Nashville, TN – HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) announced that seven titles from its Zondervan Reflective, Zonderkidz, and Thomas Nelson imprints have been recognized as Outreach Resources of the Year by Outreach magazine. These awards span multiple categories, highlighting the diverse and impactful contributions of HCCP’s authors. Two additional Zondervan titles were highlighted as “Also Recommended” resources by the magazine’s editorial team.

The 22nd Annual Outreach Resources of the Year celebrate books released between November 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024, that “emphasize outreach-oriented ideas that churches and organizations of all sizes can use.”

Winning titles include:

• Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leadersby Daniel Yang, Adelle M. Banks, and Warren Bird (Zondervan Reflective) – Leadership category
• What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Churchby Gavin Ortlund (Zondervan Reflective) – Theology & Biblical Studies category
• Hey-O! Stories of the Bibleby Saddleback Kids (Zonderkidz) – Kids & Youth category
• The Adventure Bible Guide: Explore the Stories, People, and Places of Every Book in the Bible (Zonderkidz) – Kids & Youth category
• Priests of History: Stewarding the Past in an Ahistoric Ageby Sarah Irving-Stonebraker (Zondervan Reflective) – Culture category
• Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 Lies That Keep Men From Becoming Fully Aliveby Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson (Thomas Nelson) – Counseling & Relationships category
• Organic Prayer: Discover the Presence and Power of God in theEveryday by Sherry Harney with Kevin Harney (Zondervan Reflective) – Spiritual Growth category

Additional titles recognized as “Also Recommended”:

• The Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with Godby Dallas Willard (Zondervan) – Theology & Biblical Studies category
• Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart: What Art Teaches Us About the Wonder and Struggle of Being Alive by Russ Ramsey (Zondervan Reflective) – Christian Living category

“We are honored to see nine of our titles recognized by Outreach magazine this year,” said Mark Schoenwald, President and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “This acknowledgment reflects the dedication of our authors and teams to create meaningful, thought-provoking works that inspire readers and communities around the world.”

Learn more about the Outreach Resources of the Year.

ABOUT ZONDERVAN
Zondervan, a worldwide leading Christian publisher of books and Bibles, is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. Its publications include a variety of Bible translations for all ages; books in different genres and subject areas for the general reader; curriculum for individual and group Bible study; books for children and young adults; academic resources including textbooks and reference books; ministry resources; and books on faith and culture. Zondervan is located in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information, visit www.zondervan.com.

ABOUT THOMAS NELSON
Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information visit www.thomasnelson.com.

Contact:  Amy Morris, Director of Public Relations, Amy.Morris@harpercollins.com

New analysis of Nielsen BookScan data reveals that the sale of bibles in the UK grew 87 percent in value (total revenue generated) and 61 percent in volume (number of units sold) from 2019 to 2024.

The research, by Christian publisher SPCK Group, reveals that the total yearly sales of bibles in the UK jumped from £2.69 million in 2019 to £5.02 million in 2024 – an increase of £2.33 million over just four years. By contrast, between 2008 and 2019, total yearly bible sales grew just £277,188.

Religion is ‘fastest growing area of Trade Non-Fiction’

Nielsen BookScan data also shows that Religion is the fastest growing area of Trade Non-Fiction, despite the sector as a whole falling in sales. The Nielson BookScan UK annual summary report for 2024 reads:

“2024 was only the third year on record (after 2010 and 2012) that more fiction books were bought in the UK than Trade Non-Fiction. Trade Non-Fiction dropped to 58m in volume sales in 2024, down 6% vs 2023. There were pockets of growth for Trade Non-Fiction in 2024. Three subject areas increased in both measures: Leisure & Lifestyle (+2% in value), Fiction Related Items (0.1%) and religion (+4%) with Food & Drink growing in value (+3%)”

Sam Richardson, CEO of SPCK says: “The marked growth in Bible sales between 2019 and 2024, as well as the fact that Religion was the fastest growing area of Trade non-fiction in 2024, shows that we are at the centre of a significant cultural shift, regarding matters of faith and religion. Atheism, once considered by modern society to be the view of most rational adults, no longer seems to carry the same weight or appeal. Young people (Gen Z, in particular) are statistically far less likely to identify as atheists than their parents. Just last week, Giles Coren wrote a column for The Times titled ‘this Lent, I will turn atheism to ashes’, and former professed atheist Richard Dawkins now identifies as ‘a cultural Christian’.

