Nation’s longest-running Protestant weekly magazine strengthens mission, moves to monthly format
CINCINNATI ““ July 6, 2012 — After 146 years, Christian Standard magazine, believed to be the nation”s oldest Protestant weekly in continuous publication, will move to a monthly schedule starting in September 2012.
The Christian Standard has been continuously published since its first weekly issue rolled off printing presses on April 7, 1866. It has produced issues every single week for 146 years, except for two weeks in 1937 when a flood put its presses underwater.
Most of the time when a publication announces a change, it shuts down or moves totally online and ceases printing. In contrast, Cincinnati-based Standard Publishing”s announcement today indicates a redefinition that, according to publisher and editor Mark A. Taylor, positions the magazine for a strong future. The new monthly Christian Standard will be a total 68 pages, 64 pages plus a four page cover.
“The new format will be something like most weekly issues of Time magazine,” Taylor said. “But the changes will be more than in appearance,” he added. He said the thicker magazine will allow for more substantive treatment of subjects, including longer articles in some cases.
The mission of the Christian Standard remains–to serve leaders of the church, both professional and volunteer, with a special focus on leaders in the independent Christian churches around the world.
Why the updates?
Christian Standard“˜s weekly publication coincided for many years with its use in conjunction with adult Sunday School materials, and many churches ordered it along with their traditional quarterly Sunday School curriculum material.
Increasingly, however, churches are moving to other models that emphasize small group or other types of fellowship groups for adults.
In the new monthly format, Taylor explained, each issue will include special treatment of its cover theme, as well as other articles about current issues or church practices in light of Bible teaching. The September issue, focusing on money and stewardship, kicks off this new approach.
A newly-recruited slate of columns and features will give readers help and encouragement for many aspects of local church ministry.
“Christian Standard has been a major medium for connecting leaders and members in the independent Christian churches and churches of Christ around the world,” said Taylor. “We believe this new monthly format will do a better job of serving our subscribers and attracting new readers.”
Come on now! Just how much of this decision is based on declining readership resulting from the Standard’s shift in mission? The Standard used to feature the writing of a wide variety of authors on biblical, doctrinal, and practical subjects and be focused to the broader Restoration Movement membership. Today the magazine is almost totally pragmatic and designed for church leaders. Of course the decline reflects the growing biblical and spiritual ignorance of most of the Restoration Movement church membership. What we’ve seen in the last 50 years during my own ministry has been the demise of sound doctrine, the Bible school with its emphasis on biblical content, and only one major publication concerned with maintaining the Restoration plea.
Brothers,
I know this decision was not taken lightly. This is actually a huge pastoral burden you bear, compounded by the weight of 146 years of tradition. May God bless you as you guide the Christian Standard to and through this new chapter in its existence.
God speed on your vision and goals for the future! Blessings…
I think a monthly instead of a weekly will be beneficial to the busy world of your readers. Great decision.
I think the move will be positive, long-term–and am thankful for this ministry.