Within One, Many Many Many ... - Christianity Today

Last week our church offered leader training to our volunteers. I was reminded of how many distinct parts make up one normal congregation. Children's workers, youth workers, 20-somethings, life groups, compassion and outreach ministries, support groups, senior care, greeters, security, global ministries. So many distinct interests and roles …

One church, many parts.

I recalled one pastor's wry observation: "The church, like an airplane, is several thousand parts flying in relatively close formation." As leaders, we care for the closeness of that formation because we know what happens when too many parts detach.

We've also seen that with Leadership Journal this year. One journal, many parts.

Discerning readers will notice that this edition has a new look and new arrangement. For the past 10 months, we've been recrafting the journal. This involved countless conversations with readers, consultations with innovative Atlanta design firm Metaleap Creative, and lots of interaction with editorial, design, marketing, advertising, production, and publishing team members at Christianity Today.

The result is the redesigned journal you're now holding. Let me point out just a few of the changes.

The cover, ably designed by art director Doug Fleener, makes a fresh visual statement about this issue's theme, community, the purposeful complexity of a church body. The multiple moving parts actually get us somewhere.

Being thematic, which readers tell us is our most important characteristic, allows us to take one significant topic and go into depth, reflecting multiple perspectives. While our thematic approach hasn't changed, we are now offering 12 monthly themes (in our electronic editions, available to all subscribers), in addition to our four print issues annually.

New departments highlight our three recurring topics: the soul of leadership, the practices of leadership, and the culture in which we lead. Each department features real-life stories, hard won insights, and cartoons that put a knowing smile on a leader's face.

In addition to updated graphics and design, we're also introducing some new features:

Ideas that Work: we introduce you to innovative practices from around the ministry world that have actually worked. They demonstrate that churches are fully awake and creatively responding to needs and opportunities.

Leadership Shorts: executive summaries of the latest books on leadership and ministry.

My Calling: a story from a pastor about how that calling was received or how that calling was tested. You'll be reminded of your own calling and inspired to persevere.

I'm glad you've joined us for this new incarnation of Leadership Journal. Let us know what you think. This is an ongoing conversation as we continue to identify the ways we can best serve church leaders, encouraging and equipping us all to faithfulness and effectiveness.