GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., JULY 25 2026 — Zondervan Reflective, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, is celebrating a landmark milestone for Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Gregory Koukl, which has now surpassed 500,000 copies sold. The achievement arrives at a moment when questions of faith, meaning, and truth are drawing unprecedented attention in the public square – from viral online debates to chart-topping podcasts – making Koukl’s approachable, conversation-first method to apologetics more relevant than ever.

First published in 2009 and later expanded in a widely praised 10th-anniversary edition, Tactics equips Christians with practical ways to engage skeptics and seekers with confidence and grace. Rather than arming readers with combative arguments, Koukl teaches a disarming, question-driven method that keeps conversations constructive and gets people genuinely talking about the claims of Christianity.

The milestone comes amid growing interest in apologetics globally. Koukl himself recently joined a widely discussed panel on The Diary of a CEO, one of the world’s most-listened-to podcasts, for a candid conversation on meaning, purpose, and truth. Conversations like these have introduced classical apologetics to audiences far beyond the church – precisely the readers Tactics was written to reach.

“Half a million copies sold is an amazing testament to how Tactics has equipped Christians to confidently talk about their faith,” said Ryan Pazdur, VP and Publisher for Zondervan Reflective. “In a culture full of noise and hostility, Tactics offers something rare: a way to have the conversation that is both winsome and wise. Its continued growth shows how hungry Christians are for exactly that.”

Built on decades of frontline experience engaging skeptics on the air and on university campuses, Tactics teaches readers how to meet challenges and provocations with poise and conviction, start spiritual conversations naturally, and present the truth of Christianity clearly, cleverly, and persuasively. Koukl’s aim is not to help readers win arguments but to help them, in his words, “put a stone in someone’s shoe” – leaving people with something to think about long after the conversation ends.

“When I wrote Tactics, my goal was simple – to help Christians feel confident and stay gracious in their most important conversations,” said Koukl. “To see it reach half a million readers is humbling. In a moment when so many people are genuinely seeking to graciously and confidently defend their faith, I’m grateful that God has used Tactics to help do just that.”

For more information about Tactics, visit zondervanacademic.com.

About the Author
Gregory Koukl holds MA degrees with honors in both apologetics and philosophy. He’s spoken on over 90 university campuses throughout the world and hosted his own call-in radio talk show for over 33 years defending “Christianity worth thinking about.” Greg is founder and president of Stand to Reason (str.org) and serves as adjunct professor of Christian apologetics at Biola University. He is the author of the award-winning The Story of Reality and the best-selling Tactics and Street Smarts.

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 numerous genres and subject areas; academic and reference works; curriculum resources; and books for children and young adults. Zondervan is based in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information, visit zondervan.com.

‘The Stories We Live By’ explores the flaws of popular stories that leave us feeling hollow and offers a more satisfying hope.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 2026) – As rates of depression and anxiety continue to rise, The Stories We Live By: Seven Cultural Myths That Fail Us and the Story That Never Will (Zondervan, Sept. 22, 2026) explores whether the very stories meant to guide us to happiness and meaning are actually leading us to despair and loneliness. 

In this new co-authored book, Michael Keller with insight and analysis from his father, pastor and author Timothy Keller, unmasks the hidden cultural narratives that shape our lives, often without our knowledge, to make sense of both the beauty and brokenness of the world. 

“Everyday expressions like ‘Follow your heart’ and ‘You do you’ are not throwaway phrases; they are powerful mini-stories of our modern culture that subconsciously inform our choices and actions,” writes Michael Keller. “Nursed on these narratives from birth and barely conscious of them, our understanding of the world and our place in it has been shaped by these stories.”   

The Stories We Live By is the culmination of a project Michael Keller and his dad began working on years before Timothy Keller’s passing in 2023. The father-and-son project became even more meaningful to Michael Keller after his father’s death, when he was bombarded with well-meaning cultural platitudes that failed when he needed them most. It was in this season of grief that Michael Keller returned to the notes and papers he and his father had been working on before he died.  

“Dad spent his last years thinking through seven narratives that quietly shape how we live—about who we are, what freedom means, what makes us happy, who holds power, where history is heading, what science can tell us and how justice works without a moral foundation,” Michael Keller said. “This book is the result of that work. His last cultural analysis for us.” 

