A premium sharing book has been produced by Adventist Media to share the gospel message in a fresh and compelling way.
Written by Signs Publishing book editor Nathan Brown, Advent is imagined as 31 daily readings throughout the month of December, with a sequence that builds towards the 25th and then moves to the larger story, teachings and promises of Jesus.
“It is not so much about Christmas, but about the stories of Jesus’ birth found in the Gospels and what it means for us,” Mr Brown explained. “As well as the invitation to use it ourselves, the book was written, designed and produced to be a premium sharing book—a gift [for] family and friends, neighbours and others in our communities who might be interested in learning more and reflecting deeper on the story we re-tell each Christmas.”
Adventist Media marketing manager Tim McTernan added, “Social researcher Mark McCrindle revealed earlier this year that 41 per cent of Australians were thinking about God more and 47 per cent had thought more about the meaning of life. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a situation where people are more receptive than ever to hear the good news about Jesus, [and] Christmas provides a unique opportunity to share literature when people are more open to receiving a gift.”
Mr Brown says his inspiration to write the book stemmed from involvement with the Road to Bethlehem Christmas program in Melbourne over the past seven years. He is now excited to see Road to Bethlehem offering copies of Advent to people who register to be part of their special virtual event in December.
“Being immersed in the story in a unique way, working with a team of people who are passionate about re-telling this story, and seeing the potential for this story to catch people’s imagination and remind them about Jesus . . . inspired [me],” he explained. “I had been thinking on it for a few years and I wrote a proposal to Adventist Media’s Literature Ministries Committee early this year, which approved some funding to support the writing, design and development of the book.”
So far 14,000 copies of Advent have been pre-ordered to be shared by church members, churches and institutions across Australia and New Zealand. And it is also available for purchase from Adventist bookshops, with discounts available for larger quantities.
“The cover is stunning and Nathan has done a great job with the book. The themes he has identified are very relevant to many in the community and I hope that it will give people a new appreciation of the Christmas story,” said Adventist Media CEO Dr Brad Kemp.
Advent is also being translated for publication in Spanish by the Adventist publishing house in Argentina.
In addition, thousands of Christmas tracts have been produced and pre-
ordered by churches—one an excerpt from Advent and the other a reflection on how the hope of Christmas shines amidst the challenges of 2020. These are also available for purchase from Adventist bookshops and online.
