Contest

2016 Higher Goals Awards

Presented during EPA’s 2016 convention, the 2016 Higher Goals awards honor the best work done in specific categories during the 2015 calendar year.

Article Series

First Place: Christianity Today Online, “Ponder Christian Soldiers” — Logan Isaac

Second Place: Inheritance, “An Unexpected Advocate: One Pastor’s Calling to Love Openly Gay Christians” — Ken Uyeda Fong

Third Place: The Living Church, “Drawing Hope from Pope Francis, Pope Buoys Environmentalists, Anticipation for Pope Francis, Destination: Papal Mass” — G. Jeffrey MacDonald

Fourth Place: ManagingYourChurch.com, “Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting Roundtable Series” — Ashley Emmert, Samuel Ogles, Michelle Dowell, Tim Gioia

Fifth Place: Sojourners Online, “Troubling Texts: Domestic Violence in the Bible” — Elaina Ramsey, Catherine Woodiwiss, Sandi Villarreal, Ryan Stewart, Ryan Hammill, JP Keenan

 

Biblical Exposition

First Place: Today’s Christian Woman, “3 Lies We Believe About the Bible” — Joy-Elizabeth Lawrence, Kelli B. Trujillo, Natalie Lederhouse

Second Place: The Banner, “The Good News About Election” — Leonard J. Vander Zee

Third Place: Sojourners, “Testing Jesus” — Reta Halteman Finger

Fourth Place: The Living Church, “Self-Control: The Neglected Fruit of the Spirit” — Matthew A. Gunter

Fifth Place: The Lutheran Witness, “Judging Others” — Adriane Heins, Alan Ludwig

 

Blog: Single post

First Place: Christianity Today Online, “How We Made Too Much of Gender” — Leslie Leyland Fields

Second Place: ManagingYourChurch.com, “Violence at Church” — Samuel Ogles

Third Place: EFCA Today, “An Autobiography of My Calling” — Naomi Smith, Diane McDougall, Matt Pamer, Josh Bryant, Rae Phillips, Brian Cole, JourneyGroup

Fourth Place: The Voice of the Martyrs, “Hat On the Box” — Dr. Jason Peters

Fifth Place: Paul Asay, “Spotlight: The Importance of Being Honest”

 

Blog: Website

First Place: Christianity Today Online, “Her.meneutics” — Kate Shellnutt

Second Place: ManagingYourChurch.com — Samuel Ogles, Michelle Dowell, Matthew Branaugh

Third Place: EFCA Today, “EFCA Now” — Diane McDougall, Matt Pamer, Rae Phillips, Brian Cole, JourneyGroup

Fourth Place: Wheaton Magazine Online, “#MyWheaton” — Allison Althoff Steinke, Kevin Schmalandt, Whitney Bauck, Katherine Braden, Natasha Zeng

Fifth Place: Luke Society News, “Luke Society News Blog” — Dan Breen

 

Cartoon

First Place: Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse, “Captain Absolutely” — Dennis Edwards, Jenny Dillon, Stephen O’Rear

Second Place: Clubhouse Jr., “Friends Out Back” — Crystal Bowman, Kevin Zimmer, Jesse Florea, Joanna Echols, Lexie Rhodes

Third Place: Answers Magazine, “Kids Answers: The Promised Lamb” — Jon Seest, Dan Stelzer

Fourth Place: Arkansas Baptist News, “And Stay Out!” — Gary Thomas

Fifth Place: The Threefold Advocate, “Inform Your Vote “ — Becky Ramirez

 

Cause of the Year: International Religious Persecution

First Place: Leadership Journal, “Healing the Horrors of Boko Haram” — Matt Woodley, Stewart Ruch III

Second Place: In Touch Magazine, “Sound Across the Sea” — John Greco, Audra Melton, Metaleap Creative

Third Place: Christianity Today Online, “How Libya’s Martyrs Are Witnessing to Egypt” — Jayson Casper

Fourth Place: In Touch Magazine Online, “Free Indeed” — Jamie A. Hughes

Fifth Place: Sojourners, “Songs Before the Cataclysm” — Kimberly Burge

 

