Romanian Publishing House Honored at General Conference Headquarters

During a special meeting at the General Conference Headquarters on Sunday, March 13, 2011 the Romanian Publishing House was honored for its outstanding work. During the last quinquennium - 2005 to 2010 - the Romanian Publishing House increased its sales by about 200%. This brings the publishing house to the top of the Adventist publishing houses’ sales together with the Brazilian Publishing House and Stanborough Press.
Pastor Iacob Pop, publishing house manager since 2005, received the honorary plaque handed to him by the General Conference Executive Secretary GT Ng. The former local church pastor and local conference executive secretary said: “I was very surprised to hear that the merit of our publishing house is valued. It strongly encourages us.”
Romania, with a population of 22 Million, has 68’000 Seventh-day Adventist members. However the total number of people attending the weekly worship services including children is around 100’000. In Europe, Romania is the country with the highest Adventist membership.
The Romanian Publishing House “Viata si sanatate” (Life and Health) has two editorial offices: one for the Romanian, and one for the Hungarian language. 10% of the total members in Romania are Hungarian speaking. The publishing house has more than 300 employees, owns 31 book shops, a literature evangelism network covering the whole country and a printing house with 21 employees.
In 2010 the Romanian Publishing House edited and printed 44 titles. Another 53 titles were re-printed. In addition, they published 7 magazines for church members, as well as 4 monthly magazines, 2 bi-monthly magazines and 1 quarterly magazine for non-members.
Literature evangelism is well organized and continues to grow. There are 203 literature evangelists and they are all employees of the publishing house. Some of them are part-time employees (with 2.4 or 6 hours per day) the others are full time colporteurs. During 2010 their books and magazines sales equaled a value of 1’000’000 USD. Last summer the literature evangelism student program, called “Valdensian Student Program” was started, involving 87 university students. Just a few weeks later, in autumn 2010, another project was started, called “One Year Valdensian Student Program”.
Literature evangelists are creatively working in very different settings: they go from door to door, offer books at booths in supermarkets and public institutions, and after lecturing in institutions, business companies and schools. At its 3rd edition the “Day of Open Doors,” a one-day-selling-action with significant book discounts has continued the line of success of the previous years totaling 115’383 books and brochures sold in just one day.
The newest project the Romanian Publishing House is proud to present is the printing of 86’000 Bibles through the newly established Romanian Bible Society named “House of the Bible.”
The greatest challenge the Romanian Publishing House is now facing is the need for a new building. The township of Bucharest has decided to build a boulevard at the place of the former building, so that building a new facility has become imperative. In faith the leaders are planning and also hoping for a strong support through prayers and more.