The best books of the year have now been chosen by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) for the Christian Book Award ®Program!

Presented annually to the finest in Christian publishing since 1978, the Christian Book Award program honors titles in eleven categories: Bibles, Bible Reference Works, Bible Study, Biography & Memoir, Children, Christian Living, Devotion & Gift, Faith & Culture, Ministry Resources, New Author, and Young Peoples Literature.

Here are the 2020 winners in each award category…

Book of the Year & New Author

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament

by Mark Vroegop

Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting God’s goodness. Lament is how we bring our sorrow to God. But it is a neglected dimension of the Christian life for many Christians today. We need to recover the practice of honest spiritual struggle that gives us permission to vocalize our pain and wrestle with our sorrow. Lament avoids trite answers and quick solutions, progressively moving us toward deeper worship and trust. Exploring how the Bible – through the psalms of lament and the book of Lamentations – gives voice to our pain, this book invites us to grieve, struggle, and tap into the rich reservoir of grace and mercy God offers in the darkest moments of our lives.

Bibles

CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible

Today’s church can be renewed by listening to yesterday’s saints. The CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible features study notes and commentary from the writings of the church fathers of the second through fifth centuries to help you understand and apply their rich, biblical insights to your life. Also included in this Bible are “Twisted Truth” call-outs describing where some ancient thinkers drifted from orthodoxy, over 25 feature articles highlighting a key selection from one of the early church fathers on an essential Christian truth, and biographies of 25 of the most influential patristic church fathers.

NLT Life Application Study Bible

Today’s number one selling Study Bible has been thoroughly updated and expanded in The Life Application Study Bible offering fresh and relevant insights. New features include – a refreshed interior design with second color for visual clarity; meaningfully updated study notes and features; and the Christian Worker’s Resource – a special supplement to enhance the reader’s ministry effectiveness. Study the stories and teachings of the Bible with study notes, overviews, vital statistics, outlines, and timelines. Grasp difficult concepts using in-text maps, charts, and diagrams. Discover how you can apply the Bible to your life today.

Bible Reference Works

Introducing Evangelical Theology

by Daniel J. Treier

This textbook offers students a biblically rich, creedally structured, ecumenically, evangelical, and ethically engaged introduction to Christian theology. Daniel Treier, coeditor of the popular Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, discusses key Scripture passages, explains Christian theology within the structure of Nicene Creed, explores the range of evangelical approaches to contested doctrines, acquaints evangelicals with other views (including Orthodox and Catholic), and integrates theological ethics with chapters on the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. The result is a meaty but manageable introduction to the convictions and arguments shaping contemporary evangelical theology.

Bible Study

The Logic of God: 52 Essentials for the Heart and Mind

by Ravi Zacharias

We all have doubts that challenge our faith. We wonder whether the Bible still matters, or whether God is truly as loving and personal as we hope. In his first ever devotional, The Logic of God, apologist Ravi Zacharias offers 52 readings that explain how and why Christianity, the Bible, and God are still relevant, vital, and life-changing for us today. To all our dilemmas Ravi says, “I am convinced that Jesus Christ along uniquely answers the deepest questions of our hearts and minds.”

With a remarkable grasp of biblical facts and a deep understanding of the questions that trouble our hearts, Ravi tackles the most difficult topics with ease and understanding. But The Logic of God is more than intellectual; it is also personal, offering thoughtful wisdom on the ray of hope in God’s Word; why prayer matters and more. Ravi makes profound biblical truth easy to understand. And if your life is buys, this book is perfect for you. It addresses 52 topics that you can read over the course of one year or slowly digest at your own pace.

Biography & Memoir

Devotedly: The Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot

by Valerie Shepard

many know the heroic story of Jim Elliot’s violent death in 1956, killed along with four other missionaries by a primitive Ecuadorian tribe they were seeking to reach. Many also know the prolific legacy of Elisabeth Elliot, whose inspiring influence on generations of believers through print, broadcast, and personal testimony continues to resonate, even after her own death in 2015.

