Guide (Adventist magazine)

Infobox Magazine
title = Guide


image_size = 175px
image_caption = A 2005 issue of Guide Magazine
editor = Randy Fishell
editor_title = Editor
frequency = Weekly
paid_circulation =
unpaid_circulation =
total_circulation = 30,000
category = Christian - Seventh-day Adventist
company =
publisher = Review and Herald
firstdate = October 7, 1953
country = United States
language = English
website = [http://www.guidemagazine.org www.guidemagazine.org]
issn = 0017-5226

Guide magazine is a Seventh-day Adventist weekly periodical published by Review and Herald. It is a Christian story magazine that uses true stories to illustrate Bible passages and is targeted to 10 to 14 year old youth.

"Guide" is often distributed to "Earliteen" and "Junior" Sabbath School students at the end of class and provides a Bible study guide for the week. Since it's beginning, "Guide" has been popular reading during the church service for young people.

The magazine is published in a 32-page full-color 6x8" format.

History

In the years following World War II, the Adventist church had two magazines for children – "Our Little Friend" for children preschool to preteen and "Youth's Instructor" for older teenagers. A magazine for junior-age youth was originally proposed at the 1951 Autumn Council of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and voted in Spring Council on April 9, 1952 designating the Review and Herald as the publisher. A relatively young 27-year-old pastor from Northern California, Lawrence Maxwell became the first editor.

The magazine was announced in an ad in the Youth's Instructor in 1953 promising a magazine "Packed with stories, pictures, games, puzzles, camp craft, Junior Sabbath School lessons, and interesting Pathfinder activity" [cite paper
author = Wheeler, Tompaul
title = Guide Magazine: An Innovative Approach to Child Evangelism Turns 50
version =
publisher = Review and Herald Publishing Association
date = 2003
url =
format = Microsoft Word doc
accessdate = ] in a 16-page weekly publication. A contest to decide the name of the magazine was advertised in the Youth's Instructor magazine and drew 16,000 entries. Of those entries 225 suggested "Junior Guide" which became the original name of the magazine.

At the launch of the magazine, there were complaints that it looked much like Youth's Instructor. Another complaint was that the margins were too wide. In January 1953 the format of the magazine was changed to a smaller size, page margins were reduced and the number of pages increased to 24 per issue.

Beginning in 1954 color ink was used for three issues a month. The entire magazine would be printed in green, brown or blue tint, including the illustrations. The magazine included a steady formula of stories of worldwide missionary activities, crafts, stories of inventions, conversions and life lessons. The magazine cover always included a photo of children engaging in wholesome activities reflecting the times. Subscriptions reached 28,000 after one year and 43,000 after 10 years.

With the segmentation of the church into "junior" and "earliteen" divisions the name of the magazine was changed from "Junior Guide" to "Guide" as of January 1, 1964 and it was focused on elementary school grades 7-8.

With the changing times of the 60s and 70s and the advent of a new editor, the "Guide" changed also. Multi-ethnic images in non-mission stories were featured as well as placed on the cover of the magazine. [cite video
people = Fishell, Randy - Executive Producer
title = Junior Guide 50 Years of Memories
medium = DVD
publisher = Review and Herald Publishing Association
location =
date =2003 ] Stories against racial prejudice and segregation appeared and circulation reached a record of 60,000 subscriptions, based partly on the demise of the Youth's Instructor. By this time the magazine had expanded to 32 pages.

In the 1980s a new feature was introduced – Guidelines question and answer column written by Madeline Johnson.Another introduction was the "Guide Dog" mascot who first appeared in 1985 at the international Pathfinder camporee in Colorado and since at campmeetings, camporees and conventions where "Guide" readers congregate. [cite web
author = Guide magazine website
title = Guide Dog, Mascot (bio)
version =
publisher = Review and Herald Publishing Association
date =
url = http://www.guidemagazine.org/aboutguide/gdog.asp
format = html
accessdate = ] Guide Dog is often mobbed by "Guide" readers and has trouble keeping his tail attached from so many fans pulling on it.

At least one predatory incident in the 1990s put an end to a four decade "Guide" tradition of penpals. Circulation also began to decline during this period.

In 2000 "Guide" switched to a four-color format as production costs declined and circulation began increasing. During 2002–2003 "Guide" celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Authors for the "Guide" range from church workers to housewives and come from all parts of the world. They are devout Christians, including Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, and Seventh-day Adventists. They are aged from under nine to over 90 years old.

Editors

*1953–1970 Lawrence Maxwell
*1970–1983 Lowell Litten
*1983–1986 Penny Estes Wheeler
*1986–1994 Jeannette Johnson
*1995–1997 Carolyn Sutton
*1997–1999 Tim Lale
*1999— Randy Fishell

Mission Statement

The mission of guide is to show 10 to 14-year-old readers, through stories that illustrate Bible truth, how to walk with God now and forever. Each week the 32-page, full-color magazine features true stories that show how following Jesus makes a positive difference in kids' lives. Puzzles and games challenge readers to think and learn in a fun way. A weekly Bible study helps young people understand how God works in our world. [ [http://www.guidemagazine.org/aboutguide/index.asp Guidemagazine.org About Us] ]

Contents of a Guide

*Stories
*Editorials
*Factory Facts
*Games Unplugged
*Listen Up!
*Cartoons
*You Said It!
*Explore God's Word
*Junior Sabbath School Lesson
*Earliteen Sabbath School Lesson

ee also

*List of Seventh-day Adventist periodicals
*Review and Herald Publishing Association
*Seventh-day Adventist Church

References

External links

* [http://www.guidemagazine.org Guide website]