A Magazine of Understanding

You may have noticed something a little different on the cover of The Good News. We've added a subtitle that we think captures the essence of what The Good News is all about: A Magazine of Understanding

The goal of The Good News is to provide just that: understanding. Other magazines report the news, whether it's current events, social trends or lighter fare like sports or personality news and tidbits. They provide information, but not answers. They don't address the really big, really important questions: Why are we here? What is our purpose in life? Why, in spite of astounding technological progress, can we not solve many of our most basic, longstanding problems?

Why must the world be plagued with war, crime, violence and misery? Why are so many families, marriages and relationships—and ultimately even whole societies— breaking down? Why can't the world's best and brightest find solutions?

What other magazines don't tell you is why these events and trends take place, nor where they are leading us. It's a paradox that in this information age, a time characterized by an unprecedented explosion of knowledge, communication and data, we are still so lacking in the understanding of what it all means. We ache for answers to questions we can't quite put into words.

All good writers and editors have their sources to help them report and explain the news. The same is true of those who bring you The Good News. We, too, have a primary source. Although our source is eminently credible, many people are suspicious of it or flatly reject it. Most writers, editors and publishers completely disregard this source of true, lasting knowledge. Although they can report what's happening-the who, what, when, where and how-they cannot explain why.

It's one thing to report the news. It's quite a different matter to dissect and explain world trends and events in light of the Bible. That's where The Good News comes in.

Few of our writers are trained journalists. Their focus instead has been the world stage, the human condition and, most important, the Bible. That is our primary source, the only one that explains the reason for the events and trends we see around us.

Can you believe this source? Should you believe it? Those are the major questions we address in this issue.

If you want understanding, this source tells you where to begin: ". . . The LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6).

His words are preserved for us in the pages of the Bible, and the answers can come when you approach the questions from the right perspective and in the proper frame of mind. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding," He tells us (Proverbs 9:10).

Read this issue carefully. Seek out the source of knowledge that so many ignore. The Good News is "a magazine of understanding" only because our primary source is a book of understanding. Study its pages, and the pages of The Good News, to gain the insight so many lack.

While we're on the subject of changes, we've made some additions— "Questions and Answers" and "Letters From Our Readers"—to make The Good News more helpful to you.

We get many letters on topics discussed in The Good News and on other biblical subjects. Often different people will raise the same questions. Sometimes we may address those questions in an article or booklet, but often they can be addressed briefly in a few paragraphs. We'll often address such topics in the new question-and-answer feature.

Other questions can be addressed in only a sentence or two. When appropriate, we'll respond in our new letters column. We'd like your feedback on what you find in The Good News. We think you'll find the thoughts of our international family of readers quite interesting. We look forward to hearing from you.

-Scott Ashley