What many don’t know is the remarkable story of how these two stalwart personalities – single-mindedly devoted to pursuing God’s will for their young lives, certain their future callings would require them to sacrifice forever the blessings of marriage-found their heart intertwined. Their paths to God’s purpose led them together. In this book, their only child, Valerie Elliot Shepard unseals never-before-published letters and private journals that capture in first-person intimacy the attraction, struggle, drama, and devotion that became a most unlikely love story. A riveting read for old and young alike this moving account of their personal lives shines as a gold mine of lived-out truth, hard-fought purity, and an insider’s view on two beloved Christian figures.

Children

Laugh and Learn Bible for Little Ones

by Phil Vischer

The Laugh and Learn Bible for Little Ones is written by VeggieTales. creator Phil Vischer. This simple board book Bible is the perfect companion to the Laugh and Learn Bible for Kids or a delightful stand-alone tool that will introduce toddlers and preschoolers to beloved, gospel-focused Bible stories.

Christian Living

Untangling Emotions: God’s Gift of Emotions

by J. Alasdair Groves and Winston T. Smith

Our emotions are complex. Some of us seem able to ignore our feelings, while others feel controlled by them. But most of us would admit that we don’t always know what to do with how we feel.

The Bible teaches us that our emotions are an indispensible part of what makes us human–and play a crucial role in our relationships with God and others. Exploring how God designed emotions for our good, this book shows us how to properly engage with our emotions–even the more difficult ones like fear, anger, shame, guilt, and sorrow–so we can better understand what they reveal about our hearts and handle them wisely in everyday moments.

Devotion & Gift

Settle My Soul: 100 Quiet Moments to Meet with Jesus

by Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk

View all 2020 Christian Book Award® Finalists here!

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The announcements were made at the ECPA Awards Celebration held on April 30th in Chicago at the ECPA Leadership Summit. The night saw the who’s who in Christian publishing come together to celebrate the best in Christian reads. Bestselling author of The Five Love Languages series, Gary Chapman was even there to entertain guests as keynote speaker!

Without further ado, here are the winners from each of the 12 categories… 

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Book of the Year

Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God is Holding You Close

Embraced is the beautiful new devotional from bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst. These 100 devotions have been written for women at every stage of life’s journey, touching on topics such as personal identity, parenting, marriage, self-worth and more. Throughout the devotional TerKeurst shares her own struggles and doubts to help readers understand that because we have been fully embraced by Him, we can spend our lives trusting His ways.

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Bibles

ESV Archaeology Study Bible

The ESV Archaeology Study Bible is a cutting-edge academic resource for those looking to dig deeper into the historical context of the Bible. It features study notes written by field-trained Biblical archaeologists and scholars, color maps, photographs, and drawings. All of this content is designed to bring to life the ancient text of Scripture for readers. With editorial oversight from Dr. John Currid and Dr. David Chapman, the ESV Archaeology Study Bible assembles a range of modern scholarship, helping readers situate themselves in the Bible’s historical context.

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Bible Reference Works

Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique

Many prominent Christians insist that the church must yield to contemporary evolutionary theory and therefore modify traditional biblical ideas about the creation of life. They argue that God used – albeit in an undetectable way – evolutionary mechanisms to produce all forms of life. Featuring two dozen highly credentialed scientists, philosophers, and theologians from Europe and North America, this volume contests this proposal. It documents evidential, logical, and theological problems with theistic evolution – making it the most comprehensive critique of theistic evolution yet produced.

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Bible Study

The Gospel According to God

Often hailed as one of the greatest chapters in Scripture, Isaiah 53 foretells a critical event in God’s plan for salvation – the crucifixion of Jesus. In The Gospel According to God, MacArthur highlights important connections between Israel’s history and the New Testament, and provides a verse-by-verse exposition of this sometimes misunderstood text. Along the way, MacArthur demonstrates to readers how Isaiah’s prophetic words illuminate essentials truths for us today.

