John Bradshaw, the New Zealand-born pastor of a Seventh-day Adventist congregation in College Place, Washington, is the new speaker/director of It Is Written, a pioneering Adventist television ministry. He succeeds Shawn Boonstra, who stepped aside earlier this month over health concerns.

In an e-mail message to the ministry's supporters, Boonstra described Bradshaw as "a man with a deep commitment to the cause of Christ and an obvious passion for soul-winning."

He added, "Our backgrounds and approaches to the work are remarkably similar, and yet [John] brings new insights and abilities to It Is Written that will expand our impact and help us become even more effective in leading people to Christ."

Earlier, in discussing his departure from day-to-day responsibilities for It Is Written, Boonstra wrote, "Due to health issues, I am relinquishing my duties as speaker/director of It Is Written. I take this step with considerable regret because I believe the work of It Is Written is the most important and the most exciting work on earth. ... I would like to thank all of those who support this ministry, and all of those who have prayed for me these last few months."

Founded by Seventh-day Adventist pastor George Vandeman, the program launched in 1956 on 13 television stations, and was the first religious program to air in color. After nearly 40 years at the helm, Vandeman was succeeded in 1992 by Mark A. Finley, an Adventist evangelist who is now editor-at-large for Adventist Review magazine. Boonstra took over for Finley in 2005.

Bradshaw, 43, has served as an Adventist pastor for 15 years and has held more than 80 evangelistic series. He was a morning radio disc jockey before his conversion, which took place during a trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland. He spent 12 years as an evangelist with Amazing Facts, a supporting Adventist ministry in Roseville, California. He was a pastor in Lexington, Kentucky, for two and one-half years and has been pastor of the Village Church in College Place for 15 months.