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
