Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

05 Jul

ADVENTIST SECRETARY’S REPORT EMPHASIZES GLOBAL MISSION AMID RISING SECULARIZATION

Lauren Davis and Debra Banks Cuadro – St. Louis, Missouri … The Secretary’s Report presented at the 62nd General Conference (GC) Session on July 4, 2025, highlighted a renewed focus on global mission, even as data revealed a slight decline in church membership driven by rising secularization in society.

“In every corner of the world, we are integrated by one purpose,” said Erton Köhler, secretary of the GC. “To bring hope, healing, and a message of love to all nations.”

Before the report began, he clarified that the secretariat department focuses on re-strategizing and overseeing the church’s outreach mission to the challenging regions of the world.

Global Statistics—Where Does the Seventh-day Adventist Church Stand?

The report began with David Trim, director of the Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research (ASTR) at the GC presenting data on church growth over the past 15 years.

At the end of 2015, global membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church stood at 16.92 million. By the close of 2024, that number had risen to 23.684 million, representing an overall increase of 40 percent.

A key driver of this growth was a record-breaking accession rate between 2023 and 2024. The accession rate reflects new members joining the church through baptisms, professions of faith, and adjustments during membership reviews.

While these numbers are encouraging, Trim emphasized that true church growth considers both accessions and losses. Over the past five years, the church has also experienced record levels of membership loss.

Since 1965, a total of 47,005,367 individuals have joined the global church. However, during the same period, 20,290,098 members have left. This results in a net-loss rate of 43.17 percent—meaning that more than four out of every 10 members have left the church.

Despite this, the data reveals that all regions of the global church continue to experience positive growth. Particular attention was given to the South Pacific Division, which demonstrated the highest member-to-accession ratio, with approximately one Seventh-day Adventist for every four individuals in the population.

Trim concluded his report by reminding delegates that while sharing the gospel may be easier in some regions than others, the church’s global mission must remain its central focus.

Global Mission—Church Planting

The focus on mission transitioned naturally to the next section of the report: Global Mission, presented by GC associate secretary Gary Krause.

At its core, Global Mission is a mandate to plant new groups of believers. Since the Indianapolis GC Session in 1990, 70,000 new churches have been established, and since the 2022 GC Session, 10,000 churches have been established.

The frontline workers in this effort are known as Global Mission Pioneers. With basic training, they follow Jesus’ method of ministry, with their efforts being highlighted in a video featuring workers from Nepal, Indonesia, Armenia, and Costa Rica, expressing joy in the work God has set out for them to do.

“Since the last GC Session, on average, we’ve sent out a global mission pioneer church planting team every two days,” Krause said.

In 2024, a record was set in church planting, with a new church being established every 2.8 hours.

Krause concluded with a video featuring Global Mission director Chanmin Chung, who shared that since 2022, six global mission centers have trained thousands of pastors, leaders, and church members to plant churches around the world.

Global Mission—Three Windows, One Mission

Before transitioning to the next portion of the Global Mission, Köhler came to the stage to highlight two main premises for the mission refocus emphasized in this report.

A shift in budget allocation to prioritize funding for frontline mission outreach positions, such as Global Mission Pioneers.
A call for all church organizations to actively sponsor and send missionaries to the world’s most challenging areas.

These challenging regions, known as windows, are where the global mission is refocusing its resources. The three windows are:

10/40 Window: A region between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans encompassing 68 countries and 5.4 billion people. A staggering 66 percent of the world’s population is represented in this region, and despite the high numbers, only 12 percent of that population is Seventh-day Adventists. This region is also the birthplace of three major world religions: Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, creating unique challenges for Christians living in this region.
Post-Christian Window: A region with a population of 1.2 billion people and formed by countries in the Western world that are rapidly moving away from Christian values and toward secularization and materialism.
Urban Window: This represents large metropolitan cities throughout the world. As an example of why cities are being promoted as an area of mission focus, Köhler highlighted the city of Delhi having a population of just under 35 million residents. Of that population, there are only 3,808 Seventh-day Adventists.

Six global mission centers help the church reach people more effectively in the global mission windows. A video report featuring Chung shared that since the last GC Session in 2022, these centers have trained thousands of pastors, leaders, and church members to help plant churches around the globe.

