Should the publishing houses in NA merge?

[Stan]

From the Adventist News Network

Jun 20, 2013 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States

General Conference Administration

On Wednesday, June 19, 2013, the General Conference and North American Division administrations forwarded to the boards of Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association a request for the two organizations to consider a merger in the near future.

The proposal comes in response to church administrators’ analysis of the current publishing mission setting along with related distribution systems. It builds upon the work of several commissions and groups that over the past several years have studied the challenges and opportunities arising from rapid technology changes in publishing as well as changes in how society accesses information.

The boards of both institutions met separately Wednesday evening, and each, by overwhelming majority votes, expressed agreement to consider a yet-to-be-developed merger proposal. In addition, each board authorized its chair and president to represent the institution on a taskforce whose assignment will be to develop a detailed merger proposal for future consideration by the boards and constituents.

Pacific Press Publishing Association is located in Nampa, Idaho. [ANN file photos]

Ted N. C. Wilson, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, affirmed that “publishing and distributing materials to advance the proclamation of the gospel remains a vital and integral part of the church’s worldwide evangelistic and witnessing program. We believe that restructuring the two General Conference institutions could serve even more effectively the future needs of the church especially, in North America as well as for more general assistance to the world for print and digital content that correlates with information in other media platforms.”

Review and Herald Publishing Association, located in Hagerstown, Maryland, and the Pacific Press Publishing Association, located in Nampa, Idaho, have been operating as General Conference institutions. The two publishing houses serve the General Conference, the global Seventh-day Adventist Church, and, more specifically the North American Division, as they derive the large majority of their operating resources from services to church members and denominational organizations in North America.

The proposal forwarded to the respective boards, through the board chairs, requests not only consideration of a merger of the two institutions but also a transfer of identity for these entities from being General Conference-sponsored institutions to that of being North American Division-sponsored.

The combination of restructuring envisaged in the request placed before the boards therefore involve two principal concepts with the expectation that both would be considered as a package and implemented together. The proposal envisions:

• Placing both Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association on the pathway to merger as one publishing house to serve the North American Division territory as well as the needs of the General Conference office.

• Restructuring the publishing house governance model from a General Conference-based constituency and board of directors to a North American Division-based constituency and board of directors.

Over the past two years, the North American Division has been developing a comprehensive approach to all forms of media ministry. “The preparation and use of literature by church members, by local church-sponsored witnessing initiatives, and as an adjunct to programs in other media platforms is a prominent component of this strategy,” said Dan Jackson, president of the North American Division. “A publishing house closely linked to church infrastructure and intimately involved with planning, implementation and coordination of witnessing and nurture programs is a key component in accomplishing our mission objectives.”

Review and Herald Publishing Association is located in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Neither publishing house receives financial appropriations from the General Conference or from the North American Division. Both publishing houses currently enjoy operating gains. Historically, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has operated several publishing houses in North America. Each must make important decisions regarding its vision for the future and the investment of capital to maintain efficiencies in publishing and printing processes. Such decisions will have far-reaching impact. In light of present surplus manufacturing capacity it is believed advantageous for the two organizations to plan for the future as one unit rather than separately and to be directly connected to a North American Division mission-driven distribution system.

A case statement presented to the two boards outlines a design for a positive, mission-oriented future for the church’s publishing ministry in North America. “It is a strategy in response to 21st century realities,” said Dale Galusha, president of Pacific Press Publishing Association. Mark Thomas, president of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, added, “Commercial and private publishing houses today are finding it necessary to redesign their business plans. We need to be proactive in addressing a rapidly changing publishing environment.”

The next step will be for a taskforce with representation from the General Conference, the North American Division and each publishing house to prepare a blueprint for merger. It is expected that a report from the taskforce would be presented to the boards by late September. Each board will then have the opportunity to determine its response to the merger proposal.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church operates 63 publishing houses worldwide, each operating under its own board of governance. Review and Herald Publishing Association is the successor to the first publishing house, SDA Publishing Association, incorporated in 1861. The Pacific Adventist Publishing Association, established in California, was organized in 1875. It was renamed as the Pacific Press Publishing Association in 1904. A third General Conference-sponsored publishing house, Southern Publishing Association, merged with the Review and Herald Publishing Association in 1980.

General Conference administration asks that church members pray for God’s guidance upon church leaders and publishing house boards so that what is done in this matter will result in the most effective evangelistic print and digital publishing program to proclaim the three angels’ messages, advance God’s work through His power and hasten the second coming of Jesus Christ. From the Adventist News Network

[Tom Wetmore]

Yes.

[Gail]

Yes, I think that would probably be a good idea, too.

[Kevin H]

I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I loved Mrs. White's view that they should be separate so that we could have two different perspectives of Adventism. However in history, the church kept the letter of the law by having the two publishing houses separate, however they destroyed the spirit of the counsel by making the presses clones of each other, so they may as well merge.

