Langham Literature Meets to Plan for Needs in Latin America
by Dave Hoffman
meet in the Miami hotel lobby
In December of 2007, I had the opportunity to participate in four days of planning in Miami, Fla., for the Langham Literature program in Latin America. The first two days were dedicated to the Latin American Regional Council executive committee, followed by a literature consultation that included the following people from JSM-Langham: Pieter Kwant, International Director of Literature; Windon Gibbs, the new Langham Distribution Director; and Brad Palmer, Langham Literature Program Manager. Also participating in this consultation were literary agents from Costa Rica, Argentina and Honduras, as well as Ian Darke, representing the Regional Council for Langham Partnership Latin America and Letra Viva.
The main objectives of this consultation were to: 1) chart the way forward for implementing Langham Literature’s Spanish Program in Latin America and particularly to establish the processes needed to implement the Library Grants Program (Biblioteca Theologica Regalom—BTR), 2) explore the Additional Books Program feasibility, and 3) update the Student Basic Library (Biblioteca Clava Estudiente—BCE). In addition, the group worked through some decisions on warehousing literature and the identification of literary agents. Despite this aggressive agenda and the few language barriers, we were able to address each of these items in a very collegial manner.
First on the agenda was the Library Grants Program. The group agreed unanimously that this program was very strategic to the seminaries and theological libraries in Latin America. The new literature catalog for Latin America will be used as the cornerstone of this program and will be finalized for the Exploit in Miami this coming May. From this catalog each institution will be able to receive $200 of free books through literary agents in each country.
After much discussion on the Additional Books Program, the consensus was that it needed further exploration and that Beatriz Buono, literary agent in Argentina, would oversee a two-year pilot program.
The Basic Student Library was the next item on the agenda, with good discussion on what was needed, what was available and how the distribution of these books could best be implemented. In the end, the group developed two lists: a basic list of books that all pastors should have in their libraries and a list of books that should be made available through the preaching seminars in Latin America. JSM-Langham agreed to explore the expansion of its books that are warehoused in Miami so that these lists of books could carry the discounts needed to ensure pastors could afford them.
Lastly, the group worked through the names of literary agents country by country and established agents for Argentina, Bolivia, Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. Agents for other Latin American countries will be explored so that these programs can continue to expand.
Partners with Letra Viva
Letra Viva has been a very strategic partner in making our literature programs successful in this part of the world. Ian Darke, Letra Viva coordinator in Costa Rica and the newly appointed Literature Coordinator for Langham Partnership Latin America, has been extremely helpful in coordinating with publishers and seminaries in the region to determine what books not only should be included in the catalog and Student Basic Library, but also determining what books Langham Creative should be working to find authors to write.
Ian Darke’s newsletter recently reported the following:
For several years Letra Viva has been working closely with Langham Partnership International (LPI) in programmes to reach Seminaries and Bible Colleges with theological books. In the last few months this relation has become much closer, and Ian is a member of the LPI Latin America group. We started with book programmes in five pilot countries: from 2006 we are steadily growing, through expert book agents in each country. One major project is the development of a theological Book Catalogue in Spanish. This will include good Spanish language theological books, available now, with bibliographic details, and details of a special discount for Bible Colleges. Now I know it sounds easy to produce this, but I can assure you that hundreds of man-hours are involved. Apart from getting the information, checking the book is worthwhile, someone has to negotiate with the publisher, and also work out how the book can be obtained. Do pray for these projects. Praise the Lord for the excellent people in LPI.
I was able to visit the Letra Viva warehouse in Miami and see firsthand how our warehousing and distribution is set up. In the future, we hope to expand this operation to warehouse all of the books on the Student Basic Library and that are needed for preaching seminars. What a vital partnership this is!
Overall, the Langham Literature consultation conducted a rewarding and productive session. It was amazing—knowing how difficult it is to assemble the leaders of these worldwide organizations in one place and time—how much progress and organization can happen in a less than a week. With God’s guidance, Langham Literature is motivated expand with aggression its presence and impact in the Latin American region, in order to equip and support area pastors with the resources vital to their important work.