2026 Higher Goals Awards
The 2026 Higher Goals awards honor the best work done in specific categories during the 2025 calendar year. The awards were presented at the annual convention in Franklin, TN, on May 12-13, 2026.
Click here to download a PDF of all the winners.
Click here to view the Awards of Excellence.
Article Series
First Place: The Covenant Companion, Negro Spirituals Series — Jane Chao Pomeroy. Second Place: Seana Scott, Knowing God and Studying the Bible Series. Third Place: The Lion, Christian Teacher of the Year — Josh Mann, Michael Ryan, Adam Wittenberg, Maggie Little, Michaela Estruth. Fourth Place: The Christian Chronicle, In Search of Shalom: the struggle toward divine reconciliation — Erik Tryggestad. Fifth Place: The Christian Chronicle Online, Faith in France: Exploring spiritual renewal in a secular country — Bobby Ross Jr..
Biblical Exposition
First Place: Influence, Remember the Poor — Craig S. Keener. Second Place: The Covenant Companion, More Than Seen — Kathy Khang. Third Place: FUSIONext, Look to the Lord — Christopher Brooks. Fourth Place: The Banner, Celebrating the Nicene Creed — Tim Howerzyl. Fifth Place: Peer, A Spiritual Reset — Captain Joshua Hubbard.
Critical Review
First Place: Christianity Today, Overplaying Blue Like Jazz — Ashley Hales. Second Place: MinistryWatch, ‘Shiny Happy People’ has Worn out its Welcome — Warren Cole Smith. Third Place: Christianity Today Online, Confessions of a Striver — Bonnie Kristian. Fourth Place: ONE Magazine, Teaching Children to Be Christians — Matt Pinson. Fifth Place: Lifeway Research, A Tool to Navigate Pastor-Deacon Relationships — Aaron Summers.
Department
First Place: SAConnects, Volunteer Spotlight — Hugo Bravo. Second Place: The Banner, Mixed Media — Lorilee Craker. Third Place: The Christian Chronicle, International news — Erik Tryggestad, Audrey Jackson. Fourth Place: Christianity Today, Qualms & Proverbs — Karen Swallow Prior, Kevin Antlitz, Kiara John-Charles. Fifth Place: ONE Magazine, Leadership Whiteboard — Ron Hunter Jr..
Devotional
First Place: ONE Magazine, Forgiveness Great and Small — Marianne Stewart. Second Place: Seana Scott, The Blaze of the Holy Spirit. Third Place: Message Magazine, The Community of Christmas — Katelyn Hawkins. Fourth Place: Christian Leader, All the lonely people — Cheryl Dueck Smith. Fifth Place: Cynthia Thomas, Reflections: The Riches of Contentment.
Editorial
First Place: The Christian Post, My 15-minute phone call with John MacArthur — Jon Brown. Second Place: Christianity Today Online, We’re Not Afraid of Monsters and Demons Anymore — Isabel Ong. Third Place: Message Magazine, In Christian Love, Who Comes First? — Alex Kocman. Fourth Place: The Lion, DEI alive and well at Smithsonian; why Trump is right to target it — Maggie Little. Fifth Place: The Christian Chronicle Online, There is one body, so let’s act like it — Calvin Cockrell.
Evangelism Article
First Place: Teachers of Vision, How Does God Want Me to Respond? — Lesley Blake. Second Place: DTS Magazine, Pickleball Evangelism — Kasey Olander. Third Place: War Cry, The Joy of Being Born from Above — Envoy Diane Ury. Fourth Place: Proclaim!, The Unfolding Gospel Story… Of Your Life — Andrew Palau. Fifth Place: ONE Magazine, Evangelism in Prayer and Practice — Joshua Colson.
Fiction
First Place: Brio Magazine, Finding Christmas — Abigail Geiger. Second Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Escape from Florence — D.E. Blackstone. Third Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr., Nalu to the Rescue — Brock Eastman. Fourth Place: Explorer’s Guide, New Year, New Jayden — Derek Lewis.
