NAIROBI, Kenya — December 2025 — The African Christian publishing landscape marked another significant milestone as the 5^th African Christian Authors Book Award (ACABA) BookFest & Gala, organized by CLC Kenya, convened in Nairobi with record-breaking participation and a growing global footprint.

Now considered one of the premier platforms for spotlighting Christian authorship in Anglophone Africa, ACABA received 131 submissions from 22 countries in 2025—its widest reach yet in its vision to unite all 27 Anglophone African nations under one Christian literature ecosystem.

The gala drew (in-person) authors, publishers, and partners from Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Italy, and Switzerland, underscoring the continent’s expanding influence in global Christian writing and the strengthening partnerships across the international publishing community.

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A Year of Strategic Partnerships and Cross-Continental Collaboration

Global Trainers of Trainers (ToT)

The CLC Kenya/ACABA teams received specialized capacity-building support through partnerships with Africa Speaks, Publishing in Color (a connection established at the 2023 ECPA PubU conference), and Media Associates International, ensuring that the training offered to African authors reflects global best practices in Christian publishing.

From these trainings, each year, ACABA expands its mandate beyond awards by running year-round author training and empowerment programs designed to strengthen writing, editing, publishing and distribution skills across the continent. These initiatives will continue into 2026 as part of ACABA’s long-term commitment to raising publishing standards in Africa.

Literature/Content Partners

CLC Kenya/ACABA engaged 61 partners across Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Scotland—including Tyndale Kids, Christian Focus Publications, Dernier Publishing, Answers in Genesis, Goodwill Rights Management, Urban Press, and African Christian publishers serving the African market.

The year also marked deeper collaboration with YouVersion East Africa and YouVersion South Africa, signaling a major strategic shift toward digital discipleship and global distribution opportunities for African Christian authors in 2026 and beyond.

Patrick and Dr. Muthoni Omukhango, who lead both CLC Kenya and ACABA, noted that the continued rise in submissions and partnerships reflects a “growing hunger for authentically African, Christ-centered writing and a renewed commitment to advancing readership and authorship across the continent.”

Translations

Translations are becoming a strategic pillar in ACABA’s vision to amplify African Christian literature globally. Through the support of CLC International, Africa is gaining access to French, Spanish, Italian, and Korean translation pathways, enabling ACABA authors to see their works carried into new linguistic and cultural contexts. These expanding opportunities ensure that African stories, theological reflections, and discipleship resources transcend borders, enriching the global Church with authentically African voices and perspectives.

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2025 ACABA Award Recipients

Young Readers Category

• Augustine Mulenga (South Africa) – David, the Great King; Robbie the Raven and Debbie the Dove
• Florence Mlambo (Kenya) – Her Legacy Lives: Embracing the Essence of Biblical Heroines in Modern Society
• Blessings Ongeri (Kenya) – Journey Through the Bible: A Devotional for Kids (By Children for Children)

Family Category

• Nancy Mwabili (Kenya) – Hope Unbowed: Faith Lessons During an 11 Year Season of Childlessness
• Tafadzwa Rwizi (Zimbabwe) – Pre-Marital Wisdom: What You Need to Know Before You Say ‘I Do’

Men/Women Category

• Titus Otieno (Kenya) – Activated Husband: Unmasking and Conquering Six Portraits of Dysfunction in Husbandhood

Business & Finance

• George Oyuga (Kenya) – Dance With My Money: Tango Dance Your Finances to the Next Level

Missions & Church / Theology

• Jemimah Nzola (Kenya) – Blessed Beginnings: Pray, Plan and Prepare for Your Baby Throughout Pregnancy
• Dr. Onkeme Letshwiti (Botswana) – Fire in the Pulpit: A homiletics Guide to Powerful and Purposeful Preaching

Board Games

• Truphie & Wangechi (Kenya) – The Fun Animal Puzzle Book

Christians in Other Disciplines

• Dr. John Mbugua (Kenya) – Shepherding the Sunset Years for Clergy: Staying Relevant and joyful in Post-Ministry Life
• Dr. Wilson Mbugua (Kenya) – Planning for Lifestyle in Retirement

Mental Health & Addictions

• Mabel Masigale (Zimbabwe) – Healing or Hiding? Discovering, Uncovering and recovering from Hidden Emotional Pain to Wholeness

Christian Living

• Stanley Mkhwanazi (Eswatini) – Redefine Your Worth: How to Overcome Hopeless Thoughts and Enjoy God’s Unfailing Love
• Samson Njenga (Kenya) – The Chain of Destiny: Fulfilling Your Life’s Purpose

