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Why go through the trouble of establishing print centers when there are already mega publishing houses?

First of all, we do not attempt to diminish the importance of the larger Adventist publishing houses. Our project is to compliment them, and to fill with our strengths where they are weaker.

Here, we would like to take a frank look at centralization and decentralization. Centralization has its advantages, especially when we analyze cost of production. We find it is often cheaper to invest in one big center for many countries than to maintain and operate multiple publishing houses in various places. There is less travel for managers, machines and people can be maintained and managed under one roof.

But we must be very careful not to look only at cost. What if we have a cheap product but it is not accessible to the people? Of what use, then, are all the advantages of centralization?

Based on our experience in Chad, we have found that ordering materials from bigger presses in other countries is a lengthy, complicated, and costly process. When ordering from Europe, for example, we must add additional time for transit by boat. Combine this with time at the port for customs processing, and then transport inland by truck, and it can often be many months before the printed product is finally available. And then when it does arrive, sometimes it has been damaged by water or mistreatment during transport.

The whole process of ordering from another country is complicated and daunting, and not for the faint of heart.

A press without significant competition may be tempted to raise its prices and lower its quality. When there are several options, however, each print center is encouraged to do good-quality work at good prices and in a timely manner.

First, if the centralized printing press is too distant, administrators of the press may be out of touch with the real needs in the field in other countries. Books or other materials may be sent that do not fit the needs or the culture of the people. Their ideas may seem good from their office, but the real needs on the ground may be different than imagined.

Second, the people in their respective countries or fields do not have practical access to the big press when it is in a different country. Imagine with me how an average church member in a village would have access to tracts or Bible study materials if he has to contact somebody in Europe! It simply is not practical and discourages those members who would otherwise do something for the Lord if the opportunity existed.

With the decentralized model, think about a small publishing house in each country, or even in each conference. In this scenario, we assume that each publishing house would need to acquire land, pay for electricity, housing, staff, among other expenses. Compared to a centralized model, this seems inefficient from a financial perspective. To this question, we would present two responses.

First, finances may be managed. Keep in mind that our project is not to establish mega-publishing houses. These big operations require a significant investment of land, building, etc. But a small print shop can be run in a spare room of a house to start with. Even if you decide to build a building, it doesn't have to be big or fancy. Running on solar power can reduce long-term electricity expense (diesel, for example).

Second, we must not focus purely on finances when making our decision. We must analyze all aspects of the work and the advantages and disadvantages. What we may think of as a weakness might actually be a strength. A decentralized plan makes the mini publishing house more accessible to the average member. Different minds running different publishing houses are a strength to each other when working together with a spirit of unity. Collaboration among the print centers is a great strength.

It is easier for the enemy to disrupt a single centralized institution under the control of one person or one committee than to disrupt multiple institutions. When a centralized institution rejects God's principles and stops functioning well or shuts down, it cripples the publishing work for the whole region. While Satan may succeed at bringing one or two down in the decentralized model, he is not likely to get them all if there are multiple ones. See Redundancy

It is not likely that the managers of a mega press in a distant country understand the real needs of the people in the local villages of any given country. Of course, truth never changes. But adapting truth according to age, culture, and education level is important. A tract written for Americans may be really wonderful, but it may not touch a heart deeply in a country in Africa. A decentralized model allows us to produce localized materials to address the real needs where they are.

A small locally situated print shop is well placed to rapidly produce comparatively small quantities on demand. Often, for needs that suddenly arise in the community, there is simply not enough time to make an order from Europe and wait for months to finally get what is needed. By the time the materials arrived, the moment would be past. But with a decentralized model, we can write a tract, edit it, produce it, and distribute it all within the same week, because the print shop is accessible and available.

The Holy Spirit may be working on the heart of a church member to give Bible studies to his neighbor. To his dismay, no Bible study guides are available. What does he do? If the nearest Adventist press is a mega printing press in Europe, he has no practical way of acquiring the studies and both he and his neighbor are at risk for losing interest. With a decentralized model, a small print shop is close to him. Within a short time he has what he needs. He grows in his faith by sharing truth with others. His neighbor discovers truth and gives his life to the Lord. The church grows in numbers because the neighbor is baptized. The church grows in strength because both the older member and the new member are now working to save souls and give studies to their neighbors.