First-Person Article
First Place: Christianity Today, Forget Me Not — Jen Pollock Michel. Second Place: Luke Society News, Land of Opportunity — Dan Breen. Third Place: Christianity Today Online, My Walmart Evangelism Wasn’t Working — Heidie Senseman. Fourth Place: Teachers of Vision, We Are Not Alone by Mike Hicks — Mike Hicks. Fifth Place: Light + Life Magazine, A New Kind of Revival: Young Adults and Ancient Paths — Moriah Summers.
Freelance Article
First Place: Ann Byle, Christian Gamers Find Their People. Second Place: Paola Barrera, I Was Once an Immigrant. Then I Forgot. Third Place: Diane McDougall, Soñando en Grande. Fourth Place: Stephen Clark, Debunking Introvert Myths. Fifth Place: Michael Foust, 4 Reasons I’m Not Buying an iPhone for My Teen This Christmas.
General Article: Short
First Place: The Christian Chronicle Online, Church-supported nonprofit loses, then regains, USAID funding after reprieve from Elon Musk — Erik Tryggestad. Second Place: Influence, Job-Maxxing and the Second Coming — George P. Wood. Third Place: Christian History, Only Christ is King — Shaun Blanchard. Fourth Place: The Voice of the Martyrs, Trusting the One Who Never Fails. Fifth Place: Forward, Secure at the Table — Olivia Ryan.
General Article: Medium
First Place: Decision Magazine, Standing Strong Despite Persecution — Hannah Davis. Second Place: The Brink, Fifty Shades of Bridgerton — Emily Tsiao. Third Place: Cru, Cultivating Hope in Organic Farming — Sarah Wontorcik. Fourth Place: The Voice of the Martyrs, First to Receive, First to Forgive. Fifth Place: Christian History, Historical wheat or heretical chaff? — Bryan M. Litfin.
General Article: Long
First Place: Christianity Today Online, When ICE Comes to Church — Andy Olsen Second Place: World Vision News & Stories, Rebuilding after Hurricane Helene — Laura Reinhardt. Third Place: Michael Foust, 4 Reasons I’m Not Buying an iPhone for My Teen This Christmas. Fourth Place: Influence, Leading in Light of the Resurrection — Chase Replogle. Fifth Place: Christianity Today, An Unexpected Linguistic Sanctuary — Emily Belz.
Humorous
First Place: Leading Hearts, When Your Plans Go Up in Smoke (Along with Your Plane) — Linda Evans Shepherd. Second Place: Focus on the Family Magazine, Cornfields and Christmas — Patrick Dunn. Third Place: Velocity, Forrest Fire — Jon Forrest. Fourth Place: Brio Magazine, “He Looked My Way…” — Elsa Kok Colopy. Fifth Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Adventures of Average Boy: Pieces of the Puzzle — Bob Smiley.
Interview Article
First Place: The Brink, The Only Way Forward Is Back: An Interview with Jackson Turkeurst — David Jones. Second Place: World Vision News & Stories, Hurricane Melissa survivor goes from trapped under her house to helping others — Kristy J. O’Hara-Glaspie. Third Place: SAConnects, Israel Houghton Is in His Element — Hugo Bravo. Fourth Place: Rapt Interviews, Lee Strobel: On Atheism, Angels and God’s Love — Justin Camp. Fifth Place: Christianity Today, Steadfast Witness — Ashley Hales.
Personality Article
First Place: ONE Magazine, Upstream with Mr. Trout — Eric Thomsen. Second Place: Christianity Today Online, The Pastor Who Rescues People from Japan’s ‘Suicide Cliff’ — Kazusa Okaya. Third Place: Decision Magazine, For Tennessee Attorney General, Light Defeated Darkness — Jerry Pierce. Fourth Place: The Christian Chronicle Online, Confessions of a Jesus Freak — Jerry Mitchell. Fifth Place: The Lion, Forrest Frank is redefining Christian music with viral hits and bold faith — Michael Foust.
Poetry
First Place: Stephen Clark, Air of Mercy. Second Place: Chris Maxwell, Jesus Returned: Poetic Thoughts on Luke 4:14–21. Third Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr., Harry’s Prize-Winning Plan — Laura Sassi.
