Port-of-Spain, Trinidad…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
The Inter-American Division Publishing Association (IADPA), launched the first two issues of a new missionary magazine titled “Priorities for Today” during its board meeting in Trinidad, on October 26.
The new magazine, complete with articles geared toward communicating to its readers the love that God has in store for every human being, promises to help its readers on issues of family, self-improvement, the Christian life and closer study of the Bible, among others, stated editor Fernando Zabala.
“Each article that Priorities publishes will communicate to the reader directly or indirectly the greatest truth of this world: God loves deeply and personally each of His children,” he said. “His love does not depend on any human factor..and He is ready to do whatever might be necessary to induce us to love Him.”
The magazine is set to replace El Centinela magazine (The Sentinel), which has been in circulation throughout Inter-America for decades.
Amid the challenges of introducing a new magazine after El Centinela, published by Adventist-owned Pacific Press, is that change hasn’t been easy, said Pastor Pablo Perla, president of IAD Publishing Association.
“It is not easy for people to forget El Centinela after more than 100 years of using it,” said Perla. “Therefore, the greatest challenge we have had has been to ask them (church territory) to accept something different and better.”
“I am very excited to provide the first two issues of Priorities for Today free of charge,” he said. Over 240,000 issues were printed in English, Spanish and French, and will be shipped to the territory early by the end of the month.
Although 12 of the 15 unions, or regions, will distribute the magazine, a few of the union will still keep a subscription of El Centinela magazine in their territory in 2005. The three unions in Mexico will remain with their own missionary magazine Enfoque, published by IAD’s other publishing house GEMA, based in Mexico.
In a country where El Centinela had its roots, Puerto Rico is one of the countries with a high subscription of the magazine. Puerto Rico is expected to take a year to transition into fully consuming Priorities for Today, said Ruben Perez, treasurer of the Puerto Rican Union.
“We just celebrated the birth of El Centinela in our country 100 years ago, and it is such a well-known magazine there that it will take some time for people to switch,” he added.
Copies of the Priorities for Today magazines were given to each union president in a special presentation during the board meeting.
According to Perla, in the coming months, subscriptions for the IAD territory will be available through IADPA’s website. Also, the first two issues of Priorities for Today will be available in pdf format on their site in the coming weeks. For more information on the magazine Priorities for Today and other publications, visit www.iadpabooks.org.