Cover

First Place: War Cry — Roger Selvage, Allen Satterlee

Second Place: In Part — Natalie Robb, Devin Manzullo-Thomas, William Teodori

Third Place: In Touch Magazine — In Touch Editorial Staff, Metaleap Creative

Fourth Place: Christianity Today — Sarah Gordon, SHOUT

Fifth Place: Facts & Trends — Katie Shull, Carol Pipes

 

Critical Review

First Place: Reporter Online, “Movie Review: ‘American Sniper’” — Paula Schlueter Ross, Ted Giese

Second Place: Mutuality, “Vulnerability Makes the Man: A Review of Man Enough: How Jesus Redefines Manhood by Nate Pyle” — Tim Krueger, Mimi Haddad

Third Place: The Banner, “Tuned In” — Robert N. Hosack, Kristy Quist, Leonard J. Vander Zee

Fourth Place: Sojourners, “Devils We Know” — Stephanie Sandberg

Fifth Place: Christianity Today, “Our Forgotten Pro-Life History” — Robert Tracey McKenzie

 

Department

First Place: ANM World Missions, “Challenges & Victories” — Andrew Needham, John Lindner, Heather Kirk

Second Place: Answers Magazine, “Creation on Display” — Stephanie McDorman, Gordon Wilson, Donna O’Daniel, Doug Rumminger, Dan Stelzer

Third Place: Outreach Magazine — James Long, Tim Downs, Marcus Torres, Meredee Berg, Taylor Bird

Fourth Place: World Vision Magazine, “Life Frames” — Jon Warren, Eugene Lee, Laura Reinhardt

Fifth Place: Alabama Baptist, “Faith and Family”

 

Devotional

First Place: The Covenant Companion, “Broken” — Dana Bowman

Second Place: In Touch Magazine, “Empty of Platitudes” — Carol Barnier, Tiffany Forrester, Metaleap Creative

Third Place: Refreshed, “Stumbling in the Dark” — Tim Walker

Fourth Place: ANM World Missions, “Life Isn’t Fair—or Is It?” — John Lindner, Heather Kirk

Fifth Place: Ministry & Leadership, “The Best Way to End One Year and Start Another” — Dr. Don Sweeting

 

Editorial

First Place: Christianity Today Online, “Breaking News: 2 Billion Christians Believe in Traditional Marriage” — Mark Galli

Second Place: The Banner, “Holy Catholic Church” — Leonard J. Vander Zee

Third Place: Illinois Baptist, “Sad Truth: Pastors Are Sinners Too” — Eric Reed

Fourth Place: Sojourners, “Hearts & Minds: Hate Breeds Hate” — Jim Wallis

Fifth Place: Alabama Baptist, “Alabama Needs 1 Definition of Illegal Gambling” — Bob Terry

 

Evangelism Article

First Place: Today’s Christian Woman, “How to Love an Atheist” — Alicia Britt Chole, Kelli B. Trujillo, Natalie Lederhouse

Second Place: DTS Magazine, “A Place at the Table” — Sandra Glahn, Barry Jones

Third Place: In Touch Magazine Online, “Just Pass the Broccoli” — Patricia Raybon

Fourth Place: One Magazine, “What in the Worldview?” — Ruth McDonald, Eric K. Thomsen

Fifth Place: Christianity Today Online, “The Apologist Mom” — Andrea Palpant Dilley

 

Feature Article

First Place: Sojourners, “Nukes and the Pro-Life Christian” — Karen Swallow Prior, Atsuyoshi Fujiwara, Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, Ed Spivey Jr.

