The Power of the Printed Page

An Amazing Fact: The world’s earliest-known printed document is the “Diamond Sutra.” It was printed in ad 868 by the Chinese, who had invented mechanical woodblock printing. The end of the document states that it was created “for universal free distribution.” Ironically, China’s government today restricts freedom of the press and even defies its own freedom of information laws. It now ranks near the bottom—177 out of 180—of nations on the Press Freedom Index.

“Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it” (Exodus 17:14).


Nick opened his mailbox and pulled out a stack of envelopes. A larger envelope with familiar handwriting caught his eye. “What could my brother be sending me?”

Since the rise of digital media, countless people have proclaimed that the printed page is dead. But for thousands of souls like Nick, nothing could be further from the truth!


Living on the Dark Side

Nick grew up in a secular home in California. He joined the army at 18 and spent several years serving in the Middle East. Whenever he was off duty, he lived according to the creed of “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll.”

When he returned to the States, Nick attempted to reform his wild ways. He married, had two children, and began attending a Baptist church. But then: “I met another woman,” Nick writes, “and divorced my wife. I returned to the dark side.”

After several more years, Nick crossed paths with his younger brother, who had become a Sabbath-keeper. He invited Nick to his church, where the pastor gave a powerful altar call. The Holy Spirit moved on Nick’s heart, and he went forward. The following three years, Nick learned a lot about God and the Bible. He even married his girlfriend and had two more children.

Unfortunately, Nick slipped into old habits again. This time, it was his wife who filed for divorce. “I was a wreck,” he writes. To dull the pain of losing his family, he partied harder than ever before.


The Envelope in the Mailbox

Eventually, Nick married again, a woman with four children. Five years later, however, his wife passed away due to diabetes. Still, Nick was determined to take care of his stepchildren.

As he began living for others, Nick felt a tug in his heart. “I reawakened to the gospel,” he writes. Nick started to pray, read his Bible, and think about how he was treating the Sabbath. He also began to talk with his brother again.

That’s when his brother’s envelope arrived in the mailbox.

Inside was a green pamphlet emblazoned with the title “Are the Dead Really Dead?” A number in the corner indicated the guide was part of a series. As Nick flipped through the lesson, he felt he’d seen it before. “I’ve forgotten so much,” he thought.

When Nick finished reading the lesson, he looked up the publisher’s website. Sure enough, an entire series of Amazing Facts Study Guides was available! He even enrolled in our Bible School course. By the time he graduated, he was hooked on God’s truth. He began reading as many Amazing Facts books and magazines as he could—and through them, he found a new lease on life.


Expanding the Light of Truth

Did you know that 40 percent of Americans will only read printed books? In fact, printed resources are flying off the shelves at the Amazing Facts warehouse. Every workday, our publishing team ships thousands of Bible lessons, evangelistic booklets, sharing magazines, and more to spiritually starving people.

Many countries already block access to spiritual information on the internet. In the USA, organizations are seeking to control Bible truth on the airwaves. Someday soon, printed materials will be our only way to share truth.


Friend, my printed Bible will never shut down due to low batteries! And my paper Bible lessons and witnessing materials will never get infected by a computer virus, crash, or be flagged by a search engine as being “too offensive.”

Now is the time to advance our printing gospel work.

But the printing industry—which is valued at $77 billion—has changed forever. Supply shortages and inflation have exploded the price of paper; the cost of printing and mailing has also gone through the roof. And due to bottlenecks, wait times at printers are longer than they have ever been. Precious time to save souls is being lost.

That’s why Amazing Facts is working hard to turn this crisis into an opportunity by bringing a significant portion of our print outreach projects in-house. The cost to kickstart this new venture is $330,000. That seems like a lot, but by purchasing new equipment, we will have the ability to print, cut, laminate, bind, saddle stitch, and ship books more efficiently and dependably—for much less money and in much less time. This will empower us to print on demand and reduce the need for costly warehouse storage.


Printing and Proclaiming Truth

It’s time to “turn a new page” in witnessing. When you support the evangelistic publishing ministry of Amazing Facts with a gift today, you place resources into the hands of seekers and lead them to Jesus.

Did you know that your caring gift of $25 will provide 22 Bible lessons, just like the life-changing Study Guide that Nick received? A generous gift of $100 will send 87 truth-filled sharing magazines to searching hearts. And a “leaves-of-autumn-sized gift” of $1,200 will open the eyes of almost 600 people to God’s end-time truth.

Today, Nick attends a Sabbath-keeping church; he volunteers during its services—and at a local food bank. He writes with gladness, “The good part of my story is the last half, when I get to expound on the grace of God.” Will you please join me in printing and sharing more Bible materials and creating more stories with the best endings?

Publishing truth for God’s glory,

Pastor Doug Batchelor

President, Amazing Facts International

Amazing Facts is a non-profit, donor-supported ministry.
We greatly appreciate your prayers and financial support.
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