New editor shares vision
With this issue I assume the editorship of The Christian Chronicle. Most things about this publication will not change. For the past 10 years I have served the Chronicle as the general manager and then as president. Since September 2004, our editorials have been the product of our editorial council rather than one person. As a new editor I am making an exception for this issue so that you might know some of my thinking.
I love the church and have such positive regard for the congregations, elders, ministries and other institutions in our fellowship. I love and respect this paper. Our recent survey of readers found that nine out of 10 trust this paper and are satisfied with it. We value your trust. We will continue to work to earn your trust through excellence in Christian journalism.
Over the 20 years I have been associated with this newspaper, I have observed a disturbing element of polarization and fragmentation in our fellowship. The reality is that some churches have changed since I was growing up in the 1950s.
In those days, when we traveled the country it seemed as if every church were the same. That is no longer true. The differences in style, personality and belief of churches are fairly obvious. I fear we do not generally do very well in allowing each other to be different in matters of style and opinion.
I also have realized how important it is to have a newspaper that provides communication among churches without exercising control. Our autonomous congregations present certain challenges that the Chronicle can help with, but the Chronicle does not exist to decree who is orthodox and who is not. Each of us must prayerfully study God’s word to determine that.
The Chronicle is committed to upholding biblical truths while we bring readers a spectrum of stories, news items, dialogues, features and advertisements that reflect the diversity in the church today. We do not have an agenda. Our purpose is to promote unity based upon Scripture and to provide reliable information and, hopefully, inspire us all by telling the wonderful things that Christians are doing.
When the Chronicle came to Oklahoma Christian University 25 years ago, it was under the university’s direct control. Today the Chronicle is overseen by its own board of trustees from across the country. They meet twice a year to set the policies by which the Chronicle now operates. Each trustee is a dedicated Christian who loves the church and wants the Chronicle to be a unifying influence among 13,000 increasingly diverse congregations.
My predecessor, Bailey McBride, is a long-time friend and colleague. If everybody had his commitment to the Lord and generosity of spirit to others, we would be more of what the Lord wants us to be. He is entering a well-earned retirement.
Please remember that newspapers sometimes publish news items that the journalists do not agree with, but that we do believe are necessary for Christians to know. Please read the box at the bottom of this page for additional information regarding the Chronicle and its policies. Future editorials will continue to be unsigned and will be a product of our organization, not of the editor.
My Chronicle colleagues and I are deeply committed to the Scriptures as the inspired word of God and to Jesus Christ as his son and our savior. We also are committed to the church of the New Testament and love it dearly.
As the cliche goes, “I have grown up in the church.” I have always loved the church and fellow Christians. I often am hurt, however, when I encounter people with unkind attitudes about the opinions of others. Sometimes this even happens in the name of Christ in the way people disagree with things that appear in this paper.
I love the church and the Chronicle; I want to see them grow in service to the Lord. I believe our readers know that we are dedicated to the Kingdom and are eager to continue partnering in a good-news ministry.
Lynn Mcmillon is president, CEO and editor of The Christian Chronicle.
July 1, 2006
I love the church and have such positive regard for the congregations, elders, ministries and other institutions in our fellowship. I love and respect this paper. Our recent survey of readers found that nine out of 10 trust this paper and are satisfied with it. We value your trust. We will continue to work to earn your trust through excellence in Christian journalism.
Over the 20 years I have been associated with this newspaper, I have observed a disturbing element of polarization and fragmentation in our fellowship. The reality is that some churches have changed since I was growing up in the 1950s.
In those days, when we traveled the country it seemed as if every church were the same. That is no longer true. The differences in style, personality and belief of churches are fairly obvious. I fear we do not generally do very well in allowing each other to be different in matters of style and opinion.
I also have realized how important it is to have a newspaper that provides communication among churches without exercising control. Our autonomous congregations present certain challenges that the Chronicle can help with, but the Chronicle does not exist to decree who is orthodox and who is not. Each of us must prayerfully study God’s word to determine that.
The Chronicle is committed to upholding biblical truths while we bring readers a spectrum of stories, news items, dialogues, features and advertisements that reflect the diversity in the church today. We do not have an agenda. Our purpose is to promote unity based upon Scripture and to provide reliable information and, hopefully, inspire us all by telling the wonderful things that Christians are doing.
When the Chronicle came to Oklahoma Christian University 25 years ago, it was under the university’s direct control. Today the Chronicle is overseen by its own board of trustees from across the country. They meet twice a year to set the policies by which the Chronicle now operates. Each trustee is a dedicated Christian who loves the church and wants the Chronicle to be a unifying influence among 13,000 increasingly diverse congregations.
My predecessor, Bailey McBride, is a long-time friend and colleague. If everybody had his commitment to the Lord and generosity of spirit to others, we would be more of what the Lord wants us to be. He is entering a well-earned retirement.
Please remember that newspapers sometimes publish news items that the journalists do not agree with, but that we do believe are necessary for Christians to know. Please read the box at the bottom of this page for additional information regarding the Chronicle and its policies. Future editorials will continue to be unsigned and will be a product of our organization, not of the editor.
My Chronicle colleagues and I are deeply committed to the Scriptures as the inspired word of God and to Jesus Christ as his son and our savior. We also are committed to the church of the New Testament and love it dearly.
As the cliche goes, “I have grown up in the church.” I have always loved the church and fellow Christians. I often am hurt, however, when I encounter people with unkind attitudes about the opinions of others. Sometimes this even happens in the name of Christ in the way people disagree with things that appear in this paper.
I love the church and the Chronicle; I want to see them grow in service to the Lord. I believe our readers know that we are dedicated to the Kingdom and are eager to continue partnering in a good-news ministry.
Lynn Mcmillon is president, CEO and editor of The Christian Chronicle.
July 1, 2006
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