News Articles

Breath of Life Ministries Empowers Members, Publishes its First Book for Literature Evangelism

September 17, 2019 | Huntsville, Ala. | Christopher Thompson, communication and marketing director, Breath of Life Ministries, and Carl McRoy, director of literature ministries, North American Division

Community member in Miami-area reads a copy of FREE: Revisiting God’s Plan for Oppressed People, which was distributed by local church members.

Carlton P. Byrd, speaker/director of Breath of Life Ministries and senior pastor of Oakwood University Church in Huntsville, Alabama, believes that spiritual health is partially dependent on personal involvement in outreach. One way Byrd encourages members to be active participants in sharing the gospel is through literature distribution. While organizing members to distribute literature isn’t a new concept, for some churches, it is a newly revived practice that generates a lot of enthusiasm.

“Praise God for the spoken word and the sung word, but some will be won by reading the word of God and truth-filled literature. I am a proponent of literature; because when literature goes out, it can go places we can’t go,” said Byrd.

This emphasis birthed Breath of Life’s first sharing book, FREE: Revisiting God’s Plan for Oppressed People, which is co-authored by Byrd and Christopher C. Thompson, communication and marketing director for Breath of Life. The pocket-sized volume points readers to a deliverer who is concerned about the social, economic, and political circumstances that oppress people and suppress the voices of millions in America and around the world.

Released on June 19, FREE has already been distributed to hundreds of people in preparation for the ministry’s public evangelism meetings. Several churches in Miami, Florida have shared the book throughout their neighborhoods, but especially in the city’s Brownsville community.

After receiving a copy and reading several of its pages, one community member said, “Thank you for this. I love this!”

Brownsville is the home of Bethany Seventh-day Adventist Church, which served as the location of the “Breath of Life Summer Revival.” At the end of the revival, Byrd and area pastors baptized 120 people into the Adventist Church.

“It is Breath of Life’s sincere desire that this project will help empower local churches to similarly experience the joy of personal outreach in preparation for public evangelism,” said Byrd. “Jesus isn’t coming anywhere until the gospel goes everywhere.”

Community member in Miami-area reads a copy of FREE: Revisiting God’s Plan for Oppressed People, which was distributed by local church members. Photo courtesy of Breath of Life Ministries — *Community member in the Miami-area reads a copy of* FREE: Revisiting God’s Plan for Oppressed People, which was distributed by local church members. Photo courtesy of Breath of Life Ministries

To the West, the North, the East, and the South: A Report on the Early Mission Work in the North American Division

Kyoshin Ahn, secretary for the North American Division, presented his report during the third day of the 2024 year-end meeting (YEM). The first part of his report was summarized in a separate article. The second part of Ahn’s report was focused on missions within the NAD, in honor of the 150th anniversary of Adventist missions.

Seeing the Mission Field as It Actually Is

Kyoshin Ahn, executive secretary for the North American Division, presented his report to kick off day three of the division’s 2024 year-end meeting. To begin, he read the list of everyone in the departments of the secretariat, thanking the team for their service and their contributions to the report.

Preparing for Pentecost: NAD President G. Alexander Bryant’s 2024 NAD Year-End Meeting Report is a Call to Higher Service

The 2024 North American Division Year-End Meeting began at 1 p.m. on November 1 at the NAD headquarters in Columbia, Maryland, following a two-day administrators’ conference — the first in 10 years — at the same location. One hundred and fifty executive committee members (of 302) gathered for day one of business meetings where, until Monday, November 3, they will receive reports, vote on business items, strategize, and fellowship with fellow Adventist church leaders and friends.

Faith, Determination, and Divine Power

On Nov, 2, 2024, in a powerful sermon in which attendees actively participated with voiced responses and hearty “Amens,” G. Alexander Bryant, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America (NAD), delivered a message of hope, resilience, and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

Sabbath Worship at Year-End Meeting: A Sacred Pause

For attendees at the North American Division (NAD) Year-End Meeting, the Sabbath arrived as a welcome sacred pause, offering divine rest amid the intensive days of church business. All who gathered enjoyed worship, praise, and fellowship through three avenues: Sabbath School, worship service, and afternoon concert.