“We are seeing an increased curiosity about Christianity. Events like the Covid-19 pandemic and the mental health crisis have caused many individuals to think deeply about their spirituality. Rather than relying on atheist thought leaders (of, for that matter, church leaders) we are seeing people want to draw their own conclusions by reading Christian books in general and the Bible in particular.”

Press contact: Emily Beater; ebeater@spck.org.uk, 07494430503 

SPCK Group CEO Sam Richardson is available for interview.

All data gathered from Nielsen BookScan.

March 2025 | Abilene, TX—Being a teen today is tough. You’re constantly bombarded with messages about who you should be and what you should do. Whether it’s the influencers online, friends in the hallways, or the high expectations set by your parents, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. More often than not, you’re left feeling helpless, hopeless, and stuck, wishing for a better life. You find yourself thinking there has to be a better way, but it’s hard to see through the noise.

Glow Up: A Teen’s Guide to Flipping the Script addresses five main areas where teens are overwhelmed and stuck in a negative mindset. Through engaging, relatable stories and Scripture, this book offers hope for a new way of thinking. It gives this generation practical steps to flip their internal scripts and embrace a more positive outlook.

“Glow Up could not come at a better time when today’s girls are searching for truth and validation. Brittany addresses the lies our girls believe and equips them with God’s truths. Brittany is your ultimate hype girl, championing the next generation to question the negative committee camping out between their ears. Her stories are relatable, raw, and authentic. Brittany’s book is hilariously funny, drawing you in from page one and making you feel like you are in the presence of your very best friend.”
—Trudy Lonesky, best-selling author of Reclaim Her Heart and Confidently Crowned

Glow Up
By Brittany Estes
March 2025, Softcover
168 Pages, $17.99
ISBN: 9781684263622

Brittany Estes has been coaching and championing women for over ten years. She is a professional and certified life coach who has worked in large churches utilizing her coaching and speaking skills. She is the author of Flip the Script: Make Your Move from Broken to Brilliant. Married to her high school sweetheart, she and her husband have eight children, three through adoption. Her days are filled with dance parties, confetti, and all the coffee. Brittany is not your normal mom or pastor’s wife. She is also a tattooed, pink-haired, firecracker of a woman who speaks her mind and cannot be tamed. The freedom she lives in drives her mission to help everyone she meets. Keep up with Brittany online at brittanyestes.com and on Instagram @jbrittanyestes.

Media Contact:  Kaylin Graves publicity@leafwoodpublishers.com

Author Kristopher R. Whitby takes a look at eleven meals throughout Scripture and the lessons God teaches there

Whether the table is set with the good china, covered in toddler spills, or tucked in the corner of a small apartment, the Lord invites His people to come and be filled with His good gifts as they gather. In his new book Come and Be Filled: Feasting with Jesus in His Word with Concordia Publishing House, author Kristopher R. Whitby explores this by reflecting on eleven meals throughout Scripture and the lessons God teaches. Readers will learn the lengths Jesus goes to to invite His people to His table and what it means to share together in the blessings of Christ.

“When followers of Jesus are present at a meal, Jesus draws near and takes His place at the table,” Whitby writes. “He comes both to bless the actual food and to bring His Word of witness through us to touch the lives of those around the table with His abiding grace and presence.”