[Arwen]

I’m of the opinion of ‘one person, one vote’ and that something like this should be taken to the whole church membership.

(As should female ordination and various other things.)

[Dr. Shane]

I think most people spend more time reading things off the internet than they do reading a book. I love reading and have several books on my Kindle Fire, Guess what. I spend more time on the internet - even on the Kindle Fire - then I do reading the electronic books. My feeling is that our publishing houses are becoming obsolete and will eventually go the way of the typewriter, unless the Lord returns first. Those that want multiple views of Adventism need only come here. How many views of Adventism are expressed on Club Adventist?

God bless.

[getaclew]

Publishing houses have taken a major hit over the last 15 yrs... I worked for 30 years in publishing and with advent of digital publications and the change in printing technologies there have been many mergers of other publishing concerns just to stay alive... So, the key question being asked is about the 2 remaining publishing houses in NA... With the direction evident in the publishing industry as a whole ...merging is the direction that many are going... I would have no problem with the merger ...

[Nan]

It makes sense to me.

[phkrause]

The only problem I have with a merger, is that many will lose there jobs. Look at the desession(sp) of FFT in the '70s to move to California because it was to costly to stay in NY. So they set up a media studio with VOP, IIW, etc., and look how that worked out. From what I understand they have voted to separate? Go back to the way it was? Separate entidies(sp) as before? Not sure! As far as the printing industry is concerned, it definitely has changed, but the there is a deference between commercial printing and our publishing houses. We print specific magazines, Bibles, pamphlets, etc. From what I see we still print the same amount as before! Anyway that's my opinion.

[LifeHiscost]

Yes.

from what little I've heard or know.

God cares!

[Stan]

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE NAD. (similar)

North American Adventist publishing house boards asked to consider merger

Review & Herald, Pacific Press to consider proposals

On Wednesday, June 19, 2013, the General Conference and North American Division administrations forwarded to the boards of Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association a request for the two organizations to consider a merger in the near future.

The proposal comes in response to church administrators’ analysis of the current publishing mission setting along with related distribution systems. It builds upon the work of several commissions and groups that over the past several years have studied the challenges and opportunities arising from rapid technology changes in publishing as well as changes in how society accesses information.

The boards of both institutions met separately Wednesday evening, and each, by overwhelming majority votes, expressed agreement to consider a yet-to-be-developed merger proposal. In addition, each board authorized its chair and president to represent the institution on a taskforce whose assignment will be to develop a detailed merger proposal for future consideration by the boards and constituents.

Ted N. C. Wilson, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, affirmed that “publishing and distributing materials to advance the proclamation of the gospel remains a vital and integral part of the church’s worldwide evangelistic and witnessing program. We believe that restructuring the two General Conference institutions could serve even more effectively the future needs of the church especially, in North America as well as for more general assistance to the world for print and digital content that correlates with information in other media platforms.”

Review and Herald Publishing Association, located in Hagerstown, Maryland, and the Pacific Press Publishing Association, located in Nampa, Idaho, have been operating as General Conference institutions. The two publishing houses serve the General Conference, the global Seventh-day Adventist Church, and, more specifically the North American Division, as they derive the large majority of their operating resources from services to church members and denominational organizations in North America.

The proposal forwarded to the respective boards, through the board chairs, requests not only consideration of a merger of the two institutions but also a transfer of identity for these entities from being General Conference-sponsored institutions to that of being North American Division-sponsored.

The combination of restructuring envisaged in the request placed before the boards therefore involve two principal concepts with the expectation that both would be considered as a package and implemented together. The proposal envisions:

Placing both Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association on the pathway to merger as one publishing house to serve the North American Division territory as well as the needs of the General Conference office.

Restructuring the publishing house governance model from a General Conference-based constituency and board of directors to a North American Division-based constituency and board of directors.

Over the past two years, the North American Division has been developing a comprehensive approach to all forms of media ministry. “The preparation and use of literature by church members, by local church-sponsored witnessing initiatives, and as an adjunct to programs in other media platforms is a prominent component of this strategy,” said Dan Jackson, president of the North American Division. “A publishing house closely linked to church infrastructure and intimately involved with planning, implementation and coordination of witnessing and nurture programs is a key component in accomplishing our mission objectives.”

Neither publishing house receives financial appropriations from the General Conference or from the North American Division. Both publishing houses currently enjoy operating gains. Historically, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has operated several publishing houses in North America. Each must make important decisions regarding its vision for the future and the investment of capital to maintain efficiencies in publishing and printing processes. Such decisions will have far-reaching impact. In light of present surplus manufacturing capacity it is believed advantageous for the two organizations to plan for the future as one unit rather than separately and to be directly connected to a North American Division mission-driven distribution system.

A case statement presented to the two boards outlines a design for a positive, mission-oriented future for the church’s publishing ministry in North America. “It is a strategy in response to 21st century realities,” said Dale Galusha, president of Pacific Press Publishing Association. Mark Thomas, president of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, added, “Commercial and private publishing houses today are finding it necessary to redesign their business plans. We need to be proactive in addressing a rapidly changing publishing environment.”

