Miami, Florida, United States…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
Ask any Seventh-day Adventist if they need spiritual nourishment and most surely they will give a positive answer. Ask any Adventist pastor or church leader and the answer is no different. The leaders and staff of the Inter-American Division (IAD) Headquarters in Miami, Florida are no exception. That’s why every year a special week of prayer and spiritual emphasis is held to nurture the leadership that oversees the 15 regions which comprise the IAD. This year's week of prayer took place April 16-21.
Let Your ‘Light’ Shine was the central message presented each day by guest speaker Pastor Abner De Los Santos, president of the church in the North Mexico region. The more than 60 IAD executives, administrators and staff were reminded to examine themselves to see how their words and actions can influence those around them.
“God wants us to be a positive influence in the world in which we live,”said Pastor De Los Santos. “God wants us to be a light that shines. God has called us to be a light in the midst of darkness which surrounds the world today, and He has promised to pour out His spirit upon us.”
He challenged the church leadership to commit their lives to holding steadfast to the power of the Holy Spirit that God has granted all.
“The most urgent need of all who work in the church is the need of the Holy Spirit, because when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, then we can shine and dissipate the darkness of this world,”he went on.
As church leaders are scheduled to deliver spiritual messages every year throughout the church in Inter-America, a pause to recharge spiritually is why a special week during the year is reserved, says Dr. Elie Henry, one of three vice presidents for the church in Inter-America, who organizes the special week every year.
“This was a great opportunity for us as leaders to stop and receive ‘The Word’ from someone from our field,” said Dr. Henry.
“We as leaders are supposed to have a good relationship with God, we are supposed to take time for Him also, so it is the reason why I feel for us to have a week of prayer at this level so the leaders and those who are working at the headquarter office can be refreshed spiritually,” he added.
Pastor Abner De Los Santos, who is a native of the state of Tabasco in Mexico, leads as president of the church in the North Mexican Union with nearly 160,000 church members. He is married and has two children.
