TED N. C. WILSON President

The apostle John proclaims, in 1 John 3:1, what manner of love God had in sending His Son to this earth to save us. It is for that very reason of sharing and proclaiming God’s love and special salvation message that the Review and Herald Publishing Association (RHPA) was started almost 150 years ago through God’s direct guidance. The publishing work has played an important evangelistic role in the Advent movement ever since. It is destined, according to the Spirit of Prophecy, to continue to the close of probation.

Although we do not know when Christ will return, we can see definite signs of the time of the end. Certainly the Lord’s coming is very soon.

The foundational and landmark gospel truths that make this Advent movement unique are to be proclaimed and spread by every means possible, including the continuing important method of truth-filled literature—printed and electronic—which can be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit.

To All the World
Over the past quinquennium the RHPA has been able to provide truth-filled spiritual literature, Christ-centered evangelistic materials, and printing assistance to many different aspects of the church’s work. This includes many periodicals such as Message magazine, which recently celebrated 100 years of pointing people to Jesus. We hope to see a strong resurgence and increased circulation of the church’s periodicals.

The Review and Herald has also been able to assist with congresses, seminars, councils, camp meetings, camporees, literature evangelism programs, retreats, and other events. It has given support to the Adventist Book Centers and literature evangelism activities.

The RHPA has provided funds, material assistance, and technical advice for both world publishing activities and local community needs. It gladly participated in the worldwide NET programs. It has provided spiritual nurture and emphasis for its employees and has offered programs for employees for understanding cultural diversity and sensitivity. It has developed various Web sites for ordering regular publishing house products, health education products from Health Connection, and literature evangelism products. And in 1997 the Review and Herald reinstituted the plan of returning tithe to the General Conference on the profits that are made during the year.

Customer Service—A Priority
The Review and Herald has embarked upon a process to become a strong customer service-oriented institution. We have reinstituted the motto “We Serve the World”—with the emphasis on “Serve”! We are trying, in a proactive way, to meet the needs of our customers by listening to what they want in order to help the mission of the church move ahead through producing truth-filled literature to be shared with millions who need to know Christ.

Recently a mother of three lost her job, had her car break down, and lacked the necessary food for her family. She was considering suicide when her 12-year-old son found a leaflet called “An Hour With Your Bible,” printed by the Review and Herald, and gave it to his mother. In it she read about a Bible course from the Voice of Prophecy, which she obtained. The young mother has now found new hope in the Bible and in Christ. This type of story—one of many—gives fulfillment and meaning to being an Adventist publishing house and pointing people to Jesus.

Praise for God’s Goodness
It is a privilege to serve the Lord in the year 2000 as we come nearer to Christ’s soon return. We praise God for His great blessings to the RHPA and our sister publishing houses around the world with which we cooperate. The challenges and frustrations of taking the gospel to the world are fully overcome by the mighty power of the Lord. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we will point as many people to Christ as possible through printed and electronic pages. We will rely on wonderful promises such as that found in 2 Chronicles 16:9.

The encouragement and admonition in The Publishing Ministry is a foundation for our faith in God’s guidance in the publishing work for the future: “If our institutions would be as prosperous as God designs they shall be, there must be more thoughtfulness and earnest prayer, mingled with unabating zeal and spiritual ardor” (p. 240).

Please pray that the Review and Herald Publishing Association, through God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, will fulfill this wonderful spiritual prescription to God’s glory as we near Christ’s soon second coming. We’re almost home!