After outlining the different approaches, Köhler reminded delegates that the world church is a global movement and that members and regions must work together to reach these challenging areas.

“We are not here to compete with each other but to complement each other, and the global mission gives us that opportunity,” Köhler said.

Honoring Servants of God

At the beginning of the report, Köhler gave special recognition to the longest-serving secretary in Adventist Church history, the late Ralph Thompson.

At the end, a special moment of recognition was given to the late former director for the GC Global Mission Centers, Kleyton Feitosa. He was represented by his wife, Delma, and two sons, who joined Köhler on the stage. They received a standing ovation from delegates in honor of Feitosa’s life and service in ministry.

The delegates approved the secretary’s report by vote.

For more coverage of the 2025 General Conference Session, including live updates, interviews, and delegate stories, visit adventist.news and follow ANN on social media.

—Lauren Davis and Debra Banks Cuadro write for Adventist News Network (ANN). Republished with permission from ANN GC Session July 4, 2025, article. Photo by Tor Tjeransen.

hLB1751685319383 — David Trim, director of Adventist Archives, Statistics, and Research, presents data on the church's recent growth. Photo: Tor Tjeransen/Adventist Media Exchange (CC BY 4.0)

YwC1751685349355 — Gary Krause, GC associate secretary, speaks during the secretary report in St. Louis, Missouri. Photo: Elsie Tjeransen/Adventist Media Exchange (CC BY 4.0)

Qro1751671713581 — Late former director for the GC Global Mission Centers, Kleyton Feitosa. Photo: Caleb Haakenson & Tor Tjeransen

05 Jul

ADVENTIST SPEAKER MARK FINLEY ENCOURAGES TOTAL MEMBER INVOLVEMENT

Lauren Davis – St. Louis, Missouri … The first official evening worship of the 62^nd General Conference (GC) Session began on July 4, 2025, with a focus on Total Member Involvement by Mark Finley, assistant to the GC president.

“You may not be able to change the world, but you can make a difference for God in your world,” Finley said.

Total Member Involvement, or TMI, is a Seventh-day Adventist initiative that calls upon every member to participate in disciple-making and evangelism.

Finley utilized various names found through the Bible, including Phillip, Peter, Mary, and the Samaritan woman, to reinforce to delegates that anyone can be used by God.

“God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things,” Finley said.

He finished by urging delegates, attendees, and remote listeners to go out into the world for Jesus.

Following Finley’s devotion, a short presentation on Total Member Involvement was shared.

Evening worship will take place each night of during GC Session at 7:00 p.m. (CST). Beginning Saturday (Sabbath), July 5, evening worship will be hosted by Hope Channel International and will feature Stories of Hope, firsthand accounts of lives changed by the gospel.

For more coverage of the 2025 General Conference Session, including live updates, interviews, and delegate stories, visit adventist.news and follow ANN on social media.

—Angelica Sanchez writes for Adventist News Network (ANN). Republished with permission from ANN GC Session July 4, 2025, article. Photo by Tor Tjeransen.

05 Jul

RECAP: THE FIRST FULL DAY OF THE 2025 GC SESSION

Angelica Sanchez – St. Louis, Missouri … On July 4, 2025, the first full day of the 62nd General Conference (GC) Session brought significant developments, including the election of a new GC president, updates on global mission progress, and a comprehensive financial report on the church’s operations over the past five years.

Erton Köhler Elected as New GC President

GC secretary Erton C. Köhler was elected president of the GC during the afternoon business session on July 4. Köhler’s election marks the beginning of his first term as leader of a global movement that spans more than 200 countries and includes more than 23 million members.

Why it matters: The GC president plays a vital role in shaping the church’s strategic vision, encouraging global mission, and uniting church regions around shared goals.

Driving the news: Köhler’s nomination came through prayerful deliberation by the Nominating Committee and was confirmed by delegates during the session at the Dome in America’s Center.

Of note: Köhler previously served as GC secretary, where he led the launch of the Mission Refocus initiative, an effort to prioritize frontline mission efforts in hard-to-reach areas through global collaboration and accountability. He is expected to continue advancing this mission-driven approach in his new role.

