By Rick Shallenberger
with Roger Lippross
EVANSVILLE, Indiana--Who publishes Youth magazine? Where is it? Why are we sending subscription requests to Big Sandy? What happened to the staff?
Who owns the magazine? Is it still a Christian magazine? Does it have any affiliation with Worldwide Church of God?
These and other questions about Youth 96 revealed a need to bring members up to date about Youth magazine.
In 1994 the late Pastor General Joseph W. Tkach made the difficult decision that the church could no longer justify supporting Youth magazine with church funds.
Because Mr. Tkach wanted to make it possible for the magazine to be available to all teens, regardless of their religious affiliation, he asked Roger Lippross to form an independent publishing house and make the magazine subscription supported--thus removing the significant financial impact from the church.
This separate publishing house (New Youth Media) was formed and kept Youth magazine alive from 1995 to the present.
In February 1996, Roger, then owner-publisher, and I met to discuss our plans for the magazine. We wanted to continue using Youth magazine to help teenagers develop a personal relationship with Jesus by focusing on relationships and Christian values.
Unfortunately, the circulation numbers had not yet reached the optimum level needed to support the considerable costs of publishing Youth magazine.
It was also during this meeting that Roger discussed his declining health and his need to take an extended leave of absence. Because we both felt that God had blessed Youth magazine, and we felt led to continue producing it, we first offered the magazine back to the church and then to Ambassador University. Both did not have the financial resources needed to keep Youth 96 going.
As was our habit, we took the matter to God. In fact, Roger and I had developed a habit of starting each work day with prayer in his office. Those prayers would prove to be the source of strength, encouragement and answers in the months ahead.
We asked God to provide a means for Youth magazine to continue, with or without our personal involvement. God answered those prayers in a powerful way. Not only is Youth magazine continuing with added resources, but I am still the editor, Roger and I are both associate publishers (Roger to continue as his health allows), and we are not changing the magazine in style or editorial content.
In short, the new owners are picking up the magazine as is, fulfilling all subscriptions and making plans to increase circulation substantially.
Let me explain what happened.
After several meetings with Mr. Tkach, Mike Feazell, Bernie Schnippert and Mr. Albrecht, asking them for their input, Roger and I decided to test the market and see if we could find a Christian publisher who was willing to take over the financial liability for the magazine. This, of course, would also mean a transfer of ownership.
We asked God to lead us. Roger then placed the magazine in the hands of a broker, and there was immediate interest from publishers. After several weeks, Roger made contact with a Christian family in the publishing field that was interested in a teen magazine.
In the meantime, my wife, Cheryl, and I made arrangements to move to Southern Indiana, the state where our families live. The Southern California real estate market was sluggish, so we put our house up for sale the first of May, assuming it would take several months to sell. It sold in one day. Suddenly, we were ready to move and not sure what was happening with the magazine.
About this time, one of the interested publishers called and asked if Roger and I would come and talk to them about the magazine. They were from, of all places, Indiana.
Roger and I flew back, and after two days of meetings about the magazine's potential, they asked if I was willing to continue as editor. They felt the magazine was already successful and wanted to continue it just as it was.
Then they said I could do the job from my new home in Indiana. It was more than I hoped for. Moving out of Southern California to a place near my family and able to work from my home. God is gracious.
Youth magazine is now owned by another publisher, a strong Christian family, two brothers, Art and Carl Muselman, and Karen Thomas (Art's daughter). The Muselmans have a printing plant and publish about 25 magazines in Berne, Indiana, as well as publishing facilities in Big Sandy. They own EP Graphics, House of White Birches, Annie's Attic and The NeedleCraft Shop.
The publisher of Youth 96 is Karen Thomas. She holds a master's degree in divinity, is a member of the Coalition of Christian Colleges and is involved with Youth for Christ, a national organization.
Karen's husband, David, is the senior pastor of a United Methodist Church in Kentucky. Karen wants to continue what Herbert W. Armstrong had in mind when he launched Youth magazine back in 1981--an interdenominational magazine dedicated to the sharing and promoting of Christian values and ethics. We have and always will focus on relationships and not on doctrine.
I will remain as editor; Kevin Dunn, as art director; and long-time staff member Kerri Dowd and Michael Warren, a local church elder, as contributing editors.
We still use many other writers from the Worldwide Church of God as well as several other Christian writers. We are not as concerned with writers' religious affiliations as we are about the message they convey to the reader.
Karen Thomas' goal is to develop Youth magazine as the foundation of a youth ministry--helping teens of all denominations. We want to help teens turn to Christ, have right relationships with friends and family, and learn to make positive choices in life.
We look to God for guidance. We spend a lot of time in prayer as we plan each issue, and we ask that you will pray for the future and the success of Youth magazine as well.
The Worldwide Church of God or New Youth Media no longer owns Youth magazine, but Karen feels, as Roger and I always felt, that the real owner of Youth magazine is Jesus Christ. As long as we are serving him and the readers, the magazine will grow. Should we fail to do our part, we pray that God will find someone else who will continue the work that has been done and needs to be done.
The responsibilities for funding, promotion and subscription requests are no longer handled by our staff in Pasadena, but by the new publishers. Readers should address all subscription requests to Youth 96, Subscription Service Center, P.O. Box 9011, Big Sandy, Texas, 75755-9953, or cal 1-800-625-5588.
We think readers will be happy to know that the magazine has found a good home and is set to continue in its mission to bring the Christian message to young people.
Nov. 19, 1996, Worldwide News, page six.
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