Reporting
First Place: Christianity Today, An American Deportation — Andy Olsen. Second Place: The Christian Chronicle Online, in secular France, Christians work to bring new life to old monastery — Bobby Ross Jr.. Third Place: Christianity Today Online, ‘Every Adoptee’s Worst Nightmare’ — Isabel Ong, Jennifer Park. Fourth Place: MinistryWatch, Professor Accused of Sexual Misconduct is Hired by Independent Seminary — Kim Roberts. Fifth Place: Ann Byle, Christian Gamers Find Their People.
Standing Column
First Place: Influence, A Job Well Done | The Discipline of Listening — Mike Ivaska, Matthew D. Kim. Second Place: The Christian Chronicle, Insight by Erik Tryggestad — Erik Tryggestad. Third Place: Teachers of Vision, Teaching with Purpose — Dave Stuart Jr.. Fourth Place: FUSIONext, Closer — Gary Thomas. Fifth Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Truth Pursuer — Christina Huber, Rachel Pfeiffer.
Student Writer of the Year
First Place: Peer, Knowing You, Knowing Him — Izzy Koo. Second Place: Priscilla Papers, The Upside-Down Queendom: Aimee Semple McPherson and Gendered Rhetoric in the 1930s Foursquare Crusader — Caylie Cox. Third Place: The Christian Chronicle Online, A Spanglish church where all are welcome — Andrew Reneau. Fourth Place: Decision Magazine, What Only God Can Do — Isabella Agnello. Fifth Place: Liberty Champion, Devoted beyond the diamond — Anna White.
Cartoon
First Place: Brio Magazine, Living Hope — Grace Kelley. Second Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr., Friends Out Back — Crystal Bowman, Kevin Zimmer. Third Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Captain Absolutely — Wooten Bassett, Stephen O’Rear, Dennis Edwards. Fourth Place: The Banner, A Church for Elijah — Chad Thompson.
Original Art: Digital/Mixed Media
First Place: The Covenant Companion, Songs of Deliverance — Jane Chao Pomeroy. Second Place: Focus on the Family Magazine, Conversations on Racial Unity — Hao Hao. Third Place: Alliance Life, Why Do Alliance People Still Give So Much to Missions? — Caylie Faudree. Fourth Place: Peer, A Spiritual Reset — Andrea Martin. Fifth Place: War Cry, Cyber Services -The Army Tests Digital Innovation with SA Help — Rachel Domotor.
Original Art: Traditional
First Place: Christianity Today, To Make the Wounded Whole — James Lee Chiahan. Second Place: War Cry, One Creator God: Believing Beyond Words — Matt Chinworth. Third Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr., A Cat Named Rover — Howard McWilliam. Fourth Place: SAConnects, The Spirit of Giving — Joe Marino. Fifth Place: Alliance Life, Prince of Peace — Caylie Faudree.
Single Photo: Candid
First Place: The Christian Chronicle Online, In the land of ‘The Savior, ‘ Bibles are welcomed — Audrey Jackson. Second Place: World Vision Magazine, The good mother — Jon Warren. Third Place: Cru, Paris Olympics Gymnast receiving comfort — Ted Wilcox. Fourth Place: World Vision News & Stories, Sitting among the ruins in Jamaica — Amy Van Drunen. Fifth Place: Baptist Press, Holding fast – and pressing on: Reflections on SBC25 — Roy Burroughs.
Single Photo: Controlled
First Place: World Vision News & Stories, Girl praying in Ethiopia — Jon Warren. Second Place: Baptist Press, SBC25 in Dallas marked by celebration, debate — Roy Burroughs. Third Place: SAConnects, The Streets Are Their Church — Michael Paras. Fourth Place: Alliance Life, Carry the Story Forward — Olivia McCash. Fifth Place: World Vision Magazine, Family gathered around the kitchen table — Jon Warren.
Photo Feature
First Place: Cru, Cultivating Hope in Organic Farming — Guy Gerrard. Second Place: SAConnects, The Streets Are Their Church — Robert Mitchell, Michael Paras, Lea L. Greene. Third Place: World Vision News & Stories, If we had clean water — Jon Warren, Laura Reinhardt. Fourth Place: World Vision Magazine, Lifting the burden of water — Laura Reinhardt. Fifth Place: Focus on the Family Magazine, ‘Tis the Season — Sally Dunn.