Go deeper: Read about Köhler’s election here.

Secretary’s Report Highlights Growth and Mission Challenges

Earlier in the day, Köhler, still acting as GC secretary, presented the Secretary’s Report to delegates.

Why it matters: The report offers insight into church growth, retention, and global mission trends, critical for shaping future evangelism strategy.

Driving the news: According to data from David Trim, director of GC Archives, Statistics, and Research, global membership rose from 16.92 million in 2015 to 23.68 million by the end of 2024—a 40-percent increase. However, membership losses remain high, with a net-loss rate of 43.17 percent since 1965.

The report also emphasized church planting, with more than 10,000 new churches established since the last GC Session, at a record pace of one new church every 2.8 hours.

Additionally: Köhler introduced the mission focus areas, emphasizing outreach in the 10/40 Window, the Post-Christian West, and major urban centers.

“In every corner of the world, we are integrated by one purpose: to bring hope, healing, and a message of love to all nations,” Köhler said.

Go deeper: Read the full Secretary’s Report here.

GC Treasurer’s Report Stresses Mission-centered Stewardship

Paul Douglas, GC treasurer, delivered the Treasurer’s Report with the message: financial stewardship must serve mission.

Why it matters: The report provides an overview of tithe, offerings, and allocation of resources, underscoring accountability and transparency.

Driving the news: Over the past five years, tithe totaled $14 billion, a 16-percent increase, while offerings rose 17 percent.

Of note: The Mission Impact Fund, a global initiative that provides funding to local churches for projects aligned with the Adventist Church’s I Will Go Strategic Plan, has helped reach 12,000 people since its launch and has inspired one million baptisms through evangelism projects.

Go deeper: Watch the full Treasurer’s Report here.

Immunization Statement Clarified

Former GC president Ted N. C. Wilson issued a corrective statement on the morning of July 4, clarifying remarks made the day before regarding the church’s 2015 immunization statement.

Why it matters: The clarification addressed a discrepancy between the official posted version of the statement and the one actually voted by the GC Administrative Committee (ADCOM) in 2015.

Driving the news: Wilson informed delegates that the correct version of the statement had been inaccurately represented on the Adventist church website for nearly a decade. The proper version was read and has since been updated.

Of note: A motion to reconsider discussion of the statement was brought to the floor but voted down by a large margin.

Go deeper: Watch Wilson’s statement here, beginning at 1:39:34.

For more coverage of the 2025 General Conference Session, including live updates, interviews, and delegate stories, visit adventist.news and follow ANN on social media.

—Angelica Sanchez writes for Adventist News Network (ANN). Republished with permission from ANN GC Session July 5, 2025, article. Photo by Nikolay Stoykov.

04 Jul

ERTON C. KÖHLER ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST WORLD CHURCH

ANN – St. Louis, Missouri … Erton C. Köhler was elected to the office of the president of the General Conference (GC) on July 4, 2025, during the 62^nd GC Session in St. Louis, Missouri.

Köhler’s election marks the beginning of his first term as the spiritual and administrative leader of a worldwide movement that spans more than 200 countries and includes more than 23 million members.

“Before any other word, I’d like to tell you that I move forward renewed in my confidence in the Lord and in the church,” Köhler said.

The nomination came to the floor after prayerful deliberation by the Nominating Committee, composed of delegates from each of the church’s global divisions and attached fields. The committee’s recommendation was then presented to the delegates in attendance, who voted to confirm Köhler’s nomination during the business session at the Dome in America’s Center.

Mobilizing the Church for the Unreached

Since his election to the position of GC secretary during the 2021 Spring Meeting held at the church headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, Köhler has championed a bold and prophetic call for the global church to refocus its mission. Under his leadership, the church launched the Mission Refocus initiative.

“Mission Refocus is a project … an initiative, a movement,” Köhler said. “But more than everything, Mission Refocus is a call for integration.”

Through Mission Refocus, Köhler has led the Adventist Church in identifying and adopting 30 high-priority mission areas, including ten countries, ten major urban centers, and ten unreached people groups from the 10/40 Window, urban regions, and secular territories. In his vision, every church entity, regardless of size or location, is invited to participate in a global culture of collaboration, service, and mission accountability.

