Miami, Florida, United States…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
Sharing the gospel through book sales has been an effective method of evangelism for the Seventh-day Adventist Church throughout the world for decades. For Inter-America, one of the largest regions worldwide with over 2.6 million members, its large force of 5,000 literature evangelists, or colporteurs, do their part in fulfilling the mission of the church.
The leadership of the Inter-American Division (IAD) does not like to see the labors of its literature evangelists go unrewarded, and recently awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy to the individuals with the most outstanding book sales in the last four years. The excursion to the historical sites of the Waldensian Valleys other parts of Italy took place in May. More than 50 of the winning colporteurs were joined by dozens more church leaders from the territory on this special trip.
“This is the first time that a special incentive plan of this scope is offered to our most outstanding literature evangelists in the IAD,” says Pastor Mirto Presentacion, publishing ministries director of the church in Inter-America.
For all the colporteurs traveled there, it was a very inspiring trip, says Pastor Presentacion.
“It was so inspiring to visit the mountains and caverns where the Waldensians struggled, were persecuted, and were committed to copying portions of the Bible to share with others…to see the places where you only read about them was wonderful,” he added.
During the 9-day tour, Pastor Leito, president of church in Inter-America, traveled to Italy and spoke during the first Sabbath. He encouraged colporteurs that as the Waldensians, a Christian denomination founded around 1173, kept their candles burning spreading God’s Word while facing severe persecution centuries ago, that they too as colporteurs need to continue lighting Inter-America.
“Lighting Inter-America, spreading the gospel is just what literature evangelist do,” says Pastor Presentacion. “It is more than selling books, it is about evangelizing. Our colporteurs are committed to sharing God’s Word.”
Increasing the number of active colporteurs is part of the goal of the publishing ministries during this quinquennium, says Presentacion. Through its publishing director and associates, the goal is to have a total of 16,000 literature evangelists working throughout the territory by the end of 2010.
According to Presentacion, plans are underway for another incentive trip during the next five-year period, which will be open to every colporteur who reaches a certain quota.
To become a literature evangelist, contact your local Seventh-day Adventist Church and conference.
For more information on Inter-America’s Publishing Ministries, visit www.interamerica.org. To view books available in the IAD territory visit IAD’s Publishing Association at www.iadpa.org.
