Signs of the Times, Australia’s longest-running continuously published magazine, celebrated its 140th anniversary at a special event held at Avondale University Church on October 24.
The celebration, titled 140 Years of Hope, brought together past and present contributors to reflect on the magazine’s history, its role in sharing the Christian message and its future as an evangelistic resource.
South Pacific Division (SPD) president Pastor Glenn Townend said the milestone was particularly significant given the magazine’s close connection to the beginnings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia.
“It’s not every day that a magazine is 140 years old,” he said. “And to think about the fact that the Church has been in this Division since 1885, and Signs of the Times came the very next year and has been going since then, it’s something to celebrate.”
The magazine was first published in Melbourne in January 1886, just seven months after the arrival of the first Adventist missionaries in Australia. Originally titled Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, its first edition was a 16-page monthly publication with a print run of 8000 copies.
The type for that first edition was set in a bedroom in North Fitzroy before being taken to a nearby printer. Over the following decades, the publication underwent several changes in name, format and frequency, adopting its current title in 1905. Despite those changes, it has maintained its original purpose of sharing the Christian message with the wider public.
Although established in Australia, Signs is also distributed in New Zealand and has served communities across the wider South Pacific through special editions. These editions were developed to provide culturally relevant evangelistic resources, featuring Pacific authors and local topics. Former editor Jarrod Stackelroth, who oversaw a special edition for the Trans Pacific Union Mission, explained the purpose was to “serve the Pacific and see them have some contextualised sharing resources they could use.”
The anniversary program included a presentation on Adventist publishing heritage, reflections on the magazine’s recent history and future direction, and a keynote address by one of Signs‘ longest-serving editors Dr Bruce Manners.
Dr Manners, who served as editor for approximately 16 years, said the magazine has continued adapting to changing reader expectations while maintaining its evangelistic purpose.
“One of the good things about Signs magazine is that it has gone with how society has produced magazines,” he said. “It can have a strong message with an entertaining approach.”
He explained that, unlike Adventist Record, which primarily serves church members, Signs is written for readers outside the Church, combining articles on health, family life and other everyday topics with Christian perspectives.
Reflecting on the anniversary, Dr Manners said he was grateful to have contributed to the magazine’s history. “Our whole goal was to help people understand that there is a God, and that He’s actually on our side. He’s there to support us,” he said.
Pastor Townend said Signs will continue to play an important role in the Church’s evangelistic efforts, including the upcoming OneVoice27 initiative.
“Signs of the Times has always been the evangelistic magazine of our Church,” he said. “And so it’s going to be a big part of celebrating that Jesus makes all things new in OneVoice27.”
Current editor Melody Tan explained the magazine can help church members maintain connections with people reached through OneVoice27 activities.
“Signs ultimately is for sharing,” she said. “As a magazine designed to introduce Christianity to the wider public, Signs of the Times is the perfect tool to continue the conversation as part of any OneVoice27 project,” she said.
Ms Tan hopes church members and local congregations will consider sponsoring subscriptions for people they connect with, providing an opportunity to share Christian perspectives on a regular basis.
“The hope is for readers to get a glimpse of the kind of hope, peace and joy a relationship with God can bring to their lives, and to then spark their curiosity on how to obtain it.”
