A Heart for Ministry
“We must all have a heart for the ministry. That must include a personal ministry program destined to share a book, a pamphlet, or a tract with neighbors, friends and coworkers.” That was the charge given by Dr. Clive Dottin, Field Secretary of the Caribbean Union..
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Publishing leaders from across the Caribbean Union territory attending the virtual publishing ministries meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Listed in the meeting are President of the Caribbean Union Conference Dr. Kern Tobias, President of the Guyana Conference Pastor Exton Clarke, President of the North Caribbean Conference Pastor Desmond F. James and President of the St. Lucia Mission Pastor Roger Stephen and other publishing board members. Image by CARU Media
“We must all have a heart for the ministry. That must include a personal ministry program destined to share a book, a pamphlet, or a tract with neighbors, friends and coworkers.” That was the charge given by Dr. Clive Dottin, Field Secretary of the Caribbean Union as he addressed the mid-year meeting of the Caribbean Union publishing ministry board meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.
Publishing directors and administrators from across the Caribbean Union met virtually this week to review the ministry, appoint new directors and make plans to strengthen literature distribution in the territory.
“There are some challenges that must be surmounted’ said Dr. Kern Tobias, President of the Caribbean Union Conference. “We must go beyond the comfort zone and have a heart for the mission, in this case the publishing ministry since this ministry has contributed so much to the growth of the work in the region.”
Leaders emphasized that something moved these people to elevate the publications and as such committed themselves to do “everything to move the ministry back to glory days. We are committed to give our best for it is in crisis we see the resilience and resourcefulness as those called,” concluded Dr. Tobias.
Dr. Kern Tobias, President of the Caribbean Union Conference addressing the publishing board at their virtual meeting on May 17, 2023. Dr. Tobias encouraged leaders to go beyond the comfort zone and have a heart for the mission, in this case the publishing ministry since this ministry has contributed so much to the growth of the work in the region.
From the Tract Society established in 1870, to the establishing of colporteur or literature evangelist work in 1882, to establishing student literature evangelist program in 1900, to organizing intentional projects for mass distribution of missionary literature through church members in 2006, publishing ministries has grown to the distribution of millions of pieces of literature thanks to dozens of publishing houses operated by the church today. “More member involvement is essential to finishing the work of reaching the lost’” said Pastor Ashton O’Neil, Publishing Ministries Director for the church in the Caribbean Union Conference.
Leaders received reports of the Union participation in the Great Controversy: Book of the year three-year project sponsored by the world church and voted their participation for yet another year. “It’s about getting back to mobilizing church members to distribute Adventist literature all around” said Publishing ministry Director for the church in the East Caribbean Conference.
Every year in April a new missionary book is massively distributed around the world. The books are printed at a very low cost so that church members can afford them and distribute them in their communities. Leaders in several fields applauded administrators for helping to absorb the cost so that thousands of books can be offered free of cost. The plan with the missionary book is to give members an opportunity to get involved, be encouraged and become missionaries of the printed word.
The meeting affirmed the poetry contest coordinated by the publishing ministry and opted to do everything to strengthen the initiative as a positive association with the ministry that it offers.
Pastor Bertie Henry, Treasurer of the Caribbean Union Conference, addresses several matters relating to policy and literature evangelists. Leaders voted the appointment of one new field directors from the Guyana Conference Pastor Mark McPherson to the board. “It is hoped that with all fields having supporting directors it will help to give attention to recruiting and encouraging more Literature Ambassadors to distribute our truth-filled literature,” said Pastor O’Neil.
Since taking office the director spent the past almost 5 months of 2023 intentionally learning, investigating and connecting with Publishing Directors and Literature Evangelists to better embrace the challenges and plan for the mission going forward. A special day-October 28, 2023 was set aside to celebrate literature evangelists across the territory.
A comprehensive overview of the state of the ministry was given by the director. He emphasized the resurgence of the student colporteur program and the contribution they make to the distribution of the printed page.
“In spite of the challenges that we have seen, the Lord continues to provide resources for our literature evangelists,” concluded Pastor O’Neil.