LEADING IN LOVE EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM TELLING GOD’S GLOBAL STORY 20 18 A REPORT OF THE MAGAZINE + MINISTRY OF THE MAGAZINE A REPORT Dear Ministry Partner, This past year, our friend and founder Billy Graham went home to be with the Lord he had served so faithfully for nearly a century. And while we mourn his loss, we praise our great God that Christianity Today remains a leading—and lasting—part of the evangelist’s legacy: •Through our thoughtful, balanced, Christ-honoring journalism •Through the expanding number of global voices who find expression in our publications and resources 1 MILLION • And through our words that speak the READERS OF CT’S SPECIAL IN MEMORIAM BILLY GRAHAM MEMORIAL timeliness—and timelessness—of the ISSUE AND THE EXTENSIVE true, good, and beautiful gospel. WEB COVERAGE RELEASED UPON HIS PASSING. As a subscriber and as a donor, you help CT showcase ‘‘ stories of God at work. And you help encourage and I pray that the magazine will never depart equip more and more Christian leaders in every corner from its founding commitment to high of the globe. biblical and theological scholarship. So be encouraged as you read this report. And thank All over the globe, people are desperate God for his continuing goodness and watch care. Even to hear a voice of biblical authority as we thank you for faithfully partnering with us in and to find a stable spiritual standard.” fulfilling the Graham vision. BILLY GRAHAM Thankfully, 1918–2018 EUGENE HABECKER CHAIR, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CHRISTIANITY TODAY A MAGAZINE + MINISTRY KEYNOTED BY CONVICTION AND LOVE Billy Graham’s prescient vision for CT remains as important today as it was in 1956. Today, Graham’s call to “lead in love” has inspired CT’s cause of Beautiful Orthodoxy— to model truth in Christ-centered love. 1 | LEADING IN LOVE In a world of ever-increasing fear, anger, and confusion, you are helping CT reverse that trend by communicating and modeling the breadth of ‘‘ the true, good, and beautiful gospel. “Christianity Today should take the responsibility of leading in love, what so much of our evangelical work has failed to do in fighting and name calling.” SEXUALITY PERSECUTION RACE THEOLOGY CULTURE IMMIGRANTS NEWS BILLY GRAHAM YOUR SUPPORT STRENGTHENS THOSE WITH A SHAKEN FAITH When Britt Anderson was in college, she found herself questioning where her intellect and faith met. “I was fully in this world of people doubting religion, where you aren’t smart if you believe in Christ,” remembered Britt. Though raised in church, Britt’s faith was shaken by the university culture—until she encountered C. S. Lewis—and Christianity Today. “Wow, there are thoughtful and intelligent people who believe,” Britt recalled. “I was blown away at the thoughtfulness.” Britt’s story is one of many stories of women and men—sometimes struggling in their faith or who have left the church—who find CT and are drawn closer to the Lord and the church because of its balanced, thoughtful, and truthful perspective. BRITT ANDERSON LAWYER, STAY-AT-HOME MOM, CT SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR ‘‘ YOU TOLD OUR STORY CT’s coverage helped further the mission of organizations like ours through making known the gifts of people with intellectual disabilities and the vital role they play within our parishes and communities. The story highlighted the transformation that happens daily, spotlighting the role of people with disabilities as leaders. CT MAY 2018 COVER PHOTO OF MEMBERS OF THE L’ARCHE COMMUNITY LUKE SMITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/COMMUNITY LEADER, PHOTO BY RYAN DONNELL L’ARCHE GREATER WASHINGTON D.C. A MAGAZINE + MINISTRY SHOWCASING THE BEST OF THE CHRISTIAN MIND Thank you for advancing thoughtful Christian journalism and allowing us to feature over 750 writers who challenged and inspired us in 2018. TOGETHER, WE INFLUENCED MORE LEADERS 2 | EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM BY ENGAGING AND EQUIPPING OVER 35 MILLION READERS ‘‘ My idea was for a magazine that would restore intellectual respectability 4,000 14,000 1 MILLION and spiritual impact to evangelical NEW ARTICLES ARCHIVE ARTICLES PODCAST LISTENS Christianity; it would reaffirm the You help CT lead every You helped CT publish its You helped CT’s Quick power of the Word of God to redeem day by strategically complete archives online to Listen reach 50% informing and influencing for the first time, more leaders to think and transform men and women.” the church as it engages starting with Issue One biblically and deeply BILLY GRAHAM cultures in Jesus’ name. from October 15, 1956. about complex issues. For the second year in a row, CT was awarded the prestigious Excellence in Magazine Overall Religion