Headquarters Office Publication Ministry: Roots

Headquarters Office Publication Ministry

One of the most effective phases of evangelistic work carried on by the Apostolic Faith Church since its inception has been printing and distributing Christian literature. Over the years, hundreds of millions of copies of Gospel papers and tracts have been distributed free of charge from this organization to people all over the world.

In the teeming cities of India, in tribal villages of Africa, in remote settlements of Myanmar, up in the northlands of Labrador and Scandinavia, and in distant places where it would be difficult for missionaries to go, the literature has led souls to the Savior. It also has been instrumental in establishing church congregations around the world.

In distant places where it would be difficult for missionaries to go, Gospel literature has led souls to the Savior.

Roots of the Publication Ministry

The publishing ministry of the Apostolic Faith work had a humble but significant beginning. In the city of Los Angeles, soon after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in 1906, the Azusa Street leaders made the decision to print a newspaper to inform people about the Latter Rain outpouring. Without mention to the public of the much-needed finances, and with no funds to launch a publication work, Florence Crawford and other Christian workers at the revival’s epicenter went to prayer and asked God to send the means. Though entirely unsolicited, contributions began coming in through the mail, and soon the production of the paper was underway.

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In one upstairs corner of the old church building at Azusa Street, space was made for an office. Boxes were used for chairs, and boards across boxes became worktables. Equipment consisted of one old typewriter and a mimeograph machine. It was a red­-letter day for those early workers when, in September of 1906, five thousand copies of the first Apos­tolic Faith paper were ready for distribution.

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A quotation in that first paper read: “We earnestly invoke God to manage the publication of this sheet [paper] . . . We wish no human writer to receive any honor, but that it might all be done to the glory of God, that it may voice the power and presence of the Almighty God who is moving on the people in Los Angeles and all over the world.”