A group of literature evangelists from the South Australian Conference recently manned a stall at the Body Mind and Psychic Expo, held at the Adelaide Showground.
It’s not the usual type of place that you’d expect to find divine appointments, but Sue Wilson, co-leader for Literature Evangelism in South Australia, says that they encountered many.
“Being familiar with the New Age lifestyle, I know that many of them are actually seeking truth,” said Sue. “These people often explore an interest in the supernatural because they are looking for answers to their questions in life, especially in relation to spirituality and health. As Adventists, we have more common ground with these people than we think.”
Leaving the stall in the capable hands of co-leader Rita Pinzone and six keen volunteers, Sue walked around the expo to start conversations with people and hand out free literature on Biblical spirituality and health. Meanwhile, Rita and the volunteers did the same from the stall.
“One of our volunteers, Simon, has a real gift for connecting with people and offering to pray for them,” said Sue. “As far as I could see, he was able to pray for most of the people he spoke to. Some of them stayed there for half an hour or more, talking about their lives and asking genuine questions.”
Hundreds of free leaflets and literature were distributed by the group on the Saturday. On Sunday, the stall offered books for sale, and many people purchased them. Another stallholder who was selling vegan food at the expo bought some cookbooks to expand her repertoire.
“We also handed out many copies of the Hope for Troubled Times sharing tract and Signs of the Times magazines,” commented Sue. “These were especially well received by the community. The magazines were colourful, trendy and relevant.”
The group of literature evangelists also handed out community surveys to find out what follow-up programs people would be interested in.
“In the past, some people have asked for prayer or Bible studies,” said Sue. “Others have been interested in a depression recovery program or a cooking class. It’s great to have this information because it helps us better serve our community and their needs.”
Sue and her team plan to continue setting up pop-up book stalls at different events and venues.
“There are all kinds of events that we can get involved in—from markets to health expos to regional shows,” Sue said. “One of my favourite verses is Isaiah 55:11. God has promised that His Word will not return to us void. Who knows, until eternity, what impact our prayers, interactions and literature will have on people.”
To learn more about how to get involved in literature ministry, please go to: https://literature.adventistchurch.com/
