Over 150 district pastors, publishing directors, lay members, and literature evangelists convened at the Mountain Provinces Mission, the Seventh-day Adventist headquarters in Baguio City, for the second union-wide Spirit of Prophecy seminar in the North Philippines. Held under the theme 'Lest We Forget, Jesus is Coming—Get Involved in the Literature Ministry,' the event took place from August 27-31, 2024.
One of the keynote speakers, Bryan Tolentino, Director of Spirit of Prophecy for the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD), urged delegates to deepen their understanding of the Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White. Tolentino highlighted how a lack of familiarity with these inspired works has left many Seventh-day Adventists susceptible to deception. He also cautioned against the dangers of setting speculative timelines for the Lord's return.
Dony Chrissutianto, Director of the Ellen G. White Estate at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), addressed issues on plagiarism, vegetarianism, and health principles. He challenged the delegates to understand the Spirit of Prophecy in light of Bible truths, emphasizing that these writings are instrumental in preparing for Christ’s soon return.
Abraham Del Rosario, Publishing Director of the Adventist church in the North Philippines (NPUC), underscored the critical importance of seminars like this one, asserting that the Publishing Ministry is a divinely appointed means of reaching a broad audience, including the affluent, educated, and even those deeply entrenched in worldly pursuits. He stressed that everyone—regardless of age or education, pastors, teachers, students, or lay members has a role to play in this ministry. “We must carry out this action,” he urged, “because it allows everyone to participate and ensures that no one is left out of the mission to spread the message of Christ.
Academy Summit for Publishing Leaders
Following the seminar, the Academy Summit for Publishing Leaders commenced, bringing together 100 Area Publishing Ministries Leaders (APML), Publishing Directors, and branch managers from around NPUC. Key resource speakers for this event were Almir Marroni and Tercio Marques, Publishing Directors for the General Conference and the Middle East and North Africa Union (MENA) respectively. They underscored the importance of effective supervision and introduced new techniques to motivate literature evangelists. Marques shared successful recruiting and retention strategies, while Marroni focused on effective publishing leadership in modern times, challenging leaders to keep their teams motivated.
Vivencio Bermudez, former SSD Publishing Director, outlined the responsibilities of Adventist Publishing Ministry Leaders (APMLs) toward their literature evangelists. Arnel Gabin, SSD Vice President for Nurture, Discipleship, and Retention through Integrated Evangelism Lifestyle (NDR-IEL), highlighted Jesus' natural leadership style and its relevance to canvassing work, calling it a ministry 'second to none.' Dr. Abner Dizon, SSD Director for Director, Interfaith Services for Muslim, Secular, and Postmodern Ministries (MSP), addressed the importance of evangelizing and building connections with the Muslim community.
During the Sabbath School Program, the segment 'Miracles of Grace' featured inspiring testimonies from literature evangelists, showcasing how their work has touched lives in remarkable ways. These stories of faith and perseverance motivated the delegates, who left the summit with a renewed commitment to their calling, convinced that the work must be completed in light of the soon return of Jesus.
Loida Omega, Literature Ministry Seminary
The original article was published in the North Philippine Union Conference website.