FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: 
Mark Kuyper, ECPA President/CEO, 480-966-3998, mkuyper@ecpa.org

For Event Tickets: http://bit.ly/1qVpH2e

PHOENIX, Ariz., March 19, 2014 —The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) today announced 36 finalists in seven categories for the 2014 Christian Book Award® program, honoring Christian publishing’s best book and Bible releases of the year. Each category announced five finalists, with six announced in Bible Reference due to a tie. The winner in each category will be announced at the industry’s award banquet on April 28 at Focus on the Family, held opening night of the ECPA Leadership Summit. ECPA will also celebrate its 40th anniversary that evening and include a reunion reception for industry alumni.

The 2014 Christian Book Award® program nominees are:

Category: BIBLES

The CEB Study Bible, Abingdon Press, 9781609260408

Holman Study Bible NKJV Edition, B&H Publishing Group, 9781433605093

The MacArthur Study Bible NIV, John MacArthur, General Editor, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 9781401677404

The New Inductive Study Bible ESV, Precept Ministries International, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736947008

The Wayfinding Bible NLT, Doris Rikkers, General Editor; Jeannette Taylor, Development Editor, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414361925

Category: BIBLE REFERENCE

The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Tremper Longman III, Ed., Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 9780801012976

Christianity and World Religions, Derek Cooper, P&R Publishing Company, 9781596384460

Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (2^nd Edition), Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown, Nicholas Perrin, InterVarsity Press, 9780830824564

Handbook of Women Biblical Interpreters, Marion Ann Taylor, Ed., Agnes Choi, Associate Ed., Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 9780801033568

The King in His Beauty, Thomas R. Schreiner, Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 9780801039393

Sermon on the Mount, Scot McKnight, Zondervan, 9780310327134

Category: CHILDREN

The Boy and the Ocean, Max Lucado, Illustrated by T. Lively Fluharty, Crossway, 9781433539312

Circle Maker For Kids, Mark Batterson, Zondervan, 9780310724926

God’s Love For You Bible Storybook, Richard and Renee Stearns, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 9781400321872

Eternity, Randy Alcorn, Kingstone Comics, 9781936164257

The Sparkle Box, Jill Hardie, Ideals Publications, A Guideposts Company, 9780824956479

Category: FICTION

Burning Sky, Lori Benton, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, 9780307731470

Dark Justice, Brandilyn Collins, B&H Publishing Group, 9781433679537

Iscariot: A Novel of Judas, Tosca Lee, Howard Books, A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 9781451683769

The Prayer Box, Lisa Wingate, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414388250

Wings of Glass, Gina Holmes, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414366418

Category: INSPIRATION

He Walks Among Us: Encounters with Christ in a Broken World, Richard and Renee Stearns, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 9781400321865

Launch Your Life, Kenny Silva, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 9781418550110

Sober Mercies, Heather Kopp, Jericho Books, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, 9781455527748

20,000 Days and Counting, Robert D. Smith, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 9780849948541

Welcome to Our Table: Sharing Favorite Recipes, Inspirational Stories, and Heartwarming Gatherings, Shirley and Danae Dobson, with Julie Johnson (photographer), Harvest House Publishers, 9780736959445

Category: NEW AUTHOR

Called to Stay: An Uncompromising Mission to Save Your Church, Caleb Breakey, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736955423

Falling Into Place, Hattie Kauffman, Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 9780801015380

Inspired You, Marian Parsons, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 9781400320882

Packing Light, Allison Vesterfelt, Moody Publishers, 9780802407290

Resurrection Year, Sheridan Voysey, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 9780849964800

Category: NON-FICTION

C.S. Lewis – A Life, Alister McGrath, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414339351

Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem, Kevin DeYoung, Crossway, 9781433533389

The Cross in the Shadow of the Crescent: An Informed Response to Islam’s War with Christianity, Erwin W. Lutzer, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736951326

God’s Double Agent, Bob Fu with Nancy French, Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 9780801015724

Joni and Ken, Ken & Joni Eareckson Tada with Larry Libby, Zondervan, 9780310314691

Authors Richard and Renee Stearns were honored with two nominations for titles in the Children’s category and in Inspiration. Thomas Nelson had the highest number of finalists with seven nominations and small publisher Kingstone Comics received a first time nomination in the Children’s category for the graphic rendition of Eternity by Randy Alcorn.

“The Christian Book Awards® program is the great equalizer: recognizing excellence among the year’s Christian titles whether the marketing budgets are large or small, the author is known or unknown, or the publisher size large or small,” says ECPA President/CEO Mark Kuyper.

The industry’s highest book honor, the 2014 Christian Book of the Year™, will be bestowed upon one title from all nominees, according to overall impact in the marketplace.

Winners will be announced at the ECPA Awards & Anniversary Banquet on April 28 in Colorado Springs at Focus on the Family, opening night of the ECPA Leadership Summit. Tickets to the banquet can be purchased for $59 in ECPA’s online store. Industry alumni are invited to attend at a discounted rate as part of ECPA’s 40th Anniversary celebration. (Those registered for the ECPA Leadership Summit do not need to purchase separate tickets.)

Christian Book Award® program finalists and winners receive recognition and support throughout multiple retail and media outlets, including Christianity Today, BookShout, ChristianBook.com, Cokesbury, Family Christian, Lifeway, Mardel, Munce Group, Parable Christian Stores, Crossings, Innovative/Signature Websites, NetGalley, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

The Christian Book Award® program, established in 1978 as the Gold Medallion Book Awards by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, recognizes the absolute highest quality in Christian books. Based on excellence in content, literary quality, design, and impact, the Christian Book Award® program is the oldest and among the most prestigious awards in the religious publishing industry.

For more information, visit www.ecpa.org/?page=cba_1_overview
For more information on finalists, visit christianbookexpo.com/christianbookawards/finalists2014.php

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The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization, comprised of nearly 200 member companies worldwide, representing a combined revenue of nearly $1.4 billion. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building Networking, Information, and Advocacy opportunities within the industry and across multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content.

For more information about ECPA: 480-966-3998, info@ecpa.org, www.ecpa.org.