Shawn Boonstra could not have known many years ago as a child when he was watching It Is Written on an old television set with his brother that one day he would take the helm of the international television ministry.

The newly-appointed Boonstra is now the third speaker/director in the ministry’s 50-year history, taking over from Mark Finley who was appointed director of Global Evangelism for the Seventh-day Adventist world church.

The television ministry, affiliated with the Adventist Church, is focused on communicating the Gospel to the world through a weekly telecast, a worldwide evangelistic ministry, and Christian living and faith-sharing resources.

Boonstra was not raised in the Adventist faith, but was drawn to the ministry as a child. “My brother and I watched It Is Written because everything on the program was taken directly from the Bible,” he said.

He considers this particular appointment as proof of God directing his life. “Little did I realize where that first contact would eventually lead. It Is Written has played a substantial role in my spiritual life. ... Now, every week in front of millions of viewers, I get to do for others what It Is Written did for me,” he said.

The ministry continued to be integral in his spiritual journey long after childhood. Boonstra, a native of British Columbia, joined the Adventist Church 12 years ago after attending an It Is Written evangelistic series in Victoria. After he and his wife, Jean, were baptized, both decided to commit their lives to gospel ministry.

“What I enjoy most is sharing Christ with people and seeing their faces express the joy only He can place in their hearts,” Boonstra said. “I found Christ through It Is Written’s outreach and the work of the Adventist Church. I grew up in a Christian home and knew the Bible, but it took It Is Written to get me across the line and into a firm commitment to Christ.”

Soon after joining the Adventist Church, he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of Victoria, and later attended the Adventist seminary, Andrews University. He went on to work as associate pastor in the church that originally baptized him in Victoria. From there, he accepted an evangelism internship with the church in British Columbia. Following this internship, he was given three churches along the Alaska Highway. Boonstra said, “My district was larger than the state of Washington. I spent my days ministering to families in this region, and it was incredibly rewarding.”

Approximately seven years ago, Boonstra became an associate speaker for It Is Written Canada under the leadership of then-speaker Henry Feyerabend. In 2001, he became the speaker for It Is Written Canada.

Over the past few years, It Is Written Canada has grown exponentially. Estimates show that as many as 2 million people watch the program on a weekly basis, and on one network, it held the highest ratings for 25 weeks, beating out all other programs.

It Is Written was the first ministry to use satellite uplink technology to spread its evangelism messages, and continues to find new and creative ways of impacting the world. The ministry recently concluded a historic satellite series that was beamed from the city of Kiev, Ukraine, to the former Soviet Union and Europe. Over the next year, Boonstra will hold meetings in the United States and India.

The new position is a humbling one for Boonstra. “No one can replace Pastor Finley, just as no one could have replaced [founder] Pastor Vandeman,” he said.

“I am confident It Is Written will continue to be a dynamic force in global evangelism with Pastor Boonstra at the helm,” said Finley. “Under his direction, this ministry will break new ground in online, broadcast and live evangelism.”