Focus on the Family Magazine - August/September 2023

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FAITH & INSPIRATION / MINISTRY HIGHLIGHT 25th Anniversary BOUNDLESS BOUNDLESS 25 years of reaching young adults A QUARTER-CENTURY AGO, the internet had little resemblance to the digital landscape we know today. The words social and media didn’t belong together. Facebook, YouTube and Instagram were years away from conception. Telling someone to “google it” would have been incomprehensible gibberish. BY SCOTT JOHNSON Even in those early days of web surfing, the internet was fertile ground for ministry. On Sept. 1, 1998, <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family launched Boundless, a groundbreaking entry into the world of online publications known as webzines. The idea came from Candice Watters and her husband, Steve, who had created their own webzine while in graduate school. After the couple were hired at <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family, they pitched Boundless to the ministry’s leadership as a new outreach to college students. “Boundless was a joint effort to be sure,” Candice says. “I had the drive and chutzpah to get it done. Steve had the brains and strategy to get it done right.” SALLY DUNN-FOTF, INK DROP-ADOBE STOCK, ARUNO-ADOBE STOCK, NISA-ADOBE STOCK 36 FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA AUG / SEP 2023
MINISTRY HIGHLIGHT / FAITH & INSPIRATION TUNE IN TO “THE BOUNDLESS SHOW,” CHECK OUT THE BLOG POSTS, SIGN UP FOR THE WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER AND MORE. Boundless.org INK DROP-ADOBE STOCK, ARUNO-ADOBE STOCK Once the project was approved, Candice took the role of Boundless editor. She and Steve found experts to pen a lineup of rotating columns, which included “Ask the Professor,” “Money Talk” and “Beyond Buddies.” Feature articles covered spiritual development, campus controversies and dating questions. “From the start, our vision was to encourage young adults in the season between the home they grew up in and forming a home of their own,” Candice says. “We wanted to equip them with articles related to their life stage.” Expanded outreach Boundless was an instant hit. Many topics sparked lively back-and-forth interactions among readers who used the comments section attached to articles. Those comments, filled with advice, words of encouragement and personal testimonies, could continue to generate responses until users were scrolling through multiple pages to read them all. As the popularity of Boundless grew, the team came up with new ways to expand their reach. First, they shifted their target audience from college students to the 20- and 30-something young professional so they could address topics such as work, personal finances, marriage prep and more. They held conferences and developed specialized resources, including two “guides to marrying well”—one for men and one for women. In 2006 they added a blog to the Boundless brand. Two years later, they launched <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family’s first podcast, “The Boundless Show.” Lisa Anderson, who was working in media relations for <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family, was tapped as the host. “Who in the world was podcasting back then?” Lisa asks. But when asked if she’d take the reins to “The Boundless Show,” Lisa replied, “I’ll give it a whirl.” Staying relevant Candice and Steve have since moved on to callings outside of <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family. Lisa, who continues hosting “The Boundless Show,” also serves as the director of Boundless and the ministry’s Young Adults outreach. One thing that hasn’t changed is how the Boundless team pays attention to shifting cultural trends. “When <strong>Focus</strong> started in 1977, the average marrying age was 21 for females, 23 for males,” Lisa says. “You graduated high school and probably went to college. After college you immediately got married and started a family. It was very assumptive, and your peers were doing the same thing.” Today, many adults spend most or all of their 20s as singles. But married or unmarried, young adults are facing different sets of life challenges. “Some of the most common concerns we hear are ‘How do I make and keep friends?’ and ‘How do I go deeper in friendship?’ ” Lisa says. “Relationships with housemates, co-workers and parents are all topics of interest.” 56 % OF MILLENNIALS ARE MARRIED While today’s audience is dealing with many of the same cultural issues that young people were dealing with 25 years ago, Boundless has added contemporary discussion topics to the lineup. The team routinely fields questions about gender ideology, the pitfalls of social media and interacting with LGBT friends and family members. Lisa also recognizes the need to address the trend of declining church involvement and attendance among young adults. “Boundless is not your church,” Lisa tells her audience. “You need to get into a local congregation where someone has eyes on you, helping disciple you and mentor you. And born out of that is service, community, mission and sharing your faith.” Twenty-five years and thousands of articles, podcasts and blog posts later, the goal at Boundless remains true: to grow up biblically literate and passionate disciples of Jesus Christ who are equipped to navigate this season of life with confidence and joy. “Single or married, you have a lot of living to do as a follower of Christ,” Lisa says. “Let us be that community for you—and let’s have fun in the process.” Scott Johnson is a senior writer in the Ministry Values division at <strong>Focus</strong> on the Family. 28% OF MILLENNIALS ATTEND CHURCH AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK AUG / SEP 2023 FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA 37 source: Pew Research
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Focus on the Family Magazine - August/September 2023

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