Magazines Come To Jesus For Their Salvation… A Mr. Magazine™ Musing.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

This call from Jesus is found only in Matthew 11:28-30 and not in any of the other three Gospels. The request is fairly simple and straightforward: people whose souls are burdened by worries and troubles of this world can come to Jesus Christ and receive forgiveness, healing, help and peace of soul and mind. And in the world that we live in today, never has that request been more appealing and needed.

It would seem that Jesus’ invitation has also been accepted by the magazine industry as well; apparently needing a Savior isn’t limited to just those of us in the human race, now the weary and encumbered magazine market seems to be depending on Jesus too. Religious-themed covers of magazines, both with frequency and special editions, have long been a trademark in the world of magazine media, but more recently and specifically the topic of Jesus and his life and crucifixion have flooded magazine covers across the publishing spectrum.

And Jesus is not alone, but the Women of the Bible, the Holy Land, and the Apostles are all there too. It is a simple, yet ingenious idea, to present content from the Bible and dress it up like a magazine and then sell it to a hungry audience. Add to the fact that the editorial cost is almost non-existent, since those magazines aren’t paying royalties to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John or anyone else from the Biblical team, and the financial attraction is obvious. The message is clear in both the human world and the ink on paper sphere; for Christians and Christian-themed magazines, Jesus can and does save.

However, the business of consumer Christianity is a large one and is not by any means confined to the Christian faith alone. A lucrative and compelling business; marketing Christianity and religions of every faith can be a tricky feat; one where the question of, “Where is the line drawn when it comes to profiteering from religion and regaling in it?” might be asked. And then there is the reality of the matter; most don’t even give it a second thought.

But some do and to those publishers, it’s all in the representation. When illustrating anything about God and Jesus, the depiction must be a true and accurate one, done with care, good taste and reverence. While the dollars collected into a publisher’s coffers may be vital for that given issue, there is a larger and more important responsibility that comes into play here: deference and respect for the subject matter. God isn’t taken lightly, especially when it comes to selling information about Him. Here are a few recent Special –issue titles that excel in that mission:

Women of the Bible – CBS Collector’s Edition
Jesus – American Bible
Inside the Biblical World – National Geographic
Jesus, His Life, Legacy and Lasting Impact – USA Today
50 Ways the Gospels Can Change Your Life – Time Home Entertainment
Women in the Bible – Beckett Entertainment
The Life of Jesus – Time Life
Jesus: His Life After Death – Newsweek
Jezus – Published in the Netherlands
Herod’s Palace-Fortresses – Biblical Archaeology

I’ve always said that magazines are reflectors of our society and religion is a highly important component of that infrastructure. And it’s a given that no other medium in existence can give God its best the way magazines can.

And judging by the number of copies sold from the daily meditation book, Jesus Calling, and the decision of Bauer Publishing to launch Simple Grace magazine on April 8 (yet more proof endorsing the power of magazines as reflectors of the societies they exist in), this uplifting trend seems to be beneficial to all involved.

As the Easter season approaches for Christians everywhere; there is no better lasting, reading experience than that of the pages of a magazine with JESUS in its title. So, what are you waiting on; you still have a few days to get to the newsstands and pick up a magazine or two to help you celebrate the Jesus experience. And while you are at it, pick up another magazine or two to help you plan your Easter feast, step by step, in a way that only magazines can help you do.

Until the next Mr. Magazine™ musing…Happy Easter!