The first issue of Christianity Today that I worked on was the October 2007 issue. The cover story was an essay on divorce from biblical scholar David Instone-Brewer. Features covered the ex-gay movement, faith-motivated farmers, and healing for shame over sexual sin. It was a particularly heavy issue. Nearly 10 years later, it’s also remarkably timely—filled with insights on topics that still permeate our shared life.
I’ll never forget rushing to close that issue as the new, 23-year-old copy editor. As the paper stack on my desk kept rising, so did my heart rate. Yet as ill-equipped as I felt, I took heart, knowing the work was fulfilling a great mission, one that would reach committed Christians on every continent. (To this day, readers still mention Instone-Brewer’s essay and John Piper’s exhortation on sexual sin.)
I don’t remember what happened on Twitter last week, let alone nine years ago. (To be fair, the social media platform was then barely a tweet.) Facebook has raged and roared with the latest controversy—before moving on to cute cat videos. The Internet has given us many great things; memorable commentary is not always one of them.
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In my four-year tenure as print managing editor, I have tried to execute issues of CT that are at once timely and timeless. In this issue, for example, we report on amazing Christian growth in India (p. 38); examine a personality test making its way into evangelical circles (p. 54); and profile Ann Voskamp on the eve of a new book (p. 48). Each article feels pressing, of the moment. Yet my hope is that down the road, each article will feelprescient, signaling that we were leading on issues readers will still be grappling with a decade out.
Who knows where I will be a decade out? Barring an act of God, the November issue is also my final issue. After nine-plus years of editing, emailing, managing, coordinating, writing, and tweeting (yes), I will start sabbathing, at least for the rest of 2016. In this time, I will continue to speak about my book and travel cross-country to see friends. I will also serve as an adviser for the women’s channel of Christianity Today magazine, which showcases the best and brightest female writers and thinkers. The peace and clarity that this normally anxious person has about the transition is a gift and a seeming sign of grace.
So was arriving at CT, and getting to help shape its direction for all of my professional and adult life thus far. I will always be a subscriber and a fan. I understand why people throw away old magazines, but my issues of CT aren’t going anywhere.
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