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2004-05-04 issue:

Honest answers

Editorial

by Everett J. Thomas

Print Article

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.—Proverbs 24:26 (NIV)

We get lots of honest answers at The Mennonite. During any given month we receive feedback from readers who offer answers to issues raised in articles and news stories as well as answers to questions not raised by anything we publish. It is wonderful.

However, since January the feedback has been extraordinary. In addition to data from our annual readers survey and the many encouraging—and sometimes critical—notes from those contributing generously to our budget, we received new information about our role in Mennonite Church USA through a national survey entitled “The People in the Pew: Perceptions of Mennonite Church USA” (Feb. 17, pages 20-21). All these kisses are influencing choices we make for this magazine.

Our annual readers survey, conducted each February, is critical to the process of understanding our readers. Asking similar questions every year, we are able to observe trends. For example, we know that men comprise 54 percent of our readership (for the second year in a row); that is a change from 1999 and 2000, when women made up 54 percent of our readership. We also know that our readership is highly educated: 72 percent have a college education or more. But most significant is another statistic: Many of our readers are or have been leaders in the church, including Sunday school teachers (81 percent of our readers) and more than 2,200 ministers. All this shows that the thought-leaders and opinion-shapers in congregational life read—and are influenced by—the content of The Mennonite.

So what do our readers want in future issues of the magazine? More stories about personal faith. Mission-related articles and Bible studies are the second-most requested.
Such feedback is at odds with others who have a vested interest in what we choose to publish. For example, denominational colleagues want us to run more stories about Mennonite Church USA. They have good reasons: The “People in the Pew” survey revealed that The Mennonite—more than any other source—is the primary channel by which members of our church learn about the denomination. However, only 13 percent of our readers want more news about Mennonite Church USA.

Less scientific but more personal feedback comes in the form of financial contributions. Many checks arrive with notes attached. The most common comments are, “Keep up the good work” or, “You’re doing a good job.” We also get the occasional criticism—especially poignant when accompanied by a financial contribution. The two most persistent complaints: difficulty reading small type on a page with color background and not enough information in the obituaries.

So what difference will all these honest answers mean for The Mennonite? We are considering more stories of personal faith and may regularly devote the center spread (pages 16-17) to stories of individuals and congregations that illustrate the church in mission. More difficult to change, however, is the policy on obituaries (a minority of our readers do not want obituaries at all). One possibility: add four pages every other month and permit readers to purchase additional space in an obituary at the usual rates for classified ads.

As the official periodical of Mennonite Church USA, we also want to do our part to strengthen denominational identity and encourage loyalty to the church. Our reasons are not altogether altruistic: We believe that as our new denomination gathers momentum more people will feel positive about the church and, consequently, more members will subscribe to The Mennonite.

However, we believe we can contribute to denominational identity while retaining some objective distance in our reporting. In other words, we will continue to describe what is happening throughout the denomination with as much fairness and clarity as possible. That is because each part of the church—whether churchwide agency or school, area conference or Executive Board—also deserves, at times, honest answers.—ejt

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