Culture & the Arts

• Margaret Kimaiyo (Kenya) – The Untold Story of the Turkana Girl: Navigating Challenges and Cultivating Resilience for the Marginalized Turkana Girl

History & Biography

• Mary Gachau (Kenya) – Caregivers: The Silent Partners in Cancer Care

Leadership

• Kingston Ogango (Kenya) – Mentoring: A Practical Guide for Growing and Developing Leaders

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Overall Awards

Book Program of the Year (Sponsored by CLC USA under The George Verwer Legacy Award)

• Patrick Makewa (Kenya) – True Love Waits: Discover About Love and Sex
• David Njeru (Kenya) – Naked Truth About Sex

Book Cover of the Year (Sponsored by Tyndale House Ministries under The Kenneth N. Taylor Legacy Award)

• Magdalene Nasimiyu (Kenya) – Until My Last Breath: An Abandoned Devotion
• Monica Mueni (Kenya) – Wind of Change: My Experience After Salvation
• Teteyian Nangurai (Kenya) – Unbroken:  Smiling Through the Pain

Book Content of the Year (Sponsored by CLC USA under The Ken & Bessie Adams Legacy Award)

• Patrick Makewa (Kenya) – True Love Waits: Discover About Love and Sex

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A Growing Literary Movement Across Africa

ACABA continues to serve as a catalytic platform for discovering new voices, elevating high-quality Christian literature, and strengthening cross-border collaboration between authors, publishers, translators, illustrators, designers, and ministry leaders.

The 2025 Gala reaffirmed the movement’s commitment to professionalizing Christian writing across Africa, improving production standards, nurturing emerging authors—including children and teens through Mama Africa Book Box—and building sustainable distribution pipelines.

Through its partnership with global and continental ministries and publishers, ACABA is amplifying African stories, scholarship, and discipleship content to serve the Church worldwide.

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About CLC
CLC is an International Mission Organization whose story began in 1941 with a single Christian bookshop in Colchester, England, founded by Ken and Bessie Adams. Today, the ministry has grown into a global network with its International Office still based in the UK and an active presence in more than 44 countries. Its statement of purpose remains clear and unwavering: “To honor God by making Christian literature and resources available and accessible to all nations, to help people come to faith and maturity in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

About CLC Kenya
CLC Kenya (https://kenyaclc.org/), established in 2007 in Nairobi, is one of the 44 member countries carrying this mission forward. The work is accomplished through writing classes, publishing, and printing, as well as two community initiatives:

• ACABA – Recognizing, celebrating, and promoting quality in Christian authorship across Africa (https://africanauthors.net/).
• MABB – Building godly families through book-based discipleship for children, teens and their families (https://mabb.kenyaclc.org/).

Together, these expressions of the CLC mission continue to shape lives, strengthen the Church, and broaden access to Christian literature across Africa.

Contact:  Dr. Muthoni Mercy Omukhango, muthoni.omukhango@cblafrica.com +254720817962
 

DECEMBER 2025 – WORLD Magazine has announced their top books for 2025, and The Sword: Magnus and the Mystery of Romans​ by Marty Machowski (New Growth Press) has been chosen as their Children’s Book of the Year.

The Sword (released September 8, 2025) follows the format of Machowski’s popular storybook studies such as The Ology and WonderFull. He weaves a Bible study with a fictional story, leading young readers on an adventure to unlock the mystery of the swords of Magnus while exploring Paul’s letter to the Romans. The Sword shares the story of Katana and Brant who find a wooden sword and ancient journal belonging to Magnus, a one-time gladiator who became a guard who watched over the apostle Paul while he was under house arrest. Their discovery leads the siblings on a quest to reveal the mystery of the swords by studying Magnus’s journal.

The Bible study portion of The Sword is presented as the study notes of Magnus. It was through his study of the gospel from Paul’s letter to the Romans that Magnus received the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Readers will learn alongside Katana and Brant the bad news of our sin and the good news that rescues us through the cross of Christ.

The text is written for elementary school ages (children 8–12), but the vivid, full-color illustrations by Flavia Sorrentino will help the youngest members of the family to follow along.​“The Sword is designed to be read alongside the Bible as a family. A Bible study section follows each chapter of the fictional story. Read the assigned Scripture verses, followed by the short commentary which explains key truths from the Bible passage for the day,” Machowski explains. “While your children may be eager to move through the study quickly to return to the fictional story, give the study sufficient time.”