Throughout the book, Whitby takes readers to eleven tables. They will gather with the disciples as Jesus teaches them about welcoming others and seeking the lost, with God’s people as they eat His Passover meal each year, with fellow believers at the Last Supper, and more. Through these examples, Whitby deepens readers’ understanding of the grace our Savior extends to those who dine with Him and shows them how He continues to set a place for all to come and be nourished in His love and in community around the table.

“Again and again, Whitby takes us to the goodness of the Lord in food, tables, and meals, always enlightening the promises of God in Christ, even when we make a mess,” says Rev. Dr. Allan R. Buss, president of the LCMS Northern Illinois District. “The Lord is good, and this book is good. You’ll be glad you read it!”

Visit cph.org/feast for more information about the book. Contact Erica Sontag to schedule an interview with the author.

About the Author
Rev. Kristopher R. Whitby served for twenty-four years as a parish pastor, both in Florida and Illinois. In his years of pastoral ministry, Kris was honored to serve as the national LWML pastoral counselor as well as the Northern Illinois District’s North Region Vice President. He has been blessed to host the radio talk show Faith Talks and serve as a volunteer chaplain for the Association of Retired Intelligence Officers during the days following 9/11. Pastor Kris now serves on district staff as assistant to the president—Mission and Ministry in the Northern Illinois District. He and his wife, Marguerita, enjoy their son and daughter, their daughter- and son-in-law, and the three grandchildren the Lord has provided them, as well as board games, theater, and improv comedy.

About Concordia Publishing House
Concordia Publishing House (CPH) is the publishing arm of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. For more than 150 years, CPH has been providing individuals, churches, and schools with products that are faithful to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions. From books and Bibles to church supplies, curriculum, and software, CPH offers more than 10,000 products to support the proclamation of the Gospel worldwide. Visit CPH online at cph.org.

CONTACT:  Erica Sontag, Public Relations, 314-268-1303, erica.sontag@cph.org     

---

Praise for Come and Be Filled

With Come and Be Filled, Kristopher Whitby has taken a unique and compelling approach to the grand narrative of salvation history. The theme is so common: meals, an everyday event. At the same time, the theme is so profound: how communal eating and drinking are woven throughout Scripture, highlighting important aspects about God and His covenant people. Carefully crafted with well-chosen illustrations and insightful biblical analysis, Come and Be Filled is a deeply satisfying read. Bon appétit!
Christopher Kennedy, senior pastor, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, School, and Child Care; author of Equipped and Unfailing

Rev. Kristopher Whitby draws on meals, tables, and food to bring us some rich teaching (Law and Gospel) from the inspired stories of Scripture. He writes as a caring and thoughtful pastor with an engaging style, relevant illustrations, and his own personal wit. As I was reading the book, Psalm 34:8 kept coming to mind: “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” Again and again, Whitby takes us to the goodness of the Lord in food, tables, and meals, always enlightening the promises of God in Christ, even when we make a mess. The Lord is good, and this book is good. You’ll be glad you read it!
Rev. Dr. Allan R. Buss, president, LCMS Northern Illinois District

The chapters of this book will open your eyes—and heart—to what it means when you pray, “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest . . .” As you read and consider how meals shared in Scripture affected the participants, you will also be invited to consider how they affect you. Come and be filled with the bounty of our Lord’s grace, told in an engaging and relatable way. Thank you, Rev. Whitby, for this invitation to linger at the table. And don’t skip dessert!
Eden Keefe, president, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

Come and Be Filled is a profound exploration of the spiritual significance of shared meals. This book beautifully illustrates how Jesus’ presence transforms ordinary gatherings into moments of grace and connection. Through biblical accounts and personal reflections, Rev. Whitby invites readers to experience the joy and depth of dining with Jesus, making every meal a sacred celebration. A must-read for anyone seeking to deepen their faith and relationships around the table.
Rev. Dr. B. Keith Haney, assistant to the president for Mission, Stewardship, and Human Care, LCMS Iowa District West

 

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH, March 5, 2025 — Platinum-selling recording artist, songwriter and pastor Tauren Wells announced his debut book, Joy Bomb: Unleash Jesus’s Explosive Joy for an Extraordinary Life, will release May 20, 2025, from Zondervan Books. The highly anticipated new book features a foreword by Steven Furtick and is endorsed by Steph Curry, Joel Osteen and Michael Todd, and is available to pre-order here.