We find much counsel to establish publishing centers in different places and not to depend on one single publishing house to serve a large area. Many of the following statements were made in the context of specific advice to publishing houses in Battle Creek, the Pacific Press, or the Review and Herald. To understand the full implications of these brief excerpts, we encourage you to read their context.

It is God's plan to establish publishing centers in different places. As we strive to follow God's plan, He will make it a success. Notice these statements:

Plants are to be made in many places. First one and then another part of the vineyard is to be entered, until all has been cultivated. 18LtMs, Lt 254, 1903, par. 15The work of publication is to be developed in new lines and carried as it has never yet been carried. PM 147.1

This implies a systematic plan: first one, and then another. When can we rest and say that the work is done? When all has been cultivated! We are a long ways from this yet.

There is much to be done in the way of establishing centers for our work in new fields. Missionary printing offices should be established in many places. In connection with our mission schools there should be facilities for printing and for training workers in this line. Where there are in training persons of various nationalities, speaking different languages, each should learn to print in his own tongue, also to translate into that tongue from the English. And while he is learning English, he should be teaching his language to such English-speaking students as may need to acquire it. Thus some of the foreign-born students might defray the expense of their education, and workers might be prepared to give valuable help in missionary enterprises. PM 196.3

In many cases the publishing work will have to be started on a small scale. It will have to contend with many difficulties and to be carried forward with few facilities. But none should be discouraged because of this. The world's way is to begin its work with pomp and show and boasting, but all will come to nought. God's way is to make the day of small things the beginning of the triumph of truth and righteousness. For this reason none need to be elated by a prosperous beginning or cast down by apparent feebleness. God is to His people riches and fullness and power as they look to the things that are not seen. To follow His direction is to choose the path of safety and true success. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4. PM 196.4

We believe that God will bless small beginnings as we are faithful to Him. Start by faithfully using the little or much that God has given you. As God blesses, the work will grow. Of course, there will always be advice given as to why God's plan is not best, and why it won't work. But God's plan is always best, and it does work. If it fails, it will be perhaps because we were not faithful to accomplish His plan through His strength and depended on our own independent ideas of success.

At times it has been urged that the interests of the cause would be furthered by a consolidation of our publishing houses, bringing them virtually under one management. But this, the Lord has shown, should not be. It is not His plan to centralize power in the hands of a few persons or to bring one institution under the control of another. PM 144.2Enlarge ye; spread ye; yes, but not in one place only. Go out and establish centers of influence in places where nothing, or next to nothing, has been done. Break up your consolidated mass; diffuse the saving beams of light into the darkened corners of the earth. A work similar to that of an eagle stirring up her nest needs to be done. PM 145.2

This enlarging and spreading where nothing has been done is not easy! Pioneer work is hard, but necessary to accomplish God's plan and to finish the work before Jesus returns.

I was in a room where a number were assembled in council. Brother D was presenting the idea that small, local presses were not needful, and were run at great expense. He said that he thought that all our book making should be done by one publishing house, at one place, and thus save expense. PM 145.4There was present One of authority, and after making some inquiries, He said, “These smaller printing offices can be managed in a way that will make them a help to the work of God if sufficient attention is given to them. In the past, great lack of principle has been brought into the management of our book work, and this experience will be repeated unless men's hearts are thoroughly converted, thoroughly changed.” PM 145.5

God has given us repeated warnings to not consolidate too much into one central controlling institution.

Notwithstanding frequent counsels to the contrary, men continued to plan for centralization of power, for the binding of many interests under one control. This work was first started in the Review and Herald office. Things were swayed first one way and then another. It was the enemy of our work who prompted the call for the consolidation of the publishing work under one controlling power in Battle Creek. 8T 216.5
The development of the desire to control has been very marked, and God sent warning after warning, forbidding confederacies and consolidation. He warned us against binding ourselves to fulfill certain agreements that would be presented by men laboring to control the movements of their brethren. 8T 217.2

I was in a room where a number were assembled in council. Brother D was presenting the idea that small, local presses were not needful, and were run at great expense. He said that he thought that all our book making should be done by one publishing house, at one place, and thus save expense. There was present One of authority, and after making some inquiries, He said, “These smaller printing offices can be managed in a way that will make them a help to the work of God if sufficient attention is given to them. In the past, great lack of principle has been brought into the management of our book work, and this experience will be repeated unless men's hearts are thoroughly converted, thoroughly changed.” PM 145

To be completed later…