With his new role as GC president, Köhler is expected to continue advancing this mission-driven framework, mobilizing members to become disciple-makers, aligning church operations with frontline ministry, and strengthening the church’s prophetic voice in a rapidly changing world.

A Life Anchored in Ministry

Born in southern Brazil, Köhler grew up with a desire to follow in the footsteps of his father, who served as an Adventist pastor. He completed a bachelor’s degree in theology at the Adventist Teaching Institute (now Brazilian Adventist University) in 1989 and graduated from the same school in 2008 with a master’s degree in pastoral theology. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree from Andrews University.

From 1990 to 1994, Köhler served as a local church pastor in São Paulo. He was then elected Youth Ministries director of the Rio Grande do Sul Conference in 1995, and in 1998 became the Youth Ministries director of the Northeast Brazil Union. In July 2002, Köhler returned to the Rio Grande do Sul Conference to serve as conference secretary. The following year he was elected Youth Ministries director for the eight countries comprising the South American Division (SAD). After serving for four years as youth director, he became the SAD president in 2007.

In April 2021, Köhler was elected as GC secretary, one of the three executive officers of the church. In this role, he advised the Office of Adventist Mission, the Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research, and the Institute of World Mission. His office was responsible for preparing agenda items for major business meetings and committees, recording meeting minutes, and coordinating the development and review of church working policy and the Church Manual.

Köhler is married to Adriene Marques, a nurse, and the couple has two children. Together, they have been actively involved in ministry, supporting and serving alongside each other as they visit members around the world.

The Role of the GC President

As GC President, Köhler serves as the administrative leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, helping to shape strategic vision, provide doctrinal clarity, and unify diverse regions around shared mission. He chairs the GC Executive Committee, several boards, and collaborates closely with regional leadership, representing the church at major international events.

The president also plays a key role in encouraging global mission initiatives, ensuring the consistency of Adventist teaching, and strengthening the church’s education, health, and media institutions.

About the Seventh-day Adventist Church

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been a global Protestant denomination since 1863, with over 23 million members worldwide. The church holds the Bible as its ultimate authority and seeks to help people find freedom, healing, and hope in Jesus.

For more coverage of the 2025 General Conference Session, including live updates, interviews, and delegate stories, visit adventist.news and follow ANN on social media.

—Adventist News Network (ANN). Republished with permission from ANN GC Session July 4, 2025, article. Photos by Tor Tjeransen.

04 Jul

GENERAL CONFERENCE PRESIDENT TED WILSON ISSUES CORRECTIVE STATEMENT ON IMMUNIZATION REMARKS

Lauren Davis – St. Louis, Missouri … General Conference president Ted Wilson issued a corrective statement on Thursday, July 4, 2025, clarifying remarks he made to delegates the day before, when he read from a 2015 General Conference Administrative Committee (ADCOM) statement about immunization.

Following Wilson’s speech on July 3, church officers were made aware that the immunization statement posted on the official Seventh-day Adventist Church website for the past 10 years was not the version actually voted in 2015.

In his speech on July 3, Wilson had read directly from the 2015 immunization statement voted by ADCOM, following a motion to add a review of the statement to the 2025 GC Session agenda.

Here is the wording of the correct, voted statement shown to delegates and updated on the church’s website:

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church places strong emphasis on health and well-being. The Adventist health emphasis is based on the Bible, the inspired writings of church co-founder Ellen G. White, and is informed by peer-reviewed scientific health literature. As such, we encourage responsible immunization/vaccination, and have no religious or faith-based reason not to encourage our adherents to responsibly participate in protective and preventive immunization programs. We value the health and safety of the population, which includes the maintenance of what is known as “herd immunity.”

“We are not the conscience of the individual church member, and we recognize individual choices. These choices are exercised by the individual. Refusal of immunization is not and should not be seen as a teaching nor a doctrine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.”

“I hope no one anywhere around this globe will bring up again that the Seventh-day Adventist Church does not place the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy as the highest level of authority,” Wilson said.

