Drawn by an inspiring lineup of church leaders and special guests, approximately 500 people gathered on Sabbath, Aug. 17, 2024 at Brandt Center at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Pacific Press Publishing Association.
The event — themed "Proclaiming God’s Love for 150 Years" and hosted by Dan Matthews, Adventist media ministry veteran, — highlighted Pacific Press’s rich history and ongoing mission with a program featuring Ted Wilson, General Conference president, G. Alexander Bryant, North American Division president, and Debbie Kling, Nampa mayor, among many other distinguished guests.
“The presence of both General Conference and North American Division presidents showed the importance of Pacific Press and publishing work during the past 150 years and also the importance of this ministry to the life of the world church,” explained Dale Galusha, Pacific Press president.
Attendees enjoyed stirring music from Christian Edition Men’s Chorus, heartfelt video tributes from around the world and special presentations, all commemorating 150 years of spreading the gospel through the printed page. The celebration was an opportunity to reflect on the history of Pacific Press and its impact on the church. It was also an opportunity to look forward to the future of Pacific Press and its continued ministry.
“We’re so thankful for the numerous messages of appreciation from our sister Adventist publishing houses around the world,” Galusha said. “We value the cooperative relationships we have with these institutions. It’s a privilege to serve as one of the church’s leading publishers in fulfilling the mission of the church.”
Established in 1874 by James White in Oakland, California, with a modest manual printing press on his dining room table, Pacific Press has dramatically evolved from that first issue of Signs of the Times. “In those times, the Adventist Church was on the cutting edge of using technology,” said Bryant. “I believe God has called us to be on the cutting edge of using technology today.”
The organization’s devotion to its mission has remained steadfast through all the changes. “My great-grandparents, James and Ellen White, got the presses rolling,” said Charles White, pastor and family representative. “Here we are, 150 years later, celebrating what they started.”
A Legacy of Mission
From its current location on a sprawling 61-acre lakeside campus in Nampa with 102 full-time and more than a dozen part-time employees, Pacific Press operates state-of-the-art technology. Despite technological advances since its humble beginnings, the core mission persists: to glorify Jesus and share the message of salvation and His imminent return. This mission is embodied in the array of books, magazines, sharing materials, music and multimedia resources that Pacific Press produces and distributes.
This year, Pacific Press commemorates 50 years in Idaho and North Pacific Union, having relocated in 1984 from Mountain View, California, to better manage costs. Over its 150-year history, Pacific Press has navigated numerous challenges, including natural disasters, economic fluctuations and pandemic-related supply chain issues. The resilience of its dedicated employees, sound business strategies and unwavering commitment to its spiritual mission have been pivotal to its enduring success.
Review and Herald and Pacific Press approved a massive restructuring of the Adventist Church’s publishing ministry in 2014, consolidating the printing operations of the two massive plants into a single location in Nampa, Idaho. At the same time, Pacific Press transitioned from a General Conference institution to North American Division. This allowed it to focus on serving the North American constituency while still supporting the global Church’s needs through printing services and collaboration with other Adventist publishing houses around the world.
Multilingual Outreach
A significant facet of Pacific Press’s ministry is its multilingual outreach, which continues to grow. Pacific Press publishes materials in many languages and serves as the official Spanish publisher for North American Division. The extensive selection of Spanish-language books and El Centinela, the Spanish counterpart to Signs of the Times, serve this large and growing segment of the Church in North America.
Behind the Scenes
Producing a book is a multistep process. The acquisitions committee convenes periodically to evaluate new manuscripts and book proposals, beginning with a prayer for guidance. Each year, hundreds of manuscripts are submitted, each requiring thorough review.
Post-approval, manuscripts move through several stages: editing, proofreading and final approvals before formatting. Concurrently, the book cover is designed — a collaborative effort involving the title/cover committee and a graphic designer. Once finalized, both the cover and manuscript are prepared for printing.
The printed components are then bound, trimmed and moved to inventory. Meanwhile, the marketing department promotes and publicizes new releases via email, social media, the AdventistBookCenter.com website and various printed catalogs and flyers mailed to customer homes and churches.
Distribution and Delivery
Activity at the loading dock is constant as boxes — and sometimes entire shipping containers — are loaded onto trucks for distribution across the U.S. and around the world. These shipments include Spirit of Prophecy books, Sabbath School materials, union magazines and bulk orders for retail stores, each destined to bring hope and encouragement to recipients.
From producing evangelistic materials and sharing resources for churches to ensuring children’s Sabbath School classes have Our Little Friend, Primary Treasure and Guide magazines, Pacific Press’s unwavering dedication to its mission is evident in all it does.
Pondering the work of the publishing pioneers, Bryant wondered, “What if we were them? What sacrificial measures would we employ to reach the world with the present truth using the tools we have now? They would use everything, and God has called us to use everything. What if we were them?”
This enduring commitment to spreading the gospel has sustained Pacific Press for 150 years, and it continues to shine brightly in its service to God’s work.
To watch the 150th anniversary program, visit youtube.com/@PacificPressPubAssn/videos. The four-hour program is divided into 25+ chapters, making it easy to skip between presenters.
Christian Edition men's chorus
G. Alexander Bryant, North American Division president
George Knight, Adventist church historian
Dale Galusha, Pacific Press Publishing Association president, and Ted Wilson, General Conference president
