Favorite Scriptures of Popular Gospel Music Artists are Featured

Contact: Roy Lloyd, American Bible Society, 212-408-8731, rlloyd@americanbible.org

NEW YORK, April 21 /Christian Newswire/ -- To celebrate this year's Dove Awards, the American Bible Society has published Scriptures From the Heart, Music for the Soul, a collection of Scriptures, reflections and inspirational stories from popular Gospel music artists such as Take 6, Jeni Varnadeau and Joel Engle. The Bible society is the presenting sponsor during this year's live program, which airs exclusively on the Gospel Music Channel, Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 8pm EDT.

"Gospel music has consistently spread the life-changing message of the Bible," said Dr. Paul Irwin, president of the American Bible Society. "The Bible Society is pleased to be the sponsor for the 2008 Dove Awards, Gospel music's biggest night."

The Dove Awards ceremony is the longest running televised awards program recognizing achievement in Christian and Gospel music. The Gospel Music Association created the Dove Awards in 1969 to honor outstanding accomplishments in Christian music. The awards are presented annually in Nashville, Tennessee, to Christian music artists representing a wide variety of musical genres. In addition to traditional Gospel music, Dove Awards are presented to Christian performers in pop, rock, rap, hip-hop, country and praise and worship, among other categories.

With a small gift to the American Bible Society, viewers will have the opportunity to receive Scriptures From the Heart, Music for the Soul, which was created exclusively for the Dove Awards. Copies of the Bible journal can be ordered online at www.americanbible.org.

Special video clips of this collection of inspirational stories from these artists are part of the American Bible Society's www.Shareyourstorynow.org, a Web site that features personal stories about how the Bible affects people's lives.

Viewers can watch the premiere event live or during the following encore presentations, all times are EDT:

• Wednesday, April 23 at 10pm and 12am
• Friday, April 25 at 10am
• Saturday, April 26 at 3pm
• Sunday, April 27 at 7pm
• Wednesday, April 30 at 10am
• Thursday, May 1 at 8pm and 11pm

For more information, visit www.americanbible.org or www.shareyourstorynow.org.  

ABOUT THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY
Founded in 1816 and headquartered in New York City, the mission of the American Bible Society is to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so that all people may experience its life-changing message. The American Bible Society Web site is www.bibles.com.

ABOUT THE GMA
Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the Christian/Gospel music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music of all styles including pop, rock, praise & worship, black gospel, R&B, hip-hop, southern gospel, country, and more. The GMA community consists of 4,000 members including agents, artists, church leaders, managers, promoters, radio personnel, record company executives, retailers, songwriters and other industry visionaries. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards, GMA Music Week, GMA Music in the Rockies, and the GMA Academy. For more information, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.