Seventh-day Adventist literature evangelism in the context of modern technology and innovation

Abstract

Since its inception through the vision that God gave to Ellen G. White in 1848 in that a small paper containing the present truth should be printed, the Seventh-day Adventist literature evangelism has majorly relied on print media approach for its mode of dispersion.  Speaking of the importance of the distribution of the Seventh-day Adventist literature, Ellen G. White urged: “Sell them far and near.  Scatter them like the leaves of autumn.  This work is to continue without the forbiddings of anyone.  Souls are perishing out of Christ.  Let them be warned of His soon appearing in the clouds of heaven.” (White, 25 [1]).  The print media, however, still remains the chief form of delivering literature, one-on-one, for the denomination.  The modern digital technology and innovation, nevertheless, poses a challenge to the traditional way of print media of disseminating the Seventh-day Adventist literature.  An estimated 4.9 billion people are using social media in 2024 (Forbes Advisor, 2024 [2]).  This figure is more than half the world’s population of 8 billion (United Nation, 2024 [3]).  Today’s society is engrossed in interacting with digital information, busy, individualistic, insecure of visitation by strangers, and conscious of personal space.  In such a milieu the traditional slant to literature evangelism for the Seventh-day Church begins to have limitations.  This article submits that the Seventh-day Adventist traditional literature evangelism method of door-to-door can be augmented for the better by adopting digital Seventh-day Adventist form of evangelism tactical slant to fulfil the dream of Ellen G. White of scattering literature like the leaves of autumn.  The methodology used in this article is deductive.  Relevant information will be consulted and analyzed.  A conclusion will be drawn based on the relevant information gathered.