Joy Bomb helps readers answer who are asking:  If God designed us for happiness, why does joy often feel so elusive? This book grapples with the raw tension between striving for happiness and uncovering the deep, unshakable joy we were created for.

Wells offers a fresh take on Jesus’s first recorded teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, highlighting how Jesus’s repeated use of the word “happy” challenges our modern, surface-level ideas of joy and pushes us toward a deeper, eternal understanding. Wells offers readers the “codes” to unlock a joy that isn’t superficial or dependent on circumstances; it’s divine and eternal. It comes from God and is rooted in his unchanging character and boundless love. Each beatitude strips away our illusions, cutting to the heart of what it means to follow God in the messiness of real life. It reveals a joy that isn’t tidy or effortless, but raw, hard-won, and deeply transformative. The Beatitudes reveal not just his power but his overwhelming love and grace.

“The Beatitudes have shown us a way of life in which God’s joy flows freely, meeting us exactly where you are,” writes Wells. “This joy is born from letting go of the need to keep up, from daring to face grief with honesty, from allowing ourselves to depend on God even when we feel empty. It grows through the freedom of forgiveness, the quiet strength of humility, the pull toward justice and the peace we bring to others. And yes, even when things get uncomfortable or unpopular, this joy stays unshaken.”

Tauren Wells is a celebrated platinum-selling musician, pastor, public speaker and father who has quietly galvanized audiences worldwide over nearly a decade. With ten GRAMMY® nominations, eight GMA Dove Awards (including Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year), a Billboard Music Award nomination and a Premio Nuestro Award nomination, his accolades also include nods from the BET and NAACP Image Awards. Known for blending Contemporary Christian and Gospel with elements of pop, hip-hop, and R&B, Wells has achieved seven #1 hits, three consecutive Top 5 Billboard Christian Album debuts and over 1.2 billion global streams. His RIAA-certified singles—platinum hits “Known” and “Hills and Valleys” and gold singles “God’s Not Done With You” and “Famous For (I Believe)”—continue to resonate deeply with listeners. Wells has collaborated with artists across genres, from Academy® Award winner H.E.R. to rock icons Skillet and Davies, and shared stages with legends Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey. His dynamic performances have captivated fans worldwide. In January 2024, he and his wife launched Church of Whitestone in Austin, Texas, where they serve as co-lead pastors, blending family, faith and ministry into his artistry. Driven by a commitment to bring his family closer to their collective faith, Wells creates music as a testament to this purpose, an intent that infuses his upcoming 2025 EP Let The Church Sing and literary debut, Joy Bomb. 

• https://www.taurenwells.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/user/tgwells04
• https://www.instagram.com/taurenwells/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@taurenwellsofficial
• https://www.facebook.com/taurenwellsofficial
• https://x.com/taurenwells

Zondervan is a HarperCollins Company and part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Zondervan is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian communications. The company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For additional information, please visit zondervan.com.

MARCH 2025 | CHARLOTTE, NC – The Good Book Company is excited to announce the upcoming release of videos for kids telling the true story of Easter based on God’s Big Promises Bible Storybook, written by Carl Laferton and illustrated by Jennifer Davison (The Good Book Company, September 2023).

Narrated by Andrew Wilson, there is a series of 8 short, 2-minute videos that begins with Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey and ends with Thomas rejoicing with his risen Lord. The video series uses animations based on God’s Big Promises Bible Storybook as an engaging way to share the Easter story in all-age church services, in kids’ groups, and as a family. Just like the Bible storybook, the videos are biblically faithful resources for kids ages 2+ through 8. A shorter compilation video version also shares the Easter story more succinctly.