The next step will be for a taskforce with representation from the General Conference, the North American Division and each publishing house to prepare a blueprint for merger. It is expected that a report from the taskforce would be presented to the boards by late September of this year. Each board will then have the opportunity to determine its response to the merger proposal.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church operates 63 publishing houses worldwide, each operating under its own board of governance. Review and Herald Publishing Association is the successor to the first publishing house, The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, incorporated in 1861. The Pacific Adventist Publishing Association, established in California, was organized in 1875. It was renamed as the Pacific Press Publishing Association in 1904. A third General Conference-sponsored publishing house, Southern Publishing Association, merged with the Review and Herald Publishing Association in 1980.

General Conference administration asks that church members pray for God’s guidance upon church leaders and publishing house boards so that what is done in this matter will result in the most effective evangelistic print and digital publishing program to proclaim the three angels’ messages, advance God’s work through His power and hasten the second coming of Jesus Christ.

[Ema]

I think we should have faith and follow the counsel of Ellen White.

[Stan]

Ema..

I agree, and at the same time wonder if her councel would differ if there was 60+ publishing houses rather than just two or three.

[LifeHiscost]

Ema..

I agree, and at the same time wonder if her councel would differ if there was 60+ publishing houses rather than just two or three.

God cares!

[Tobiwan]

I think we should have faith and follow the counsel of Ellen White.

In reality the counsel was not her own.

During the discussion following 1888 GC

When she submitted her little book titled "Steps to Christ" to be published it was refused. She went to another publisher, It is rather recent that the rights to this book were obtained.

Fewer involved in the process, on the board and such, is not a good idea at all. Look what happened to the banking industry!!!!!!!

I vote NO.

[Gerr]

During the year 1890, much thought had been given by leading men connected with the management of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, to a proposal for the consolidation of the work of the publishing houses under one board of control. The proposed union of the publishing interests was advocated as a means of securing unity, economy, and efficiency. At the same time the hope was expressed that at no distant day all the sanitariums might be brought under one ownership and control. By the same ones who advocated consolidation of the publishing houses and the medical institutions, the theory was advanced that

312

the surest way to establish confidence in the work that Seventh-day Adventists were doing was to strengthen the institutions at headquarters, by providing them with large and substantial buildings and with ample facilities. LS 312.

Everywhere there is a tendency to substitute the work of organizations for individual effort. Human wisdom tends to consolidation, to centralization, to the building up of great churches and institutions. Multitudes leave to institutions and organizations the work of benevolence; they excuse themselves from contact with the world, and their hearts grow cold. They become self-absorbed and unimpressible. Love for God and man dies out of the soul. Christ commits to His followers an individual work,--a work that cannot be done by proxy. Ministry to the sick and the poor, the giving of the gospel to the lost, is not to be left to committees or organized charities. Individual responsibility, individual effort, personal sacrifice, is the requirement of the gospel.--The Ministry of Healing, p. 147. {ChS 10.2}

For more, see Chap. 13 - Evils Resulting from Centralization and Colonization in Publishing Ministry.

I vote "NO".

[Tobiwan]

In this day and age when books can be downloaded and put in an electronic format, and spread over vast distances faster then leaves falling from the fall trees, and translated into major languages, Why not invest in this method instead? Why not advertise on every forum, and paper in the world, that there is a place that has the very good news about a Being that runs His universe the very best way possible. Present the Great controversy concept to the whole world. Present only a few select books Ministry of Healing, Christ's object Lessons, Steps to Christ, Daniel and Revelation (the Bible books ( with little additional comment)) and The Conflict Series, maybe a few more, very few more.

The president should know more about us then just that we made peanut butter.

We are asked to pray the leaders and boards make the right choice while the leaders ignore the counsel given.

I have read, what the individual who gave them to me, called the Loma Linda Papers concerning the establishing a medical school. We could have been a shining light to the whole world about a God that wants us to be in good health. Instead it is noted for transplanting a baboon heart.

Atlantic Union College (presently closed) is waiting for a secular body "The Board of Higher Education of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Mass BHE) has accorded Atlantic Union College the authority to award the degrees of Bachelor of Arts in Theology/Religion and Bachelor of Science in Health Science/Biology." "Accorded ... the authority" WHAT GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!! what a wonderful thing!!!!!! we are so lucky. We really really need more of this good luck.

The New York Conference is unable to attract pastors because we are unable to pay the GC recommended COLA nor the travel adjustment for the travel to the ever larger districts. Some as large as eleven. Districts being covered by the conference officers in addition to the office duties. Churches see the "senior" pastor 4 maybe 6 times a year.

We are in the middle of a lesson book with very good advice from a God who is anxious to come and get us to take us home.

Is voting case sensitive?

If So I VOTE NEGATIVE TO MERGE

Toby in New York