As the Kellers note in The Stories We Live By, belief-transmitting stories are everywhere. We are taught them, not formally in a classroom, but by the music we listen to, the films we watch and the social media we scroll each day. These popular cultural narratives shape how we think about ourselves, how we act and how we tell the difference between right and wrong.  

The Stories We Live By explores seven key cultural narratives that interlock and reinforce one another to form a larger, cohesive metanarrative that shapes our lives: 

•  Identity: “You Have to Be True to Yourself” 
• Power: “The Only Way to Bring Change Is to Take Power from the ‘Bad’ and Give It to the ‘Good’” 
• Freedom: “Live Free. Just Do No Harm” 
• Morality: “Morals—Right and Wrong—Are Socially Constructed, and We Should Work for Justice” 
• Truth: “Science and Reason Alone Can Tell Us What Is True and Fix Our Problems” 
• Happiness: “Do What Makes You Happy, and Don’t Let Anyone Keep You from It” 
• Progress: “Be on the Right Side of History, Which Is Always Moving Toward More Liberty and Prosperity and Away from Superstition (Religion) and Oppression”

Michael Keller notes that each story correlates with answers to life’s biggest questions about our very existence and impacts views about societal issues including abortion, politics, sexuality and even child-rearing.  

“Cultural narratives are like a pair of glasses we have worn for so long that we’ve forgotten they exist,” Michael Keller writes. “We do not look at the glasses; we look through them. They are invisible lenses that shape everything we see.”  

Dedicating one chapter to each cultural narrative, The Stories We Live By examines how these stories are failing us, evaluates their effectiveness and compares and contrasts each with the Christian story. The final chapters are centered around helping readers understand how to apply the gospel story with our family, at work and with ourselves to determine how to engage culture without being consumed by it.   

“You can’t simply banish a cultural story like ‘money will make me happy’ by trying to ignore it,” writes Michael Keller. “You must displace it. You must shove it out and replace it with a story that’s more beautiful, more compelling and truer.”  

A supplemental six-session curriculum, The Stories We Live By Bible Study Guide, which includes a streaming video, will also release from Zondervan on Sept. 22, 2026. 

More information about The Stories We Live By at www.zondervan.com.    

About Michael Keller
Michael Keller is the lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church Lincoln Square and also the longest-tenured senior pastor in the Redeemer network of churches in New York City. He has spent two decades engaging with one of the world’s most culturally diverse populations. He holds a Ph.D. from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and M.Div. and Th.M. degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His writings have been featured in publications such as Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, ByFaith magazine and Gospel in Life. 

About Timothy J. Keller 
Timothy J. Keller (1950–2023) was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, cofounder of Redeemer City to City, and the author of numerous books, including The Reason for God, The Prodigal God and The Meaning of Marriage. His 31 books have sold over 6 million copies and been translated into 29 languages.  

About Zondervan Books 
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 www.zondervan.com.   

CONTACT:
Kristin U. Cole, kristin@kccommunications.co  

 

Christian publishers and authors can create free profiles and build reader communities centered on gratitude.

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — ActsSocial has retained FrontGate Media to support the public launch of its faith-first social platform. FrontGate will also lead Christian-market outreach to publishers, authors, ministries, nonprofits, and other Christian organizations.

ActsSocial is creating a healthier social experience. FrontGate Media brings 25+ years of experience helping Christian organizations reach the right audiences.

As ActsSocial enters the July launch, they reported more than 7,000 verified members from the beta testing phase across 195 countries. In addition, the community grew through referrals without paid advertising. This early growth reflects interest in a platform that prioritizes real relationships over outrage, anonymous accounts, and endless scrolling.

What Is ActsSocial?

ActsSocial is a faith-first social platform built for real people, real names, and meaningful community. It welcomes Christians and anyone seeking a more respectful, positive online experience.

Instead of optimizing its feed for screen time based on conflict and controversy, ActsSocial helps people spend more time with one another. The platform emphasizes gratitude, local relationships, useful content, and direct connections with the people and organizations users follow.