Second Place: Message Magazine, “Soul Food” — Lauren Farr-Miller, Ingela Hartman, Leah Pickard, Paul Luce

Third Place: World Vision Magazine, “South Sudan’s Tattered Dreams” — Kari Costanza

Fourth Place: Wheaton Magazine, “21 Innovators in the 21st Century” — Allison Althoff Steinke, Adrianna Wright, Whitney Bauck, Metaleap Creative

Fifth Place: Wesleyan Life, “Charles Wesley: Hearts of Praise” — Patrick Eby, Kory Pence

 

Fiction

First Place: The Banner, “Yet in My Flesh” — James Calvin Schaap

Second Place: Refreshed, “Christmas Through the Fog” — Mary Moody

Third Place: Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse, “I Don’t Want to Be a Snowman” — Stephen O’Rear, Jesse Florea, Tim Shoemaker

 

First-Person Article

First Place: In Touch Magazine, “Just Pass the Broccoli” — Patricia Raybon, Iain Bagwell, Metaleap Creative

Second Place: Christianity Today, “When Islands of Meaning Sink Beneath Us” — Douglas Groothuis

Third Place: Leadership Journal, “When HotChurch Came to Town” — Keith Mannes

Fourth Place: The Covenant Companion, “Jesus, Take This Cup From Me” — Dana Bowman

Fifth Place: The Banner, “A Luminous Mystery” — J. Todd Billings

 

Freelance Article

First Place: Steve Rabey, “Beyond Crime and Punishment: Restorative Justice Offers Healing to Colorado Victims, Communities”

Second Place: Claudean Boatman, “Beyond the Walls: Sharing Grief and Growing Community”

Third Place: Patti Townley-Covert, “A Chance at Life”

Fourth Place: Michael Foust, “Will I Love My Biological Child as Much as My Adopted Ones?”

Fifth Place: Chris Maxwell, “You Need Solitude, But You Don’t Need Isolation”

 

General Article: Long

First Place: Facts & Trends, “Searching for a Savior” — Aaron Earls, Carol Pipes

Second Place: Outreach Magazine, “Courageous Leadership” — James Long, Tim Downs, Marcus Torres, Meredee Berg, Taylor Bird

Third Place: ANM World Missions, “China’s New ‘Fire Bible’” — Daniel Wen, Heather Kirk, Andrew Needham, John Lindner

Fourth Place: Mennonite Brethren Herald, “How Will I Engage the Bible” — Angeline Schellenberg

Fifth Place: Alliance Life, “A Flood of Compassion” — Janet Root, Daron Short, Peter Burgo, Melinda Lane

 

General Article: Medium

First Place: Boundless, “Where Have All the Beautiful Women Gone?” — Joshua Rogers

Second Place: Christianity Today Online, “Why Boko Haram and ISIS Target Women” — Katelyn Beaty

Third Place: Illinois Baptist, “When War Comes Home” — Kayla Rinker

Fourth Place: Decision, “Biblical Anchors, Aweigh?” — Jerry Pierce, Bob Paulson

Fifth Place: The Behemoth, “Oh, How He Smells Us” — Kate Shellnutt

 

General Article: Short

First Place: Answers Magazine, “The Opossum—Survival of the Generalist” — Stephanie McDorman, Doug Rumminger, Dan Stelzer

Second Place: Compassion Magazine, “Value Beyond Words” — Leanna Summers, Willow Welter, Mark Kyle, Michelle Dana, Tim Glenn, Paul Moede

Third Place: New Frontier Chronicle, “Salvation Army Online Auction Site Now Live” — Christin Davis

Fourth Place: Refreshed, “Bread Winner: Provoking Harmony With an Act of Kindness” — Dean Nelson

Fifth Place: The Voice of the Martyrs, “Why I Haven’t Left Syria”

 

Humorous

First Place: Sojourners, “First World Problems” — Ed Spivey Jr.

Second Place: The Covenant Companion, “Confessions of a Not So Cheerful Giver” — Dana Bowman

Third Place: Refreshed, “Hello, My Name Is…” — Joanne Brokaw

Fourth Place: Leading Hearts, “A Hairy Situation” — Torry Martin

Fifth Place: In Touch Magazine, “Thanks for Taking My Stuff” — Matt Woodley, Jeff Gregory, Metaleap Creative

 

Interview Article

First Place: Crux, “We Are Still Near the Beginning: A Conversation With Wendell Berry” — Chad Wriglesworth, Wendell Berry

