It's been a while since I last "talked" with you. Between Board meetings, rather extensive travel (some overseas), and the usual press of day-to-day publishing, I'm afraid my own professional "margin" had become so paper thin that some very important matters—like this periodic blog post—were, frankly, left undone.

Enter Easter. The story, the wonder, the reality of resurrection—and a Holy Week away from the office—and I'm again feeling renewed, refreshed, and refocused to share with you the exciting opportunities our Living Savior has set before this ministry for the remainder of 2013.

Opportunities like:

• The new ChurchLawandTax.com that launches later this month. Nowhere else can churches—and specifically church administrators, treasurers, managers—get the expanse of accurate, timely, and user friendly resources for navigating the always challenging world of the practical "business of ministry."
• The new Spanish language page at ChristianityToday.com, complete with content targeted specifically (though not solely) at the growing number of Hispanic evangelicals engaging our Christ-centered communities nationwide. (Speaking of which, check out this week's cover story in TIME magazine on the growth of evangelicalism within this cultural community. And, happy to say, CT is mentioned!)
• A new study Bible under development focusing on the interrelationship of faith and work. It will be designed to help Christ followers see their vocations as holy callings to both advance Christ's Kingdom and help flourish their cities and communities.
• A completely new look for Christianity Today magazine and its related digital expressions. (Coming in early fall!)

All of these opportunities (and others!) speak to a movement of God here at Christianity Today that clearly signals that our mission remains as critical and vibrantly alive today as it did when evangelist Billy Graham first envisioned the publication CT nearly 60 years ago.

And all this even in the midst of some still-scary challenges and uncertainties facing our ministry as a whole. Truth be told, bottom lines remain a bit shaky. And our periodic belt-tightening continues. (A constant reality of the entire publishing industry!)

But I'm also pleased to say that staff keeps disenchantment at bay by remembering and wonderfully modeling our number one ministry distinctive, "Christ preeminent in all things."

It's the living Christ—and the empty tomb—that continue to motivate us, provide the purpose we need to press on under the Son's Lordship, and be attentive to those expanding opportunities and "God surprises" before us.

In all this, of course, we would most certainly covet your ongoing prayers. And, as you feel led, your financial support as well. As most of you know, we are a nonprofit; and some of the growth outlined earlier is happening because people like you are partnering with us to supply the seed capital needed to underwrite the early stages of project launch.

How you can become a more active partner with Christianity Today is spelled out on our ministry site, ChristianityToday.org. Let me encourage you to check it out and partner with us.

In the meantime, would the presence and power of the resurrected Christ continue to encourage and motivate you to even greater service in the days ahead.

Harold Smith
President and CEO