• Real-name profiles representing verified users
• No third-party advertising in the social feed
• A built-in Bible reader with 12 versions across 7 languages
• Daily devotionals and multi-day reading plans
• A community prayer wall
• Local and interest-based groups
• Community events, invitations, and RSVP tools
• Profiles for individuals, churches, nonprofits, creators, artists, groups, and eligible businesses

Benefits for Christian Publishers, Authors, and Content Creators

Christian publishers, authors, and content creators can use free profiles to share announcements, excerpts, and long-form posts. They can also post audio, video, podcast appearances, launch events, and behind-the-scenes content.

Followers choose whether to subscribe. As a result, authors gain a direct path to interested readers instead of relying only on an algorithm. Publishers can also encourage authors to claim profiles early and build verified identities. These profiles can become a home for new releases, reading plans, interviews, and reader engagement.

Benefits for Churches, Media Organizations, Ministries, and Nonprofits

Broadcasters, digital media, churches, ministries, nonprofits, and faith-based businesses can share articles, broadcasts, podcasts, program updates, prayer needs, devotionals, events, groups, impact stories, and volunteer opportunities on ActsSocial.

Churches and ministries can use a free profile as a digital front door beyond Sunday. Likewise, nonprofits can share impact stories, coordinate volunteers, and direct supporters to their existing donation tools. ActsSocial does not take a platform cut. Finally, media organizations can build a verified presence where audiences can discover trusted content.

Create Your ActsSocial Profile
ActsSocial is available worldwide. Individuals and eligible organizations can create an account or claim the appropriate profile at ActsSocial.com. Watch the ActsSocial introduction: YouTube video

About ActsSocial
ActsSocial is a faith-first social platform that encourages authentic relationships and positive engagement. Features include verified real-name profiles, a Bible reader, devotionals, prayer tools, groups, events, and profiles for individuals and organizations. Its “gratitude over outrage” philosophy puts real people and meaningful connections first.
Learn more at ActsSocial.com.

About FrontGate Media
FrontGate Media is an award-winning, full-service marketing agency and media group specializing in the Faith and Family audience. With over 7,500 campaigns and a powerful digital network, FrontGate offers expert services in public relations, advertising, media buying, social marketing, and content development. Its work has earned honors from the Internet Advertising Competition, the WebAwards, and the Emmy® Awards.
Learn more at FrontGateMedia.com.

Media Contact:
Jesús Peña, FrontGate Media, 949-799-4477, JesusP@FrontGateMedia.com

July 2026 | LISLE, IL—An author with InterVarsity Press (IVP) for nearly a half century, J. I. Packer (1926–2020) was one of the most beloved and widely read Christian theologians of the twentieth century and was once named in Time magazine’s list of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. July 22, 2026 marks the date of his 100th birthday, and IVP is honored to carry on Packer’s legacy with two new editions: Knowing Christianity and Truth and Power.

Knowing Christianity: The Foundations of the Christian Faith and How They Shape Daily Life covers key elements of spiritual life, Christian living, and our ultimate end. Truth and Power: The Place of Scripture in the Christian Life explores how the Bible should shape every aspect of Christian discipleship.

Jon Boyd, IVP’s associate publisher and vice president of editorial, said, “On Packer’s hundredth birthday, it’s natural for us both to look back in gratitude for all he contributed to that century as well as to turn ahead in prayer and endeavor to press on up the path he pointed out. That path is marked by the Bible as chief among books, the center point of everything else we can say.”

The author of forty-seven books, as well as untold numbers of journal articles, book reviews, dictionary entries, and forewords, Packer’s prolific work, particularly his best-known book Knowing God, has impacted countless pastors, thought leaders, theologians, and authors. Billy Graham once said, “A hundred years from now only a handful of books written today will still be widely read and accepted as Christian classics. Dr. James I. Packer’s Knowing God may well prove to be one of them. A gifted theologian and writer, Dr. Packer has the rare ability to deal with profound and basic spiritual truths in a practical and highly readable way. This book will help every reader grasp in a fuller way one of the Bible’s greatest truths: that we can know God personally because God wants us to know him.”

Boyd noted how formative Knowing God has been in his own life and work: “In one of my first conversations with an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship campus staff worker when I was an undergrad, he pushed a copy of Knowing God across the table to me in the Michigan Union and said, ‘Let’s start with this.’ It was a great beginning. Packer’s wisdom sharpened my appetite for Christian theology, as it has done for countless others.”