Second Place: Books & Culture, “Every Single Thing in You Has to Bow Down” — Jane Zwart

Third Place: Decision, “Combatting a Culture of Death” — Richard Greene

Fourth Place: The Living Church, “Gospel as Counter-narrative” — G. Jeffrey MacDonald

Fifth Place: Leadership Journal, “The Secret of Strategic Neglect” — Marshall Shelley, Drew Dyck

 

Original Art: Digital/Mixed Media

First Place: Southern Seminary Magazine, “Religious Liberty Imperiled” — Eric Jimenez

Second Place: In Touch Magazine, “Called to the Cubicle” — Daniel Darling, Darren Braun, Metaleap Creative

Third Place: Christianity Today, “Comet of Wonder” — Sarah Gordon

Fourth Place: Message Magazine, “Candidate Class 2015” — Leah Pickard, Ingela Hartman, Lauren Farr-Miller, Paul Luce

Fifth Place: Thriving Family, “The Weight of Words” — Michael Ridgeway, Andrea Gutierrez, Cary Bates, Jody Reiner, Michael Heath

 

Original Art: Traditional

First Place: In Touch Magazine, “A Fool’s Errand” — Tony Woodlief, Keith Negley, Metaleap Creative

Second Place: Fuller — Denise Louise Klitsie

Third Place: Clubhouse Jr., “The Hot, Hot Picnic” — Andy Elkerton, Lexie Rhodes

Fourth Place: Wheaton Magazine, “To Invest or Not to Invest?” — Dan Matutina, Metaleap Creative, Allison Althoff Steinke

Fifth Place: Christianity Today, “Our Forgotten Pro-Life History” — Alecia Sharp, Joey Guidone

 

Personality Article

First Place: The Living Church, “‘Go to Galilee’“ — G. Jeffrey MacDonald

Second Place: Christianity Today, “Moore on the Margins” — Sarah Pulliam Bailey

Third Place: The Baptist Standard, “Diana Garland, Social Work Educator & Bridge Builder, Dies” — Marv Knox

Fourth Place: The Covenant Companion Online, “Breaking Through the Sound of Silence” — Dana Bowman

Fifth Place: The Covenant Companion, “True Blue” — Bob Smietana

 

Photo Feature

First Place: World Vision Magazine Online, “A Day in the Life: Gift Catalog Cover Girl” — Jon Warren

Second Place: World Vision Magazine, “Shining Their Own Light” — Eugene Lee

Third Place: Worldwide Challenge, “Safe Haven” — Guy Gerrard, Ashley Walton, JourneyGroup

Fourth Place: On Mission, “Send North America Conference” — John Swain, Susan Whitley, Shawn Elledge, Steve Beaver, Joe Conway, K. Faith Morgan

Fifth Place: The Covenant Companion, “School of (Solid) Rock” — Sarah Swanson

 

Photography Use

First Place: On Mission — Shawn Elledge, Steve Beaver, Joe Conway, K. Faith Morgan, Meredith Yackel, John Swain

Second Place: Worldwide Challenge — Guy Gerrard, Tom Mills, Ted Wilcox

Third Place: World Vision Magazine — Jon Warren, Eugene Lee, Laura Reinhardt

Fourth Place: Word Alive — Alan Hood, Natasha Schamle, Dwayne Janke

Fifth Place: Compassion Magazine — Leanna Summers, Willow Welter, Mark Kyle, Michelle Dana, Tim Glenn, Paul Moede

 

Poetry

First Place: Books & Culture, “Prayer Before Reading St Mark’s Gospel” — Brett Foster

Second Place: Sojourners, “This is Praying” — Lisa Dordal

Third Place: In Touch Magazine, “At Spofford Lake” — Dave Harrity, Metaleap Creative

Fourth Place: Reformed Presbyterian Witness, “Sermon Notes for Psalm 8” — Andrew Schep

Fifth Place: Crux, “California Quail” — Sarah Crowley Chestnut

 

Publication Design

First Place: In Touch Magazine — In Touch Editorial Staff, Metaleap Creative

Second Place: Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse — Jenny Dillon

