Zondervan Reflective, Zondervan Academic, Zonderkidz, and W Publishing Honored
NASHVILLE (December 3, 2025) — HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) is proud to announce it received multiple honors, including the Book of the Year award, at the 2025 Christianity Today Book Awards. These awards recognize the most impactful books of the year shaping evangelical life, thought, and culture.
The Book of the Year was awarded to The Reason for Church: Why the Body of Christ Still Matters in an Age of Anxiety, Division, and Radical Individualism by Brad Edwards, published by Zondervan Reflective. In this work, pastor Brad Edwards explores how the evangelical church has seen millions of Americans leave the church in the last 25 years, as individualistic beliefs drive people away. Edwards connects the dots of the current church crisis and provides compelling reasons to come back.
“The past few years have seen a curious pattern of skeptics announcing a newfound respect for Christianity or even converting outright. Is this revival or something like it? Perhaps it’s too soon to say. But it’s not too soon to say that the time was right for The Reason for Church,” said Bonnie Kristian, Deputy Editor of Christianity Today, in the announcement. “Brad Edwards’s incisive yet gracious book is apt for this moment—in which even many Christians imagine they can do without the community and obligations of a local congregation—and its call of steadfast commitment to the body of Christ will always be needful and true.”
In addition to being named Book of the Year, The Reason for Church also won in the Church and Pastoral Leadership category. Three other HCCP titles received top honors in their respective categories:
- The Good Shepherd and the Stubborn Sheep: A Story of God’s Redemptive Loveby Hannah E. Harrison (Zonderkidz) won in the Children’s category.
- Ask of Old Paths: Medieval Virtues and Vices for a Whole and Holy Lifeby Grace Hamman (Zondervan Reflective) in the Christian Living and Spiritual Formation category.
- Prophet, Priest, and King: Christology in Global Perspectiveedited by Michael S. Horton, Elizabeth W. Mburu, and Justin S. Holcomb (Zondervan Academic) won in the Theology (Academic) category.
“Winning multiple awards, including Book of the Year, is a testament to the dedication and talent of our authors, editors, and publishing teams,” said Mark Schoenwald, President and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “These honors highlight the power of thoughtful, transformative books to shape lives, inspire faith, and address the pressing questions of our time. We are deeply honored to see titles from Zondervan Reflective, Zondervan Academic, and Zonderkidz recognized for their impact on the Christian community and beyond.”
Additionally, four HCCP titles were recognized by the awards program with honors:
- A Teachable Spirit: The Virtue of Learning from Strangers, Enemies, and Absolutely Anyoneby A. J. Swoboda (Zondervan Reflective) received an Award of Merit in the Christian Living and Spiritual Formation category.
- The Gospel After Christendom: An Introduction to Cultural Apologeticsedited by Collin Hansen, Skyler R. Flowers, and Ivan Mesa (Zondervan Reflective) was a finalist in the Apologetics and Evangelism category.
- Jesus Our True Friend: Stories to Fill Your Heart with Joyby Sally Lloyd-Jones (Zonderkidz) was a finalist in the Children’s category.
- The Deep-Rooted Marriage: Cultivating Intimacy, Healing, and Delightby Dan B. Allender and Steve Call (W Publishing) was a finalist in the Marriage, Family, and Singleness category.
About HarperCollins Christian Publishing
HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) is the world’s leading Christian publisher and home to renowned brands Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. It also operates various digital platforms, including FaithGateway, ChurchSource, and Bible Gateway—the world’s largest Christian website. HCCP specializes in bestselling Bibles, inspirational books, children’s books, academic resources, curriculum, gift books, audio, and digital content crafted for the Christian market. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with an office in Grand Rapids, Michigan, HCCP is part of HarperCollins Publishers. For more information, visit HarperCollinsChristian.com.
Contact: Franny Blanchard, HarperCollins Publishers, franny.blanchard@harpercollins.com
