The announcement was hard to miss.
The Brethren Missionary Herald
The last page of the January 1940 Brethren Herald, a magazine published by the church-planting wing of the group of churches that would become known as the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (FGBC), introduced a weekly publication that would include news of Foreign Missions, Home Missions, the Brethren Women’s Missionary Council, and Grace Theological Seminary, to mention a few.
“It is planned to make The Brethren Missionary Herald the most up-to-date, the most readable, the most newsy, the most practical Christian magazine possible. It will be absolutely sound and fundamental in all its articles. It will breathe the spirit of evangelism, missions, and the defense of the gospel.”
So began the first 70 years of ministry for the Brethren Missionary Herald Company (BMH). For 56 years, the Brethren Missionary Herald magazine told the story of the FGBC. In addition, BMH led the way for innovative communications, producing Sunday school materials, publishing books, and adopting the latest technologies to circulate the news to the family that the FGBC had become.
The magazine ceased publication in 1996, a victim of the hard economics of magazine publishing.
FGBC World, the newspaper, began in 2004 with a mission to connect the people and churches of the FGBC. It has reported the news, recounted history, and shared stories of the people and places of our fellowship.
As the Brethren Missionary Herald Company embarks on its 71st year, it’s my pleasure to introduce FGBC World magazine, a publication that will continue to breathe the spirit of evangelism, missions, and defense of the gospel, while connecting the people and churches of our fellowship of churches.
You will continue to find your favorite features. In addition, expanded information will be found on the World Wide Web at fgbcworld.com, where the stories in FGBC World will come to life in a monthly podcast. The podcast, an online audio broadcast, will include music composed by worship pastors across the country. And, you’ll still fi nd regularly updated information on the BMH Editor’s Blog, now redesigned and available at fgbcworld-blog.com.
My predecessor, Terry White, quoted Zechariah 4:10a in 2004 in the first issue of FGBC World – Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin (NLT). In many ways, we are still in the beginning stages of restoring an organization with a vital role in the FGBC.
Current economics have trimmed staff to three and one-half positions. It is my vision, as the new executive director of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company, to once again lead the way for innovative communications, not only in the FGBC but in the wider evangelical community.
Let’s rejoice as the work continues!
– Liz Cutler Gates, executive director
