LifeWay Family Magazines Offer Encouragement, Truth and God’s Love

Written by Mandy Crow

Whether you need advice about a two-year-old’s temper tantrum, a new recipe for the company picnic or a refreshing story about other Christians seeking to live for Christ in today’s world, LifeWay’s family magazines may be just the place to go.

The editors of HomeLife, Christian Single, Mature Living, Living With Teenagers and ParentLife want their readers to know these are magazines with substance. Each magazine is designed to provide its readers with practical information.

"We know that when someone picks up one of our magazines, they are choosing to give us a gift of their time," said Sam House, editor in chief of HomeLife magazine. "People lead such busy lives today that when someone takes time to read one of our family magazines, they want to gain something valuable. We choose our articles with that in mind."

HomeLife

HomeLife is LifeWay’s top-selling magazine, with a monthly circulation of 375,000. It consistently provides readers with columns and articles that are informative and inspirational, as well as entertaining. The magazine is produced with adults and families in mind.

"There are so many needs in families and churches today that HomeLife has to offer godly answers," House said. "Our culture and world situation challenge every believer with new tests for faith every day, so our staff starts working months in advance to make every issue as encouraging, inspiring and informative as possible. When readers write or call to say the magazine has touched them, guided them or even changed them or their church, I am awed and humbled that God has used HomeLife in His work and even blessed us with the testimonies."

HomeLife also offers a quarterly Spanish language magazine, La Familia Cristiana de Hoy. Edited by Oscar Fernandez, this version is produced with special emphases to address the needs of the growing Hispanic community in America.

"I’m thrilled that language is no longer a barrier for those who can read Spanish, but not English," House said. "HomeLife’s mission is to help people honor God where they live."

Mature Living

"I often tell prospective writers that Mature Living is for senior adults, not about senior adults," said David Seay, editor in chief. "We try to provide a leisure reading piece that brings pleasure, entertainment and spiritual encouragement to our readers."

Mature Living has been nationally recognized for doing that very well. Last year the magazine was a double winner in the National Mature Media Awards Program. The competition recognizes the nation’s finest advertising, marketing and educational materials designed and produced for senior adults.

Attention to detail is a mark of Mature Living. It uses larger print, making it easier for more "mature eyes" to read.

Mature Living reader Donna Miller wrote in, calling the magazine "wholesome, comforting and as welcome as a special guest." She added that copies are always passed around in her family.

Living with Teenagers

Parenting a teenager is challenging. While parents can’t change the world, they can strive to stay connected with their almost-adult sons and daughters. Sherrie Thomas, editor of Living with Teenagers, sees the magazine as a way to help parents connect with their teens.

"My goal is to seek God’s will and wisdom in providing articles that will help parents raise their teens in a Christian home with biblical principles," she said. "I seek to deal with the everyday challenges as well as the critical issues parents and teens face in today’s society."

Keeping up with the changing cultural influences that affect teenagers is hard. Theirs is a fast-paced world of music, movies, school and sports. From every corner, teenagers are being told to succeed, to excel, to grow up fast. Living with Teenagers helps Christian parents know how to guide today’s teens to become well-grounded Christian adults.

Christian Single

Valerie Hancock, editor in chief of Christian Single, said, "Each month our goal is to speak to the real-life needs of singles in a relevant way. We recognize that the single life is about much more than dating and finding a spouse. Those issues are important, but singles are interested in much more: growing and maturing spiritually, biblically managing finances, developing and maintaining healthy relationships, serving out of their giftedness and making the most out of life."

Christian Single reader Brian Billings said that while the articles deal with issues Christian singles face, its most important role is reminding him that he’s not alone. "What I love most is knowing that there are other Christian singles out there facing the same dilemmas," he said. "Your magazine says to me that there is someone out there that understands, and that’s enough for me to continue to be a loyal reader each month."

Hancock added there are very few resources that speak specifically to the needs of Christian singles. "We are privileged to have this assignment, and we take our responsibility very seriously."

Beginning with the September 2003 issue, Christian Single will offer a new option: Christian Single Plus. "This will offer the same relevant topics and practical articles as Christian Single, plus a weekly Bible study geared for Sunday school or small groups," Hancock said. "The Bible study follows LifeWay’s Family Bible Study curriculum plan and speaks to the needs of singles in the churches."

ParentLife

ParentLife magazine offers lots of ideas on topics from children’s health to spiritual development.

Editor William Summey said, "We want our readers to be confident that ParentLife provides practical tools and the latest information about children and parenting from a Christian perspective. ParentLife above all is a ministry to parents, equipping mothers and fathers to guide children in their spiritual, physical, mental and emotional development."

Reader Bev Schwartzenburg recently e-mailed, "Thanks for the informative article ‘Kidnap-Proof Your Child,’ (in March 2003) and the practical steps we can take to educate our children to be safe in a not-so-safe world."

"Responses such as this one let us know we are meeting parents’ needs and concerns about real life issues," Summey said. "We want ParentLife to reach parents where they live and as they face the challenges of everyday parenting."

Return to Facts and Trends