BY ADVENTIST REVIEW STAFF
uring the Global Mission segment held the first Sabbath afternoon of the General Conference session, July 2, the Adventist Review introduced its new worldwide publication-Adventist World-when Review senior editor William G. Johnsson presented General Conference president Jan Paulsen with a giant-size copy of the first issue of the new publication.
"Eighteen months ago you gave the Adventist Review a very big assignment-to develop a paper for the whole world church," Johnsson said to Paulsen. "The staff has worked very hard, and the Lord has gone ahead of us and opened many doors. And I'm so pleased to announce that this paper will go to press at the end of August, and the first issue will be dated September 2005." Johnsson informed the 15,000 attendees at the afternoon session that Adventist World will be distributed throughout Asia, the South Pacific, northern Europe, the Americas, and Africa.
"I am so delighted that we will have one written instrument such as this that can speak to the whole world church-the whole global Seventh-day Adventist family," responded Paulsen. "I see this not only as an invaluable means of communication on God's behalf, but I see it also as a very important instrument to hold the family of faith together and bond us in unity." Paulsen then led the congregation in prayer, dedicating Adventist World to the Lord and to the mission of His church.
A video shown during the presentation, which was coordinated by Adventist Review marketing director Jackie Smith, explained that Adventist World will be printed simultaneously in English at four publishing houses located in the United States, Korea, and Australia, and will have a print run of 1.1 million copies. Approximately 300,000 additional copies will be printed in Spanish and French. World readership of this issue is estimated to be at least five million.
The new publication is being funded by the General Conference and will be distributed to the divisions and then the churches throughout the world field at no cost to them. It will also be mailed free of charge directly to Adventist homes in the North American Division. The printing of the Spanish and French copies will be funded separately by division offices.
"Its purposes are the same as those espoused by James White in 1849," says Johnsson, "to bind together the Adventist people as they wait for Jesus to come back, by sharing news and information about the church plus articles on doctrine, spiritual growth, and mission."
The concept for Adventist World began with world church president Jan Paulsen in early 2004, who asked the Adventist Review staff to study the feasibility of such a world voice. The staff worked intensively on the task for about 18 months, seeking counsel from leaders at world headquarters and also the 13 divisions of the global Adventist church. By October 2004 a plan was in place; the Annual Council considered it and gave the project the green light.
Features of the new publication include a two-page Bible study that can be used for one-on-one study or to share in large public gatherings, a selection from the Spirit of Prophecy, a world health page, and interactive features such as People's Place on the back cover.
During August 2005 electronic files of the first issue of the Adventist World will be sent to the four publishing houses, and more than 1 million copies in English will roll off the presses and begin to make their way around the globe.
"It's been a lot of work, but also a lot of fun dreaming a brand new magazine, a church paper for the world," says Johnsson. "My colleagues and I have felt God's hand over the project."
Subscribers to the Adventist Review will continue to receive the weekly publication, but with one change. The current third issue of each month-Cutting Edge-will move to the second week. A new edition, featuring discipleship in action-stories of Adventists throughout the world, of all ages and backgrounds, involved in service, in mission, in volunteer activities-will arrive in homes during the third week.
A Brief History
The story of the Adventist Review is one that speaks of sacrifice, commitment, and miracles. It began in November 1848, when Ellen White, a young prophetess for the Adventist people, received a vision from the Lord. She instructed her husband, James: "You must begin to print a little paper and send it out to the people. . . . From this small beginning it was shown to me to be like streams of light that went clear round the world" (Life Sketches, p. 125).
By the following summer James had prepared the first issue of The Present Truth, which he mailed-1,000 copies-to people he thought might be interested. That was the beginning of the Adventist Church's publishing work and of the church paper, which soon took the name Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, and later Adventist Review.
The Review has served the church for 157 years, and each week for more than a century it has been bringing information and inspiration to subscribers. Though most of those who read the Adventist Review live in North America, about 92 percent of Adventists today live outside North America, with more than 5 million adherents in Africa alone. The Adventist Church now faces a hugely enlarged mission if it is to serve the world church. So, to meet the need, a church paper for the world-Adventist World-has been launched.
"Its purposes are the same as those espoused by James White in 1849," says Johnsson, "to bind together the Adventist people as they wait for Jesus to come back, by sharing news and information about the church plus articles on doctrine, spiritual growth, and mission."
"The Lord has been with the Review from its inception until today," adds Johnsson, "and I trust He will continue to use this church paper to strengthen and unify His people until He comes."
