Cultivating Oaks Press

We grow authors. 

“We grow authors” is not just a tagline for us. It is the very core of our calling as a ministry and publishing house. While the world is full of books and will continue in the making of them, it is altogether different to tend and develop those who write them. And perhaps in our history it has never been more critical that we do. As we now face the onslaught of AI replacing human crafted words, it becomes all the more essential to develop strong, clear, grounded, authentic human voices. We need every true voice to keep telling the true Story that makes us human, every true voice that bears witness to our hope, our calling, and our redemption. 

Growing authors is a long labour. It requires more than just teaching craft just as learning to write requires more than learning vocabulary and grammar. Before we can offer something meaningful in any craft we must have developed character as a living soil out of which it may grow. And because we are human beings we need to live in relationship with others in deep, extended community. Human beings learn to become humans by keeping company of other humans and with the God Who made us. These three elements form what we call the Three C’s – character, community, and craft. How we approach the formation of authors and makers, how we disciple and tend restoration, is based on this and in this order of value. Character first. Community second, bound to character. And craft third as the outgrowth of the first two and bound to both. 

Cultivating Oaks Press is truly more concerned about our authors’ cultivation of holy personal character, commitment to deep-rooted community, and Christ-centered excellence of craft, and these far outweigh marketability of their creative work. There are many important ways of offering one’s true voice and one’s true message than simply in traditional publishing. The greatest and most enduring ‘product’ that we can offer in thanks and worship of our Maker, is not another carefully crafted article or book, as important as those are, but rather a carefully tended and loved author, faithfully and courageously bearing witness to the goodness of God and His Kingdom coming.