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Biography & Memoir

Becoming Dallas Willard

Dallas Willard was a personal mentor and inspiration to hundreds of pastors, philosophers, and average churchgoers. His presence and ideas rippled through the lives of many prominent leaders and authors – including, John Ortberg, Richard Foster and more. As a result of these relationships and the books he wrote, he fundamental altered the way tens of thousands of Christians have understood and experience the spiritual life. The life of Dallas Willard deserves attention because he became a person who himself experienced authentic transformation of life and character. Here is a life that gives us all hope.

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Children

God’s Big Story for You

This whimsically illustrated book is a wonderful way to share the gospel message with kids up to age 8. It emphasizes God’s love for everyone, and lets children know that they are a part of God’s big story. The creative, carefully chosen words draws children into the story, while the illustrations ignite children’s imagines as they see kids like themselves alongside characters from the Bible. This book is a great tool for parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, or anyone else who wants to explain to children why we need a savior.

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Christian Living

The Art of Parenting

Dennis and Barbara Rainey have spent decades helping families find biblical help to strengthen and transform family relationships. Now, in The Art of Parenting, they bring insights and expertise gleaned from those years of ministry, as well as from their own personal experience of raising six children. Focusing on four crucial elements in your children’s lives – relationships, character, identity, mission – they offer advice on how to help your kids discover who they are in Christ, and understand God’s purpose for their lives.

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Devotion & Gift

The Wonder of the Greatest Gift

Ann Voskamp expands her presentation of the timeless Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree with this beautiful keepsake that can be handed down and enjoyed for generations. Each December, families can celebrate the coming of Jesus by opening the book to see a stunning 13-inch, three-dimensional Jesse Tree pop up from the page. Every day of December, readers open the enclosed booklet to read a daily love letter from The Greatest Story ever told, right from our beginning in Genesis to our King’s coming under Bethlehem’s Star. After the day’s reading, readers can open one of the 25 advent doors and discover that day’s Biblical ornament to hang on their own tree!

2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Faith & Culture

The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home

In The Storm-Tossed Family, bestselling author Russell Moore teaches readers – every one of whom is in a family in one way or another – that family is an echo of the gospel. Moore explains to readers that family can be the source of some of the most transcendent human joy, but family can also leave us crumpled up on the side of the road. Family can make us who we are, and family can break our hearts. Why would this social arrangement have that much power, for good or for ill, over us? Moore aims to explore this and show readers why it is such important an important part of life, yet oh so difficult at times.

 2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Ministry Resources

Alongside: Loving Teenagers with the Gospel 

Alongside supports both parents and youth ministry leaders and volunteers to love teenagers well. Through Scripture and captivating personal stories from years of experience working in youth ministry, Hill pulls back the curtain and invites readers to step into the unfiltered world of teenagers. Readers gain practical application and biblical truths to highlight the complexities of relational youth ministry, address the needs of real teenagers encounter in their daily lives and engage their hearts rather than just their behavior.

 2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: New Author

Seeing Green: Don’t Let Envy Color Your Joy

You know that feeling, don’t you? That heart sting when someone else receives the very thing you desire. When your best friend announces her engagement. When you sister says she’s pregnant. When your coworker gets the promotion. You tell yourself you’re happy for her, but you feel a hint of something else. Envy. Join Tilly Dillehay as she uncovers seven common sources of envy and challenges you to change the way you think about God’s glory. In doing so, you will learn to rejoice with others, you will experience greater contentment, and you will discover how to truly love you neighbor.

 2019 Christian Book Award® Winner: Young Peoples Literature

Bible Infographics for Kids

The Bible is far from boring, but sometimes it can feel that way to kids. Bible Infographics for Kids will help spark their excitement for God’s Word with this craze-mazing collection of infographic spreads. These colorful creations visually depict the key concepts, important people, and most unusual facts from the Bible in a new and exciting way. In addition to the incredible infographics found throughout, readers will love playing a Bible timeline board game that folds out from the middle of the book!

