World Missionary Press . . . Our Founders
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” —Hebrews 11:1
World Missionary Press celebrates the beginning of our 63rd year. WMP began in the hearts of Watson and Rose Goodman while they were missionaries.
On their wedding day they dedicated themselves to missions. Having died to self and being totally committed to God, they began their 16-year ministry in South Africa. In 1951, they established Gospel Centre Work, a faith ministry, concentrating their efforts mainly on evangelizing the children and youth in neglected black areas.
At home, the Goodmans would clear off their dining room table, place a mimeograph machine on it, and run pages with Scriptures and pictures to color for the 2,000 black children they taught weekly in the five townships surrounding Germiston, South Africa.
Watson and Rose’s printing progressed to a small printing press in their garage. They began printing the 48-page Scripture booklet Help From Above in the Zulu language, stapling the booklets by hand.
Watson’s vision for reaching the world through Scripture booklets distributed free of charge grew in intensity. In 1961 God led them to the U.S. to establish World Missionary Press in Winona Lake, Indiana. A small building was dedicated November 11, 1961.
Watson’s initial three goals for WMP were:
1. To believe God eventually for a million dollars a year.
2. To send out one million Scripture booklets a month free of charge.
3. To print in 300 languages.
God’s provision has far surpassed Watson’s first two goals. Income has risen to about $4 million a year. WMP currently prints 10 million Scripture booklets per month for free distribution in 210 countries and islands. The third goal was reached in January 2000 with the production of language number 300 – Hmong Daw for Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. We are currently printing in more than 350 languages.
In 1970 WMP outgrew its Winona Lake facilities, and due to rezoning was unable to expand on-site. Believing that “disappointments are God’s appointments,” the Goodman’s searched for a new location.
A couple from New Paris, Indiana, who had been driving to Winona Lake to volunteer at World Missionary Press, had been impressed by God not to sell their land in New Paris just yet. When Watson and Rose Goodman approached them about buying the land for WMP’s new headquarters, the couple offered the land at one-fourth of its value, because it was to be used for the Lord’s work.
Rose always remembered her precious black children in South Africa, whom she tearfully but obediently left behind. So in 1991, when given the opportunity, she gladly wrote the illustrated children’s booklet, The Way to God. WMP now prints 19 publications, including topical Scripture booklets, Bible studies, and New Testaments.
Watson and Rose passed the baton when they retired from WMP in 1987 to begin another work, Enterprises For Emmanuel, producing children’s salvation coloring books including He Is Risen!. However, in January of 2000 EFE closed its doors and publication rights were given to World Missionary Press to produce the coloring books. Watson Goodman passed away in January 2002 at the age of 82. Rose Goodman passed away in February 2006 at the age of 86.
On September 14, 2013, WMP’s members and Board of Directors unanimously elected Harold Mack – WMP’s long-time Director of Global Distribution and Director of Information Technology – as president of World Missionary Press, effective immediately. He succeeds Jay Benson, who went to be with the Lord on January 5th, 2013 after serving almost 25 years as WMP president. Vicky (Goodman) Benson, oldest child of Watson and Rose, served as WMP vice president until she went to be with the Lord on Saturday, April 23, 2022.
You can read more about Watson and Rose, including their time as missionaries in South Africa and the founding of World Missionary Press, from Footprints of Faith by clicking one of the following links: English or Spanish.
For 62-plus years Scripture booklet production and free worldwide distribution have continued through dependence on God and the efforts of staff, volunteers, and distributors, just as Watson and Rose Goodman had first envisioned.
the financial resources for WMP to increase production by almost 43% (from the equivalency of 7 million Scripture booklets to 10 million per month), allowing us to fill requests sooner. Given the increased efficiency of high-volume production, we can produce and ship each extra million above our base of 7 million per month at acost of just $30,000!
WMP has shipped one container (76,800 Spanish New Testaments) to help meet this need. Brother Hiske states that they could use more containers, but they can handle only two at this time. A new shipment of Scripture booklets including another 31,500 Spanish New Testaments is in production to be sent to Venezuela as soon as possible. Brother Hiske voiced concern that we cannot know how long the door will be open to import New Testaments. While the world sees the physical needs of the people of Venezuela, we as believers see the urgent need for spiritual food and will work to help meet that need as God provides.
of Guinea.
and Java by evangelists and pastors working with him. In addition, 10,000 copies were given to individuals coming to their office to ask personally for booklets.
“A lot of Arabic material has gone to those who have come to Finland from Syria. Yesterday I delivered booklets to three people when they went to meet with the Arabs in Helsinki. Really great job, and there are about 1,000 who have come to faith and been baptized in Finland.”
Indonesia’s Need: Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous nation, with over 250 million residents. It is also home to more Muslims than any other country on earth. Because WMP is not able to ship Indonesian Scripture materials into the country, we use local printers to produce large quantities of Scripture booklets, Bible studies, and salvation coloring books. Our coordinator is asking for more Indonesian He Is Risen! salvation coloring books, which are in high demand. His current request is to print 25,000 copies as soon as possible, to help meet increased requests from pastors eager to share the coloring books in schools and with village youth. You can help! At 19.6 cents per coloring book, a gift of $19.60 will provide 100 salvation coloring books for the youth of Indonesia. You can sponsor 250 coloring books for only $49! Imagine the eternal impact, as children are reached with the gospel message. Click the “Help Indonesia” button to contribute.
