The Plain Truth, a former free of charge monthly magazine, was first published in 1934 by Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of The Radio Church of God, which he later named The Worldwide Church of God (WCG). The magazine subtitled as The Plain Truth: a magazine of understanding gradually developed into an international, free of charge news magazine, sponsored by the WCG church membership. The magazine’s messages often centered on the controversial doctrine of British Israelism, the belief that the early inhabitants of the British Isles, and hence their descendants, were actually descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.
By 1986, The Plain Truth was published in seven languages. The magazine’s monthly circulation was roughly 8.2 million; in contrast, Time magazine’s 1986 monthly circulation was 5.9 million.