This study is straightforward in its presentation of the gospel on a level that young readers can understand. The author writes in the introduction, “The main goal of The Sword is to help children understand the sobering bad news of sin so that they better understand the good news of our gospel rescue through the cross of Christ. Like many books in Scripture, Paul’s letter to the Romans carries several more mature themes. These topics, defining and explaining circumcision, for example, are left to parents.”

The Sword closes with a special section titled “The Romans Road” that outlines steps for understanding and accepting salvation through Christ.

Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for thirty years. Machowski leads Promise Kingdom, the gospel-centered children’s ministry of Covenant Fellowship. He is also the Executive Editor for Children’s Resources at New Growth Press. He is the author of a number of family devotionals, Sunday School curriculums (including the Gospel Story Curriculum), children’s books, and parenting titles. His latest releases include The Sword, The Treasure, Promises Made Promises Kept, and the Redemption Tales series. Machowski and his wife, Lois, have six children and several grandchildren. They reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Learn more at www.martymachowski.com. He can also be found on Instagram (@martymachowski) and Twitter (@MartyMachowski).

Flavia Sorrentino lives and works as a freelance illustrator in Rome, where she grew up. She loves her city and the figure of speech, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” which inspires her each day to seek new ways of communication and expression. She has worked hard on her technique which has taken her across the globe, from France to America and beyond! Flavia is the illustrator of The Treasure and The Sword.

For review copy and interview information, contact:
Audra Jennings – audra@newgrowthpress.com 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. —Dec. 1, 2025 — This Advent season, millions of  listeners will discover bestselling author John Mark Comer and his acclaimed book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry through Hallow, the leading Catholic prayer and meditation app. As part of Hallow’s annual Advent Prayer Challenge, “Pray25: Be Still,” actor Chris Pratt will read selections from Comer on Sabbath, silence, solitude and slowing down. The three narrated reflections will post on December 5, 12, and 19, inviting users to experience Comer’s message of rest and renewal during one of the busiest times of the year.

Originally released in 2019, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World (WaterBrook) has sold 900,000 copies, appeared monthly since its publication on the ECPA Bestseller List, and continues to inspire readers worldwide to slow down and reclaim peace in a culture of busyness.

Through this partnership, listeners across the globe will experience Comer’s message—one that has profoundly shaped conversations about spiritual formation in the modern world. The book’s message is especially timely in today’s overstimulated and frenzied holiday season, offering a countercultural call to stillness that prepares the heart to be with God during the Christmas season, into the new year, and beyond.

Comer is the author of multiple bestsellers from WaterBrook, including The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Live No Lies, and Practicing the Way, which have collectively sold 1.7 million units across all formats. His Practicing the Way (2024) won ECPA’s 2025 Christian Book of the Year Award and has made 26 appearances on The New York Times Best Sellers List.

Comer is the Founder and Teacher of Practicing the Way, an organization that equips individuals and churches to apprentice under Jesus through intentional rhythms of practice, presence, and transformation. Prior to founding Practicing the Way, Comer spent nearly 20 years pastoring Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon, where he explored what it means to follow Jesus in a post-Christian culture.

Hallow’s Pray25 series invites millions each year to prepare spiritually for Christmas through daily guided prayer, meditation, and reflection. This year’s theme, “Be Still,” encourages participants to rediscover stillness amidst the noise and hurry of modern life.

Now in its seventh year, Pray25 has drawn hundreds of thousands of participants, making it the largest Advent prayer challenge Hallow has ever hosted. The app continues to experience remarkable global growth: as of June 2025, Hallow has nearly 24 million installs, with over 1 billion prayers prayed and millions of active users across 150 countries.

For more information on the Pray25 Challenge, visit hallow.com/pray25.

WaterBrook is an imprint of Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House.

 

 

 

November 24, 2025, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Zondervan is honored to announce that five books from the Zondervan Academic and Zondervan Reflective publishing imprints have been recognized by The Gospel Coalition (TGC) as winners in the 2025 TGC Book Awards. These recognitions reflect the strength, theological depth, and pastoral relevance of our authors’ work.