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Presented annually to the finest in Christian publishing since 1978, the Christian Book Award program honors titles in eleven categories: Bibles, Bible Reference Works, Bible Study, Biography & Memoir, Children, Christian Living, Devotion & Gift, Faith & Culture, Ministry Resources, New Author, and Young Peoples Literature.

Here are the 2019 finalists in each award category…

Bibles Finalists

1. ESV Archaeology Study Bible
2. ESV Reformation Study Bible
3. NLT Boys Life Application Study Bible
4. NLT HelpFinder Bible 
5. CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible
6. NKJV Comfort Print Ancient-Modern Bible

Bible Reference Works Finalists

1. Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique
2. Theological English: An Advanced ESL Text for Students of Theology
3. Historias Favoritas de la Biblia (101 Favorite Stories from the Bible)
4. Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning
5. Luke: Swindoll’s Living Insights Commentary
6. Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Gospels

Bible Study Finalists

1. The Gospel According to God: Rediscovering the Most Remarkable Chapter in the Old Testament
2. Good News: The Gospel of Jesus Christ
3. In All Things: A Nine-Week Devotional Bible Study on Unshakeable Joy
4. Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter
5. Even Better Than Eden: Nine Ways the Bible’s Story Changes Everything About Your Story

Biography & Memoir Finalists

1. Becoming Dallas Willard: The Formation of a Philosopher, Teacher, and Christ Follower
2. I Can Only Imagine: A Memoir
3. Oswald Chambers – A Life in Pictures
4. On Pills and Needles
5. Wurmbrand: Tortured for Christ, The Complete Story

Children Finalists

1. God’s Big Story For You
2. I Am Friends with God Journal
3. BibleForce: The First Heroes Bible
4. Window on the World: An Operation World Prayer Resource
5. Who Sang the First Song?

Christian Living Finalists

1. The Art of Parenting
2. Didn’t See It Coming: Overcoming the 7 Greatest Challenges That No One Expects and Everyone Experiences
3. Daring to Hope: Finding God’s Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful
4. The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World
5. A Life Beyond Amazing – 9 Decisions That Will Transform Your Life Today
6. In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character

Devotion & Gift Finalists

1. The Wonder of the Greatest Gift – An Interactive Family Celebration of Advent
2. Loved Baby: Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child After Pregnancy Loss
3. Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God is Holding You Close
4. Good Morning, Lord… Can We Talk? A Year of Spiritual Meditations
5. Hope Your Heart Needs: 52 Encouraging Reminders of How God Cares For You

Faith & Culture Finalists

1. Faith Across the Multiverse: Parables from Modern Science
2. The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home
3. Walking Through Infertility: Biblical, Theological, and Moral Counsel for Those Who Are Struggling
4. The Apostles’ Creed for Everyone
5. Last Call for Liberty: How America’s Genius for Freedom Has Become its Greatest Threat

Ministry Resources Finalists

1. Alongside: Loving Teenagers with the Gospel
2. Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of Under 250
3. Rooting for Rivals: How Collaboration and Generosity Increase the Impact of Leaders, Charities, and Churches
4. Expository Exultation: Christian Preaching As Worship
5. Adoptive Church: Creating an Environment Where Emerging Generations Belong

New Author Finalists

1. Seeing Green: Don’t Let Envy Color Your Joy
2. For the Love of Discipline: When the Gospel Meets Tantrums and Time-Outs
3. Redeemed: Devotions for the Longing Soul
4. Confessions of an Adoptive Parent: Hope and Help from the Trenches of Foster Care and Adoption
5. Welcome to Adulting: Navigating Faith, Friendship, Finances, and the Future
6. Faith Across the Multiverse: Parables from Modern Science

Young Peoples Literature Finalists

1. Bible Infographics for Kids: Giants, Ninja Skills, a Talking Donkey, and What’s the Deal with the Tabernacle
2. Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion, and Purpose
3. God’s Girl Says Yes: What God Can Do When We Follow Him
4. True Heart Girls Devotional: God’s Promises for Me!
5. The Teen’s Guide to Social Media… and Mobile Devices: 21 Tips to Wise Posting in an Insecure World

Looking for more Christian book inspiration? Click here to check out our bestselling books!

