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Anne Seixas – St. Louis, Missouri … Representing more than 60 percent of the global church membership, women are not just showing up at the 2025 General Conference Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They are showing what it means to belong, to contribute, and to shape the future of a church they love.

As they step into the vast auditorium in St. Louis, women delegates bring stories, lived experience, spiritual wisdom, and a shared desire to see the church grow—stronger, more united, and more reflective of the global body of Christ.

Out of 2,809 official delegates at the 62nd GC Session, around 21 percent are women. Among delegates under 30, that number rises to 69 percent—a hopeful sign that new generations are walking confidently into shared leadership. While there is still room to grow, these numbers point to a deeper truth: when everyone is invited to the table, the church becomes a richer, more inclusive community. And the future becomes a shared journey.

A New Generation Finds Its Voice

Sanja Kuševska, Sladana Markovic, and Sara Bracer are three young women delegates from Macedonia attending their first GC Session. For them, presence means more than a name tag; it means responsibility and trust.

“We’re grateful that our union trusted us with this responsibility,” Markovic said. “It shows that our work is seen and valued just like anyone else’s.”

Rayanniris Costa, from Bahia, Brazil, also shared how eye-opening her first time at Session has been. As a Pathfinder club director and local church leader since her teens, she described the experience as a defining moment.

“I’m really surprised. We often think the church is just our small local setting, but here we see how big, alive, and diverse it really is,” she said. “It’s beautiful to realize that.”

For Costa, being present is not just about representation, it’s about stewardship and shared mission: “We serve in many departments, especially in Children’s and Family Ministries. It’s important for us to have a voice. That broadens the church’s vision.”

She also highlighted the respectful atmosphere throughout the discussions: “Everyone has a voice. There is respect. And that’s fundamental.”

Still, the young women noted that participation sometimes remains uneven.

“Most of the GC reports are presented by men,” Kuševska observed. Bracer added, “Even though diversity and gender balance were emphasized from the start, those already in leadership—mostly men—were often selected again.”

But the group didn’t dwell on imbalance. Their vision was one of partnership. Not competition, but collaboration, a shared table where men and women contribute differently but equally to the same mission.

For Erton Köhler, newly elected General Conference president, women’s presence in leadership is not only needed—it’s strategic.

“We have more women than men in our membership. And I would like to see more of them involved in leadership, in communities, and in many of our initiatives,” he said.

In his view, women’s roles go beyond traditional responsibilities: “They have a special sensitivity and unique abilities that can be a great blessing to the church—if we give them more opportunities.”

While Köhler avoids engaging in controversial discussions such as ordination, he is direct in recognizing women’s value: “They are special, they are important, and I hope we see more of them involved.”

From the other side of the world, Danita Perez Caderna, director of Children’s Ministries for the South Pacific Division based in the Philippines, is also attending a GC Session for the first time. For her, the growing participation of women reflects the recognition the church is offering to women.

“Women are being valued. The global church is opening space for us to express ourselves, contribute, and become fully engaged. That empowers us,” she said. Caderna believes women bring specific strengths to mission: “Wisdom, vision, and sensitivity. These gifts are essential for the church—especially in family and community work.”

She also highlighted the importance of collaboration between departments, especially between Children’s Ministries and Women’s Ministries: “We’re seeing women increasingly recognized as a great resource for the church.”

A Voice and a Gift

Debbie Mbayo Maloba, a delegate from the East-Central Africa Division (ECD), sees her involvement as a sacred duty. She explained that being a delegate at the GC Session “means a lot to us, especially women,” and that it means “we are involved in the life, development, and progress of our church.” She added, “It means we are valued.”

Maloba noted the positive change in representation, saying that even though women “are not yet at 50 percent, we’ve reached a higher percentage,” which she considers an improvement in collaboration.

When asked what message she would offer to her colleagues in leadership, she replied with calm confidence that God has given women the gifts that reach people deeply, not just spiritually but in everyday life. She believes that sometimes, women are able to connect in ways that are different, and “that’s the beauty of working together.”

From the Philippines to Brazil to Eastern Europe and across Africa, women bring perspective, strength, and compassion that enrich the church’s mission.

In 2025, their voices echo what the church is learning: the mission moves forward when the church walks together, men and women, side by side.

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.

— Anne Seixas writes for Adventist News Network (ANN). Republished with permission from ANN GC Session July 7, 2025, article. Photos by Tor Tjeransen, Seth Shaffer, Andreea Epistatu, Nathaniel Reid, and Anne Seixas.

Angelica Sanchez – St. Louis, Missouri … The second full day of the 62^nd General Conference (GC) Session in St. Louis, Missouri, highlighted the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s continued focus on mission strategy, intergenerational discipleship, and inclusive participation through live language interpretation.

‘I Will Go’ Strategic Plan Unites Global Church in Mission

In the afternoon of July 5, leaders gathered to reignite momentum around the “I Will Go” strategic plan, which will guide the Adventist Church’s mission efforts from 2025 to 2030. Hosted by Vanesa Pizzuto, the interactive session featured video presentations, interviews, and stories of practical mission engagement.

Why it matters: The plan calls every church member to participate in mission in a personal, meaningful way. It emphasizes measurable outcomes and global collaboration.

Driving the news: Mike Ryan, GC general field secretary for global mission, explained the heart behind the initiative.

“We live in a world that is changing rapidly,” Ryan said. “As trends and patterns change, we find at the core there is a tremendous need for mission.”

To experience: A sculpture was presented on stage that reads “Will Go,” with space for an individual to stand as the missing “I,” symbolizing their personal involvement in mission and disciple-making.

Additionally: James Howard, GC Sabbath School and Personal Ministries director, introduced a disciple-making plan rooted in Total Member Involvement (TMI), encouraging churches to be “training schools for Christian workers.”

Go Deeper: Watch the full presentation here.

Translators Bridge Language Gaps for Over 2,000 Delegates

The diversity of the Adventist Church was evident through the work of 60 interpreters translating the GC Session proceedings into eight major languages: Chinese, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, and Spanish.

Why it matters: Language interpretation provides an accessible experience to all attendees and ensures that all delegates, regardless of region or language, can fully engage in the global decision-making process.

“Interpretation isn’t just about translating words; it’s about building bridges,” said Roger Steves, translation coordinator for this year’s GC Session. “Our work makes it possible for the global church family to function as one.”

Children Explore New Sabbath School Curriculum

Sabbath School took center stage in the morning as children experienced the new Alive in Jesus curriculum through songs, hands-on activities, and interactive Bible stories.

The first phase of Alive in Jesus launched in early 2025, and additional materials for all age levels are rolling out in stages.

Why it matters: Designed for ages 0–18, the curriculum nurtures faith development at every stage of childhood and youth.

“Whether a small child or a teenager, [Jesus] invites them to come to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him, and to be part of His mission to reach the world,” said curriculum manager Nina Atcheson.

Of note: The curriculum is global in design, beautifully illustrated, and aligned with Adventist beliefs. It is created for home, school, and church environments and is intentionally focused on creating young disciples for Jesus.

Go deeper: Read the full story for more on the curriculum resources.

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 6, 2025, article. Photos by Seth Shaffer, Nathaniel Reid, and Gerhard Weiner.

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.

1. A shift in budget allocation to prioritize funding for frontline mission outreach positions, such as Global Mission Pioneers.
2. 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.

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.