James Burstow, President and Chief Commercial Officer of The Good Book Company, says, “A passion for God’s word is at the heart of everything we do at The Good Book Company and so we are thrilled to be launching this new Easter video series for younger children. We hope it will share with kids everywhere the amazing news that King Jesus is alive again!”

Download of these videos includes permission to play them for family, classroom, or the whole church.

ABOUT THE GOOD BOOK COMPANY
Founded in 1991, The Good Book Company (TGBC) is an international Christian publisher. Their Bible studies, books, devotionals, videos, tracts, evangelistic courses, and training materials are used throughout the English-speaking world, and in translation in over 35 languages worldwide. Everyone at TGBC is passionate about the Lord Jesus, His word, His church, and His gospel of grace. They create and publish biblical, relevant, and accessible resources that will encourage Christians to keep going, keep growing, and keep sharing their faith.

 

March 2025 | LISLE, IL— InterVarsity Press (IVP) is honored to announce that five of its books have been named finalists for the 2024 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards. The titles include The Adoptee’s Journey by Cameron Lee Small, Swing Low by Walter R. Strickland II, Beyond Ethnic Loneliness by Prasanta Verma, Our Church Speaks by Ben Lansing and D. J. Marotta, and The New Testament in Color edited by Esau McCaulley, Janette H. Ok, Osvaldo Padilla, and Amy L. B. Peeler.

As part of its mission to discover, review, and share the best books from university and independent publishers, Foreword Magazine hosts an annual awards program each year. Finalists represent the best books published in 2024. The finalists were determined by Foreword’s editorial team, and winners are now being decided by teams of librarian and bookseller judges from across the country. Winners in each genre, along with Editor’s Choice Prize winners and Foreword’s Indie Publisher of the Year, will be announced in June 2025.

IVP books were chosen as finalists in the following categories:

---

Family & Relationships (Adult Nonfiction)

The Adoptee’s Journey: From Loss and Trauma to Healing and Empowerment

Adoptee and counselor Cameron Lee Small names the realities of the adoptee’s journey, narrating his own and other adoptees’ stories in all their complexity. He unpacks the history of how adoption has worked and names how the church influenced adoption practices with unintended negative impacts on adoptees’ faith. Small’s own tumultuous search for and reunion with his mother in Korea inspired him to help other adoptees navigate what it means to carry multiple stories. His adoptee-centered advocacy helps adoptees regain their agency and identity on a journey of integration and healing, with meaningful relationships in all their family systems.

Haley Radke, creator and host of the Adoptees On podcast, said, “Adopted people have complex origin stories, and Cameron Small diligently walks us through with compassionate lenses to see the intimate inner workings of the adoptee experience. The church has worked hard to sugarcoat the adoption experience, and normally we only get the adoptive parents’ lens; this book is the nurturing table-overturning we need from an adoptee.”

---

History (Adult Nonfiction)

Swing Low, volume 1: A History of Black Christianity in the United States

The dynamic witness of the Black church in the United States is an essential part of Christian history that must be heard and dependably retold. In this groundbreaking two-volume work, Walter R. Strickland II does just that through a theological-intellectual history highlighting the ways theology has formed and motivated Black Christianity across the centuries. Through his original research he has identified five theological anchors grounding African Americans in Christian orthodoxy: Big God, Jesus, Conversion and walking in the Spirit, the Good Book, and Deliverance. The finalist for the INDIES award, volume 1 tells the story of these themes from the 1600s to the present. Volume 2, a companion anthology, covers the breadth of these historical developments by presenting primary-source documents so we can listen to Black Christianity in its own words.

