After 20 years of working at Christianity Today, I have a pretty good idea of what makes a CT article. I know where to find them, whom to talk to, and what angles the piece might explore. Moving over to The Behemoth has been wonderfully disorienting. Surprises are everywhere. Is there something awesome about grass? Something amazing about this pen I’m holding? Can fingernails elicit awe and wonder? Probably! The only way to find out is to start asking questions.
In this issue’s lead story, Krispin Mayfield looks at how central questions are to childlike faith. He’s right on. The questions my kids ask me have caused me to wonder about God, the world, and my faith in ways I hadn’t ever considered. But their most powerful questions, at least in terms of their effect on me, have been the ones they haven’t asked out loud. I’ll just find them staring at an object, gazing, pondering. Beholding. It’s hard for a news guy like me to stop and behold. But having them as guides has helped.
This magazine aims for that sweet spot where we’ve asked just enough questions to get to the wonder—and then we try to pause for a bit, beholding the greatness of God and the goodness of his world. It’s not just wonderfully disorienting; it’s powerfully reorienting, too.
(By the way: It used to be difficult to give gift subscriptions to The Behemoth. We fixed that. If you know someone who would enjoy this magazine, there is truly no better way to make The Behemoth better than to subscribe and give gift subscriptions. Thanks for being part of this work already.)
Ted Olsen is editor of The Behemoth and tweets @tedolsen.