Packer was born in a village outside Gloucester, England, on July 22, 1926. When he was seven, while being chased by a bully as he left school, Packer suffered a severe head injury in a collision with a van. Unable to participate in sports after the accident, Packer instead turned his attention to his love for reading. And when he turned eleven, Packer was gifted an old Oliver typewriter from his parents. Little did they know that their son would go on to craft every word of every one of his books on a typewriter, including Praying, A Quest for Godliness, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, Rediscovering Holiness, and more than forty others.

Packer’s time studying at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, became another formative experience for his future as a prolific author and theologian. During his years at school he attended lectures by C. S. Lewis, whose thought became an influential part of Packer’s life and work. While at Oxford he also committed his life to Christ at an evangelistic service sponsored by the campus InterVarsity chapter.

Packer left a lasting impression on those he interacted with on various projects. Bob Fryling, former publisher for IVP, recalled, “One day at lunch with some colleagues I asked him, ’Jim, how would you describe the uniqueness of IVP?‘ After a brief pause he said, ‘Some publishers tell you what to believe and other publishers tell you what you already believe, but IVP helps you to believe.‘ We were so grateful for not only his kind and generous affirmation, but we were a bit stunned that he had captured in a brief moment what indeed was integral to IVP’s vision and mission. He was a publisher’s dream!”

In addition to the new editions of Packer’s books, IVP has been sharing stories, quotes, and excerpts throughout the month of July. But Packer best sums up his life and legacy with these words from a Crossway article published in 2020:

“As I look back on the life that I have lived, I would like to be remembered as a voice—a voice that focused on the authority of the Bible, the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the wonder of his substitutionary sacrifice and atonement for our sins.

“I would like to be remembered as a voice calling Christian people to holiness and challenging lapses in Christian moral standards.

“I should like to be remembered as someone who was always courteous in controversy, but without compromise.

“I ask you to thank God with me for the way that he has led me, and I wish, hope, pray that you will enjoy the same clear leading from him—and the same help in doing the tasks that he sets you—that I have enjoyed.

“And if your joy matches my joy as we continue in our Christian lives, well . . . you will be blessed indeed.”

For more about IVP’s commemoration of Packer visit ivpress.com.

Media Contact:  Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com

Executive concludes his tenure on July 31, at his own request; the transition is being conducted in a planned manner

São Paulo, July 2026 — Editora Mundo Cristão announces that Renato Fleischner, Operations Manager, will conclude his tenure with the company on July 31, 2026, at his own request, due to new personal and family plans.

Fleischner joined the Mundo Cristão team in February 2003 and, over more than two decades, played a decisive role in the operational consolidation of the publishing house, in strengthening its team, and in building a culture marked by service, excellence, and care for people.

“This is a personal decision, matured over the course of this year together with my family, in light of new life plans we have chosen to pursue together. I leave at peace and deeply grateful. At Mundo Cristão I lived the best phase of my professional journey — more than two decades of learning, purpose, and friendships, alongside a team I admire and respect,” says Fleischner.

“Over these 23 years, Renato helped shape not only processes, but people. Many of the professionals who make up the publishing house today flourished under his guidance. His leadership was always marked by competence, serenity, and genuine care for the team. We are deeply grateful for his contribution to the history of Mundo Cristão and wish him and his family the greatest blessings in this new chapter,” says Mark Carpenter, President and CEO of Mundo Cristão.

The transition is being conducted in a planned and careful manner, ensuring the continuity of the publisher’s operations and strategic projects. Fleischner will continue to collaborate with the company as needed throughout this period. Mundo Cristão remains steadfast in its mission and prepared for the next steps, sustained by a solid editorial proposition, a strong presence in the main sales channels, a growing digital operation, and a highly qualified team.

Editora Mundo Cristão expresses its deep gratitude for Renato’s contribution over more than two decades and wishes him and his family God’s richest blessings in this new chapter. We will remain united by friendship and gratitude.

