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Lane-and-Ebeth-Dennis-300x200From the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association:

 For their remarkable contributions to Christian publishing, and in recognition of a lifetime of service to Christ and excellence in gospel ministry, ECPA President/CEO Mark Kuyper presented Dr. Lane T. and Mrs. Ebeth Dennis the industry’s Jordon Lifetime Achievement Award on May 5 in Murfreesboro Tennessee, at the ECPA Awards Banquet held in conjunction with the ECPA Leadership Summit.

Dr. Lane T. Dennis is president and CEO of Crossway. His wife, Ebeth Dennis, serves on Crossway’s board of directors and as senior vice president over the publishing ministry.

“For 50 years, Lane and Ebeth have led Crossway in the proclamation of the gospel and the truth of God’s Word through the publication and distribution of millions of Bibles, gospel-centered books, tracts, and other resources,” presented Kuyper at the event.  “Their years of dedicated service have impacted countless lives for the sake of the gospel, delivering to current and later generations the great treasure of God’s Word through the English Standard Version of the Bible, as well as writings from some of the foremost voices of classic evangelicalism, including Francis Schaeffer, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, J. I. Packer, Joni Eareckson Tada, John Piper, and many others.”

“On behalf of the ECPA, Crossway, and the entire Christian publishing industry, we thank Lane and Ebeth for their faithfulness to God’s Word; their love for the gospel of Jesus Christ; their service to his church; and their commitment to bear witness to God’s truth, beauty, and holiness through their lives and the publishing ministry of Crossway.”

For the 40th anniversary of the ECPA, Lane recounted some of the story behind the founding of Crossway:

As we often remind ourselves, it is a miracle of the Lord’s hand that Crossway exists today.  Although Crossway was founded in 1979, the Crossway not-for-profit book- and Bible-publishing imprint grew out of the original Good News Publishers ministry, founded in 1938—that is, out of a $20 tithe—saved up by [his parents] Clyde and Muriel Dennis and dedicated to the Lord for the publication of the first gospel tracts 75 years ago.

It is remarkable now to reflect on how the Lord has multiplied that first $20 gift—through the distribution of 2 billion pieces of literature worldwide; through tens of millions of Crossway books published, with 800 titles by 350 authors currently in print; and through the 100 million-plus ESV (English Standard Version) Bibles distributed via print and digital media since 2001.

I have had the privilege of working for Lane and along Ebeth for nearly a decade. Their steadfast faithfulness and integrity is truly a remarkable gift of grace. In the hundreds of meetings led by Lane, I can hardly remember any in which Ebeth was not by his side as contributor and counselor. And I cannot remember a single meeting in which Lane did not begin by reading from the Word and praying over our time together. They are a living parable of Eugene Peterson’s description of the Christian life: “a long obedience in the same direction.”

Earthly awards are encouraging but not eternal. But I have no doubt that when they rise up to meet their Maker on the Final Day, they will hear the only approbation that truly matters: “Well done, my good and faithful servants.”

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