Third Place: Christianity Today — Alecia Sharp, Sarah Gordon

Fourth Place: Explorer’s Guide — Derek Lewis, Katie Greenwood, Janiece Waldrop, Jessica Swindol, Sondra Blackburn, Andrea Young

Fifth Place: On Mission — Shawn Elledge, Steve Beaver, Joe Conway, K. Faith Morgan, Meredith Yackel, Makayla Sykes

 

Publication Redesign

First Place: Wheaton Magazine — Allison Althoff Steinke, Metaleap Creative

Second Place: The Covenant Companion — Edward Gilbreath, Cathy Norman Peterson, Jane Swanson-Nystrom, Stan Friedman, Steve Luce, Evy Lennard, Kristi Schild, Dave Westerfield

Third Place: Inheritance — John Eng Cheng, Daniel Chou

Fourth Place: DTS Magazine — Sandra Glahn, Keith Yates

Fifth Place: Church Finance Today — Chris Lutes, Samuel Ogles, Ashley Emmert, Mary Bellus, Phil Marcelo, Richard Hammar

 

Reporting

First Place: World Vision Magazine, “Peru’s Moving Past” — Jane Sutton-Redner

Second Place: Morning Star News, “Religious Tensions Simmer Across Pakistan Following Church Bombings” — Asher John

Third Place: Christianity Today Online, “I Am Called a Cult Leader. I Really Don’t Care.” — Bob Smietana

Fourth Place: Christianity Today, “Flip This Church” — Bob Smietana

Fifth Place: Sojourners, “Wearing the White Hats” — Anna Lekas Miller

 

Single Photo: Candid

First Place: The Voice of the Martyrs, “Pakistani Christians Mourn Large Scale Attack”

Second Place: Refreshed, “Born Dead: Baby Defies Odds After Traumatic Delivery” — Heather K. Photography

Third Place: Message Magazine, “Ministry on the Frontline” — Ingela Hartman, Lauren Farr-Miller

Fourth Place: Alabama Baptist, “Baptismal Waters” — Neisha Roberts

Fifth Place: Word Alive, “Cusco Quechua Sunday School Class in Peru” — Alan Hood, Dwayne Janke

 

Single Photo: Controlled

First Place: World Vision Magazine — Jon Warren

Second Place: Worldwide Challenge, “Boy in Soldier Uniform” — Ted Wilcox

Third Place: Pursuit, “Victory” — Jared Overstreet

Fourth Place: World Vision Magazine Online, “Mongolia Night Sky” — Jon Warren

Fifth Place: Compassion Explorer Magazine — Leanna Summers, Willow Welter, Mark Kyle, Michelle Dana, Tim Glenn, Paul Moede

 

Single-Theme Section or Issue

First Place: In Touch Magazine  — In Touch Editorial Staff, Metaleap Creative

Second Place: Facts & Trends, “Mental Health and the Church” — Bob Smietana, Amy Simpson, Art Greco, Thom S. Rainer, Ed Stetzer, Carol Pipes

Third Place: Compassion Magazine  — Leanna Summers, Willow Welter, Mark Kyle, Michelle Dana, Tim Glenn, Paul Moede

Fourth Place: World Vision Magazine, “Special Report: Fragile Childhoods”— Sevil Omer, Elizabeth Hendley, Jane Sutton-Redner, Nathalie Moberg

Fifth Place: The Voice of the Martyrs, “Iraq & Syria Special Field Report”

 

Standing Column

First Place: Refreshed, “In Plain Sight” — Dean Nelson

Second Place: The Covenant Companion, “Jelani Greenidge” — Jelani Greenidge

Third Place: Sojourners Online, “Sojomail” — Jim Wallis

Fourth Place: In Part, “Parting Words” — Perry Engle, Devin Manzullo-Thomas, Dulcimer Brubaker

Fifth Place: One Magazine, “First Glimpse” — Eric K. Thomsen, Andrea Young, Sondra Blackburn

 

Student Writer of the Year

First Place: Africanus Journal, “Diet and Cross-Religious Witness by Cristina Richie” — Cristina Richie