Watch the 2025 GC Session live on ANN’s YouTube channel and follow ANN on X for live updates. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.

—Lauren Davis writes for Adventist News Network (ANN). Republished with permission from ANN GC Session July 4, 2025, article. Photo by Nikolay Stoykov.

03 Jul

DELEGATES VOTE AGAINST AMENDMENT TO DISCUSS 2015 STATEMENT ON IMMUNIZATION

Lauren Davis – St. Louis, Missouri … During the afternoon business session on July 3, 2025, at the 2025 General Conference (GC) Session in St. Louis, Missouri, a delegate made a motion to add to the agenda a review and discussion relating to the GC’s 2015 statement on immunization. The delegates voted against the motion.

The motion, brought by delegate Yuliyan Filipov from the North American Division’s Ohio Conference, read:

“To add to the agenda a review and discussion of the 2015 General Conference Administrative Committee statement on immunization, specifically its claim about peer-reviewed scientific literature in addition to the Bible and writings of Ellen G. White.”

Filipov shared his concern that the church was pivoting toward human tradition over biblical doctrine.

Business meeting chair and general vice president Artur Stele clarified that Filipov’s motion was suggesting an amendment to the original motion on the floor to adopt the session agenda as originally presented.

GC delegate-at-large Amireh Al-Haddad, the director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the North American Division’s Southern Union, drew from her years of experience working in the immunization field, noting that a vaccine accommodation has never been refused, regardless of the church’s statements on immunization.

“We have not turned our backs on any sincere religious objection. We continue to help people we disagree with because religious liberty gives you the right to hold a different personal belief,” Al-Haddad said.

Another delegate expressed a different concern that considering the amendment would require more research and preparation.

“I speak against accepting the amendment because the issue would need to be studied very thoroughly before placing it on the agenda,” said Niklas Rantanen from the Trans-European Division’s Finland Union of Churches Conference.

In April 2015, the GC Administrative Committee voted a statement affirming the responsible use of vaccines as a public health measure. This position was reinforced on October 25, 2021, amid the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. While the statement encourages vaccination, it emphasizes that the final decision rests with the individual.

Before voting began, GC president Ted Wilson addressed delegates, cautioning against misinformation within the church.

“My brothers and sisters, I would urge you not to get involved in conspiracy approaches,” Wilson said. “Suggesting that the GC and the world church is receiving instructions and is under the thumb of the United Nations is a complete fallacy.”

This amendment was voted down 310 to 1,662.

The document, dated October 25, 2021, was written collaboratively by the GC administration, the Biblical Research Institute, Adventist Health Ministries, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty department, GC Office of General Counsel, and Loma Linda University Health.

For more information about the 2025 General Conference session, visit http://www.gcsession.org. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.

—Lauren Davis writes for Adventist News Network (ANN). Republished with permission from ANN GC Session July 3, 2025, article. Photo by Jim Botha.

01 Jul

HOW YOUR VOICE IS REPRESENTED AT THE GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION

Hugh Davis – Lincoln, Nebraska … Every five years, Seventh-day Adventists from all over the world gather for a special event called the General Conference Session. It’s a time for worship, fellowship, and decision-making. The choices made at this meeting help shape the direction of the church for years to come. Naturally, many members want to know how they can be involved.

In the Mid-America Union, we often receive letters asking who the delegates are or how to add something to the agenda. These are good questions! This article will help you understand how delegates are chosen, how the agenda is set, and how church members can be part of the process in an effective way.

WHAT IS THE GC SESSION?

The General Conference Session is the highest decision-making meeting in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Delegates from around the world gather to elect church leaders, vote on changes to the Church Manual and constitution, discuss fundamental beliefs, and hear reports on the work of the church.

Usually held every five years, the most recent GC Session was delayed due to COVID-19. It was scheduled for 2020 but took place in June 2022 instead. The next session will be in July 3-12, 2025, in St. Louis, Missouri.

WHO SERVES AS DELEGATES?

Each world division is given a certain number of delegates to send to the General Conference Session. That number is based on membership size, so larger divisions and unions are given more spots to fill. The goal is to ensure fair and balanced representation across the global church.

