Alejandro Bullón is an experienced and popular pastor, preacher and media evangelist, originally from Peru and now based in Brazil. He is author of some of the most widely distributed books in recent Adventist publishing and he talked recently about this aspect of his ministry.
You are a well-regarded pastor and evangelist. Why do you also devote attention to writing and publishing?
Writing is an efficient way to preach. A book may be seemingly dormant and gathering dust in a corner of the house, but at the most unexpected moment, it can be used by the Holy Spirit as a powerful instrument for evangelism. No-one can underestimate the value of a message conveyed through the printed page. Imagine the power of the written message when you consider that Paul’s writings continue to touch hearts and transform lives today. Throughout my ministry, I have reached thousands of people with the spoken message, but undoubtedly, through books, that number has multiplied many times over.
You have written a number of sharing books. Why do sharing books still matter in today’s world?
The reason is simple. God has not entrusted us with this mission because He could not preach the gospel. If He so desired, He could preach the message in a minute to the entire world, with angels, with animals and even with stones. However, believers need to participate in the mission to grow spiritually. There is no growth in Christ without living in a spirit of daily prayer, without studying the Bible every day, and without making another disciple of Jesus. This is why I emphasize in my messages the need to commit to preaching the gospel. A person committed to the mission is unlikely to abandon the faith. The church is not simply a religious club where people gather to sing, pray and study the Bible. The church was established by God on this earth to preach the gospel.
Tell us about your devotional book—one of the devotional books for this year—Finding Fulfillment in Christ.
Christ is the beginning, the middle and the end of the Christian experience. He is the backbone of hope. Without Jesus, there is no life. He gives meaning to existence, and a full life can only be lived in a daily relationship with Jesus. This certainty inspired me to write this devotional. The centre of its message is Christ and His marvellous grace.
What does discipleship—a regular topic of your writing—mean to you?
When contemplating the redeemed, John describes them as “those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.” If the redeemed will follow Jesus for eternity, it is because they learned to follow Him on earth. Discipleship is the experience of following the Master, learning from Him, and ultimately becoming like Him. This is why Jesus gave us the command to “make disciples.” True discipleship is not an evangelistic strategy. It is the daily experience of walking with Jesus.
Do you have a favourite among your books?
Knowing Jesus Is Everything is a book I hold dear. The first edition was published in 1987, and since then it has consistently been among the bestsellers in Brazil. This book recounts my own experience of discovering Jesus not merely as a theory but, first and foremost, as a person, my Saviour and personal friend. In this book, I show what the Christian life consists of and how to live victoriously despite the fact that our sinful nature pushes us toward evil.
What do you most want to communicate to the people of the South Pacific through your writing?
That one day, we turned away from God, in the experience of Adam and Eve, and that we will never be complete if we do not return to Jesus. That experience of returning is discipleship. We need to learn again how to walk with Jesus in order to become more like Him. Finding Fulfillment in Christ and Knowing Jesus is Everything—and other books by Alejandro Bullón—are available from Adventist bookshops in Australia and New Zealand, or online.
