Max Lucado, pastor and bestselling author spoke at more than 22 events during a nine-day trip to Brazil (July 19 – 28, 2009), reaching more than 50,000 people with a message of hope from his forthcoming book Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear (Thomas Nelson, U.S. $24.99, September 2009). The book releases internationally next month, but the Portuguese edition of Fearless released early to accommodate Lucado’s Brazil trip. The Portugese edition has appeared within the top ten spots of every major Brazilian bestseller list to date.
Lucado’s inspirational books have enjoyed international popularity for decades, but the author’s international ministry truly began in Brazil. Max and Denalyn Lucado served as church planting missionaries in Rio de Janeiro during the early 1980s, and two of their daughters were born in Brazil. Lucado was thrilled to be back in Brazil once more, visiting old friends and meeting new acquaintances: “This is like a homecoming to me, seeing church friends and encouraging the precious Brazilian people.” He specifically encouraged Brazilian audiences to fear less in regard to violence (chapter 18 of Fearless addresses this topic). Violence is a significant concern for Brazilians due to ongoing rioting in Sao Paolo and other parts of the country.
Sponsored by Thomas Nelson Brasil and Lidere, the goal of this trip was to bring Lucado’s ministry full circle. Says Larry Downs, Vice President and Publisher of Grupo, Thomas Nelson, “Max Lucado made a powerful impact during this visit. He asked Brazilians to dare to imagine their life without fear, and thousands walked away with hope and a renewed commitment to rest in the goodness of God.” During his Brazilian visit, Lucado was interviewed almost daily via radio and TV extending his audience well beyond the 50,000 who attended public events. Local leaders also promoted his apperances via twitter, facebook, and other social networking groups. Photos from the trip are posted online: http://carrenho.typepad.com/blogdoseditores/
International publicity for Fearless continues when the book launches worldwide in September. Lucado begins a North American PR tour with an interview on “The Dave Ramsey Show” via radio and television (airs September 9), a cover story for Outreach Magazine (Nov. issue), an appearance on “The Hour of Power” (airs December 20), plus other nationally broadcast interviews. Lucado launches a Fearless PR tour in Mexico for Fearless in late September, sponsored by Grupo Nelson, the Spanish division of Thomas Nelson and Maranatha Distributors. For more information on the Fearless tour in Mexico, visit www.sintemor.com
Max Lucado has more than 65 million books in print and a publishing career that has spanned nearly 25 years. His books have been on many national bestseller lists including The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and USA Today. Max and his wife Denalyn live in San Antonio, Texas, where he is Minister of Writing and Preaching at Oak Hills Church.