The Mid-America Union Conference receives its number of delegates based on how many church members are in our territory. For the 2025 Session, we have been assigned 16 delegate spots.

Delegates must include both church employees (like pastors and administrators) and laypeople (church members who are not employed by the church). The North American Division ensures diversity by providing each Union with specific criteria designed to obtain the desired diversity.

To fill these spots, the Mid-America Union does not select the delegates independently. Instead, we work closely with our local conferences, who supply names of individuals they recommend. From these names, a balanced group is formed and then submitted to the General Conference for final approval.

The delegates from the Mid-America Union who will be serving in 2025 will be:

3 Union Officers
6 Conference Presidents
4 Lay Members
1 Pastor
1 Educator
1 Departmental Director

The agenda for the GC Session was voted by the delegates to the fall council back in October of 2024.

HOW TO SHARE IDEAS FOR FUTURE GC SESSIONS

If you have a suggestion or concern you believe should be considered by the global church, here’s how the process works:

Start at the local level. Talk to your pastor or church board. If they agree with your proposal, they can pass it along to your local conference.
The conference reviews the idea and can forward it to the union’s executive committee.
The union may send it to the North American Division or the General Conference for consideration during Annual Council.

This step-by-step system ensures that every idea is fairly reviewed and supported before being added to a future GC Session agenda.

LET’S SUPPORT THE PROCESS TOGETHER

While it may be too late to influence the 2025 agenda, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has a representative system designed to include the voice of members at all levels. You can still make a difference by being active in your local church, staying informed, and using the correct channels to share your ideas.

BE ENCOURAGED—YOUR VOICE MATTERS

If you have questions about the GC Session or how to share ideas, feel free to contact the Mid-America Union Conference office. We’re here to help—and we want your voice to be heard through the established channels.

Please pray for our delegates from the Mid-America Union as they prepare to represent us in St. Louis. They carry a big responsibility, and your support makes a difference.

To learn more about the General Conference Session, please visit their website.

You can watch the GC Session live from their website or on YouTube through the Adventist News Network.

—Hugh Davis is the Mid-America Union Conference Communication director. Republished with permission from OUTLOOK Adventist News June 30, 2025, article. Photo by Pieter Damsteegt, North American Division.

30 Jun

OPINION: IS THE GC SESSION WE HOLD EVERY FIVE YEARS WORTH THE TIME AND MONEY?

By Gary Thurber

I get asked that question quite often, especially in the weeks before the session is scheduled to begin. People start to calculate in their heads the cost of so many making their way from around the world to St. Louis for the 10-day event. Then they begin to add up all the costs of the exhibitors, the facility costs, production costs … and the number gets big. Some begin to think, “There has got to be a better way to use those funds!”

First, let me tell you the church spends an average of about a dime per member per year on General Conference (GC) Session costs. That’s 50 cents per member every five years for us to come together. Of course, when you have over 20 million members, that too is a big number. So, what happens at the GC Session that makes all the costs and work that goes into it worth it?

There are many reasons one could list, but I will only share my top five.

The GC Session is the only venue in which the church can make decisions as to who will serve as our president, along with all the other elected positions. Delegates from around the world have the final decision on who they feel the Lord would want to lead our movement. This is so important because the delegate group is made up of 50 percent lay people, and the others are front line workers and administrators from around the globe. These important decisions are not left up to a handful of administrators, but rather for the nearly 3,000 delegates to decide.
The GC Session is where we can make decisions together about our policies and our Church Manual. Both are crucial to the mission and ministry of our church. These policies and guidelines define how we work together to fulfill our mission. If good care is not given to this process, we can hinder our ability to spread the everlasting gospel.
The renewal of friendships—and the ability to make new friends—from around the world is priceless. I will never forget the pastors I have met from the other side of the world and hearing their stories of how God is working in their fields. It is absolutely awe inspiring. The GC Session gives us the opportunity to stretch our minds with how expansive our church has become around the globe. These are people I would never meet if we didn’t come together as a world church.
Through the exhibit hall, we are all exposed to the latest ways in which we can reach out to our dying world with our great message of hope—whether it is a new way to use technology, the printed page, the radio wave, the internet, or our health message to touch people’s lives. You truly come home inspired to be more engaged with this end-time movement.
Finally, the GC Session offers a unique opportunity to worship together our Savior and King, Jesus Christ. In a world that is more divided and torn apart than ever, to see people from nearly every country on the planet come together in peace and worship is nothing short of a miracle and proof positive that, in Christ, we are one. Not only are the messages inspiring, but the music is simply amazing. Instrumentalists, vocalists, and choirs from around the world thrill us beyond words with the incredible talents the Lord has given them. Simply worshiping together as a world church would be enough reason for me to hold the GC Session.

