Proverbs 31 Ministries president Lysa TerKeurst topped the September Religion Nonfiction bestsellers list for the second month in a row with her guide to handling rejection, Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely. The follow-up to 2014’s The Best Yes details TerKeurst’s personal struggle with self-acceptance and includes practices intended to help readers overcome feelings of inadequacy. “Rejection may be a delay, it may be a distraction, it may be a devastation for a season, but it’s never a final destination,” TerKeurst told PW during a recent interview about the book. She also took #9 in nonfiction with the seven-part study guide to Uninvited, which comes with Bible teachings, guided video notes, and group discussion questions.
Up two spots from August, Sarah Young’s perennial bestseller Jesus Calling took #2 in nonfiction ahead of the October 4 release of her second devotional, Jesus Always, according to Laura Minchew, senior v-p and publisher of gift books at Thomas Nelson. Jesus Calling has sold over 17 million copies across all formats since its 2004 publication, according to the publisher.
Mark Batterson’s motivational message in Chase the Lion debuted at #6 in nonfiction after Multnomah offered a buy one, get one free deal: readers who bought Chase the Lion in September could choose as a bonus a copy of Batterson’s previously released Wild Goose Chase, Soulprint, or Primal. The publisher also created a book website and hired a launch team to promote reviews and excerpts from Chase the Lion on social media, and released an updated edition of Batterson’s first book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day (2006), prior to the release of Chase of the Lion.
Moving up one notch from August, Lisa Bevere’s Without Rival took #7 on the September nonfiction list. Revell promoted the book with print and digital advertising, and a pre-order campaign that included free downloadable content, and a social media push that saw quotes, videos, and photos posted to Bevere’s more than 1 million followers. The author was also interviewed for Fox News Radio, the Christian Broadcasting Network’s Newswatch, and Today’s Christian Living magazine, among other outlets.
Over on our Religion Fiction Bestsellers list, the #1 title, The Book of Mysteries by rabbi Jonathan Cahn, blends storytelling with Bible teachings in 365 short chapters. Publicity for the book began in May with a live social media cover reveal that drew nearly 80,000 viewers, according to Charisma House. Interviews on the Christian news website Crossmap and other Christian media helped spread the word. Cahn also took the #9 spot with his 2012 debut, The Harbinger, which has sold more than 716,000 print copies, according to Nielsen BookScan.