About Editora Mundo Cristão
Founded in 1965, Editora Mundo Cristão is one of Brazil’s leading Christian publishers, headquartered in São Paulo. Its catalog includes the Nova Versão Transformadora (NVT) Bible, works by Brazilian and international authors, and a well-established digital portfolio of e-books and audiobooks.

Grand Rapids, MI (July 16, 2026) — Petradi International Rights Services, ZDL Books, and Story Warren are thrilled to announce the Chinese-simplified language publication of the best-selling 4-volume Green Ember book series. The new Chinese language series, translated and published by ZDL Books in Beijing, is available now.

The Green Ember Series follows the adventures of rabbit siblings Heather and Picket as they get caught up in an epic struggle for rabbitkind’s liberation from the tyrannous preylords. Humor, heart, and hope anchor this series that centers on small rabbits battling to keep faith amid the chaos all around them.

What began as a tale improvised to share with his daughter has now turned into a series that has sold more than one million books and been translated into more than ten languages including Portuguese, Hungarian, Ukrainian, German, Slovak, and Czech. Grateful for the Petradi Rights team helping to bring this series to audiences worldwide, the author of the book series said, “I am delighted to share these special stories with Chinese readers. I’m grateful for the ways audiences around the world have embraced these tales. My aim is to inspire and delight and to serve readers well.”

Immensely popular in the United States, Story Warren CEO Josiah Smith said, “The Green Ember Series has resonated with readers all over the world, and we’re only beginning to bring these stories to new territories in translated editions. Now that the four main Green Ember books are available in Chinese, we hope they bring great joy, hope, and courage to readers there.”

ZDL Books chose this book series to translate not only because of its charm and how unique it is but also because of its significance in the Chinese market. They felt the Chinese children’s literature market was lacking this type of clean fantasy. The publisher told us, “Its charm lies not only in its exciting and tender plot but also in the endless vitality of the old traditional things and values. Readers can find new beauty in the old things, and in the new things, they can also see the lasting life of the old things. This set of books is like a key. It can open the dust-laden treasure in every reader’s heart, and it is also like a bridge connecting reality and people’s hearts.”

ABOUT PETRADI RIGHTS
Petradi International Rights Services (Formerly Riggins Rights Management) has served as the rights department for Christian organizations and publishers since 2003. Petradi Rights will manage thousands of licensing agreements in 75 languages, resulting in at least 12 million copies being published and more than 20 million lives impacted worldwide. The Petradi Rights global team has over 200 years of combined experience in the inspirational publishing community worldwide. Our Territory Managers are from their respective regions, know the local language and culture, and speak no less than 10 primary languages combined.

ABOUT STORY WARREN
Story Warren was founded in 2012 and believes that because imagination is not neutral, and will serve any master, it is a crucial capacity to value and to place happily under the lordship of King Jesus. Inspired by storytellers like C.S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, they want to inspire readers with hope and character that was linked to something bigger. Author S. D. smith began with the original Green Ember Series and has gone on to create several other books in this series, including Old Natalia, Lost Tales, Archer, and Helmer. Smith has written several other adventure titles.

ABOUT ZDL BOOKS
ZDL Books is a prominent, privately held publisher specializing in Christian-values literature, art, and children’s books, with a major focus on the global and Chinese-language markets. Founded in 2003, they translate, publish, and distribute hundreds of faith-based and inspirational titles. Their extensive catalog features a variety of devotional, fiction, and parenting resources from well-known authors like Max Lucado and John Piper as well as children’s series The Sugar Creek Gang and The Berenstain Bears.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — What if the Christian life was never intended to be lived alone? In his forthcoming book, Christ in You: Experiencing Intimacy with Jesus (Brookstone Publishing Group, July 21, 2026), author Gary York invites readers to rediscover one of Scripture’s most profound yet often overlooked truths: Jesus Christ lives within His followers and desires daily, intimate relationship with them.

Drawing from Scripture, personal stories, spiritual formation, global missions experience, entrepreneurship, and decades of walking with Christ, York presents a compelling vision of the Christian life centered on the apostle Paul’s declaration: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

“Many believers know about Jesus but long to experience His presence more deeply in everyday life,” York says. “This book explores how Christ’s indwelling presence reshapes our relationship with God, our identity, and our purpose.”

