Who keeps Christian History in business? YOU!
Christian History is supported by readers just like you--and we are very grateful
We're often asked here at Christian History Institute (CHI) how this magazine is supported, since we bill ourselves as a "donation-based publication." Some folks think that a foundation, or a few people with deep pockets, support our work. In fact, we are able to continue our mission because of the generosity of thousands of small-scale donors who read the magazine every quarter.
Here's a little history. Our work was begun in 1982 by Ken Curtis, the founder of CHI. Our passion is the same now as it was then: to bring the lively and enriching stories of Christian history to a wide audience by producing films to present the lives of famous Christians. In order to make the films more educational, our team put together study materials to accompany them. These study materials, filled with information on a single topic, formed the basis for Christian History magazine.
It wasn’t long before readers were telling us they wanted more of the high quality, multi-dimensional stories we presented, and we realized the magazine deserved a life all its own. As a result, we shifted to publishing a regular quarterly, choosing topics of broad appeal and devoting each issue to a single topic.
In 1989 Christianity Today International (CTI) brought Christian History under its leadership as a way to further expand the reach of the publication, leading to significant increases in quality and circulation for 19 years. CTI made the difficult choice to cease publication in 2008 because of the increasing costs of maintaining a print publication.
It was at this point that care of the magazine returned to CHI. When we released issue 100 on the King James Bible in 2011, demand to bring the magazine back on a regular basis was overwhelming. But it was obvious that traditional subscription models would no longer work. Instead, we decided to operate the magazine as a ministry. Subscribers are sent the magazine regardless of their ability to pay, but we also hope and pray that those who are financially able can donate to help continue CHI's three decades of providing high-quality historical information aimed at modern believers, engagingly written and beautifully illustrated. Donations are tax-deductible.
Now you know: you are the one keeping Christian History in business! We thank you so much.