CT's sister publication Books & Culture had a problem. It was one that had plagued the publication for much of its history.
The problem was money—more to the point, a lack of money.
It's a malady common to nearly every thought journal, religious or secular. It seems not even award-winning content, like the kind in the magazine you're reading, is enough to ensure financial success.
Enter an aggressive fundraising strategy (another commonality between thought journals) that convened college presidents, some high-end donors, and a devoted community of longtime Books & Culture readers.
Following some initial tweets from editor John Wilson and me, responses moved quickly from a trickle to a torrent. The Twitter nation spoke with an appreciation and generosity that still has us both stunned and humbled.
In the end, the largesse of all those giving donations ranging from $20 to $25,000 not only secured the 18-year-old journal's financial stability in 2014, it also laid a track for its ongoing financial health and strength for several years after that. And all we had to do, according to one donor, "was ask!"
"The Ask" is something that CT has not done much since founder Billy Graham relied on Sun Oil's J. Howard Pew to help underwrite this ministry for its first 20 years. But times have changed. And as we heard directly and indirectly from assorted Books & Culture "angels," our own renewed willingness to step up and ask for operational help was a wake-up call to readers concerning the publishing realities that have brought big-dollar revenue dips to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other lauded titles (remember Newsweek?).
Such realities have kept CT magazine and its parent company on our publishing toes, not to mention our knees. But they have also catalyzed us to find creative, up-to-date ways to deliver our content to faithful readers and reach new ones. Just some of the most recent digital content platforms include the Today's Christian Woman weekly digizine, a monthly online version of Leadership, and—especially exciting—CT's digital biweekly on the wonder of God and his creation, slated to launch in early 2014. Learn more at ChristianityToday.org.
I can't underscore enough how essential these efforts are if we are to maintain our ministry and financial equilibrium in the midst of an industry still very much in crisis.
And so "The Ask" is again in order. Your tax-deductible gifts will help underwrite editorial and design costs for these various efforts. They will also provide stability through the always tricky launch phase—ultimately strengthening the bottom line upon which everything, including this magazine, rests.
Learn more about ways you can partner with this crucial ministry at ChristianityToday.org, and then kick back and enjoy the look, feel, and read of another stellar edition of our flagship magazine.
To contribute Send checks (U.S. dollars only) to: Christianity Today, Attn: Donor Relations, Box CT1213, 465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188 Christianity Today International is a 501(c)(3) organization.
