DOWN HOME: New look reflects change in direction_11005

Posted: 1/07/05

DOWN HOME:
New look reflects change in direction

Usually, this column chronicles the goings-on among the Knoxes. Joanna, Lindsay, Molly and I aren't all that different from most Baptist families, so I enjoy contemplating the events that shape our lives, hoping they resonate with yours.

But this time, I'd like to talk about a larger family–the Baptist Standard family. If you're a subscriber or regular reader, sit down at the table; you're our kin.

You've probably noticed we remodeled the “house” over the Christmas holidays. As with all changes in our life together, some folks will like what we've done to the paper, and some won't. But I hope you'll decide the new Standard is an improvement.

Our new design is more than cosmetic. Sure, we're printing on brighter paper, using larger pictures and offering more visual elements. We've updated our typefaces and added new logos. We think these will make the paper more inviting.

But design changes are only part of our plan to strengthen the Standard's support for our readers and their churches.

For example, we've been publishing articles about heart-warming, effective ministries. We get excited when we describe a ministry that can be reproduced all across the state. We plan to keep on doing this, but we're going to showcase the stories better and make them easier to use.

We'll emphasize how your church can find and use resources that will help you make a difference in your community and even around the world.

We're going to review good books that can strengthen your faith and make you a better Christian. We'll also review movies and music, and we'll ask you to give us input so our reviews will get more and more practical and helpful.

We're also strengthening the connection between the print and online editions of the Standard. Since timing and space are major print-media obstacles, we'll use the web (baptiststandard.com) to get more information to you faster than ever.

But the most significant change can be summed up in two words: Moving on.

For two and a half decades, the Standard has been one of the foremost chroniclers of the battle for the soul of the Southern Baptist Convention. Some Baptists have lauded our efforts, while others have held the Standard up to ridicule. We make no apologies for telling the story of the most significant shift in American Christianity in 150 years. That's been our God-given task.

Now, we're moving on. That doesn't mean we'll never write a story about the SBC again. We're just as committed to the principle of “tell the truth and trust the people” as we ever were. But the truth for today is the SBC no longer impacts Texas Baptists the way it once did. We don't intend to spend a lot of time worrying about that.

We're going to focus on the future–the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of us, not the heartache and trauma that riddle our past.

So, if you know folks who quit reading the Standard because they're sick of “the controversy,” invite them to look again.

And next time, I'll tell you what Molly and I saw at the museum.

–Marv Knox