November 2, 2008 – Mayaguez, Puerto Rico….[Libna Stevens/IAD]
The Executive Committee of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America officially began its Bible-focused meetings during a special opening ceremony earlier today at Antillean Adventist University in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
Top leaders from Inter-America's 17 church regions read Scripture passages and committed themselves and their territories to a renewed emphasis on the Bible for the years ahead.
“We are beginning a new emphasis that is intended to penetrate the entire Inter-American Division (IAD) territory in giving leadership and guidance to our members and laypeople as we carry a renewed focus on the Bible reading,” said Pastor Balvin Braham, assistant to IAD president and organizer of the program. “It is our hope and our plan that the Bible will be central in every committee meeting and in the life of each [church] member.”
The bi-annual business meeting's theme this year is “His Word My North” reflected on the Word of God being the focus of leadership through the uncertain times of today. The theme also reflected on the Adventist World Church's recently launched initiative where a Bible containing more than 60 languages will travel across the continents throughout the world church divisions in the span of 21 months under the Follow the Bibleinitiative (www.followthebiblesda.com).
“The General Conference launched the program Follow the Bible in Manila, Philippines a few weeks ago and we wanted to introduce the whole concept to our executive committee leaders so we are focusing on the Bible through worship everyday,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president for the church in Inter-America.
Pastor Lowell Cooper, vice president of the Adventist World Church, spoke on biblical leadership principles and invited committee members to live and lead in the name of Jesus.
“If you and I, if our colleagues are going to lead like Jesus, if the church is going to carry on its work in the name of Jesus, the heart, the head, the hands and the habits will have to be aligned [with God],” said Pastor Cooper. “And the glory of God has to be our purpose, the service of others has to be our motto. The development of people has to be our methodology and solitude and prayer must be our source of our power.”
The three-hour opening ceremony was transmitted live over the internet and ended with a prayer session focused on the need for the church in Inter-America for a renewed study of the Scriptures.
During the next four days, executive committee members will take decisions on evangelism strategies and initiatives as well as on policies and report on church growth throughout the territory.
For more information on decisions taken during Inter-America's 2008 Year-End Executive Committee meetings, visit www.interamerica.org.