Coverage by the Religion News Association, and also received 32 top publishing awards from the Evangelical Press Association. YOUR SUPPORT EQUIPS LEADERS WITH TRUTH + TOOLS TO RESPOND CT has been an important resource for Marcia Lawson to understand how the Bible’s wisdom and truth can make sense in today’s context. “When it comes to the news, I need to think it through. You can’t just tell me and expect me to believe it,” said Lawson. “I need to see logical, rational, fallacy-free truth of an issue. CT has been alongside me as a reliable magazine with clear journalistic standards. CT has a desire to dig deeper into issues and look further into the truth rather than just going with the easy position.” Lawson appreciates that CT helps readers to be more critical and reflective, and that articles carry a hopeful and civil tone. “Speaking the truth, careful reliable journalism, standing up for the things that are going on in our culture today, the global and local and national perspective—this is all part of CT and it’s so important to me,” MARCIA LAWSON RETIRED, BIBLE STUDY LEADER, CT SUBSCRIBER AND SUSTAINING PARTNER ‘‘ YOU TOLD OUR STORY I appreciate Christianity Today tackling the hard issues, the issues no one wants to acknowledge. As Christians, we should be educated and informed about what is happening in our world, and I am thankful Christianity Today was brave enough to open that box on the subject of surrogacy. CT MARCH 2018 COVER STORY PHOTO OF MEG WATWOOD, GAYLE GARRETT MELISSA O’HARE AND GAYLE GARRETT SURROGACY PROGRAM DIRECTOR, PHOTO BY MELANIE GRIZZEL SURROGATE SOLUTIONS A MAGAZINE + MINISTRY FEATURING THE WORKS + WONDERS OF GOD GLOBALLY Trusting in your ongoing partnership and as an extension of Graham’s original vision, CT is embarking on a bold, Spirit-led vision called CT Global in 2019. You can help provide expansive global coverage to keep readers informed of all God is doing around the world and help showcase more culturally diverse and international voices that 3 | TELLING GOD’S GLOBAL STORY will teach us, encourage us, and challenge us. ‘‘ 120 30% 35% All over the globe, people are desperate COUNTRIES GLOBAL REACH GLOBAL REPORTING to hear a voice of biblical authority CT subscribers are CT’s online articles reach CT significantly covers and to find a stable spiritual standard.” global. With your help, over 1.5 million leaders the stories of what God is we can distribute CT to outside of the U.S. You doing around the world BILLY GRAHAM more leaders throughout can help give these global through dispatches the world who value leaders the content that abroad. You can help CT thoughtful Christian encourages and equips increase and strengthen journalism. them the most. this coverage. “Christianity Today is an excellent magazine that reports what is happening among the churches outside the US, especially the ‘‘ majority world. It could just as well be called Global Christianity Today. I’ve learned a lot about the church in places like China from CT.” MIKE BIRD LECTURER IN THEOLOGY, RIDLEY COLLEGE, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA YOUR SUPPORT HELPS SHAPE THE CHURCH Daniel Darling equips the local church through his advocacy and public policy work. He’s deeply invested in the church nationally, but also serves locally as a pastor of teaching and discipleship. “Christianity Today has been formative in my life. The best of the center of evangelicalism is always presented, bringing together thought leadership, practical application, and then looking at issues in the church from all sides”, Daniel shares. “CT has fulfilled Billy Graham’s vision for it: to help shape the church.” “CT always challenges me, encourages me, and addresses things I haven’t even thought about but maybe I should be. CT shows me what faithful orthodoxy looks like.” DANIEL DARLING VP OF COMMUNICATIONS, THE ETHICS AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION; PASTOR; CT SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR ‘‘ YOU TOLD OUR STORY Our stories are not heard. It is very encouraging that you are here. DACHOLLUM DATIRI DENOMINATIONAL LEADER IN NIGERIA CT NOVEMBER 2018 COVER STORY PHOTO OF A FAMILY IN As told to CT reporter Jeremy Weber in Nigeria. A JOS, NIGERIA TRANSITION CAMP Over 1,000 of Datiri’s church members have lost their PHOTO BY GARY S. CHAPMAN homes to the country’s long-standing sectarian violence. WILL YOU HELP EXTEND CT’S FOUNDING VISION? LEADING IN LOVE GIVING YOUR BEST GIFT TO CT IN 2019 WILL: STRENGTHEN EQUIP SHAPE those with a solid faith, leaders with the truth the church, both near a shaken faith, or those of the gospel and the and far, with the best with no faith at all. tools to respond. in Christian thought. 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