ECPA's Rush To Press

Tommy “Urban D.” Kyllonen Signs ReBuild Book Deal
with InterVarsity Press

Contact Krista Carnet | 630.734.4013 | kkcarnet@ivpress.com

TAMPA, FLORIDA — Pastor, author and recording artist Tommy “Urban D.” Kyllonen recently signed a publishing deal with InterVarsity Press for his upcoming book, ReBuild: Reset Your Life. Renew Your Church. Reshape Your World.

ReBuild offers tools for people to rebuild their brokenness and help rebuild those around them. Kyllonen shares powerful stories from his personal life and ministry, including his church’s incredible journey of rebuilding a 43,000-square-foot Toys “R” Us building in the heart of Tampa’s urban community. The biblical story of Nehemiah is woven through the book, reminding us how Jerusalem was rebuilt physically, spiritually and economically. 

ReBuild will be released in October of 2015 in time for the fifteenth annual Urban Leadership Conference “Flavor Fest” hosted at Crossover Church. This year’s theme is “ReBuild.” Urban D. will also be releasing his final full-length album, his eighth project, at the same time with the same title as the book. The album will feature songs with the same titles and concepts as the book chapters. The physical version of the album will also feature a full-length documentary (Space Cherry Films) about Crossover Church and its unique ministry of rebuilding people in the urban community. Additionally, Crossover Church will launch a six-week “ReBuild” message series from the new book in February 2016 and invite other churches to join them. They will provide free small group curriculum, video content and message outlines. 

Kyllonen has been in full-time urban ministry for more than nineteen years at Crossover Church in Tampa and became the lead pastor thirteen years ago. Under his leadership, the church has grown from a handful of people to more than one thousand weekly attendees, making this innovative multiethnic, multigenerational and multieconomic church a model. Kyllonen has recorded seven hip-hop albums, written two books, published twenty-five issues of S.O.U.LMAG magazine and hosts  S.O.U.LMAG TV on Trinity Broadcasting Network’s JUCE TV. He has also coached more than fifty urban church planters/pastors through his Urban Coaching Network. 

“We are delighted to welcome Tommy Kyllonen into the IVP family,” said Helen Lee, associate editor for IVP Books/IVP Praxis. “His unique and extensive experiences both in church ministry and in the world of hip-hop will appeal to a wide range of readers, and his commitment to multiethnicity fits perfectly with our values as an organization. We are excited to partner with Tommy in bringing ReBuild to the marketplace, and we know that all who read his book will be challenged, encouraged and inspired.” 
 
For more information about Kyllonen, visit urband.org.
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 Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com