Contact: Cory Whitehead, Christianity Today, 630-384-7223, cwhitehead@christianitytoday.com

CAROL STREAM, Ill., Dec. 13, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded a $2 million grant to the nonprofit, global media ministry Christianity Today in support of Christian thought journalism and to help sustain meaningful discourse in the digital age.

"This generous gift will work to expand CT's ministry capacity and our cause of Beautiful Orthodoxy beyond the four million readers we reach monthly," said President and CEO Harold Smith. "We are humbled and grateful by Lilly Endowment's generosity and thankful for how we've seen God at work through this entire grant process."

The capacity-building grant will strengthen CT's core journalistic calling for years to come, fulfilling the ministry's two-part vision to (1) Build a digital-first technological foundation upon which content can be expanded, and (2) Support an ongoing fundraising infrastructure important to CT's future.

"The print magazine remains an integral part of CT's publishing strategy," said Publisher Jake Walsh, "but the reality is that millions more read our content online, and a growing number are mobile-first."

"This grant will help us adapt our publishing strategy and better serve those readers across all platforms."

CT plans to expand online content in areas like news and reporting, and digitally package the complete 60-year history of CT magazine.

Christianity Today will also build on its fundraising vision.

"The church needs CT more than ever," said Cory Whitehead, executive director of development. "And yet the economics of publishing quality, thoughtful, and balanced content is perhaps greater today than ever before."

"With this grant, we can more fully share our ministry's story with potential partners and fulfill our mission to Christian leaders globally."

To learn more or partner with Christianity Today, visit here.

Christianity Today is a nonprofit, global media ministry centered on Beautiful Orthodoxy—strengthening the church by richly communicating the breadth of the true, good, and beautiful gospel. Reaching over four million people monthly with various digital and print resources, the ministry equips Christians to renew their minds, serve the church, and create culture to the glory of God.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family – J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli – through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business. The Endowment supports causes in religion, education and community development. Lilly Endowment’s religion grantmaking is designed to deepen and enrich the religious lives of American Christians. It does this largely through initiatives to enhance and sustain the quality of ministry in American congregations and parishes.