|
Connie Neal
is sought by secular and Christian media as an expert on the intersection
of Christianity and pop culture,
Bible teacher, author, and
popular speaker in secular venues, Christian colleges, churches, library and
literacy events..
Books: Connie has authored, written, contributed to, and
ghosted dozens of CBA titles. Most recently she is widely known for her books:
MySpace for Moms and Dads: A Guide to Understanding the Risks
and the Rewards (Zondervan, 2007), Wizards, Wardrobes,
and Wookiees: Navigating Good and Evil in Harry Potter, Narnia,
and Star Wars (InterVarsity Press, 2007),
The Gospel According to Harry Potter
(Westminster John Knox Press, 2002) -- featured in Entertainment
Weekly and Time Magazine, and
What’s a Christian to Do with Harry Potter?
(WaterBrook Press, 2000) -- featured in Newsweek, Christian Parenting
Today, Today’s Christian Woman. She has also written study guides and
curriculum for children, teens, adults, and parents across denominational
lines including
Walking Tall in Babylon: Raising Children to Be Godly and
Wise in a Perilous World (WaterBrook Press, 2003). She has collaborated
with Bill and Lyndi McCartney, Dave and Jan Dravecky, Dr. Dave Stoop, Stephen
Arterburn, Pastor Chip Ingram, and others. She has authored several titles
for the CBA market; including a Young Women of Faith girl’s journal
(ages 8-12) entitled Hey! This is Me!
Speaking:
guest speaker for Women of Faith Bring Back the Joy tour
1998; respected conference speaker, including keynote for International Network
of Children’s Ministry, Association of Christian Schools Intl. Conferences,
Children’s Ministry Magazine Live!, women’s retreats / events; church events
for children and parents on pop culture / Harry Potter; colleges chapel services,
Arts and Letters events on Harry Potter, Christianity, and freedom in the
context of disputable matters; writing classes: writing for publication, excite-a-writer
and overcoming fears of writing; library events dealing with intellectual
freedom and the evangelical Christian community.
Bible Projects:
Connie also has a strong reputation as a Bible teacher. This includes
writing and editorial work on several best-selling Bible products, one on
which she was General Editor and primary writer won the EPCA’s Gold Medallion
Award (others include: Associate Editor on The Life Recovery Bible,
General Editor / Lead Writer on Spiritual Renewal Bible for Zondervan
and Tyndale, Editor / Lead Writer on Women of Faith New Testament,
and writer of devotionals for The Kids’ Devotional Bible -- sales
of over 500,000).
Print:
Connie has been cited in,
written for, or interviewed by Time Magazine, Newsweek, Christianity Today,
USA Today, Today’s Christian Woman, U.S. Catholic, The New York Times (Religion
Page), MSNBC.com, TheEarlyShow.com, Reuters, Religion News Wire Service, YouthWorker
Journal, Evangelizing Today’s Child, Children’s Pastor Magazine, Publisher’s
Weekly, Decision, and newspapers across the country and worldwide.
Connie has developed relationships with the editorial teams of many Christian
magazines and prominent internet sites where she is welcome to write.
Television:
Connie has been featured
on: PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, MSNBC Alan Keyes is Making
Sense, Good Day Sacramento, CBN The 700 Club, FamilyNet At Home
Live!, Life Today with James & Betty Robison, LHM On Main Street!
and other national and regional television shows.
Radio:
Her radio interviews include
being a featured guest on nationally syndicated shows including on: The
Dennis Prager Show, FamilyLife Radio (where the topic of Wizards, Hobbits,
and Harry Potter was so widely requested it was included in the FamilyLife
Resource catalog as a CD), Decision Today (Billy Graham Evangelistic
Assoc.), Beverly LaHaye Live (Concerned Women for America), Janet
Parshall’s America, Moody Radio Network Mid-Day Connection, numerous
local stations in the USA as well as radio interviews in New Zealand, Northern
Ireland, and London.