What are your plans for attending the GC Session? This is the last time it will be held in Mid-America for quite a while. I urge you to come and experience it. If you are not able to come and listen in on the business sessions during the week, come at least for Sabbath to worship. The auditorium holds 70,000 people, and event planners hope it will be full.

There is nothing else like it! I hope to see you there!

—Gary is the president of the Mid-America Union. Republished with permission from the July/August OUTLOOK magazine opinion article. Photo from GCSession.org/History.

30 Jun

THE GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION: WHY? HOW? WHEN? WHERE?

Thomas L. Lemon – Silver Spring, Maryland … When Rachel Preston remonstrated with Frederick Wheeler over his apparent rejection of the 10 Commandments in March of 1844, neither of them knew what would result from their exchange. Preston, a Sabbath-keeping Baptist, and Pastor Wheeler, a faithful proponent of traditional Sunday observance as well as a new believer in the imminent return of Jesus, were the instruments God used as the first Sabbath-keeping Adventists in the United States.

Not long after the disappointment of Oct. 22, 1844, the conversation Preston and Wheeler began gained the attention of Joseph Bates, and then James White, Ellen Harmon, and some others. And from those conversations, the roots of what we know today as the Seventh-day Adventist Church took on new life.

GLOBAL KEY FACTORS FOR ENDURANCE

Currently, church records globally show our movement with over 23 million members. Those members are scattered throughout nearly all the inhabited world. Even as recently as late last year, the church re-established its presence in Greenland.

How does a church that social scientists describe as the one of the most diverse Christian denominations manage to stay together, stay healthy, and keep growing—over 180 years later?

Without a doubt, the blessing of God has been at work in powerful ways. Yet built on that foundation, there are several other factors: 1) a unique but biblically powerful prophetic message; 2) an organizational structure of interdependent entities enabling fast and effective communication streams available to all members; 3) a K-graduate school system that continually educates the next generation in the message and lifestyle of the church and lifts the cultural conditions of the regions in which they operate; 4) a system of health entities that inform the lifestyle and gain the attention of the general public globally. And more.

HOW DOES THE STRUCTURE WORK?

The structure of the church works like this: a person joins a local church and becomes a member; groups of local churches band together in local conferences; local conferences join themselves in groups into what we call union conferences, or sometimes union missions. The unions are the building blocks of the General Conference (GC) itself.

Each unit or level of the church is tied to the other levels through shared beliefs, shared policies, and a shared mission. Except for the individual member and the local church, the other entities (conferences and unions) are constituency based, with delegates and leaders selected to represent the membership when those groups meet periodically in harmony with their organizing documents.

The General Conference constituents are members and local leaders selected by the union conferences around the world. Care is taken to make sure the delegates are representative of those areas of the world from which they are chosen. Those delegates will number nearly 3,000 when they gather this year in St Louis, Missouri, July 3-12.

The General Conference has divided itself into 13 divisions around the world. Joining those divisions are four attached fields, not included in the unions and divisions because of geo-political conditions. Unions are the foundations of the General Conference, but the GC itself is the foundation of the divisions and the attached fields.

When it comes to the GC Session, which meets every five years in a quinquennial session, the structure of the church is on full display. (Covid-19 delayed the 2020 session until 2022.) Each union’s delegation is built on a proportion of the whole, by a formula. Larger unions, membership-wise, have more delegates.

What Happens During Sessions?

At the session, several things will happen. A large committee made up of select delegates from all the unions (approximately 250) will serve as the group that nominates leaders to fill various positions. No elected GC leaders are on that committee. A president is recommended first for the delegates to approve, or not. Only one presidential name at a time is brought to the delegates for a Yes or No vote. Once that is done, the president then meets with the committee to serve as an advisor. However, he doesn’t have a vote, and the committee is not required to take his suggestions.