Highlighted by TGC’s rigorous selection process, the winning titles from Zondervan Academic and Zondervan Reflective are:

• Ministry: Lest We Drift: Five Departure Dangers from the One True Gospel, by Jared C. Wilson (Zondervan Reflective)
• First-Time Author: The Reason for Church: Why the Body of Christ Still Matters in an Age of Anxiety, Division, and Radical Individualism, by Brad Edwards (Zondervan Reflective)
• Biblical Studies: The Story of Jesus Continues, by Douglas Huffman (Zondervan Academic)
• Missions & the Global Church: From the Rising of the Sun: A Journey of Worship Around the World, by Tim Challies & Tim Keesee (Zondervan Reflective)
• Theological Studies (Award of Distinction): Christian Life, by Kelly Kapic (Zondervan Academic)

These awards come from a highly selective process in which TGC judges evaluate books for gospel-centered argumentation, faithfulness to Scripture, spiritual discernment, and potential to renew and unite the church.

“We are deeply honored by TGC’s recognition of these books,” said Ryan Pazdur, Vice President and Publisher of Zondervan Reflective and Study Resources. “Each one highlights our commitment to publish biblically rooted resources that help readers more deeply reflect on God’s truth. Seeing them affirmed in this way underscores their ongoing relevance for life and ministry.”

“These awards highlight the kind of rigorous, faithful scholarship we are committed to cultivating,” said Katya Covrett, Vice President and Publisher of Zondervan Academic. “Our authors bring remarkable clarity and theological depth to the church, and we’re grateful to see their work recognized.”

These honors affirm Zondervan Academic’s commitment to equipping scholars with resources for teaching, preaching, and lifelong learning, as well as Zondervan Reflective’s dedication to leadership and ministry books that enable readers to act with insight. The recognition by TGC is a testament to both the quality of our authors and the ongoing relevance of gospel-centered literature in the contemporary church.

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 based in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information, visit www.zondervan.com.

Contact:  Serena DeKryger, Marketing Manager, Publicity and Reader Engagement, serena.dekryger@harpercollins.com

Dr. Matthew Bingham’s “A Heart Aflame for God” Receives Award of Distinction

November 24, 2025; WHEATON, Ill.— Crossway is pleased to announce that Matt Smethurst’s Tim Keller on the Christian Life: The Transforming Power of the Gospel (April 2025) has won The Gospel Coalition’s 2025 Book Award in the History and Biography category. Announcing the award, TGC commends, “At the heart of Tim Keller on the Christian Life lies a simple but profound conviction: The gospel changes everything. Matt Smethurst captures the essence of Keller’s ministry by tracing the key themes that shaped his preaching and writing.”

Matthew Bingham’s A Heart Aflame: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation (April 2025) also received an Award of Distinction in the Popular Theology category. “Matthew Bingham enters the [spiritual formation] conversation, urging us to remember and draw from our Reformation heritage, which brims with resources for growth,” writes TGC.

“We are very grateful to see these two books recognized in this way. Both books exemplify why Crossway exists: to help Christians live the Christian life to the glory of God,” says Justin Taylor, Crossway’s executive vice president of book publishing and book publisher. “Matt Smethurst does it through the lens of the teaching of one extraordinary pastor-theologian, Tim Keller, mining all of his writings, and even transcribing all of the sermons from his first pastorate, to provide in one volume what Tim never did on his own: a synthesis of all of his teaching on the Christian life into one volume. Matthew Bingham does it primarily through the lens of the Puritans, helping to recover their biblical approach to spiritual formation. May the Lord continue to use these books to help us walk coram Deo, before the face of God.”

This exceptional biography—Tim Keller on the Christian Life by Matt Smethurst—honors Timothy Keller (1950–2023), an influential pastor, author, and cofounder of The Gospel Coalition, by tracing nearly 50 years of sermons, conference messages, and books. Synthesizing Keller’s work, Smethurst delves into each core component of the Christian life while covering Keller’s views on prayer, suffering, friendship, vocation, and intimacy with God. With theological insight, Smethurst encourages Christians and leaders to pursue a life pleasing to God.

In A Heart Aflame for God, Matthew Bingham analyzes God-ordained spiritual practices modeled by the 16th- and 17th-century Reformers. Drawing from Puritan tradition, Bingham encourages readers to find a balance between having confidence in their salvation through faith with a responsibility for one’s personal spiritual growth. Throughout A Heart Aflame for God, Bingham dives into biblical practices including meditation, prayer, and self-examination from a Protestant perspective.

The Gospel Coalition Book Awards are presented to books in eleven different categories. They are judged on how they offer gospel-centered argument and application, include faithful and foundational use of Scripture (both Old Testament and New Testament), foster spiritual discernment of contemporary trials and trends, and encourage efforts to unite and renew the church.