Video: Connie
is an excellent communicator on stage and in video format. Her video
Passing On Your Faith without Turning Off Your Kids
is part of the Extraordinary Women Video Training Series produced
by the American Association of Christian Counselors. The Executive Producer
of the series called Connie’s video one of the best three in a series of thirty
videos featuring speakers including Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, and many other
excellent communicators. That series (selling at $500.00 for all thirty videos)
has sold approximately 10,000 copies. Connie’s video has received top reviews.
The content of this book is easily adaptable for parenting Sunday school classes
and adaptation to a video curriculum. Connie also has a video taped presentation
on How to Handle Harry Potter.
Education: B.A. in Communication from
Pepperdine University
Church Staff Ministry Experience:
She served
ten years as a church staff youth worker; also worked as a youth ministry
trainer / curriculum writer for Jim Burns’ YouthBuilders.
Credibility:
Connie’s credibility comes
not only from her professional credits but from a rich well of life experience
that shows her writing and speaking to be tried and true, as well as true
to the Bible. Her emerging brand of resources revolve around being a Christian
parent who knows and communicates the Bible faithfully in a way that is simple,
and easy to understand, while empowering, equipping, and encouraging parents
to pass it on to their own children in a way kids eagerly receive -- and parents
enjoy.
Here are other titles Connie wrote or contributed
to that are still in print
Published by Discovery House Publishers):
Summer 1997 The Life of Christ :Bible Exploration
Interactive CD-ROM (for kids 6-12) wrote lesson scripts, interactive
material, quizzes, and developed on-screen visuals for this CD-ROM product
mirrored after Promise Keepers Old Testament Foundations: An Interactive
Journey Through the Bible. Featured by Focus On the Family, Youth
for Christ, and "The Bible Answer Man" Radio Broadcast.
Winter 1998: Sold Out by Bill McCartney with David
Halbrook: assisted Lyndi McCartney in writing essays for the book.
1998: Spiritual Renewal Bible, NIV, General Editor,
with Executive Editors: Stephen Arterburn and Dr. David Stoop, PhD.
(Zondervan)
Spring 1996: Women’s Devotional Bible 2, devotional contributor. (Zondervan)
April 1996: co-author, The Worth of a Man by Dave Dravecky
with C.W. Neal (Zondervan)
April 1996: co-author, A Joy I’d Never Known by Jan Dravecky
with Connie Neal (Zondervan)
Fall 1996: writer for The Kids’ Devotional Bible (contributed
128 devotions) (Zondervan)
Spring 1997 release: Women of Faith New Testament, wrote
24 profiles of women of faith: from Scripture, history, and women alive
today.
1993 52 Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Life (Main selection:
Crossings Book Club)
Tyndale House Publishers:
1998 : Spiritual Renewal Bible, NLB, General Editor,
awarded the Gold Medallion Award; wrote all devotionals, Executive
Editors: Stephen Arterburn and Dr. David Stoop, PhD.
1998 Seven Keys to Spiritual Renewal and Transformation
Workbook, Bible-based workbook to accompany the Spiritual
Renewal Bible project; authors:
Stephen Arterburn and Dr. David Stoop, PhD.
1995 My Spiritual Journey: (The Life Recovery
Bible: New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs; wrote devotions and reflective
questions at end of each book) revised devotionals, wrote reflective questions
for each NT book.
1992 The Life Recovery Bible, Associate
Editor, wrote 170 daily devotionals related to 12 Steps, Serenity Prayer,
and eight recovery principles.
Magazine Writing Credits and Coverage
Today’s Christian Woman:
Protecting Our Kids from the Occult in Popular Culture feature
article by Connie Neal.
April 1999 Featured in "First Person / Women of Faith" article:
Surviving
an Affair.
August/September 1998
Out of the
Fires by Sue Lugli as told to Connie Neal.
Decision Magazine:
April 1999 wrote Come Springtime... a short inspirational piece
from personal experience taken from material heard at Women of Faith conferences.
Children's Ministry Magazine:
1995: Transforming Popular Culture (Power Rangers Preach the Gospel)
Education
Pepperdine University: Bachelor of Arts in Communication, (emphasis
on communicating the gospel to youth) Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA
(1980)
|
