Good News Legacy Continues

As Good News wraps up 58 years of ministry seeking to advocate for scriptural Christianity and lead Methodists to a faithful future, our legacy continues. It continues in the lives of men, women, and children who were inspired and brought closer to Jesus through Good News convocations and the consistently high quality articles featured in Good Newsmagazine. It continues in the closer connections and networks created among U.S. evangelicals and with brothers and sisters in Europe, Africa, and Asia. It continues in the recovery of Methodist essential doctrines and practices that had been forgotten or deemphasized in what Billy Abraham called “doctrinal amnesia.” It continues in the formation, growth, and deepening of the Global Methodist Church as the newest expression of historic Methodism.

The board of Good News has also taken two key actions that will ensure tangible ways that the Good News legacy will continue into the future.

Good News Magazine Goes On.

Many have expressed the desire that Good News magazine continue in some form. We are pleased to announce that the magazine has found a new home!

The John Wesley Institute (JWI), a program of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, is assuming control of the magazine and website of Good News. Editor Steve Beard will continue to guide its publication as a broad-based advocate for Methodism in theology and practice. Pivoting away from denominational battles, Good News magazine will focus more on what it means to be Methodist. What do Methodists believe? How do we practice our faith? How is God working through various streams of Methodism to bring people to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ and discipling them in the faith?

You will soon hear more from the JWI about the opportunity to continue receiving the magazine and supporting its publication. They will also maintain the Good News website as an archive of what God has accomplished through Good News over the years, as well as a repository for future articles and inspiration. We look forward to the continuation of this valuable resource for global Methodism.

Scholarship Legacy for Pastors in Training

For over 55 years, Good News used the generous gifts of our donors to work tirelessly toward ensuring that the historic Christian faith was handed down through the generations. In the last decade, that work has culminated in the creation of the Wesleyan Covenant Association to expand our reach and ultimately the start of the Global Methodist Church. In a real way, Good News kept orthodox Methodism alive through challenging years and ultimately helped shape a denomination that will keep it alive for generations to come.

Having accomplished our primary mission, the Board began to consider how we might best use the remaining funds of Good News to leave a lasting legacy. That included helping to fund the Global Methodist Church Convening General Conference. And now we are humbled to share that we have established three student seminary scholarships. These three endowed scholarships will continue the work of Good News until Christ comes again by offering the opportunity for new generations of seminary students to embrace our historic Methodist tradition and transmit it faithfully in GMC churches for years to come.

Our three scholarships have been placed at three seminaries, each in honor of a Good News President.

• Wesley Biblical Seminary in Ridgeland, Mississippi, will offer the Charles W. Keysor Good News Scholarship in honor of our first president.​​​​​​​
• Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, will offer the James V. Heidinger II Good News Scholarship in honor of our second president.
• The Wesley House of Studies at Truett Seminary (Baylor University) in Waco, Texas, will offer the Rob Renfroe & Tom Lambrecht Good News Scholarship. For our third presidential scholarship, we chose to honor both our current President Rob Renfroe and his long-time Vice President and collaborator in ministry, Tom Lambrecht. These two men partnered together to help complete the purposes for which Good News was founded, and we are grateful to be able to honor them both in this way.

If you would like to add a donation to the endowment of any of these three scholarship funds, you may do so to honor the presidents’ work through the years. Information on how to do that is found below.

We hope it brings you joy to know that until Christ comes again, pastors will be trained through the support of Good News donors like you, and they will carry our hope of renewal and revival in Methodism forward into the future!

The Board of Good News is excited and honored to provide for the continuation of Good News’ legacy through the continuation of the magazine and the training of faithful pastors to serve the church of the future. May the work that started in 1967 continue to bring glory and praise to our heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, and our empowering Holy Spirit.

Information on donations to the scholarships:

Gifts to Wesley Biblical Seminary in honor of Charles W. Keysor should be sent to:

1880 E. County Line Rd.
Ridgeland, MS 39157
On the memo line of the check, please write “The Charles W. Keysor Good News Scholarship.”

Gifts to Asbury Theological Seminary in honor of James V. Heidinger II should be sent to:

Asbury Seminary

ATTN: Advancement Dept.

204 N. Lexington Ave.

Wilmore, KY 40390

Gifts may also be made online at https://asburyseminary.edu/donate/.

On the memo line of the check or in the comment box of the online giving form, please write “The James Heidinger Good News Endowed Scholarship.”

Gifts to Truett Seminary in honor of Rob Renfroe and Tom Lambrecht should be sent to:

Baylor University Advancement
ATTN: Jon Sisk
One Bear Place #97050
Waco, TX 76798-7050

On the memo line of the check, please write “Renfroe Lambrecht Good News Scholarship