Mark Noll, author of America’s Book and C. S. Lewis in America, said, “With its focus on Black Protestants, these books are landmarks for the exploration of the nation’s past and its perennial struggles over race. Most of all they record a story that has been regularly neglected in accounts of American Christianity. It is the often unexpected, sometimes contentious, but enduring impact of the Christian gospel throughout African American history.” 

---

Multicultural (Adult Nonfiction)

Beyond Ethnic Loneliness: The Pain of Marginalization and the Path to Belonging

An Indian American immigrant who grew up in white Southern culture, Prasanta Verma names and sheds light on the realities of ethnic loneliness. She unpacks the exhausting effects of cultural isolation, the dynamics of marginalization, and the weight of being other. In the midst of disconnection and erasure, she points to the longing to belong, the need to share our stories, and the hope of finding safe friendships and community.

“Beyond Ethnic Loneliness is a moving read for any person of color who has silently carried the burden of isolation, invisibility, and marginalization in a society that has ‘devalued, attacked, beaten, shot, lynched, enslaved, exiled, killed’ those who do not conform to a ‘white-majority culture,’” said Terence Lester, founder of Love Beyond Walls and author of From Dropout to Doctorate. “Prasanta Verma’s words provide the embrace I never received in spaces where I felt unseen and unheard when discrimination and racism disregarded my racial identity.”

---

Religion (Adult Nonfiction)

Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era and Place

This illustrated devotional vividly depicts the lives and words of great women and men of faith. Artist Ben Lansing and Anglican priest D. J. Marotta offer fifty-two profound images and reflections on Christians, from Polycarp in the first century to the martyrs of Sudan in the twenty-first century. These saints, from every continent and century of church history, demonstrate the historic church’s relevance for Christians today and reveals God’s faithfulness in all times and circumstances.

“In a world captivated and mesmerized by the cult of celebrity, this book helps us to reorient our hearts to experience the saints as ones that not only speak to our past but also shine the light and guide the path to our future,” said J.R. Briggs, founder of Kairos Partnerships and author of The Art of Asking Better Questions. “We stand on the shoulders of brothers and sisters in the faith who’ve faithfully shown us the way—and this resource helps make them accessible and relevant to our everyday lives. Our Church Speaks is a useful tool full of stunning artwork and meaningful prayers to help us to sit at the feet of saints young and old and learn from those who are a part of the great cloud of witnesses. For the past few years, I’ve been shaped and formed by these visuals online. I’m thrilled this collection has been published into a book we can now hold in our hands!”

---

Reference (Adult Nonfiction)

The New Testament in Color: A Multiethnic Bible Commentary

Edited by Esau McCaulley, Janette Ok, Osvaldo Padilla, and Amy Peeler, this one-volume commentary on the New Testament is written by a multiethnic team of scholars holding orthodox Christian beliefs. Each scholar brings exegetical expertise coupled with a unique interpretive lens to illuminate the ways social location and biblical interpretation work together. Theologically orthodox and multiethnically contextual, The New Testament in Color fills a gap in biblical understanding for both the academy and the church.

“In my own theological education, I was pressured to suppress my ethnic perspective and experiences, to conform to some sort of disembodied neutrality,” said Nijay Gupta, author of Tell Her Story and professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. “Since then I have come to learn that my background, culture, and reading lens can actually enhance my ability to understand Scripture. I am thrilled to recommend The New Testament in Color because this ‘library-in-a-book’ reflects the beautiful mosaic of a many-colored hermeneutic. I wish someone had handed this book to me twenty-five years ago, and I hope many will read it now.”

---

For a complete list of IVP award winners visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

---

Founded in 1947, InterVarsity Press (IVP) focuses on publishing Christian books that discuss influential cultural moments, provide tools for mental growth through a Christian framework, and equip pastors, professors, and ministry leaders in their work. IVP is a subsidiary of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

---

Contact:  Krista Clayton | kclayton@ivpress.com

 

2025 | LISLE, IL—InterVarsity Press (IVP) is thrilled to announce that three IVP Kids titles have received 2025 Illumination Book Awards. The honored titles include Birth of the Chosen One, Penny Preaches, and Saint Valentine the Kindhearted.

