Big Changes
by Mark Roberts
Some ten years Westside made some dramatic changes to our monthly bulletin. A new name and a new larger page size were part of the changes, but it was the new editor that really made the difference. Rusty Miller took the editor's chair at a time when Westside's bulletin wasn't even mailed out. Members at Westside had to be asked to turn in names and addresses of folks who might like to receive the paper so that a mailing list of at least 200 people could be compiled and qualify us for bulk mailing rates! These were big changes, made with no guarantee that anyone would like them or that the paper would be received well at all.
Ten years later the verdict is clear. Abundant Life now mails out to over one thousand subscribers all across the country and even overseas! Cards, emails and calls come in constantly with words of appreciation and support for the paper. New subscribers come in every week. Whenever I'm in a meeting countless people will tell me how much they enjoy and appreciate Abundant Life. To say the least, it has all been very exciting and extremely gratifying. Rusty and I always felt that a paper that took a serious approach to discipleship, treated hot topics fairly and from a biblical perspective, and was written so ordinary folks could read and understand it would be well received. To put it mildly, Abundant Life has succeeded beyond our wildest dreams. We praise and thank God who has blessed this effort so much.
Yet nothing remains the same, except change. Two years ago Westside added three elders to the group of men who shepherd and pastor this flock. Jim Kersey, Don Gipson and Rusty Miller accepted the awesome responsibility of watching for the soul's of the members here at Westside. As one would expect, Rusty has found those added responsibilities, along with the need to be a father to two teen-agers, to be a tremendous load. Time to edit, time to write, time to plan Abundant Life issues has been in short supply. We have tried to hold the status quo by putting out some double issues to cover especially tight months, and we have hoped our readers would understand when issues ran a little late. But Rusty knows we cannot keep on like this. Changes must be made.
As you hold this month's issue of Abundant Life you are holding the results of those changes. While Rusty will still be writing for the paper, I will take over editing duties. Having edited many special issues the editor's chair isn't exactly new to me, but I haven't sat here full time. Readers will also notice a bit of a redesign in the look of the paper. Abundant Life is a little crisper and sharper, and is now just four pages instead of eight. We hope these changes make the paper more enjoyable for every reader and a little easier for us to get to you on time each month. Hopefully this will be the last "catch up" double issue for a while!
So change comes to Abundant Life again. If the next ten years can be as good as the last this new editor will be more than happy! Remember to pray for me, and remember that this is your paper so your feedback and ideas count and are welcome. I pray that God will use Abundant Life as a tool in His hands to craft all of us into better disciples.