York brings a unique perspective to the conversation. A graduate of the Renovaré Institute with a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University, he has served internationally with Food for the Hungry, founded multiple technology companies, and completed six of the World Marathon Majors. His diverse experiences inform a message that is both deeply theological and remarkably practical.

The book has garnered endorsements from respected Christian leaders, including Collin Hansen, vice president and editor-in-chief of The Gospel Coalition, who writes:

“Revival could be in store as Christians and churches experience this intimate union with our Creator and Redeemer.”

Interview topics include:

• What does “Christ in you” actually mean?
• Why many Christians struggle to experience God’s presence
• Spiritual formation in everyday life
• Finding intimacy with Christ amid busy schedules
• Lessons learned from missions, entrepreneurship, and endurance sports
• The transformative power of union with Christ

Christ in You releases July 21, 2026, in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats.

About the Author
Gary York is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and follower of Jesus whose life has spanned global missions, academia, technology innovation, and spiritual formation. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with his wife.

Media Contact:
Kim McCulla
kim.mcculla@ironstreammedia.com

ADA, Mich. (June 30, 2026) — Baker Publishing Group is thrilled to announce The Jesus Discoveries by Dr. Jeremiah Johnston (Bethany House, March 2026) has sold more than 100k copies in addition to landing at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

The new book has also been named to the Publishers Weekly and USA Today bestseller lists. It shows the broad cultural interest in the book’s exploration of the Shroud of Turin and what cutting-edge research reveals about the historical Jesus.

Drawing on recent scientific findings, archaeological discoveries, and decades of New Testament scholarship, The Jesus Discoveries invites readers into the conversations researchers, skeptics, and believers are having right now. Rather than leading with technical evidence, Johnston frames the material through the human stories behind the discoveries, the questions ordinary people are asking and the answers history continues to reveal.

About The Jesus Discoveries
In The Jesus Discoveries, Dr. Johnston brings readers face to face with the most compelling evidence emerging today about the historical Jesus including new analysis surrounding the Shroud of Turin, recent archaeological finds across Israel, and developments in New Testament scholarship. Written for skeptics and believers alike, the book threads scientific findings together with the human stories of the researchers, witnesses, and seekers who have shaped and been shaped by these discoveries.

About the Author
Jeremiah J. Johnston, PhD, is an elected member of the preeminent New Testament scholarly guild Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS) and serves internationally as president of Christian Thinkers Society. Jeremiah loves the local church and serves as pastor of apologetics and cultural engagement at Prestonwood Baptist Church near Dallas, Texas, and Senior Fellow of Christian Origins, Dallas Baptist University. He is the author of several books, including Body of Proof and the Peace of God Bible. Learn more at ChristianThinkers.com.

Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, seeks to uplift readers’ faith, families, and free time with our library of books that emphasize living in alignment with God’s Word.

Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.

Contact:
Kelli Smith and John J. Mudgett, (616) 676-9185
ksmith@bakerpublishinggroup.com
jmudgett@bakerpublishinggroup.com     

LISLE, IL | JULY 2026—The Martin Institute & the Dallas Willard Research Center (MIDWRC) at Westmont College honored two IVP titles as finalists for the 2026 Dallas Willard Book Award. The recognized books include From Aristotle to Christ by Louis Markos and Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus by David Scott Ripper.

The annual Dallas Willard Book Award was created in 2015 to help place an enduring emphasis on the intellectual legacy of Willard by recognizing original work that furthers Dallas’s views of reality, knowledge, and Christian spiritual formation.

“We are grateful for the continuing legacy of Dallas Willard and the work of the Martin Institute & the Dallas Willard Research Center in keeping his influence at the forefront of research and publishing,” said Cindy Bunch, senior editor-at-large and IVP Formatio editor. “It’s gratifying to see these awards honoring both new books that delve into Willard’s teaching explicitly as well as recognition of scholars who publish more broadly in the related fields of philosophy and Christian formation.”

From Aristotle to Christ: How Aristotelian Thought Clarified the Christian Faith, also honored as a Credo Book Award winner, offers a journey through the work of Plato’s greatest student. Louis, a renowned scholar, demonstrates Aristotle’s often unacknowledged influence on the Christian faith. In Markos’s hands, Aristotle is far from an irrelevant ancient philosopher but is instead an important conversation partner for some of history’s greatest Christian thinkers and a thoughtful guide to today’s most challenging questions.

