‘Christian Communicators Network’ New Name for Former Press Association

With 37% of potential voters casting a ballot, the Evangelical Press Association, a professional organization of Christian writers, editors, and publishers, voted 57% in favor of its board’s recommendation to adopt a new name: Christian Communicators Network. Voting took place between Sept. 15, after an online membership meeting where the board presented its resolution, and Oct. 7; 42% voted “no” and 1% abstained.

“With the voting now closed, the membership has approved Christian Communicators Network as our organization’s new name,” president Dwight Widaman wrote in a release Oct. 8.

The Banner, magazine of the Christian Reformed Church, has participated in the association since the beginning with its then editor H.J. Kuiper delivering a dinner address at the organization’s third convention in 1951.

In an Aug. 2 announcement recommending the change, the EPA board of directors suggested “Christian Communicators Network best represents the organization’s identity, mission, and future. It honors nearly eighty years of faithful service while positioning the organization to serve the next generation of Christian communicators with the same commitment to biblical truth, professional excellence, ethical journalism, and Christian fellowship that have always defined EPA.”

The announcement expounded on each word in the new title—Christian, communicators, and network—describing why each was particularly selected. It concluded the following:

• Our mission has not changed.
• Our convictions have not changed.
• Our standards have not changed.
• Our name simply catches up with our mission.

The word Christian “communicates our identity more clearly while remaining fully consistent with our evangelical convictions,” the board recommendation said. The word communicators describes the people the organization serves, rather than the former primary medium in which they work. “The word Network reflects the organization’s greatest strength,” the recommendation continued. “EPA has always been far more than an Association. It is a professional community. Members consistently value the relationships, encouragement, mentoring, collaboration, and shared pursuit of excellence that define the EPA experience. Looking ahead, the Board envisions expanded peer communities, regional gatherings, mentoring opportunities, international engagement, and year-round collaboration.”

There were members who voiced, or typed into the chat feature, concerns about the proposed change during a question and answer period of the Sept. 15 membership meeting. Sarah Kroop Brown, vice president of communications and marketing for the National Association of Evangelicals, shared: “My main concern is the proposed shift from “evangelical” to “Christian.” At the National Association of Evangelicals, we can certainly understand the challenges and complexities surrounding the term “evangelical” today. While the intent may be to broaden appeal, we have significant concerns about what such a change could mean, both for the broader evangelical movement and for the institution of the EPA itself.”

The board has emphasized that “the evangelical convictions, Statement of Faith, membership standards, Code of Ethics and commitment to our journalistic legacy remain unchanged.”

As the “world’s largest professional organization for the evangelical periodical publishing industry,” the Evangelical Press Association, founded in 1949, had a publication membership of about 175, along with associate, affiliate, and contributing members. President Widaman urged greater membership participation going forward as “the adoption of a new name does not guarantee a new future.”

“Christian Communicators Network will prosper only if its members invest themselves in securing that future. Our new name may open doors, but members must pass through them. We may reach new and younger individuals in our industry, but it will take your personal invitations, convention participation, mentoring, and active engagement to turn those opportunities into reality,” Widaman wrote.

“To those who did not vote for the change, please know that your involvement remains essential. The decision was never about abandoning our heritage but about carrying that heritage into a broader and rapidly changing communications landscape.”

The organization also anticipates a new executive director, expected to begin Jan. 1, 2027. In July, EPA announced a U.S.-wide search for the role after Lamar Keener, executive director since 2015, indicated he would retire at the end of this year.