The Good News Story: Celebrating Sixty Years of God’s Faithfulness

A Passion to Proclaim the Gospel

Clyde Dennis leads devotions in 1944 The year was 1938. America was still struggling from the Great Depression, the winds of war were stirring in Europe, and liberalism had won the day in the leading denominations. It didn’t seem like a favorable time to begin a new publishing ministry.

But God had given a young Christian printer, Clyde Dennis, a passion to proclaim the Gospel and the willingness to take a step of faith. And over the next sixty years that initial step of faith would grow into 2 billion pieces of literature, with tens of thousands receiving Christ as their Savior.

Over the past sixty years Clyde’s God-given passion has been the heart of the Good News publishing ministry. Whether creating and producing tracts, publishing significant books, establishing overseas publishing houses, or launching new Christian publications, the purpose has remained the same—to clearly communicate the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world, and to help Christians apply the truth of God’s Word to all of life.

(Photo: Clyde Dennis leads devotions in 1944.)

A Simple Beginning

In 1938 Clyde and Muriel began Good New Publishers working out of their spare bedroom in Minneapolis As a new Christian, Clyde often took part in street meetings, speaking and giving out tracts. But most Christian literature at that time was poorly printed, poorly designed—and often poorly received. But since the Gospel is God’s greatest message, Clyde reasoned, the good news certainly should be published in a manner worthy of the message, with beauty and creativity as well as fidelity to God’s Word. Still a teenager, Clyde promised God that he would dedicate his life to this end if God gave him the opportunity.

Some years later, Clyde and his new bride, Muriel, realized that the opportunity had come and that God was calling them to take a step of faith. In 1938 they decided to trust God’s leading and began to set aside part of their income for this new ministry.

After several months they had saved $20. With this small savings, Clyde bought 200 pounds of paper and wrote and designed the first few tracts. He then persuaded the printing company where he worked to let him use their presses after hours to print 40,000 tracts. Samples were sent to a list of 600 Christian workers whose names had been supplied by a friend.

The response was immediate. Within a few days, letters of encouragement and orders for more tracts came flowing in. After just six months the ministry had grown to the point that Clyde and Muriel’s back bedroom could no longer serve as office, shipping room and warehouse. They faced a major decision. Trusting that God had led them this far, Clyde quit his full-time job and dedicated his time to writing, designing, and publishing tracts and Christian literature. Muriel became secretary and shipping clerk and often found herself folding thousands of tracts by hand.

(Photo: In 1938 Clyde and Muriel began Good News Publishers working out of their spare bedroom in Minneapolis.)

Reaching the World

The Swiss Press in Beatenberg, Switzerland From their small beginning in a Minneapolis apartment, the work of Good News Publishers grew as Clyde and Muriel followed the Lord’s leading. Within five years Good News was distributing more than 50 million tracts a year. After ten years the ministry had expanded to include a line of books and the innovative new magazine Christian Life and Times. The first issue, published in June 1946, featured current and future Christian leaders, including Kenneth N. Taylor as the News Editor and J. Oliver Buswell, V. Raymond Edman, Carl F. H. Henry, and H. A. Ironside as contributing editors.

Through these years the founding passion for the Gospel inspired other creative, new, overseas ventures. In 1947 the Swiss Press was launched in Beatenberg, Switzerland to reach a Europe devastated by war and liberal theology. In 1958 Baraka Press in Kaduna, Nigeria was founded to provide literature throughout the African Continent. Other overseas publishing ventures were also aided and encouraged.

(Photo: The Swiss Press in Beatenberg, Switzerland.)

Walking by Faith

Though the 1950s presented serious challenges, the ministry continued to move forward through a daily walk of faith and trusting in God’s grace. In the early 1950s Muriel became critically ill from a kidney disease that resulted in a long recovery period. Soon after, Clyde was diagnosed with a rare liver condition that eventually led to his homegoing in 1962. At this critical moment, the future leadership of Good News was courageously accepted by the two people who had been closest to the original vision. Muriel stepped in as president within a few months and remained active until her own homegoing in 1993. In addition, Paul Benson—who started with Good News almost from the beginning and who continues to serve as Board Chairman—accepted responsibility as vice president and general manager. Under their leadership, the passion for the Gospel remained at the center and the ministry was carried forward.

In 1979, a major new step of faith was taken to expand the ministry of Good News by starting a new book publishing division—Crossway Books. Under the leadership of Lane Dennis, Crossway has become one of today’s leading publishers of evangelical Christian fiction, non-fiction, gift and children’s books.

Since its inception in 1979, Crossway Books has been privileged to publish more than 800 different titles, including books by Francis Schaeffer, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, John MacArthur, J.I. Packer, Chuck Colson, Frank Peretti, Max Lucado, John Piper and Joni Eareckson Tada.

All in all, nearly 10 million books have been distributed by Crossway. But most importantly, the Gospel has been proclaimed and thousands upon thousands of people have heard and accepted the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. For sixty years our passion has remained the same, and the ministry started by Clyde and Muriel Dennis continues with renewed commitment today.

Our Future Vision

The vision that gave birth to Good News and has shaped our ministry for the last six decades is equally our vision for the future. It grows out of the same passion for the Gospel and the same desire to apply the truth of God’s Word to all of life. Clearly the urgency of the Gospel is as critical today as it was sixty years ago. There is still only one answer to life—the Gospel of Jesus Christ consistently lived out in all of life.

Gospel tracts are still a vital, effective part of our ministry. Today we are bombarded continually by the fleeting messages of the electronic media—messages that pass before our eyes and ears and are gone in a moment. Because of this, a clearly written and beautifully designed gospel tract can be especially effective. A tract has lasting impact; it can be read and re-read until its truth sinks in. With fresh and creative tract ideas, there is a tremendous opportunity to reach a new generation through literature ministry.

Equally important is the need to apply the truth of God’s Word to all of life. Books continue to be the primary means of articulating ideas and communicating truth. Along with this, there is a growing opportunity to repackage and republish many books in new electronic forms, and to extend the impact of the written word into new areas. Given the confusion of our world, there is a tremendous need to publish books which clearly and effectively communicate the reality of truth and God’s Word.

(Photo: The bestselling tract You’re Special.)

Beyond the Year 2000

Our staff at the entrance to our offices in Wheaton, Illinois, where the vision continues today As we look to the new millennium and beyond, we do so with great confidence. Why? Not because “conditions are favorable,” nor because of “our great ability.” We have confidence because the Sovereign, Holy, gracious God acts daily—to reveal His glory beyond every human expectation, and to show that His power is made perfect in weakness.

Our vision for today and for the future is to glorify God in all we do and to walk with Him day by day. And our passion is still to reach a lost world with the Gospel. Our purpose is perhaps best described by Ephesians 3:20, 21: Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Here is the key! That we would do everything to the glory of God, and according to His power—to proclaim His truth in power; to reflect His glory in content and design; to express something of His holiness and grace. When this happens, the lost are won to Christ, broken lives are made whole, and people receive the gift of eternal life.

We have the only message of hope for a hopelessly lost world. It is a tremendous privilege, by the power and grace of God, to proclaim this message of good news. Soli Deo Gloria.