The Illumination Christian Book Awards celebrate the best new Christian books from both independent and traditional publishers. The awards recognize outstanding works that thoughtfully explore faith, Scripture, and spiritual themes in today’s world. Titles are submitted in over twenty-five categories, including Devotionals, Bible Studies, and Children’s Picture Books.

Winner of the gold medal in the Children’s Picture Book category, Penny Preaches: God Gives Good Gifts to Everyone! is written by Amy Dixon and Rob Dixon and illustrated by Jennifer Davison. Penny loves Sunday sermons and dreams of preaching. But when preaching from the front porch to her friends doesn’t turn out quite as she expected, Penny wonders if she was wrong to want to teach others about God. Penny’s story celebrates the gifts God has given to all His children and invites children into a vision of a church where everyone’s gifts can shine.

Gold medal winner in the Holiday category is Birth of the Chosen One: A First Nations Retelling of the Christmas Story. This unique adaptation by Terry M. Wildman is an Indigenous translation of the Creator’ Story told in the tradition of Native oral storytellers. With text from the bestselling First Nations Version and stunning illustrations by Native artists Hannah and Holly Buchanan, Birth of the Chosen One is a powerful picture book that illuminates the Christmas story in a fresh and new way.

Silver medal winner in the Holiday category is Saint Valentine the Kindhearted: The History and Legends of God’s Brave and Loving Servant by Ned Bustard. Told in rhyme and delightfully illustrated with Ned Bustard’s signature linocut artwork, this is the story of Saint Valentine’s life and legacy. Young readers will learn about the inspiration behind Valentine’s Day celebrations. Ned Bustard’s other award-winning IVP Kids titles include Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver and Saint Patrick the Forgiver.

IVP Kids offers resources that reflect and celebrate diverse voices, equipping and encouraging children to follow Jesus in every area of their lives. “Working with these talented authors and illustrators has been an absolute delight,” says Elissa Schauer, Executive Editor and IVP Kids editor. “I am so thrilled that these wonderful books are being honored and celebrated with this award!”

For a complete list of IVP Kids award winners visit ivpress.com/award-winners.

Contact:  Anna Tjernstrom | atjernstrom@ivpress.com

‘Deep Discipleship’ aims to bolster theological foundations within the local church

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For almost a decade, authors J.T. English, Jen Wilkin and Kyle Worley have made it their mission to make theological education accessible to laypeople in the church.

They have also helped train church leaders to guide their people toward knowing the essential foundations of the Christian faith through Training the Church ministry cohorts, podcasts like “Knowing Faith” and other resources that have been useful for providing laypeople with tools for knowing and understanding Scripture.

On April 1, these authors are teaming up with Lifeway Christian Resources to launch “Deep Discipleship,” a 24-week program (two 12-week semesters) that equips and empowers participants to grow deeply in their faith within the context of the local church, allowing believers to engage with God’s Word in a meaningful and comprehensive way.

The “Deep Discipleship” curriculum offers an in-depth approach to discipleship that fosters both small group and individual Bible study on the essential foundations and doctrines of the Christian faith rooted and revealed in Scripture. “We believe theology is for everyone,” said Worley, pastor of Mosaic Church in Richardson, Texas. “The goal of this program is and has always been to make the deep things of God accessible to all the people in our churches — not just to a select few.”

“Deep Discipleship” is based on three core tenets that tie the curriculum together:

• Christian story: understanding the grand narrative of Scripture
• Christian belief: the essential doctrines of the Christian faith
• Christian formation: how story and belief shape worship, mission and obedience to Christ

Unlike programs that require minimal engagement, “Deep Discipleship” will challenge participants to go deep by learning and growing in their biblical literacy, theological knowledge and practice of spiritual disciplines. The program includes a Group Starter Kit, which contains five “Deep Discipleship” journals, video-based teaching sessions, a digital leader guide, group discussion questions and weekly individual assignments.

