The Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists (ESDA) is a global church project that produces an estimated 2,100 articles with accompanying photographs, media, and original documents. ESDA, the church’s first online reference work, debuted on July 1, 2020.

This free website will live online indefinitely, to be constantly updated and expanded.

The Encyclopedia has been produced by the contributions of thousands of Seventh-day Adventists around the world. All of the articles have been written on a voluntary basis by members from all walks of life with expertise on a given subject.

Others contributed by operating as peer-reviewers and copy editors.

The goal of each ESDA article is to be an honest, open, comprehensive, and rigorous representation of the diversity and richness of Adventism, and fully understandable to both church members and the general public.

At the Inter-European Division of Seventh-Day Adventists (EUD), Stefan Höschele, regional editor, and Chigemezi Wogu, project manager and researcher—both of whom are based at Friedensau Adventist University—are excited to finally see the product of the work put forth by authors, administrators, students, and lay members.

“The ESDA is a game-changer in Adventist mission history,” Wogu commented. “There are various facets of the mission history that will be laid bare and accessible for researchers. With the ESDA, key lay members—pioneer Adventists in various countries—will come to be known, as well as their contributions.”

Mario Brito, EUD President, added, “The ESDA project has been a blessing for us. Through this project, we will unlock many treasures and stories which were buried for many years. Most of us know the story of our own country here in Europe, but we do not know the stories of the church pioneers in our own country. With this project, we are getting to know each other and our roots. That encourages us a lot and helps us to understand how the Seventh-day Adventist Church developed on our continent.”

Brito also said that many of the stories he read in the drafts of the ESDA surprised and moved him. One in particular which spoke to him was that of Clarence Rentfro, an American pioneer in Portugal.

“He was on his way to Spain but, while sailing to Europe, he was told via telegram that he had to go to Lisbon instead,” Brito recalls. The story continues that Rentfro followed the advice and went to Lisbon, knowing nothing about Portugal’s culture nor its people. 

Brito shares, “He had no money, and no one was waiting for him, nobody introduced him to the culture. We can imagine how difficult it was for him and his family! They came to a point they had to pawn their violin and a watch, in order to have some money to survive.”

The Rentfros went to live in a suburb area of Lisbon, trying to find people with whom to communicate. They could not speak Portuguese and, at that time, very few people were fluent in English. 

“By the sacrifices they went through, I was touched at how this family left the U.S.; how they came by faith to a land they didn’t know at all,” Brito expresses. “This is a story that has touched my heart and that of all the Adventist people in Portugal.

He continues, “The stories that appear in the ESDA are an encouragement for all of us. Members, leaders, and pastors benefit from these stories because we find experiences of commitment, dedication to the work, and we can see how many of these people, about whom we are speaking, were dedicated people. They help us to understand that nothing can be accomplished without sacrifice, involvement, and love for the cause. This is a motivation for the younger generations to do the same.”

The Encyclopedia was released on July 1; bookmark the website at encyclopedia.adventist.org. The launch program was broadcast on the Seventh-day Adventist YouTube channel and the recording can be found there now: @AdventistOrgChurch.

This article was originally published on the Inter-European Division’s news site