The invitation to join the editorial team of Adventist Review Ministries came as a shock in 2006. We had just moved from South America to Asia, and I enjoyed my work as professor of Hebrew Bible and dean of the seminary at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies in Manila, Philippines. We politely declined—this was not the time.
Two years later the invitation came again—and this time we accepted, albeit hesitantly. Many of my friends in academia did not understand. Why would I leave the classroom to edit two popular magazines? It was a good question, and I realized that I wanted to be part of a conversation that went beyond the classroom or the—sometimes—isolated ivory towers of academia. Adventist World, the new kid on the block, offered that opportunity.
The learning curve was steep, and the rhythm grueling. I enjoyed working with a dynamic team, and as the first senior editor whose native language wasn’t English, I began to recruit new, younger, and more international authors whose insights, dreams, concerns, and ideas would be a blessing to a magazine printed in nearly two dozen languages reaching all continents. Adventist World was a conscious move by the global Adventist Church to go beyond its U.S. roots and embrace the church in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific region.
I led the major redesign of the magazine in 2018, which not only included a more contemporary look but also involved the conscious decision to focus more on the large young population of Adventist members. We included for the first time a monthly column written by young adults from around the globe (Millennial Voices), as well as a feature written and designed for children (Growing Faith). We also recognized that many cultures around the world relate well to stories and were glad to incorporate a monthly story by pastor-storyteller Dick Duerksen (“May I Tell You a Story?”).
Our articles on biblical studies or fundamental beliefs featured not only scholars but also others who enjoyed thinking biblically. Encouraged by our team, our contributors began to send us articles in languages other than English—and we paid happily for these translations.
Part of my responsibilities also involved traveling to many far corners of the Adventist Church to speak at pastors’ meetings, at academic symposia, university Weeks of Prayer, or other church gatherings. My membership on the Biblical Research Committee of the General Conference offered great opportunities to connect to Adventist scholarship, and I also cherished my trips to West Africa as part of their local Biblical Research Committee. All these trips afforded the opportunity to recruit authors and keep my ear to the ground of Adventist thinking around the world.
The monthly production cycle was extremely busy, and the very complex logistical challenges of producing a magazine in different regions and in distinct languages required a logistical mastermind. We were glad to have Merle Poirier fill that role.
Beyond the deadlines and sometimes financial strains of helping to run a global operation, I was privileged to see the church mature and grow beyond its North American origins. Adventist World was a child of its age, during which connections and links became part of larger networks that brought the world closer together. These trends have been inverted in many regions, and we would do well as a church to be suspicious of regionalization and national navel gazing. The story of Adventist World is a timely reminder that Jesus’ body is global, connected, caring in solidarity, and embracing all age groups.