particularly struck by her remark that “The Bible Experience audio Bible was the best-selling Bible of 2007.” I realize how important the audio medium is, but I didn’t know that audio Bibles are outselling print Bibles.

My son Giovanni has slept fewer night-time hours in the last few months than his Dad has – that’s saying a lot - putting together audio and video for a contest that now sends him and his friends to a national runoff. He has not been able to set me up for podcasts yet. But the time will come.

Comments

[eclexia]

I'm much more a visual learner than I am an auditory one, but I purchased a download of the Psalms from the Bible Experience and was amazed at how alive it made the Scripture to me. I heard things and felt them in ways I did not when I was reading it by myself in silence. The passion and emotion that is conveyed in those recordings is incredible.

When I saw the Bible available on a half price sale, I purchased it and have not regretted it. Palm Sunday when I was already deeply moved by the church service, I got in the car and wept as I listened through the book of Ecclesiastes. Somehow it set the context for me for Holy Week and changed the way I anticipated the message and hope of Easter celebration the next week.

And two of my children have been riding with me for an hour each week to a meeting, and we are enjoying listening to the book of John. We just listen, uninterrupted, without discussing it, and I am amazed, later, to pick up hints of what my five year old has taken in from those times.

That's exciting news about your son's accomplishments.

[JohnFH]

Well, after hearing that, Eclexia, I think I'm going to a make a purchase myself. Thanks for commenting here.

[eclexia]

Ha, ha! I always get a little nervous when I make a suggestion and someone actually takes me seriously on it :) Mainly because I know that what moves a person is highly personal and I'm so easily deeply moved I fear setting other people up for a disappointment where they go "Huh?" What was it she was so impressed with?

In any case, when I do recommend it to people, I often suggest the individual book downloads available at Audible.com, especially the book of Psalms. Five hours of listening for 3.99 was a great investment and was what convinced me it really would be worthwhile to invest in the full Bible version. The audible.com files are not so easily manageable as the whole CD set, which I can play in my car. But, again, it was well worth the initial tiny investment to give me the confidence to decide to put out the bigger bucks.

[JohnFH]

What translation is used? Are they available in more than one translation? Excuse my ignorance: it's a new genre for me.

[eclexia]

The translation is the TNIV. I wrote a post about some of what I discovered about the recording after I purchased the Psalms:

http://eclexia.wordpress.com/2007/12/23/passionate-reading/

(I'm sorry I don't know how to correctly put a hyperlink in a comment). There is a link in my post to Zondervan's page with more links about the recording, including samples, a free download of the Easter story and a trailer about the making of the film. In the sidebar there is a link for "Full Bible 'Making of' Video"

The famous readers' names mean nothing to me as I rarely watch movies and hardly know any actors. But the emotion and skill that the readers bring to the recording is incredible. That was part of what I liked about watching the video trailer. You could see that although it is an audio recording, many of the readers were getting into their reading with their whole bodies and spirits as if they were recording a movie.

Ah, there I go getting passionate again :)

[JohnFH]

Thanks, Eclexia, for further details. I'm pleased to hear that TNIV is the translation read.

[eclexia]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I Amazon seems to have the least expensive "hard copy" version of the whole Bible recording. I got it for just a few dollars less than that when a bookstore had it on sale for 1/2 price. They have the MP3 recording for even less, and of course it is far fewer CDs. But, again, I can only play ordinary CDs in my car and that mattered to me.

[Kevin Sam]

Eclexia, I have heard the Bible Experience sample on the website. I agree. It's really great and loved what I've heard so far.I have been thinking to getting myself a set for a long time but I'm still waiting for a sale at the Christian bookstore. But I'm hoping it'll be my next birthday present soon.

[David Ker]

Congrats to your cyber-son, John. And best-selling meant "sales" or number of units? The whole set is really expensive in South Africa, I think something like $200.

[JohnFH]

I don't know the answer to your question, David. But I read somewhere that Zondervan gives product away if asked sweetly by qualified individuals. You might pay your AG dues for one more year, and then go hat-in-hand.

As one of my Waldensian colleagues likes to say, it is the job of a preacher to fill people's hearts and empty their pockets. Zondervan has deeper pockets than most, and shares your sense of mission.

[Audio Bible]

Audio Bibles are a great way to engage in God's Word! You and your readers can actually get free dramatized New Testaments from www.FaithComesByHearing.com. This ministry has 288 languages and about a dozen English versions, all FREE. The recordings are great, the drama is well-done and the scenes are set beautifully to music and sound effects.

[JohnFH]

Note to readers:

I'll keep the above advertisement in the comment thread, but I would encourage those interested in audio Bible recordings to consider all their options, not just go for the free stuff because it's free.