Founded in 1938, Crossway is a not-for-profit global Christian publishing ministry that publishes gospel-centered, Bible-based content to honor our Savior and serve his church. Crossway seeks to help people understand the all-encompassing implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s word—for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God alone. Crossway is the global publisher of the ESV® (English Standard Version®) Bible, more than 1,000 Christian books, and an extensive list of gospel literature. For additional information, visit crossway.org.

Contact:  Sarah DeRosa, sderosa@crossway.org, 1 (630) 682-4300, ext. 6012

 

We are thrilled to announce that Numbers 20-36, part of the globally esteemed Apollos Old Testament Commentary (AOTC) series, by L. Michael Morales, has been honoured with the Award of Distinction for Biblical Studies at The Gospel Coalition Book Awards 2025.

The Gospel Coalition praised Numbers 20-36 as “the fruit of 10 years of labour from one of the best biblical theologians in the church today,” noting:

“Morales’s commitment to biblical theology shines throughout as he situates the message of Numbers within the larger framework of the Pentateuch and Scripture’s storyline. This commentary will help pastors and Christians discover that Israel’s journey through the wilderness is ‘a paradigm for God’s people in every generation.’”

The Gospel Coalition’s annual Book Awards recognise the finest evangelical books published each year across 11 categories, including Biblical Studies, Cultural Apologetics, History and Biography, and Christian Living.

The books are evaluated for the way they:

• Offer gospel-centered argument and application.
• Include faithful and foundational use of Scripture, both Old Testament and New Testament.
• Foster spiritual discernment of contemporary trials and trends.
• Encourage efforts to unite and renew the church.

Apollos is the academic imprint of Inter-Varsity Press UK (IVP-UK), and is home to acclaimed series including the New Studies in Biblical Theology (NSBT) series and the Apollos Old Testament Commentaries (AOTC) series.

Thomas Creedy, Publishing Director for Apollos and IVP-UK says: “We are delighted to see Numbers 20-36 honoured with this award. Following a rewarding and inspiring two weeks representing Apollos and IVP at the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) conferences in Boston, I am thrilled to see our commitment to the highest levels of biblical scholarship and rigour recognised in this way.”

Press contact:  Emily Beater: ebeater@spck.org.uk

Lille, France / Chicago, USA, December 1, 2025—Nord Compo, a global leader in publishing services, announced two AI-enhanced tools to advance the company’s growing suite of innovations designed to streamline production workflows, reduce costs, and uphold the highest quality standards for publishers worldwide.

Descripto:  Smarter, Faster Image Accessibility

Descripto transforms the process of creating image descriptions for accessible EPUB files. Using contextual AI, the tool analyzes images alongside surrounding text to generate accurate short and long descriptions. Publishers can then review, fine-tune, or designate images as decorative directly within the platform. Finalized descriptions are automatically integrated back into the EPUB, ensuring a seamless end-to-end workflow.

The key value propositions are faster workflows through automating a time-consuming task and cost savings by minimizing manual labor without compromising quality.

Correcto (coming soon): AI-Assisted Copyediting Excellence

Correcto blends the precision of AI with the judgment of seasoned editors. Built on the Chicago Manual of Style, the tool performs an initial copyediting pass before professional editors review and validate. Early testing shows that this hybrid model improves accuracy and consistency while reducing turnaround time.

The key value propositions are greater accuracy from AI + human review, cost savings, and  time optimization.

Security and Human Oversight

Per Arnaud Lecompte, Director of International for Nord Compo, “These tools are part of Nord Compo’s expanding portfolio of AI-enhanced services designed to help publishers operate more efficiently in an increasingly complex market.” Each tool is deployed within a secure, closed environment and includes human oversight at every step to ensure trust, transparency, and editorial integrity.

Nord Compo, a multinational company with more than five decades of experience and a team of 600 employees across three continents, continues to set the standard in composition, digital publishing, editorial services, and audiobook creation.

For more information, contact:  Larry Bennett, lbennett@nordcompo.com

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

Grand Rapids, MI – 12/01/2025— Zondervan is pleased to announce that The Good Shepherd and the Stubborn Sheep by Hannah Harrison, published under its Zonderkidz imprint, has won The Gospel Coalition’s (TGC) 2025 Book Award in the Children’s category. The award recognizes the book for its creativity, theological depth, and relatability.

“We are honored that The Good Shepherd and the Stubborn Sheep has been selected as the 2025 Children’s Book Award winner by The Gospel Coalition,” said Megan Dobson, VP and Publisher of Zonderkidz. “This recognition affirms our commitment to publishing books that communicate timeless biblical truths that touch the hearts of children and the adults reading with them. We’re grateful to see this book resonating so deeply with families, educators, and churches.”

