For those who suggest that Christians are slow to embrace technology such as the iPad, I’d like to point out that Moses recorded his mountaintop encounter with God on a couple of tablets. ...

Weak joking aside, it’s interesting to me how two of the best-known names in the new world of communication conjure up biblical imagery. There’s Word, with echoes of unchanging truth, and Apple, whose chunk-bitten-out logo prompts thoughts of, “Did God really say?”

And therein lies the tension for Christian communicators—how do we utilize the tremendous developments in media in ways that promote faith rather than doubt?

Nowhere is the challenge more clear than in the world of news, where in the old days it was customary to do quaint things like, well, check facts before going to print. Nowadays accuracy often  gets trampled in the 24/7 news cycle rush for a scoop. Tweet first, ask questions later.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for being the one to break the story. It’s part of a journalist’s DNA. But I am reminded by Luke that being first isn’t the sole measure of impact. After all, he tells us in the introduction to his Gospel that many before him had attempted to record what had happened. 

They may have beaten him to press, but it is his account that endures.

We’re trying to balance the opportunities and challenges of technology in our work at Christian Retailing as we serve retailers and suppliers. Timeliness and truthfulness. Accessibility and accuracy. Information and insight. Relevance and reliability.

Let me give you a quick overview of some of what we are doing in our position as the hub for what’s happening in Christian publishing and retailing:

Twitter and Christian Retailing Update news postings allow us to keep you informed about breaking news. They provide the latest bullet points, but our monthly print magazine helps you join the dots and see the bigger picture. In its pages, we endeavor to tell you not just what has happened, but also to put things in a wider context and assist you in seeing why they matter.

The digital edition of Christian Retailing provides even more opportunities for us to go deeper. We include extended transcripts and audio recordings of interviews, plus video trailers for books, movies and music that help you get more of a feel for people and new products. 

In the interests of economy and the environment, we have cut back on the number of physical copies that go out, in recent times, so while others on your staff may be waiting for the latest print issue to get handed round, they can access the digital edition.

You will find both our Update reports and digital editions at our Web site, www.christianretailing.com, which also offers a wide range of other helps and resources. Among them:

Blogs that include news from the book, music and gift world and a weekly roundup of the major current specials and offers in the Christian retail channel.

An up-to-date listing of some of the
latest blogs from leading figures in the industry, from authors and artists to publishers and agents.

Industry Radar, a weekly roundup of reports about the Christian products world by other media, from network TV to local newspapers.

Online exclusives, including book
reviews.

Author Corner, our video library of exclusive interviews with leading Christian writers, intended to help stores connect more with the person behind the pen.

Detailed new release listings for all the major categories, updated regularly.

Monthly editors’ podcast, where the team gets together to chat about the latest news, releases and events and gives you a glimpse of what’s coming. 

Media appearance details of who’s appearing when on what shows, so that stores can be prepared for customers coming in asking for a title that may have been featured on TV or radio.

Our Web site also offers search options for finding past articles, a forum for comments and conversation with others and a fun weekly Industry IQ question to see how much you know about the industry. Then there’s our Facebook page, which provides another opportunity to keep up with news and connect with others.

In all of this, we are committed to getting it as right as possible (and putting it right when we don’t). Accuracy is important in any form of journalism, of course, but as an industry journal, we know that you rely on us to get the little details right, too. So we spend a lot of time checking ISBN numbers and publication dates and those sorts of things.

One of the pluses of new media is how it allows you to interact more with traditional “gatekeepers.” So please, let us know how we are doing and what you want to be reading about in the future.