May 10, 2021 Edition

ECPA releases May 2021 Bestseller Lists: Sarah Jakes Roberts takes #1 spot

For the first time in 2021, the #1 book on ECPA’s Top 50 bestsellers list is a new release. Woman Evolve: Break Up with Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life by Sarah Jakes Roberts (Thomas Nelson) is the top selling Christian book.  Roberts is businesswoman and media personality who with her husband pastors a dynamic community of artists and professionals in Hollywood. She is also the daughter of pastor and bestselling author T.D. Jakes, whose own new release, Don’t Drop the Mic: The Power of Your Words Can Change the World (FaithWords) comes in at #3. This month there are 13 new releases from nine different publishers in the Top 50.

View all Bestseller Lists for May

ECPA releases Easter bestseller lists in Juvenile and Non-Fiction

ECPA has published its Easter bestseller lists: the top 25 for Easter Non-Fiction and the top 50 for Easter Juvenile. The Case for Easter by Lee Strobel (Zondervan) tops the Non-Fiction list, while God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Tawn Bergren (WaterBrook) is the #1 Easter book for kids.

View bestselling Easter Non-Fiction titles
View bestselling Easter Juvenile titles

ECPA names “Be the Bridge” as the 2021 Christian Book of the Year®: Winners announced in 12 categories

Last week, ECPA announced the 14 winners of the 2021 Christian Book Awards® in 12 categories – which includes a tie in the Audio category and a double win for Faith & Culture and Christian Book of the Year. Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison and published by WaterBrook, was named the 2021 Christian Book of the Year® while also winning in the Faith & Culture category.

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ECPA adds publisher LaDonna Boyd to board of directors

At the annual ECPA Member Meeting, held during the Leadership Summit on May 6, ECPA formally welcomed LaDonna Boyd, President & CEO of R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation, as a newly-elected board member. Outgoing board Chair Jeff Crosby, who resigned his chair seat following his confirmation as the new ECPA president and CEO, effective August 1, announced new appointments for the executive committee. The board elected Dan Kok (Crossway) as Chair, Mary Burns (Barbour) as Vice-Chair, and Paul Santhouse (Moody) as Director at Large. Dan Baker (Baker) will remain treasurer, and Barb Sherrill (Harvest House) will continuing serving as secretary. Sherrill was also elected to a second three-year term on the board by the membership. Other board members are Tina Constable (WaterBrook Multnomah), Doug Lockhart (HCCP), and Jeff Johnson (Tyndale).

Byron Williamson presented with ECPA Chair Award

The ECPA Chair Award was presented to Byron Williamson, former board chair of ECPA, for his service to Christian publishing and the legacy of hundreds of titles representing hundreds of millions of books sold around the world.  Williamson founded Worthy Publishing in 1982, where he conceived and published the 12+ million selling International Children’s Bible (ICB) and the companion version for adults, the New Century Version (NCV). Williamson also founded Integrity Publishers and led both Word and Thomas Nelson during his fruitful publishing career, which included authors Billy Graham, Max Lucado, Charles Colson, Sarah Young, Jerry Jenkins, and many others. ECPA board chair Jeff Crosby presented the award during the ECPA Awards Celebration, alongside current ECPA president Stan Jantz.

Author and ABC news anchor Linsey Davis to appear on Hallmark’s Home & Family Show on May 11

Author and news anchor Linsey Davis will be interviewed on Hallmark’s Home & Family TV show on Tuesday, May 11, speaking about her latest children’s picture book, “Stay This Way Forever.” Check local listings for times. The book, published by Zonderkidz, is a love letter to little ones that encourages children to celebrate their own special qualities now and into the future.

Bible Gateway interviews Philip Yancey, author of “What’s So Amazing About Grace”

The biblical concept of grace is one thing the world cannot duplicate while also being the one thing it craves above all else. How are Christians doing at lavishing the grace on a world that knows far more of cruelty and unforgiveness than it does of mercy? The Bible portrays true grace in shocking and scandalous terms: God does not excuse sin but always treasures the sinner. Bible Gateway interviewed Philip Yancey (@philipyancey) about his revised video curriculum, “What’s So Amazing About Grace? Participant’s Guide with DVD Updated Edition” (Zondervan, 2021).

Read this interview.