The Outlook celebrates 15 years
By Dave Stone
It’s hard to measure all of the good that The Southeast Outlook does. For the past 15 years, it has been a source of information and encouragement to so many. People read
it for the uplifting stories, the moving testimonies or sometimes for the behind-the-scenes scoop on an upcoming Southeast guest. Like any newspaper, it also serves as a
wealth of information, in this case, for ministries’ events or to communicate a need in the church or community. The Outlook has become a voice to our people and community that is appreciated and helpful.
I’m glad we’re celebrating this milestone because through the years, we can take it for granted.
When I travel and speak in different settings, people will comment and tell me how they look forward to receiving the Outlook. Case in point—back in March of 2006, I was at a
meeting with some Christian leaders in Dallas, Texas. Although I had never met Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, I had always admired his ministry.
When we met that day, he spent the next few minutes telling me all about how the recent Outlook articles had blessed both him and his church. Jack graciously went on to
say that he reads the paper each week in hopes of getting an idea that might work at his church. I walked away from that conversation encouraged about our paper, which I
can sometimes take for granted. But the other takeaway that I had was this: I wonder how many church leaders and Christians around the country anticipate the Outlook’s
arrival and enjoy sifting through to find some idea or inspiration? Jack Graham’s comments are echoed week in and week out by a variety of people who benefit from this
quality publication.
We need to go back in time and express some thank yous. Thanks to Bob Russell and all the Elders back in 1995 … your vision for what the Outlook could become was a
risky venture at the time, but obviously it was the right step of faith. Thanks to former Executive Editor Ninie Hammon for her tenacious spirit, Christian commitment and
professional ability to launch such a paper. Thanks to all of the advertisers who took a risk and moved some of their marketing dollars over to a publication that was unproven
at the time. And thanks to all of the volunteers (then and now) who volunteer in various ways, such as delivering the paper weekly, to make it available to so many.
As we fast forward to today, we see that newspapers are struggling. Rest assured that we have a capable staff, under the leadership of Don Porterfield who will take us into
the future and will continue to look for creative ways to be a communication vehicle, first to our church and then to our community.