Photography Use – Print
First Place: Alliance Life — Stephanie Reindel, Rosie Xiong, Andy Carr, Olivia McCash, Ewien Kwant. Second Place: SAConnects — Lea L. Greene.
Photography Use: Digital
First Place: World Vision News & Stories — Jon Warren, Laura Reinhardt, Amy Van Drunen, Lauren Reed, World Vision Global Staff. Second Place: Cru — Ted Wilcox, Guy Gerrard, Mick Haupt, Conda De Vries. Third Place: The Lion — Josh Mann, Michael Ryan..
Table of Contents
First Place: Peer — Andrea Martin. Second Place: ONE Magazine — Eric K. Thomsen, Marianne Stewart. Third Place: SAConnects — Lea L. Greene. Fourth Place: Luke Society News — Dan Breen. Fifth Place: The Voice of the Martyrs.
Typography and Lettering
First Place: SAConnects, Carried by Faith — Lea L. Greene. Second Place: Focus on the Family Magazine, Honest Conversations About Pro-Life Issues — Sally Dunn. Third Place: Concordia Seminary Magazine, Behold, I am doing a new thing! — Courtney Koll. Fourth Place: Marianne Stewart, When Worry Creeps In. Fifth Place: Alliance Life, Glorious — Caylie Faudree.
Cover
First Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr., Nalu to the Rescue — Andy Elkerton, Lexie Rhodes. Second Place: SAConnects — Lea Greene, Reginald Raines, Joe Marino. Third Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Wipeout in the Waves — Kenneth Anderson, Ken Crane. Fourth Place: The Christian Chronicle — Audrey Jackson. Fifth Place: FlightWatch, A Light in the Darkness — Lemuel Malabuyo.
Infographic
First Place: Marianne Stewart, Christmas Movies and Specials. Second Place: Lifeway Research, State of Theology — Aaron Earls.
Two-Page Spread Design
First Place: World Vision Magazine, The good mother — Journey Group, Jon Warren. Second Place: SAConnects, Israel Houghton Is in His Element — Lea L. Greene. Third Place: Teachers of Vision, A Beautiful Moment — Dan Stelzer. Fourth Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Hit the Right Note — Ben Reynolds, Ken Crane. Fifth Place: ONE Magazine, Creating a Culture of Mentoring — Marianne Stewart.
Publication Design
First Place: DTS Magazine — Stephanie Johnston, Jason Fox. Second Place: ONE Magazine — Marianne Stewart, Eric K. Thomsen. Third Place: Christianity Today — Jared Boggess, Will Kelly, Rick Szuecs, Elizabeth Kaye, Abigail Erickson, Erik Petrik. Fourth Place: Decision Magazine — Lee Weeks, Dwayne Cogdill, Hannah Davis, Bob Paulson, Jerry Pierce, Jerri Menges. Fifth Place: SAConnects — Lea Greene, Reginald Raines.
Publication Redesign
First Place: ONE Magazine — Eric Thomsen, Eddie Moody, Marianne Stewart. Second Place: Liberty Champion — Jenna Bradfield, Maria Davis, Isabella Scafidi. Third Place: Luke Society News — Dan Breen.
Blog: Single post
First Place: Plugged In, The Quest for Immortality: Christianity vs. Transhumanism — Bret Eckelberry. Second Place: Turning Points with David Jeremiah Online, Do Children Go to Heaven — David Jeremiah. Third Place: Brethren in Christ U.S. Blog, Cooperative Congregations — Salynda Hogsett. Fourth Place: Mutuality Online, Deep Roots, Fierce Resolve: The Sacred Strength of Women — Stacie Forest. Fifth Place: Michael Foust, 4 Reasons I’m Not Buying an iPhone for My Teen This Christmas.
