COMMENTARY: Readers enjoying the Index's daily newsletters

The Christian Index newsletter on Tuesday includes a story about record numbers of people turning out for Easter services.
The Christian Index newsletter on Tuesday includes a story about record numbers of people turning out for Easter services.
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I had the most encouraging note from Barb Coffan down in Peachtree City the other day, talking about how much she is enjoying receiving the top news headlines from The Christian Index each morning.

For anyone who hasn’t heard, the Index emails a newsletter each morning to everyone who signs up to receive it. It contains the biggest news of the day from around the world.

The one this morning, for example, had weighty articles about the war in Ukraine, about recent mass shootings in the U.S., about North Korea’s continuing quest to deliver long-range nuclear warheads, and more. It also had articles about the record numbers of people who crowded into Georgia Baptist churches for worship services on Sunday, about the church in north Georgia that had 111 salvations decisions over the Easter weekend, about the SBC looking to move next year’s annual meeting from Charlotte to New Orleans, and more.

Anyway, Barb is convinced people have much to gain by reading the Index, saying in her note: “Somehow you need to get the word out about this fabulous electronic newsfeed that can come into their home every day.”

I agree with her wholeheartedly, and I will keep trying.

Electronic newsletters have become the lifeblood of online newspapers like the Index. They’re the modern-day equivalent to home delivery.  Perhaps some of you still get printed newspapers delivered in the mornings. A bike-riding paperboy may toss one haphazardly toward your front porch. Or a mailman may place one in your mailbox. Well, in this new age of journalism, we deliver the news via email, landing it quietly in your inbox about 4:30 every morning where it’s waiting for you when you’re up and about.

I’ve shared with you that the Index has readers in literally every community in Georgia, in pretty much every state in the nation, and in more than 130 countries of the world. We recognize the huge responsibility we have to keep our readers informed. We take that responsibility very seriously.

So, I was especially appreciative when one of our out-of-state readers, Sheila Baker of Kentucky, told me the other day that she likes the Index because it provides the news without bias one way or the other. She signed up for the daily newsletter shortly after we started it several weeks ago.

“You all give the facts in your articles without including a bunch of opinions,” she said.

Serious newspapers realize their jobs are to inform people of the facts and let them form their own opinions. That’s what the Index strives to do. That’s why, for our national and international news, we opted to partner with The Associated Press. The AP is a trusted source for news. I know, because the largest portion of my journalism career was with AP. These are dedicated professionals who know the value of fairness, balance, and accuracy in their reporting.

So, I’m glad Sheila noticed something different about us.

And, finally, I loved a note from Nathan Hill, pastor of a Georgia church for the deaf, about an article in the Index about the spiritual awakening happening in the state, about the hundreds of people being saved in revivals and other evangelistic outreaches.

Nathan wrote that he was thrilled to see a news article that affirmed what he had been feeling, that “Jesus is at work” in Georgia.

“When I read this article,” he wrote, “I came to happy tears knowing this article was the answer to my prayers and the answer to my feelings about the state of Georgia!!!”

I loved the three exclamation points. Nathan is obviously excited  about serving Christ.

If you'd like to sign up for the daily newsletter, you can do so here.
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Roger Alford is editor of The Christian Index.