ECPA TIMELINE 1974-2019
1974
ECPA is founded by 17 Christian publishing houses.
Don Brandenburgh is named the first Executive Director. First memberships processed.
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom (Chosen/Revell) is the top selling Christian book.
The Living Bible (Tyndale) is the top selling Bible.
1975
ECPA holds first Management Seminar in Colorado Springs,
beginning a series of annual events that connect the industry in fellowship and shared mission.
1976
Chuck Colson is speaker at ECPA Management Seminar.
ECPA conducts the first annual Operating Survey for its publishing members,
beginning their research program of annual benchmark surveys.
1978
ECPA launches the Gold Medallion Book Awards, now known as the Christian Book Award® program,
recognizing excellence in Christian literature.
1981
Pat Zondervan is presented with the first ECPA Lifetime Achievement Award.
ECPA has awarded more than 40 lifetime achievement awards to those who have made significant industry impacts.
1983
ECPA has 50 members and record attendance at annual Seminar.
1984
ECPA launches first major research project on book sales for members.
ECPA forms first Christian Collective at Frankfurt Book Fair. Since then, ECPA has hosted more than
35 collectives at international book fairs in Frankfurt, London, Beijing, Moscow, and most recently in Krakow, Poland.
Christian magazines join ECPA.
1985
First Christian Collective of publishers exhibit at Moscow Book Fair.
First ECPA bestseller list launches.
1987
ECPA completes second major book research project for its members.
Gold Medallion Book Award expands to 15 categories.
1989
ECPA hands out 10,000 New Testaments at the Moscow International Book Fair and receives national media attention.
Brazilian Association of Christian Publishers and Spanish Evangelical Publishers Association affiliate with ECPA.
1990
Publishers Day is launched.
Industry Resume Service begins.
Gold & Platinum Sales Awards launch recognizing titles exceeding 500,000 and 1 million in sales.
First ECPA Christian Collective of publishers exhibit at Beijing International Book Fair.
ECPA launches The Moscow Project in cooperation with CBA and CBLI.
1991
Industry Concerns Task Force forms in cooperation with CBA.
The industry completes The Moscow Project, distributing 4 million Russian New Testaments throughout Moscow and Russia.
1992
ECPA hits 100 members.
First Christian Book of the Year presented to The Coming Economic Earthquake by Larry Burkett.
1993
ECPA sponsors first Spanish Expolit with SEPA.
EDI Task Force begins to establish industry electronic ordering system.
National Christian Publishers Research project launches.
1994
ECPA International Distributors Group organizes.
ECPO is formed as an international ministry outreach; later becomes Global Publishers Alliance.
ECPA Trade Shows launch, eventually expanding to six regional buying shows.
1998
ECPA International Rights Managers Committee produces first International Rights Guide.
2003
Record year of Gold and Platinum sales award recipients: 60 titles achieve sales milestones, exceeding 500,000 or 1 million.
2004
First Publishing University (PubU) is held in Bloomington, Illinois with hundreds of Christian publishing professionals.
ECPA creates the Diamond Award to recognize over 10 million sold.
2005
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (Zondervan) is presented with first Double-Diamond award for over 20 million sold.
ECPA launches webinar training programs for members.
ECPA begins the Christian Collective at the London Book Fair.
2006
Gold Medallion program becomes The Christian Book Award® program.
The 1st Edition program is updated to a robust interactive database, ChristianManscriptSubmissions.com.
E-Link, ECPA’s online member newsletter launches.
Monday Rush becomes Rush to Press.
The first ECPA CEO Symposium is held.
2007
The ECPA Legal Hotline service begins.
Industry’s Book Cover Award program launches.
Pubtrack launches, the next generation of the STATS data aggregation program.
ECPA presents industry’s first Pinnacle Award to authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins for the exceptional
contribution (over 65 million sold) of the Left Behind® series.
2008
First time audio Bible winner in Christian Book Award® program:
Word of Promise Audio Bible wins Christian Book of the Year. Win is featured in USA Today.
ECPA publishers work with BISG on industry specific coding for Bibles.
2009
ECPA holds first consumer event in Dallas, called Christian Book Expo.
ECPA partners with Read How You Want, providing publishers with accessible formats for the visually impaired
ECPA’s Expert Series, Legal Update, launches with Flagler Law Group.
ChristianBookExpo.com becomes online resource featuring award-winning and bestselling Christian content.
2010
ECPA produces new multi-channel bestseller list.
ECPA publisher consortium resolves 7-year copyright infringement battle.
2011
New ECPA community website launches with social networking component.
ECPA publishes online Vendor Guide: ECPAguide.com.
ECPA launches the ECPA Career Center on its website.
2012
ECPA begins PubU Peer Groups in Marketing, Editorial, Production, Rights.
2013
First eBook sampler of Christian Book Award finalists offered as free download to consumers.
Book Cover Award program is redeveloped as Top Shelf Book Cover Award program featuring top designers as judges.
Industry design community meets at PubU and forms industry peer group.
2014
ECPA celebrates 40 years.
ECPA launches industry’s most comprehensive multi-channel bestseller list through Nielsen.
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson) is the top selling Christian book.
2015
Stan Jantz named as 5th president of ECPA.
Steve Green announces the Museum of the Bible project at the ECPA C-Suite Symposium.
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Moody) receives the ECPA Diamond Award for over 10 million sold.
2016
ECPA begins its focus on diversity with speakers Trillia Newbell and Ed Stetzer at Leadership Summit.
Fervent® by Priscilla Shirer is named the Christian Book of the Year®.
Mako Fujimura and Russell Moore speak at C-Suite Symposium in Scottsdale, Arizona.
ECPA acquires The Christy Award™ program.
2017
ECPA and NPD release the “Consumer Landscape Survey of Book Buying Trends in the Christian Market.”
Melvin Banks receives the Kenneth N Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award as founder of Urban Ministries, Inc.
Skot Welch of Global Bridgebuilders speaks at Leadership Summit on diversity processes in organizations.
ECPA hosts the Art of Writing conference and The Christy Award™ Gala on the 50th anniversary of the Christy novel.
ECPA introduces the Emerging Leaders program at PubU.
PubU moves to Nashville.
ECPA launches updated ChristianManuscriptSubmissions.com database site.
2018
US Senate Chaplain Barry Black opens ECPA Leadership Summit at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
Anne Graham Lotz is featured speaker at the 40th anniversary of the Christian Book Awards® celebration.
John and Elizabeth Sherrill receive the Kenneth N Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award.
Donald Miller delivers plenary session for PubU and Art of Writing attendees.
2019
ECPA hosts the European Christian Rights Fair in Krakow, Poland.
Audio category is added to the Christian Book Award® program.
White papers on “The Strategic Priority of Diversity in Christian Publishing” by Dr. Theon Hill are released to the industry.
ECPA launches the International Christian Rights and Exports Fair.
ECPA celebrates 45 years of helping its members make the Christian message more widely known.