Church Leaders Celebrate 175th Anniversary of Adventist Literature Ahead of Business Meetings

October 28, 2023 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Top Seventh-day Adventist leaders in the Inter-American Division celebrated the 175^th Anniversary of Adventist Literature and thanked God for the blessing of Adventist publications and the work of literature evangelists in the territory. The special celebration took place in Miami, Florida, United States, on Oct. 26, 2023, ahead of the institutional boards in the Inter-American Division (IAD) this week.

“It is a great moment for the Adventist Church, which is celebrating 150 years since it was officially organized as a church, but before that, the Adventist movement began with the distribution of publications,” said Pastor Elie Henry, president of the IAD.  Likewise for the IAD, publications spread the message of the gospel decades before the territory was organized 100 years ago, he said.

Publications precede the organization and represent an innovative element, an engine in the expansion of God’s work, he said.  A box of books, a daring literature evangelist, a family that shared a book, or a magazine passed on, grew the message of the gospel into what is the IAD today, said Pastor Henry. “The literature that came to our territory was in English and God used people who could understand what the literature said and used it all to touch the hearts and transform the lives of so many,” he added.

Today, the IAD has two publishing houses to cater to its territory: IADPA in three languages and GEMA Editors for Mexico, thousands of literature evangelists, and millions of church members who share and spread Adventist publications in their communities, highlighted Pastor Henry.

“We cannot leave out the work of literature evangelists because they are important messengers and deserve consideration because they are part of the legacy of the church,” said Pastor Henry. Places where no one else can get to, literature evangelists are able to, he added.

Pastor Henry encouraged the leadership to take a moment to thank God for His blessings through publications and the work He will continue to do through literature evangelists and church members across the IAD. “We are all committed to finishing this mission, and just like Isaiah 60 says, we must rise and shine to the task,” he said.

“We are living in moments in the history of this world where darkness covers the earth, hearts are stuck in darkness, people walking do not know where to go, men think they know everything, there is more anguish all around. That is why it is time for us to get up and shine the light of Christ so that people can see Christ,” said Pastor Henry.

Pastor Henry appealed to leaders to earnestly study the Word of God and do their part in spreading publications in their territory, sharing the good news of the cross so many who do not know Jesus can experience Him and be transformed, he said.

Church leaders viewed a short video on the history of Adventist publications in the world church and the Inter-American Division territory.

Pastor Isaías Espinoza, publishing ministries director of the IAD, shared with the union administrators the two biggest objectives for the church in relation to publications. “One external objective through literature evangelist, that means regular or full time, or part-time literature evangelists. Our internal objective is to feed the church with scores of publications to grow their spiritual life,” he said.  “We want the church in Inter-America to keep the publishing ministries alive throughout the territory,” Espinoza said.

Eleven IAD universities as well as presidents of their governing boards awarded a special publishing ministries medal for maintaining an active and committed literature evangelist program for students on campus. “The largest and longest running program among the IAD universities is at Montemorelos University and we celebrate this commitment and want to show our appreciation first to them,” said Espinoza.

A commemorative pin was also distributed among church administrators, church leaders and staff members during the celebration.

Awarded universities included: Montemorelos University, Navojoa Adventist University, Linda Vista University, Central American Adventist University, Venezuela Adventist University, Colombia Adventist University, Northern Caribbean University, University of Southern Caribbean, Antillean Adventist University, Adventist University of Haiti, and the Southeast Educational Institute.

To view photos of the special ceremony, click HERE