Each Group Starter Kit includes five journals with the option to add more, depending on the size of each group. Participants will also receive digital access to three books, including “You Are a Theologian” by Wilkin and English, “Formed for Fellowship” by Kyle Worley (May 2025) and “Remember and Rehearse” by English (May 2025).

“One of the primary reasons we are facing a discipleship crisis is because local churches have lost a vision for discipleship in the local church,” said English, pastor of Storyline Church in Arvada, Colorado. “As the family of God, local churches are absolutely indispensable to shaping and forming deep disciples. In this program, every local church can expose their people to three indispensable elements for every disciple: the story of Scripture, the basics of the faith, and spiritual disciplines. Every single church and every disciple should have access to this program.”

According to Lifeway Research and Ligonier’s 2022 State of Theology report, many of the core tenants of Scripture are not strongly believed among evangelicals, revealing a crack in the church’s discipleship framework and methodology. For example, 43% of evangelicals agree Jesus was a great teacher but not God.

Additionally, a 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study from Lifeway Research found that while 78% of Protestant churchgoers said they had developed significant relationships with people at their church, only 48% intentionally spent time with other believers to help them grow in their faith.

“Many church leaders have been told they must continually lower the bar to attract participants,” said Wilkin. “The opposite is true: people rise to a challenge and rally to a compelling vision. And in an age of rampant theological and biblical illiteracy, the time has never been better to call them to that vision through deep discipleship.”

Additionally, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has partnered with Lifeway to offer participants their first seminary class free upon completion of the Deep Discipleship program. More information can be found at MBTS.edu/deepdiscipleship.

For more information about the “Deep Discipleship” program, visit lifeway.com/deepdiscipleship.=

In operation since 1891, Lifeway Christian Resources is one of the leading providers of Christian resources, including Bibles, books, Bible studies, group curriculum, Christian music and movies, Vacation Bible School and church supplies, as well as camps and events for all ages. Lifeway is the world’s largest provider of Spanish Bibles. Based in Brentwood, Tennessee, Lifeway operates as a self-supporting nonprofit. For more information, visit Lifeway.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Aaron Earls, aaron.earls@lifeway.com

by Lauren Pratt, a contracted publicist for Lifeway Christian Resources.

March 3, 2025 – In his newest book, The Ordinary Church: Restoring the Biblical Model, Pastor John MacArthur invites us to walk the old paths, where the timeless truths of Scripture guide us in discerning what truly constitutes a faithful congregation. Prepare to embark on a journey that cuts through the distractions of modern culture and leads us to the heart of genuine, enduring fellowship.

In today’s landscape, not everything claiming the title of a church embodies health or truth. The Ordinary Church becomes a vital tool for believers, providing a lens to scrutinize the ordinary church and to serve as a guide to adopting a God-honoring approach in establishing and defining a faithful congregation amid the challenges of a sin-perverted world.

“This book has come at a key moment in church history. Society today has infiltrated many churches in ways that lead to confusion among leaders and discontentment among members. John MacArthur provides much-needed clarity and insight into how an ‘ordinary church’ is truly extraordinary.”  – Brian Biedebach, Dean of Students and Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry, The Master’s Seminary

John MacArthur is the chancellor of The Master’s University and Seminary, a pastor-teacher at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and chairman and featured teacher of Grace to You, a nonprofit radio and television program. He and his wife, Patricia, live in Southern California and have four married children, and fifteen grandchildren.

The Ordinary Church is available from CLC Publications (www.clcpublications.com) and other major distributors.

CLC Publications is the English language publishing house for CLC Ministries International. Headquartered in Fort Washington, PA, CLC has published books for the Deeper Christian Life for over 50 years.