In addition to the election of leaders of the GC, divisions, and attached fields, delegates will be asked to vote on suggested changes to the Church Manual, the Constitution, and By-laws, and changes to the Fundamental Beliefs statement that codifies the doctrinal understandings of the church. This year there are no recommendations being made to adjust the 28 Fundamental Beliefs. Changes to the Constitution and Fundamental Beliefs require a two-thirds majority vote.

The GC Session days will begin with devotional preaching and the evenings will be filled with mission reports from the divisions. Interspersed throughout the business sessions will be a plethora of Adventist music from around the world. Several hundred church entities and other ministries will portray their missional endeavors and share their resources in a nearby giant hall of activities. The exhibit hall is a favorite feature of the GC Session for many attendees.

Every GC Session is planned to be an event of highly spiritual engagement. For those who are familiar with what we call camp meeting, the meeting in St. Louis will be, in a real sense, a global camp meeting. On Sabbaths, the crowd is expected to number upward of 30,000, largely filling the convention center arena in downtown St. Louis.

The General Conference in Session is something special to behold. Plans are being finalized now, and you may expect this to be a spiritual feast. The fellowship with like-minded believers is designed to encourage every attendee.

—Thomas L. Lemon is a vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and a former president of the Mid-America Union Conference. Republished with permission from the July/August OUTLOOK magazine feature article. Photo supplied and by iStock.

30 Jun

ADVENTHEALTH ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION SENDS FIRST CLINICAL TEAM TO NEW PARTNER HOSPITAL IN LESOTHO

AdventHealth – Denver, Colorado … Global Health Initiatives (GHI), the Rocky Mountain Region branch of AdventHealth Global Missions, recently launched a new partnership with Maluti Adventist Hospital in Lesotho, a small mountainous country in southern Africa. This past March, the GHI team led its first clinical mission trip to Lesotho, focusing on collaborative projects with the hospital and outreach efforts in the surrounding communities.

“The first AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region team to serve at Maluti Adventist Hospital in Lesotho was very successful,” shared Greg Hodgson, director of GHI. “The partnership with the hospital was outstanding with full support of Maluti staff and logistics.”

The team from AdventHealth was made up of several specialized groups, including community health, Helping Mothers and Babies Survive (HMBS), a hospital-based team, and a clean water team. During the mission week, the community health team served 1,164 patients, providing screenings for HIV, tuberculosis, and cervical cancer. They also offered well-being consultations to support overall patient health.

The HMBS team led a weeklong master class for nursing leaders from Maluti Adventist Hospital and the affiliated College of Nursing at Maluti Adventist College. During the training, AdventHealth’s team identified local champions from both the hospital and nursing school to help lead future training for local nurses and midwives across the region.

The hospital-based team collaborated closely with local medical staff to address a variety of needs. Their work ranged from assisting in two surgeries to leading suturing workshops for hospital and nursing school personnel. The team focused on meeting the Maluti Adventist Hospital team where they are while also encouraging a shared vision for advancing the quality of care moving forward.

The clean water team, led by GHI partner Rob Miller with Global Access 2030—a Colorado-based nonprofit organization and longtime partner of GHI— distributed nearly 400 clean water filtration systems across four villages. To help ensure the long-term sustainability and effective use of the filters, a representative from Maluti Adventist Hospital was designated to provide ongoing support and follow-up within the communities, mirroring the sustainability model used in the HMBS program.

These initial steps mark the beginning of a meaningful and lasting journey with our new partners at Maluti Adventist Hospital.

“As in any first project, some areas for improvement were acknowledged, yet everyone was impressed with the overall success of the partnership,” expressed Hodgson. “As we prepare for the next visit in October, we will continue to build on the foundation laid during this important visit.”

To learn more about this and other AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region Global Mission sites, please reach out to Courtney Haas, a development officer at AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region, at [email protected]

—AdventHealth. Republished with permission from the OUTLOOK magazine News website, June 9, 2025, article. Photo supplied.