March 3, 2025 Edition
Industry News
Professor, scholar, and author Paul L. Maier dies at 94
Paul L. Maier, beloved professor emeritus at Western Michigan University, ancient history scholar, and author of the national bestseller novel, “A Skeleton in God’s Closet,” passed away February 27. He was 94.
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Early bird registration rate ends today for Leadership Summit
The early bird discount for ECPA’s upcoming Leadership Summit and Member Meeting ends today. The annual event for executive teams in Christian publishing will be held on April 29-30 in Nashville and includes the ECPA Awards Celebration. ECPA members are encouraged to register their management teams to strategize, learn, and network with other publishing leaders and experts who will speak on a variety of topics facing Christian publishers today.
The Christy Award® submission period for fiction is open until March 31
Nominations are accepted March 1-31 in nine categories for The Christy Award program. Submissions are open to works of fiction written from a Christian worldview, published traditionally or independently from March 2024 to March 2025.
ECPA welcomes new members
The ECPA board of directors recently welcomed the following international associate and industry affiliates into ECPA:
- Editura Maranatha is a Romanian Christian publishing house dedicated to creating and distributing faith-based books and resources including children’s Bibles and devotionals.
- Genesis Marketing is a sales and marketing company that services the Christian retail market and other sectors, representing a portfolio of publishers.
- Short Advisory Group is a consulting firm for Christian publishers of all sizes with specialties in sales & distribution, digital product strategy, coaching, and team-building.
Milestones
Melanie Shankle’s HERE BE DRAGONS debuts on NYT Bestseller List
WaterBrook is delighted to share that “Here Be Dragons: Treading the Deep Waters of Motherhood, Mean Girls, and Generational Trauma” by Melanie Shankle debuted at #5 on The New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestseller list and at #8 on the Nonfiction Print and E-book Combined Bestseller List.
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IVP Kids titles win 2025 Illumination Book Awards
InterVarsity Press 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.”
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ECPA presents Milestone Sales Awards to four publishers
ECPA recently presented Gold and Bronze Milestone Sales Awards to Zondervan, Crossway, Tyndale House Publishers, and Brazos Press for titles achieving sales of 500,000 (Gold Award) and 100,000 (Bronze Award):
- GOLD AWARD: NIV Holy Bible, Economy Edition (Zondervan)
- GOLD AWARD: The Jesus Bible, NIV and ESV editions (Zondervan)
- BRONZE AWARD: Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham Jr. (Crossway)
- BRONZE AWARD: Imagine the God of Heaven by John Burke (Tyndale House)
- BRONZE AWARD: The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr (Brazos Press/ Baker Publishing Group)
Five Baker Publishing Group titles named Outreach Magazine Resources of the Year
Outreach Magazine recently announced the winners of their Resources of the Year. Baker Academic titles received three top honors. Brazos Press received one top honor and one recommended title. Bethany House also received one top honor.
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Nelson Books celebrates Outreach Resource win in Counseling and Relationships
Nelson Books announces that “Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 Lies That Keep Men From Becoming Fully Alive” by Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson has been named Outreach Resource of the Year in the Counseling and Relationships category.
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Outreach Magazine names Resources of the Year
For the 22nd year, Outreach magazine recognizes some of the best outreach-oriented books as Outreach Resources of the Year, highlighting valuable resources for church leaders and bringing deserved attention to tools that can help churches better engage in effective outreach.
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Product News
WaterBrook acquires Valerie Ellis’ “Wild Faith Devotional for Kids”
This fall, WaterBrook will publish a nonfiction anthology for kids: WILD FAITH DEVOTIONAL FOR KIDS: 52 AMAZING ANIMALS THAT POINT TO ONE GREAT GOD by speaker and founder of Our Everyday Parables, Valerie Ellis.
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CLC Publications announces the release of “The Ordinary Church” by John MacArthur
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.
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Authors team up with Lifeway Christian Resources for discipleship program
On April 1st authors J.T. English, Jen Wilkin and Kyle Worley are teaming up with Lifeway Christian Resources to launch “Deep Discipleship,” a 24-week program that equips and empowers participants to grow deeply in their faith within the context of the local church.
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Other News
INDUSTRY
- R.H. Boyd CEO LaDonna Boyd on celebrating Black History Month every day
- Amanda Luedeke succeeds Chip MacGregor as president of literary agency
- Pew Research: Evangelicals in the U.S. don’t all look, vote, pray the same
- Pew Research: America Is Spiritual but Not Religious
- MAI webinar on March 18: Business Principles in Christian Publishing
PUBLISHING
- Publishing veteran Carrie Bloxom on the Value of DEI in Publishing
- Publishers Plan for a New Mass Market Paperback Winnowing
- Children Turn to Audiobooks Over Traditional Reading
- Supadu: the current craze in multi-format book purchasing
- New accessibility regulations to come into force in the US on June 28
- UK Publishers Advance the AI-Copyright Debate
- New Study: Half of Australians Say They Want To Read More
- London Book Fair 2025 to Focus on AI, Developing Readers