Second Place: Mutuality, “Blood and Water Flowed: Becoming New Through the Feminine Imagery of Redemption” — Valerie Geer

Third Place: The Living Church, “A Radical Call: Kierkegaards Concept of Church Reform for Every Age” — Cassandra Swick

Fourth Place: Sojourners, “A ‘Radical’ Response to Islamophobia” — Ken Chitwood

Fifth Place: Message Magazine, “Growing up Different” — Abby Farran

 

Table of Contents

First Place: In Touch Magazine — In Touch Editorial Staff, Metaleap Creative

Second Place: Wheaton Magazine — Metaleap Creative, Allison Althoff Steinke

Third Place: Christianity Today — Alecia Sharp, Sarah Gordon

Fourth Place: The Brink — David Jones, Jonathan Yandell, Stephen Nelson, Katy Fry, Sondra Blackburn, Andrea Young

Fifth Place: Outreach Magazine — James Long, Tim Downs, Marcus Torres, Meredee Berg, Taylor Bird

 

Titles

First Place: EFCA Today, “Guilty or Not Guilty?; Broken Hearts and Bold Faith; Throw Out Your Vision Statement” — Diane McDougall, Matt Pamer, Josh Bryant, JourneyGroup

Second Place: Clubhouse Jr., “New Dog in Town; No Fear Headgear; Baby on Board” — Jesse Florea, Joanna Echols

Third Place: Answers Magazine, “Alternate Flight Plan; Yaks—Living the High Life; Wishing Away God’s Design” — Michael Matthews, Doug Rumminger, Dan Stelzer

Fourth Place: Christianity Today Online, “Pastor Exposed as Faithful to Wife of 17 Years; Moses and Jesus Didn’t Have Their Dream Jobs By 30, Either; I Don’t Want Your Good Vibes. I Want Prayer.” — Kate Shellnutt

Fifth Place: Sojourners Online, “When the NRA Writes Your Theology; Rejecting Refugees, Rejecting Christ; When There Is No Justice in Scripture: The Rape of Tamar” — Elaina Ramsey, Ryan Hammill, Ryan Stewart, Sandi Villarreal, Catherine Woodiwiss, JP Keenan

 

Two-Page Spread Design

First Place: Wheaton Magazine, “From Communism to Christ” — Metaleap Creative

Second Place: Inheritance, “More Than What You See” — Daniel Chou, Wonho Frank Lee

Third Place: Answers Magazine, “Was the United States Really Founded as a Christian Nation?” — Joseph Alessio, Dan Stelzer

Fourth Place: Worldwide Challenge, “Now Showing” — Ashley Walton, JourneyGroup

Fifth Place: Alliance Life, “Team Spirit” — Daron Short, Martha Krienke, Peter Burgo, Melinda Lane

 

Typography and Lettering

First Place: Answers Magazine, “Alternate Flight Plan” — Dan Stelzer

Second Place: Wesleyan Life, “Charles Wesley: Hearts of Praise” — Kory Pence, Julia Sprow

Third Place: In Touch Magazine, “From Heaven to Mirth” — Winn Collier, Metaleap Creative

Fourth Place: Message Magazine, “Soul Food” — Ingela Hartman, Lauren Farr-Miller

Fifth Place: Christianity Today — Alecia Sharp

 

Website design

First Place: EFCA Today  — Diane McDougall, Matt Pamer, Josh Bryant, Rae Phillips, Brian Cole, JourneyGroup

Second Place: The Behemoth  — Ted Olsen, Jennifer McGuire, Valerie Broucek

Third Place: Sojourners Online  — Sandi Villarreal, Bob Sabath, Catherine Woodiwiss, Nathan Davis, Bob Christenson

Fourth Place: Today’s Christian Woman  — Terumi Echols, Valerie Broucek, Kelli B. Trujillo, Julie Kaminski, Natalie Lederhouse

Fifth Place: ChurchLawAndTax.com  — Samuel Ogles, Michelle Dowell, Matthew Branaugh, Louise Ferrebee, Valerie Broucek

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