Blog: Website
First Place: Plugged In, Plugged In Blog — Emily Tsiao, Paul Asay, Kennedy Unthank, Bret Eckelberry, Bob Hoose, Adam Holz. Second Place: Cru, Cru Storylines — Mel Copenny, Mick Haupt, Michael Tolosa. Third Place: Turning Points with David Jeremiah Online, David Jeremiah Blog — David Jeremiah. Fourth Place: Message Magazine, ABWE Blog — Alex Kocman, Katelyn Hawkins, Caleb Gorton. Fifth Place: Concordia Seminary Magazine, concordiatheology.org — Kevin Golden, Chris Miller, Beth Hasek, Ken Ohlemeyer, Vicki Biggs.
e-Newsletter
First Place: Rapt Interviews, The Rapt Newsletter — Justin Camp, Jennifer Camp. Second Place: World Vision News & Stories, World Vision eNews — Amy Van Drunen. Third Place: Lifeway Research, Lifeway Research Insights Newsletter — Marissa Postell Sullivan, Aaron Earls. Fourth Place: Brethren in Christ U.S. Blog, Connect Newsletter — Salynda Hogsett. Fifth Place: Ann-Margret Hovsepian, Whimsy & Wisdom.
Website Design
First Place: Citygate Network — Chris Thurman, Janelle Suzanne, Madelyn Werner, Bethany Wininger, Tom De Vries. Second Place: Peer — Elizabeth Hanley. Third Place: Cru — Michael Tolosa, Jarrett Johnston.
Podcast
First Place: Christianity Today Online, The Bulletin: An American Deportation — Andy Olsen, Clarissa Moll, Alexa Burke, Kevin Morris, Leslie Thompson. Second Place: The Voice of the Martyrs Online, LIBYA: It Was Amazing to Feel God’s Presence and Protection — Todd Nettleton, Hugh Duncan, Andrew Gamel, Susi Childers. Third Place: Message Magazine, Where’s God in Gaza? Faith Under Fire with Pastor Hanna Massad — Alex Kocman, Scott Dunford, Brian VanTimmeren. Fourth Place: The Covenant Companion, Sitting Down with Lenore Three Stars and Jim Sequiera — Jane Chao Pomeroy, Cathy Norman Peterson, Jim Sequiera.
Video Podcast
First Place: The Lion, Lion Week in Review: ON THE ROAD – From the White House to NRB 2025 — Josh Mann, Chris Stigall. Second Place: The Christian Post, Bible on trial: Finnish politician’s battle over sharing scripture takes shocking turn — Billy Hallowell. Third Place: Turning Points with David Jeremiah Online, Passages Podcast – James Brown — David Todd Jeremiah, Nico Bellarde, Grace Anne Baker.
Social Media Short Video
First Place: Proclaim!, Andrew Palau 2 Peter 3:9 — Gary Woods, Andrew Palau, Eva Beckwith, Reagan Scott, Eric Charnquist. Second Place: Light + Life Magazine, How Can One Be a Stranger in a Land of Immigrants? — Carl Brand, Refugio Sanchez, Karen Kinnaman, Jeff Finley. Third Place: Concordia Seminary Magazine, Give Green and Gold Day 2025 — Ken Ohlemeyer, LifeTime Media. Fourth Place: Voice of the Martyrs Online, The, Urgent Prayer Request – Susanna Koh’s Malaysia Court Case — John Grooters, Judy Grooters, Todd Nettleton, Megan Conley.
Short-form Video
First Place: Proclaim!, PALAU UK TiranaFest 2025 — Gary Woods, Charlotte Sanchez, Dave Plowman. Second Place: The Voice of the Martyrs Online, Daniel and Aline: Democratic Republic of the Congo | IDOP 2025 — John Grooters, Judy Grooters, Bryan Papierski, Matthew Fisher, David Robbins, Todd Nettleton. Third Place: SAConnects, Beyond the Game: Salvation Army Ironbound Soccer — Johnny Shyr, Julie Bacon, Alex Darcey, Jacob Douglass, Kevin Diaz. Fourth Place: Concordia Seminary Magazine, 2025 Christmas Greeting from Concordia Seminary — Ken Ohlemeyer, LifeTime Media. Fifth Place: World Vision News & Stories, The Good Mother — Kari Costanza, Holden Kim.
Long-form Video
First Place: Turning Points with David Jeremiah Online, The Heart Behind a Glimpse of Heaven — David Jeremiah, Paul Joiner, David Michael Jeremiah, Nico Bellarde, Eric Lucas. Second Place: Plugged In, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe – A Classic Adaptation? — Paul Asay, Emily Tsiao, Austin Light.
