ECPA | Leadership Summit

Award-winning author and scholar Dr. Carolyn Weber will be our host for this special evening. A Commonwealth Scholar, Dr. Carolyn Weber holds her B.A. Hon. From Huron College at Western University, Canada and her M.Phil and D.Phil. from Oxford University, England. Dr. Weber is an award-winning author, popular professor and international speaker with talks ranging from campuses worldwide to Billy Graham’s Cove and 100 Huntley Street. She has given numerous radio, television and podcast interviews on the intersection of faith and literature, as well as topics related to women, education, culture and the history of ideas, and spiritual formation. She has a particular heart for student ministry and outreach. Her memoir Surprised by Oxford won the largest award for Christian writing in Canada, and was recently made into a feature film, now available world-wide on AppleTV and Amazon Prime. Dr. Weber was the first female dean of St. Peter’s College, Oxford. Dr. Weber has guest lectured around the world and served in visiting professorships at various institutions. She has served as faculty at Oxford University, Seattle University, University of San Francisco, Westmont College, Brescia University College and Heritage College and Seminary. Dr. Weber currently resides in the Nashville area, where she enjoys teaching at New College Franklin and residing the country with her husband, four children and animal menagerie.

The 2025 Christian Book Award® winners will be announced in twelve categories, including the presentation via webcast of the Christian Book of the Year® by last year’s recipient and New York Times bestselling author, Beth Moore.

The ECPA Pinnacle Award will be presented to Josh McDowell and to Kay Arthur in special recognition of the outstanding contribution of their body of work to the industry, church, and society at large.

Josh McDowell has been at the forefront of cultural trends and groundbreaking ministry for more than 60 years. He shares the essentials of the Christian faith in everyday language so people of all ages and stages can know Christ, understand what they believe and why it is true. Through Josh McDowell Ministries, Josh and his team have created many cutting-edge live events that have reached approximately 46 million people in 139 countries. Josh has authored or co-authored 157 books among 20 publishers, with total sales of more than 70 million, translated into 128 languages. He is best known for More Than a Carpenter (Tyndale House) with over 30 million copies distributed worldwide, and Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Thomas Nelson) named by World Magazine as one of the twentieth century’s top 100 books. In 1991, ECPA presented the title with the Platinum Award for over 1 million sold. In 2009, ECPA presented More Than a Carpenter with their Diamond Milestone Sales Award for more than 10 million sold. Five of Josh’s books have won the ECPA Gold Medallion Award in their category (now known as the Christian Book Award® program). In 2018, ECPA presented the updated and expanded Evidence That Demands A Verdict with the Christian Book Award in Bible Reference.

Through more than 50 years of ministry, KAY ARTHUR has had one fervent passion: to equip God’s people to be firmly established in His Word. She founded Precept Ministries International, which has trained up more than 250,000 Bible study leaders and countless millions of participants in Precept Bible studies, which take people through God’s Word “precept upon precept.” Kay has spoken all over the world, including in Israel, India, Romania, Russia, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Germany, Brazil, and South Africa. Precept Ministries International has a presence in nearly 190 countries and offers resources in 90 different languages. Kay’s 100-plus books and Bible studies—including The New Inductive Study Bible—have sold more than 18.5 million copies worldwide, primarily in partnership with Harvest House Publishers and WaterBrook & Multnomah. Four of Kay’s books have received the ECPA Gold Medallion Award (now known as the Christian Book Award® program).

Additionally, the evening will recognize the body of titles achieving Milestone Sales this past year and those Christian publishing companies celebrating milestone anniversaries, NavPress and Paraclete Press.

April 29 to 30, Nashville

Awards Celebration

April 29, 2025 | Dinner and Program start at 6:30 pm

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