“The beauty of Louis Markos’s book is the way he introduces the novice to the wisdom of Aristotle to better equip Christianity with a defense of its foundational commitments,” said Matthew Barrett, research professor of theology at Trinity Anglican Seminary and author of The Reformation as Renewal. “In a secular age prone to skepticism, what student can afford not to read Markos and consider the myriad ways Aristotle can clarify what we believe and why?”

Markos is professor of English and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University, where he holds the Robert H. Ray Chair in Humanities. His many books include From Achilles to Christ, From Plato to Christ, Passing the Torch, and his most recent, My Apologetics Dinner Party. 

Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus: Reading the Bible like Dallas Willard offers a unique pathway to deeper spiritual engagement, using Willard’s revolutionary approach to reading the Bible. Using primary source material and insights from Willard, Dave Ripper takes you on an immersive exploration of Scripture that mirrors the intellect of a philosopher and the heart of a mystic.

John Ortberg, founder of BecomeNew.com, said, “Dallas Willard has had a remarkable impact on an inordinate portion of the church. In this book, Dave Ripper helps guide us through how to not only read but also be shaped by the Scriptures that contain unique power to illumine the human condition.”

Jane Willard and Rebecca Willard Heatley, wife and daughter of Dallas Willard, said, “What a joy to see Dallas’s contagious love of Scripture spread to Dave Ripper and lead to his helpful method of seeking the living God ‘upon the sacred page.’ Thank you, Dave!”

Ripper is the lead pastor of Crossway Christian Church, a multi-congregational church in southern New Hampshire, focused on spiritual formation. He earned a doctor of ministry in spiritual direction from Fuller Theological Seminary and the Martin Institute & the Dallas Willard Research Center at Westmont College. He is coauthor of The Fellowship of the Suffering and serves as the chaplain for the Boston Bruins.

The Martin Institute and Dallas Willard Research Center, established at Westmont in 2011, assist Christian individuals and organizations in pursuing spiritual and moral transformation modeled after Christ.

Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church, and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.

Contact:  Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com

Lake Mary, FL—Embolden Media Group is honored to announce the appointment of Grace P. Cho as literary agent. Grace is a Korean American editor and writer with a deep love for words and people and an unwavering belief that books have the power to change the world. With nearly four years of experience as a senior acquisitions editor at Revell Books and Brazos Press, imprints of Baker Publishing Group, Grace brings to EMG a rare combination of thoughtful author care and development, editorial excellence, and a bold commitment to elevating BIPOC voices in publishing.

“I’m incredibly grateful to be joining Embolden Media Group,” said Grace. “From my first conversation with Jevon, I knew I wanted to work alongside her to advocate and amplify underrepresented voices and to publish books that matter. I’m excited to bring my editorial instincts and publishing relationships to the agenting side of the table and to link arms with a team that is doing such consequential work.”

As a literary agent at Embolden Media Group, Grace will actively build her client list, seeking authors writing in the following nonfiction categories: personal growth and psychology, relationships, mental health and wellness, creativity, and spiritual formation. She is particularly drawn to progressive and post-evangelical voices and to projects that center and elevate BIPOC authors and perspectives.

“Working with Grace is an answer to an unspoken prayer. For years, I knew she was someone I’d want to work closely with just to be influenced and inspired by her unique light and warm care. Her sensibilities as an editor, reader, and human being align so well with what EMG is becoming. I am honored she chose us, and I can’t wait to see the authors she will champion and the books she will bring to life.” said Jevon Bolden, founder and CEO of Embolden Media Group.

Grace is now open for queries. Authors interested in representation may submit through EMG’s website at emboldenmediagroup.com.

Embolden Media Group is a boutique literary agency and publishing consulting firm representing some of the most engaging, transformative, and authentic voices in our culture including several New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and ECPA best-selling authors. Founded in 2017, Embolden Media Group is a market leader in cultivating and amplifying the works of women writers, authors of color, and forward-thinking creators whose diverse ideas move the world.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
elodie.leroy@emboldenmediagroup.com