NEW LEAVEN

They are probably frustrated by all the complains that came in!

Their management of an online presense in the past has been horrible. It’s showing some promise now they have a blog.

It’s amusing that the comments, similar to Crossway, aren’t allowed. That might be a good thing because if they keep writing posts like this…

http://www.hcsb.org/b/authorjournal/archive/2009/11/02/christ-s-slaves-or-christ-s-servants.aspx

…someone gonna get upset.

I think you should be put on the board/panel/team that handles the HCSB! Then you could get that “H” removed!

I contacted them quite a while ago. I think it was from here:
http://bhpublishinggroup.com/contact.asp
That’s probably the best you’ll get.
Jeff

I agree. I have written them over a dozen times and have never heard anything from them. Great translators, but very poor marketing from B&H. It’s a wonder anyone has heard of it.

I had a recent e-mail exchange with a CSB rep. He’d responded to me on a general e-mail I’d sent regarding some product options I’d like to see. I won’t insert the name of the rep without his permission. However, his title indicates someone in executive management with decision making input. Here they are, chronologically……

Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2009 3:34pm
To: ***@lifeway.com>
Subject: RE: NT with Psalms and Proverbs

Thank you for the courtesy of a response. While I have your attention, thought I’d relay my comments to an enthusiasts’ blog, and one more ‘wish’:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Brian Moyer said,

” I would encourage interested parties to contact Broadman and Holman and ask them to update their website. The ESV website does a much better job of promoting that translation. ”

{Vic’s response}I agree. I only JUST discovered the CSB in the past few months. The website seems stuck in a ‘limbo’. So far as I know, the on-line text is still the first-edition text. { & as of today, 12-3, that link seems to be down…. http://hcsb.bhpublishinggroup.com/crossmain.asp }

Much of the products that they seem to have offered are still listed, but the links are dead. You cannot view anything about many of the products, even if you did succeed finding it for-sale somewhere on the web. Thankfully http://www.christianbook.com/ has a wonderfully user-friendly site, and they still have a good deal of CSB product on-hand.

I frequent both Berean & Family Christian bookstores, and I’m lucky to find ANY copies of the CSB. When I do, it seems to be the Apologetics Study Bible, for whatever reason. I went to the local Calvary Chapel bookstore on campus. This is a congregation of around 14K! Neither the volunteer, nor the assistant manager, had ever so much as HEARD of the HCSB! They did have an inquiry about the NET bible, asking if it was in stock. They were cluesless as to that one, also. I dropped off one of my CSB’s for a couple weeks, and I havent’ yet been back to see what they think of it.{End blog response}

—–Original Message—–
From: ***@lifeway.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2009 3:39pm
To: Vic
Subject: Re: NT with Psalms and Proverbs

Victor,

This is very helpful feedback. Thanks so much for taking the time to send it. Meanwhile, try visiting our new website for the HCSB:

http://www.hcsb.org/

I think you’ll find it much more helpful than the now-defunct previous site. That old site should not even be up, so I’ll check into getting it pulled off the web.

With sincere thanks, ***

—–Original Message—–
From: Vic
Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2009 3:55pm
To: ***@lifeway.com>
Subject: Old, vs. New site

Well, I hope I’m not taking too much advantage of you with the input! However, I am a big, big fan, and I’m promoting it as well as I can.

Yes, I have visited and read everything on the new site. It is MUCH, much better. However, for those of us who are fans, we know about the “limbo” status of the product.We know that the revision is on the way, and have a time-line for at least the Minister’s and the first Study bible.

But, what about those who have NOT found the CSB? What happens when they wander onto the site and want to know more. What about the retailers who have either no knowledge, or little product, or both? Obviously, we should be referring them TO the website. So, consider what follows.

I really think that some sort of information ought to be posted onto that new website in a banner format. That is, explain that the highly successful CSB has been revised, and it’s in some sort of a transition period between formatting, printing, shipping, etc. Perhaps refer them, directly, to your LifeWay and ChristianBook {if thats’ not out of line} retailers to get current product. Get the new text up on-line, so that folks can start familiarizing themselves with it.

Until the new text IS posted, I’d hate to lose the current text link that I’ve been using…..

http://hcsb.bhpublishinggroup.com/crossmain.asp

Please don’t have them delete THAT site, LOL!

Thanks, Vic

—–Original Message—–
From: ***@lifeway.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2009 4:06pm
To: Vic
Subject: Re: Old, vs. New site

Victor,

I do not mean to say we’ll take down the online text version of the HCSB. It’s just a matter of us transitioning from one host site to another. I’ve asked our web guys to look into the problems you identified earlier.

Regarding the idea of announcing that a revision is coming, that is not typically done by publishers unless the revisions are truly comprehensive. There are many reasons for this policy, one of which is you don’t want to make all the current inventory (the non-updated inventory, that is) obsolete. That would cost waaaay too much money.

We feel we’re doing a pretty good job getting word about the revision to influencers (pastors, bloggers, folks such as yourself), and we’re always grateful when people help us spread the word, as you’re doing.

As far as availability of the HCSB in retail stores, that’s usually a reflection of the fact that the store has chosen to carry more NIV, KJV, NLT, ESV than HCSB. Independent stores (such as the one you mentioned earlier) are more prone to sticking with the better-known translations, and perhaps we’ve never managed to get an account representative to call on their store and give a sales pitch for HCSB. If you could give me the name, address, and phone number of the store you mentioned, I will try to get a rep to contact them.

Thanks again for all of your helpful feedback.

***

Well, that’s the gist of it. The product is in transition. We can only hope they ramp-up a great marketing effort early next year, and that they are successful. So far, I’ve got my friend’s wife using a CSB, and she came up with an NIV. Try as I might, my own wife is very loyal to NKJV, even though English is NOT her primary language {go figure!}.

Vic

I didn’t directly ask. Howver, I don’t think they’re going to put much effort into a blog, when the website itself has very little attention right now. Again, we can only hope for the best.

For those that want a CSB, ChristianBook.com has some super-duper deals right now. Time to take advantage!

The “H” in the translation name is not the only problem with the HCSB. I once was a big fan of the HCSB and was seriously considering it as my main translation. However, through my research I just can’t see how it can get away from being considered as a Southern Baptist Bible. For example, the word “tongues” or “tongue” is nowhere to be found in the text. It’s no doubt, this translation is a Southern Baptist Convention product via Lifeway Retail Stores and Broadman and Holman Publishing. The poor accessability, marketing and promotion could be because it wants to be exclusive to Southern Baptists. It could also be the copyright issues in their literature; their desire to have their own translation to save money.

Whatever the reason(s), I’m only using it for reference. I just don’t feel like trying to support a translation that does not have the aggressive support of its on organization. That’s one reason I have the ESV as one of my go to translations. Its organization seems to want your business by being available and marketing and promoting their translation. Also, the translation is fine also.