In its announcement, The Gospel Coalition noted, “Many children’s picture books seem designed with only half their audience in mind, but this one will delight parents as well as children. The Good Shepherd and the Stubborn Sheep reminds us that sometimes we can learn deep, even hard, truths with laughter.”

The book tells the humorous story of George the sheep to remind readers of all ages of the steadfast love and care of the Good Shepherd. This award highlights the title’s success in creating a shared reading experience that is both entertaining and spiritually meaningful for families. This honor underscores Zonderkidz’s dedication to providing faith-based resources that nurture spiritual growth. The author’s next release, The Good Farmer and the Worried Donkey, will be available in September 2026.

Hannah E. Harrison is the author and illustrator of six award-winning picture books, including Extraordinary Jane, My Friend Maggie, and Poopsie Gets Lost. Her books have received numerous starred reviews, been chosen as Kirkus Books of the Year and Editors’ Picks on Amazon, and have been selected for book clubs. Hannah is originally from New Hampshire, but now lives in Oklahoma with her big-hearted husband, two delightful daughters, a crabby cat, and a playful pup.

Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imaginative, innovative, and educational resources that reflect a Christian worldview and build up children and teens. For additional information, please visit www.zonderkidz.com.

Media Contact:  Tessa Baker, Marketing Manager, Zonderkidz Tessa.Baker@harpercollins.com

There Is Only One True Hope that Offers Meaning in This Life

New Growth Press and Truth for Life are launching a new series of Bible studies with the release of Ecclesiastes: Chasing the Wind​ on December 8, 2025. The Verse by Verse series, based on Alistair Begg’s expository Bible teaching and preaching, captures the heart of Truth For Life’s mission, providing yet another way to teach the Bible with clarity and relevance.

This study of Ecclesiastes will help participants face the apparent futility of this life and recognize the one true hope that can give it meaning. Trapped in a dark world without a clear a view of God, the writer of Ecclesiastes sought frantically for some light on the path—but indulging in everything this world had to offer left him empty and unfulfilled. After climbing high on life’s ladder, he made the tragic discovery that it was propped against the wrong wall. Cynical about life’s achievements, he rightly began to question whether anything mattered or it was all vanity.

In this twelve-week, verse-by-verse study, readers will consider what the challenging “words of the Preacher” have to say about life’s apparent futility. They will also be reminded of the one true hope that can give their existence lasting meaning. Study participants will more fully grasp the value of God’s Word in their lives as they grow in their ability to read and understand Scripture before applying it in their walk with the Lord.

Key themes of the study include the vanity of life, the fear of God, the realities of the fall, toil and labor, and the enjoyment of God’s creation. Each lesson includes five sections: Open the Book, Study the Book, and Live Out the Book, followed with prompts for Praise and Prayer. Each lesson concludes with optional content for Further Study, including related Scripture readings and helpful resources. Supplements at the end of the book include study tools and tips for individuals, groups, and leaders.

The study’s introduction explains “The great inherent danger when we study the Bible is that we want to move immediately from our reading of the biblical text to personal application. To combat that temptation, each session in this volume follows a structure which will help you spend adequate time meditating on and studying each passage before attempting to apply it to your own life.”

When so many pass their days running down dead-end streets, we can live with purpose. First, though, we must discover and embrace what it means to fear God, which is the beginning of true wisdom.

The next study in the series, 2 Timothy: Guarding the Truth, is set for release in July 2026.

Alistair Begg is the Bible teacher on Truth For Life, a daily and weekend program that brings the exposition of Scripture to a global audience through radio, podcast, and a wide range of digital and streaming platforms. Since its launch in 1995, Truth For Life has featured teaching drawn from Alistair’s decades of faithful preaching at Parkside Church, where he served as senior pastor from 1983 until 2025. Today, Alistair is actively engaged with Truth For Life and speaks frequently at conferences throughout the United States and around the world, where he encourages pastors, theology students, and believers and proclaims the Gospel to those who have yet to come to faith in Jesus Christ. Alistair is the author of several books, including Name Above All Names, Pray Big, and Brave by Faith. His books have been translated into many languages and are read by a global audience. Alistair began in pastoral ministry in 1975 after graduating from the London School of Theology. Before joining Parkside Church, he served for eight years in Scotland, ministering at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church. Alistair and his wife, Susan, have been married since 1975. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.

Learn more about Truth for Life at www.truthforlife.org and follow on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

For review copy and interview information, contact:
Audra Jennings – audra@newgrowthpress.com