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Honoring novels that are written from a Christian worldview, The Christy Awards have been a celebrated event in the literary and publishing world since they began in 1999. Set to be held on November 7th in Nashville, the awards are guaranteed to be a night to remember for the Christian authors who have been nominated!

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the nominees in each category…

Contemporary Romance

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

Troubled Waters by Susan Mary Warren

True To You by Becky Wade

First Novel

Freedom’s Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli

The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright

Missing Isaac by Valerie Fraser Luesse

General Fiction

A Time to Stand by Robert Whitlow

Life After by Katie Ganshert

The Space Between Words by Michele Phoenix

Historical

Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson

Isaiah’s Daughter by Mesu Andrews

Many Sparrows by Lori Benton

Historical Romance

A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden

The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz

To Wager Her Heart by Tamera Alexander

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Coldwater by Samuel Parker

The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright

Rule of Law by Randy Singer

Short Form

Guilt by Association by Heather Day Gilbert

Her Secret Daughter by Ruth Logan Herne

12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep

Visionary

Awakened by Morgan L. Busse

The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker

The Man He Never Was by James L. Rubart

Young Adult

The Delusion by Laura Gallier

Last Summer at Eden by Christina Hergenrader

Unraveling by Sara Ella

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The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association has spoken… here are the winners of the 2018 Christian Book Awards®! 

The announcements were made at the ECPA Awards Celebration held on May 1st at the newly opened Museum of the Bible in Washington DC. The night was a who’s who in Christian publishing with the legendary Anne Graham Lotz acting as keynote speaker.

Without further ado, here are the winners from each of the 11 categories… 

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Book of the Year

Jesus Always: Embracing Joy in His Presence by Sarah Young

Jesus Always is the new 365 day devotional by the bestselling author, Sarah Young. This devotional focuses on joy, a sometimes overlooked fruit of the Spirit. It aims to give readers hope and assurance in the the familiar voice they’ve come to love. Each day’s reading offers Scripture references so you can dive further into the reading and find even more encouragement. The perfect book to help you slow down for a moment and hear the call to joy!

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Bibles

The NLT Swindoll Study Bible

The Swindoll Study Bible offers the best of Chuck Swindoll’s wit, charm, pastoral insight, and wise biblical study. Swindoll’s informed, and importantly, practical insights get straight to the heart of the Bible’s message for the world today. Through your Scripture reading, you’ll discover more about the people who wrote it, where they wrote it, and why. It’s a great tool for delving further into the Scriptures and draw deeper into the study of God’s Word.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Bible Reference Works

Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh & Sean McDowell

In the first edition of Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell armed thoughtful Christians with historical documentation and modern scholarship, bearing witness to the truth of the Bible. Now, Josh is joined by his son, Sean McDowell, in this exciting new edition. It includes more historical insight to encourage those familiar with Evidence, as well as a new generation of believers, to embrace the truth of Christ in a skeptical culture. This is a book that invites readers to bring their doubts and doesn’t shy away from the tough questions.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Bible Study

Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

In ‘Adorned’ Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth delves into the power of cross-generational friendships by exploring an encouraging vision from Titus 2. Nancy reveals that all women are strengthened when young moms and singles widen their peer groups to include those who’ve “been there” and when older “veterans” shed their protective cocoons and invest in the next generation. Read this book and take your relationships to new depths!

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Biography & Memoir

I’ll Push You by Patrick Gray & Justin Skeesuck

Many said the 500-mile Camino de Santiago would be impossible in a wheelchair. But best friends Justin and Patrick wouldn’t give up. Their six-week trek with its physical challenges, colorful characters, and deep inner battles, would prove to be the most difficult and important journey either of them would ever take. I’ll Push You is the real-life story of their incredible pilgrimage – and the friendship that carried them through. An emotional read that is sure to leave you feeling inspired.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Children

Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin & Pat Barrett

Good Good Father  is a wonderfully illustrated story for young children aged 4 to 8 years. In the book, we meet Tucker, a little bear who seeks help from the King, and plans to bring Him a perfect gift. Along the way he encounters a variety of delightful and funny animals who each know one great thing about the King. But each of the animals has a different view of what makes Him so great. The advice confuses Tucker and he is still unsure of what to give as a gift. Just as Tucker is about to give up, the King runs to him offering love, acceptance, and help.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winners: Christian Living

Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community by Brett McCracken

It’s easy to dream about the “perfect” church – but what if instead of searching for a church that makes us comfortable, we learned to love our church, even when it’s challenging? What if some of the discomfort that we often experience is actually good for us? This book is a call to embrace the uncomfortable aspects of Christian community, whether that means believing difficult truths, pursuing difficult holiness, or loving difficult people–all for the sake of the gospel, God’s glory, and our joy.

Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God by Mark Batterson

God still speaks today. His voice and guidance wasn’t only for the saints and prophets of old, but for followers of Jesus now. In Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God, author and pastor Mark Batterson shares seven ways that God communicates with His followers, if they’ll stop to listen. Through the tools of Scripture, Doors, Dreams, People, Promptings, and Pain, God weaves divine messages of love, encouragement and insight, into our lives every day. A great read for those who want to deepen their relationship with God.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Devotion & Gift

GraceLaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart by Ruth Chou Simons

GraceLaced by Ruth Chou Simons presents a visual feast of 32 seasonal devotions accompanied by her beautiful watercolor illustrations and photography. In winter, spring, summer, and fall, you’ll be inspired to live a life rooted and established in God’s grace. Learn to rest in his character during hardship; rehearse his truth while in renewal; respond in times of growth; and remember his provision when in abundance or need! You’ll discover how to draw closer to God regardless of what season you find your heart in, and be encouraged to explore your own creative expressions of faith.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Faith & Culture

Finding Grace in the Face of Dementia by John Dunlop MD

Drawing on years of professional experience working with Alzheimer’s patients, Dr. John Dunlop wants to transform the way we think about dementia. Rooting his vision of care in the inherent dignity that stems from the fact that all people are made in the image of God. He explains biblical principles, describes the experience of dementia, and answers common questions about the condition. Finding Grace in the Face of Dementia helps caregivers, family members, and anyone else affected by dementia honor God as they improve the quality of care to patients.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: Ministry Resources

Who Lynched Willie Earle?: Preaching to Confront Racism by William H. Willimon

It is imperative for 21st-century American Christians to constructively respond to racism. As a starting point, Willimon uses the true story of Pastor Hawley Lynn’s March of 1947 sermon about a lynching in Greenville, South Carolina. By hearing black pain, naming white complicity, critiquing American exceptionalism/civil religion, inviting and challenging the church to respond, and attending to the voices of African American pastors and leaders, this book helps pastors of white, mainline Protestant churches preach effectively in situations of racial violence and dis-ease.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winner: New Author

Follow the Cloud: Hearing God’s Voice One Next Step at a Time by John Stickl

As much as we’d like to see it, God doesn’t always give us the big picture. Our faith journeys often feel more like we’re picking up holy breadcrumbs on a long and winding trail. In Follow the Cloud, author and pastor John Stickl shares how God’s invitation to follow can lead to a life of freedom. When we learn to love ourselves in order to love others, extend forgiveness so we can be forgiven, and develop an attitude of trust, we’ll draw closer to who Jesus is and what we’re created to do.

2018 Christian Book Award® Winners: Young Peoples Literature

The Bible Explorer’s Guide: 1,000 Amazing Facts and Photos by Nancy I. Sanders

What did Noah’s ark really look like? Who was David and whom did he fight? What was daily life like in first-century Jerusalem? The Bible Explorer’s Guide lets children come up close and personal with everyday life during Bible times. Each two-page spread has images that bring history alive and drawings that help bring life to people and places that we can only read about. With fascinating, brief text and full-color captivating images, this is a reference that kids will come back to again and again.