Visual Storytelling
First Place: Citygate Network, Conversations on a Bench — Tom De Vries, Matt Dildine, Bethany Wininger, Nathan Freeland, Chris Thurman, Janelle Suzanne. Second Place: IMB, 2025 Week of Prayer for International Missions — Sue Sprenkle, Leslie Caldwell, Stephen Rountree, Renee Meredith. Third Place: World Vision News & Stories, World Vision magazine: 75 years of belief — Amy Van Drunen, Kristy Glaspie, Jon Warren, Laura Reinhardt, Sevil Omer, Journey Group. Fourth Place: Brethren in Christ U.S. Blog, Cooperative Congregations — Michael Bowlin, Salynda Hogsett. Fifth Place: Light + Life Magazine, From Bone to Brand: What Ancient Etchings Reveal About Branding, Belief, and Culture — Karen Cantú, Carl Brand, Karen Kinnaman, Jeff Finley.
Feature Article
First Place: Christianity Today, An American Deportation — Andy Olsen. Second Place: World Vision Magazine, The good mother — Kari Costanza, Jon Warren. Third Place: Brio Magazine, Unearthing the Past — Marcella Barbosa Rigsby, Peihsin Cho. Fourth Place: Influence, When Sheep Bite — Craig T. Owens. Fifth Place: Concordia Seminary Magazine, Behold, I am doing a new thing! — Courtney Koll, Kevin Golden.
Single-Theme Section or Issue
First Place: ‑, World Vision magazine- 75 years of belief — Kristy J. O’Hara-Glaspie, Laura Reinhardt, Kari Costanza, Sevil Omer, Amy Van Drunen, Jon Warren. Second Place: Brio Magazine, Time to Party… Harvest Style — Julia Springman, Janine Petry, Lydia E. Harris, Sarah Brickens, Faith Wismer. Third Place: Christian History, Fasts and Feasts — Jennifer Woodruff Tait, Kaylena Radcliff, Doug Johnson, Dan Graves, Max Pointer, Edwin Woodruff Tait. Fourth Place: The Covenant Companion, Finding Healing in Community — Cathy Norman Peterson, Jane Chao Pomeroy, Kristi Schild, Eric Tai, Michael Linsner. Fifth Place: The Voice of the Martyrs, Where is God in Suffering?
Titles
First Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr., Slow Motion; Bugs with Bling; Brave and Tall — Jesse Florea, Rachel Pfeiffer, Lexie Rhodes, Grace Kelley. Second Place: World Vision News & Stories, The fire that will not burn her, Eyes that shine again, Strength in the aftermath of displacement — Amy Van Drunen. Third Place: SAConnects, Ever So Gracefully, Israel Houghton Is in His Element, Home Again — Robert Mitchell, Hugo Bravo, Warren L. Maye, Donna Ng, Lea L. Greene. Fourth Place: Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Loud and Clear; Beyond the Bean; How Lovely Are Thy Brunches — Jesse Florea, Rachel Pfeiffer, Grace Kelley, Charis Negley, Ken Crane. Fifth Place: ONE Magazine, Getting Old Is NOT for Sissies!, Walking Backward and Other Small Pleasures, Upstream with Mr. Trout — Jeff Caudill, Brenda J. Evans, Eric K. Thomsen.
Cause of the Year Article – FAITH & TECHNOLOGY
First Place: Christianity Today, The Transhumanist Question — Miroslav Volf. Second Place: The Brink, Scroll or Scripture: What’s Discipling You? Third Place: Baptist Press, Scopes trial propelled Christians toward scientific engagement, professors say — Tim Ellsworth. Fourth Place: MinistryWatch, How Scammers Use AI and Cryptocurrency to Defraud Churches — Tony Mator. Fifth Place: War Cry, Ministry at the Speed of WiFi — David Reardon.
Cause of the Year Illustration/Photo – FAITH & TECHNOLOGY
First Place: Christianity Today Online, An Image of God for an Era of AI — James Walton.
Posted May 13, 2026
