Diversity and Breadth of Ministries on Display

The diversity and breadth of the ministries of the North American Division (NAD) were on full display during the fifth day of the 2022 Year-End Meeting (YEM), themed “Together in Mission: I Will Go.” 

There were some unexpectedly emotional moments during the October 31 session, as when Bill Knott shared that he would be leaving his post as executive editor of the Adventist Review and Adventist World magazines after serving on the staff for 25 years. Knott spoke movingly of his time working in partnership with the NAD. 

Then it was the turn of Dexter Thomas, a blind board member of Christian Record Services, the church’s ministry to the blind. Thomas gave a passionate testimony of his personal experiences, inspiring everyone in the room with ways they can engage physically challenged people in their work.

The final breakout session of the year-end meeting focused on eAdventist, the digital membership services for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America. Director Brian Ford briefed members on ways to use the service and gave an overview of all the ways eAdventist seeks to protect the privacy of individuals and ensure it is not overused for unwanted promotions.

Health Ministries

The three main prongs of the Adventist work are often defined as evangelism, education, and health. NAD president G. Alexander Bryant introduced the presentation of Health Ministries by saying to delegates, “I want you to reflect and think on how we can better use this tool that God has given us, which we call Health Ministries, to witness for Him.”

Director Angeline Brauer shared in a video presentation how the team had responded to the urgent crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, when both members and leaders struggled to know how best to respond and faced their own personal issues of health and mental well-being. Actions included helping facilitate the vaccine education task force; launching a monthly webinar on emerging health issues; and publishing an action guide addressing health disparities among various population groups.

The department also built on strengths that have always been in the Adventist health message: that of the power of a healthful lifestyle to help curb the major diseases of today. The Joy of Eating program was launched with monthly online meetings and resources for healthful eating and exercise. The special emphasis for 2022 was restoration and the critical need for mental health and, for this, a virtual summit brought together 75 professionals.

In 2023, two newly developed programs will be launched: Not Consumed, to address burnout; and Seasons of Grief, a support group program for those grieving the loss of a loved one. The NAD Power to Heal Health Summit will also be held April 2-8 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Adventist Review Ministries

Adventist World, a journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, operates in partnership with other world divisions. The most expansive partnership is with the North American Division, with one-third paid by the NAD and two-thirds by the General Conference — and two magazines, Adventist World and Adventist Journey, published and printed together. “It takes a partnership,” Bryant explained as he introduced the presentation.

During the Adventist Review Ministries presentation, team members shared that they have continued to expand into streaming video content with AR TV and KidsView TV.

In his speech, long-time executive editor Knott said, “I share this division’s commitment to fairness, to equality, to justice, and to dialogue. Let me encourage you. Do not give up on your vision to your church.”

The division’s Executive Committee took a vote to express its special appreciation for Knott’s service. He will be the new world church liaison to the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., and Justin Kim has been appointed the new executive editor of Adventist Review.

Additional Adventist Ministries

In a video report, Wendy Eberhardt, NAD vice president for ministries, highlighted for delegates some of the services and upcoming products of key NAD ministries. These included encouraging delegates to help with the sale of the women’s devotional book that helps fund scholarships for girls; and a ministry to teen girls, Gorgeous2God, and a new ministry to teen boys, A Rugged Journey, which are websites providing resources and answering questions sent in by teens.

Eberhardtencouraged delegates to spread the word about Replenish, the Adventist Ministries Convention to be held January 8-11, 2023, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Replenish, Eberhardt said, “is the practice of ‘coming away.’ ” More than 70 seminars will focus on the practice of “coming away” as Jesus once asked of His disciples. Replenish will be followed by the Children’s Ministries convention.

Children’s Ministries director Sherri Uhrig shared a new GC Sabbath School curriculum that will be launched in 2024 and will be pilot-tested in at least 15 churches across the NAD. It will include a segment just for parents; the launch of a new app that will include all the music for the program; and video devotionals for parents, as they are the number-one spiritual influencers of their children.

Evangelism

Calvin Watkins, NAD vice president for evangelism and regional liaison, shared details of the Antioch Initiative, a world church initiative that targets designated cities to plant centers of influence. Reaching the cities is a major strategic emphasis of NAD and was emphasized by Bryant in his YEM sermon on Saturday (Sabbath), October 29. Watkins also highlighted the work of departments under his leadership, including Adventist Community Services, Stewardship, the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty department, and Message magazine, which serves African-American members.

Christian Record Services

The members of the NAD Executive Committee also serve as the constituency for certain institutions, including Christian Record Services (CRS). Bryant temporarily halted the Executive Committee business session and convened the body for the CRS member meeting. CRS has been serving people who are blind since 1899, and Bryant commended president Diane Thurber for restoring it to success during her tenure.

Thurber shared that CRS serves 18,000 people not only in NAD territory but also 70 countries around the world through contracts with other divisions and church entities. Thomas, CRS board member, shared how CRS provided spiritual resources to him when he was a boy growing up in Trinidad, helped him with a scholarship when he attended Oakwood University, and now helps him as a father with something called Twin Vision books. The books are in Braille but also have pictures and texts, so he can read a beginner’s Bible with his sighted young daughter. Thomas has led his own ministry and shared with the group, “I learned a lot about ministering to the marginalized.… We need to come alongside them.” He shared that the church can be most welcoming to physically challenged people by putting them to work. Help them find what they like to do and give them an opportunity, he said, as this upholds their dignity and humanity.

New Appointment

In other business of the day, the NAD corporation appointed Jorge A. Ramirez as a new board member. The Executive Committee also named Gerardo Oudri-Varela as the new associate director of Resources for the NAD Ministerial Association with responsibilities for technology support and the development of future pastors; and Kimberly Luste Maran, editor of Adventist Journey, as NAD Communication director. The General Conference Office of General Counsel also introduced three new attorneys who have joined the team.

The original version of this story was posted on the North American Division news site.