The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith by Champ Thornton

Written with children aged 8-13 in mind, The Radical Book for Kids by Champ Thornton is a vibrantly-illustrated introduction to the roots of your child’s faith. This book will take children deep into the ancient roots and origins of the Christian faith exploring biblical history, theology and much more. Children will read about people who learned to trust Jesus and stand for him even when everything seemed against them. How did they do it? Radical faith.

For more great reads, visit our Christian bookstore!

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The best books of the year have now been announced by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) for the Christian Book Award ®Program!

Presented annually to the finest in Christian publishing since 1978, the Christian Book Award program honors titles in eleven categories: Bibles, Bible Reference Works, Bible Study, Biography & Memoir, Children, Christian Living, Devotion & Gift, Faith & Culture, Ministry Resources, New Author, and Young Peoples Literature.

Here are the finalists in each award category…

Bibles Finalists

1. NIrV – Adventures in Odyssey Bible
2. NLT Christian Basics Bible
3. NIV Faithlife Illustrated Study Bible
4. NIV Kid’s Visual Study Bible
5. The NLT Swindoll Study Bible

Bible Reference Works Finalists

1. Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth
2. Dictionary of Daily Life in Biblical & Post-Biblical Antiquity, One-Volume Edition
3. Dictionary of Luther and the Lutheran Traditions
4. Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World
5. How to Understand and Apply the New Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology

Bible Study Finalists

1. Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together
2. Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible
3.The Gospel According to Paul: Embracing the Good News at the Heart of Paul’s Teaching
4. Learning to Love the Psalms
5. The Women of Easter: Encounter the Savior with Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth, and Mary Magdalene

Biography & Memoir Finalists

1. Dream with Me: Race, Love, and the Struggle We Must Win
2. Fire Road: The Napalm Girl’s Journey through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness, and Peace
3. I’ll Push You: A Journey of 500 Miles, Two Best Friends, and One Wheelchair
4. Katharina & Martin Luther: The Radical Marriage of a Runaway Nun and a Renegade Monk
5. Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life
6. Struck: One Christian’s Reflections on Encountering Death 

Children Finalists

1. The Action Storybook Bible
2. Farmer Herman and the Flooding Barn: A Story About 344 People Working Together
3. God’s Great Love For You
4. Good Good Father
5. The Story Travelers Bible
6. ‘Twas the Evening of Christmas 

Christian Living Finalists

1. A Little Book on the Christian Life, Verdant Cover
2. Goliath Must Fall: Winning the Battle Against Your Giants
3. The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in its Proper Place
4. Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community
5. Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God 

Devotion & Gift Finalists

1. ESV Devotional Psalter
2. GraceLaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart
3. He Holds My Hand: Experiencing God’s Presence and Protection
4. Jesus Always: Embracing Joy in His Presence
5. On the Go Family Devotions: Journeying Together 

Faith & Culture Finalists

1. Adam and the Genome: Reading Scripture After Genetic Science
2. Finding Grace in the Face of Dementia
3. Standing in the Fire: Courageous Christians Living in Frightening Times
4. The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How it Ends, and Everything in Between
5. Why Does God Allow Evil?: Compelling Answers for Life’s Toughest Questions 

Ministry Resources Finalists

1. The Lost Sermons of C.H. Spurgeon
2. Rose Guide to Discipleship
3. Sacred Privilege: Your Life and Ministry As a Pastor’s Wife
4. Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family and Church
5. Who Lynched Willie Earle?: Preaching to Confront Racism 

New Author Finalists

1. Follow the Cloud: Hearing God’s Voice One Next Step at a Time
2. Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood As a Spiritual Discipline
3. The Marvelous Mud House: A Story of Finding Fullness and Joy
4. No Easy Jesus: How the Toughest Choices Lead to the Greatest Life
5. Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family and Church 

Young Peoples Literature Finalists

1. The Bible Explorer’s Guide: 1,000 Amazing Facts and Photos
2. Cold-Case Christianity for Kids: Investigate Jesus with a Real Detective
3. 40 Answers to Teens’ Top Questions
4. Know Who You Are: Live Like It Matters
5. The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith 

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