![Literature Ministry coordinator Brenton Lowe with Adventist Media CEO Dr Brad Kemp. [Photo Courtesy of Adventist Record]](https://cdn.adventistcontent.org/images/5df200974469ba078555eb4c/9f97962e98118107bffd0802a19db6e571c693b4/1200x/W3U1603498569906.png)
Hundreds of literature evangelists (LEs), pastors, and church-goers from across the South Pacific Division (SPD) tuned in to the Literature Ministry Summit over the weekend of October 9-11 themed, “Live His Calling”.
Organized by Brenton Lowe, Adventist Media literature ministry coordinator; Marilene Stevenson, assistant coordinator; and Vania Chew, community engagement assistant, the program was created to encourage attendees to distribute Christian literature among their communities.
“The purpose was to inspire church members to share hope through literature,” Lowe explains. “As part of that, our leaders, literature champions, and members involved in literature distribution shared stories about how God is using books and their personal ministry to change lives.”
The live programs were hosted by Chew and Tony Wall, literature ministry coordinator for Australia and New Zealand. More than 110 individuals and groups tuned into the live event on Friday night and additional viewers watched the weekend programs.
“All of the presentations gelled together beautifully,” says Lowe. “From the context of sharing literature, right through to the critical reason that we share literature, it highlighted the central piece: the gospel.”
Key leaders from across the Division—SPD president Pastor Glenn Townend, Australian Union Conference president Pastor Jorge Munoz, New Zealand Pacific Union Conference president Eddie Tupa’i, and Trans-Pacific Union Mission president Pastor Maveni Kaufononga—presented at the event.
“That really encouraged our people around the field to know that the leadership is actually interested in literature ministry,” explained Pastor Brad Kemp, Adventist Media CEO. “We planned to run a summit this year at Avondale, but weren’t able to because of COVID, so we found another, more creative, way of connecting our LE team from around the Division to provide some spiritual uplift and a chance for them to connect.”
As a result of the summit, the literature ministry team at Adventist Media is receiving requests for more information.
“People are interested in becoming LEs and are also requesting info packs on how to share literature in church or in a personal setting,” Lowe says.
As a follow-up initiative, literature ministry representatives are planning a training program in November to equip those who attended the summit and anyone wanting practical tips on sharing literature.
“[The summit] was an inspirational piece,: Lowe says. “Now we want to equip those that they have been inspired to share literature.”
Kemp adds, “Literature ministry was shut down during COVID for a while, but now it’s been opening up and the work has begun again. To hold the summit at this time was particularly important to lift the spirits of the people, boost morale and make them feel valued for the work that they do.”
Stephen Apola, General Conference associate publishing director, was impressed by the event and said it was a model that other divisions could use to promote literature ministry.
To watch presentations from the summit, you can visit the Literature Ministry YouTube channel, and to register for the training program, please visit literature.adventistchurch.com/training.
This article was originally published on the website of Adventist Record