“The highest honor of Christian Book of the Year™ went to The Daniel Plan by Pastor Rick Warren (with Daniel Amen M.D., and Mark Hyman M.D.). The New York Times bestseller with a strong and regular presence on the ECPA Bestseller list, is described as “creating a health plan” that adds faith, focus, and community to the usual “food and exercise” approach to weight loss and health. The plan is credited for helping 15,000 of Warren’s church members lose 250,000 pounds in the first year.”
The Christian Book Awards from The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association have been announced. Again from the press release: “The Christian Book Award® winners not only represent the best books in our industry, but in their variety they represent the transforming power of Christian content that impacts all of life,” explains ECPA President/CEO Mark Kuyper. “Our industry continues to produce ‘Good Books that Feed the Soul’ for all ages, seasons, and interests.”
Good grief. A weight loss book. What does this say about Christian publishing?
I don’t know what it says about Christian publishing. I notice the devotional “Jesus Calling” from 2009 is still #1 on the bestseller list, not that it has been all of this time, but I’m sure it has been on the list for years. That’s discouraging.
I wonder if a survey of what Christians are reading, not data of what books are sold at some outlets, would give us a different picture?