November 19, 2009 – Miami, Florida…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
As the fast growth of the church in the Inter-American Division (IAD) continues beyond 3.2 million members, top church leaders are turning their attention to the impact and quality of education in the territory. Education was a major concern addressed at the IAD's executive committee meetings in
Focus on Education
So serious is the focus on education that top church leaders will be channeling almost all of their strategic planning budget for the next five years into it.
“We have set aside more than $6 million for strategic funding to address educational issues,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America. It was a decision that was easy to make yet one that took months of planning and strategizing as the end of a five-year period for the church organization nears next summer.
Resources will fund the educational infrastructure, teacher education, student loans, interest-free loans to universities, improvement of libraries and better coordination of academic degrees, as well as improving elementary education and the overall educational system throughout Inter-America.
To achieve this, church leaders appointed several sub-committees, made up of administrators and educators, to make recommendations on the specific areas of education. Leaders will then study and vote on these recommendations during the next executive committee meetings in May 2010.
In addition, an action was taken to redesign the process by which people are appointed as education administrators at the union and local field levels. The requirements for such positions will include having been through the Adventist educational system, and the right mixture of teaching and administrative experience, among others.
“We need to be serious about hiring our educators, just as we are serious about hiring our own Adventist pastors” said Pastor Leito as he addressed leaders. “We want education to be led by trained educators.”
Pastor Derek Bignall, president for the church in the
West Indies , agreed.
“I like the thrust the Division is giving towards education,” he said, “that the leaders drink from the well of Adventist education and that the higher level of the church be at least consulted to approve educators in the next level of the church, that helps the union to take particular interest in education.”
Finances strong in Inter-America
Amid the unstable financial markets, soft currencies, and unemployment throughout the territory, the mission of the church continues to be funded by a continued increase in tithe and offerings, top financial leaders said.
“The tithes and offerings are the result of a spiritually strong membership,” said Filiberto Verduzco, treasurer for the church in Inter-America. “The members of the Inter-American Division are not only committed to the mission of the church, but they trust the leadership of the church. We glorify God for the blessings received in each one of our union territories.”
During the three-day business meetings, leaders also reported on evangelism growth, upgraded missions to conference status, and voted on policies and initiatives to benefit the church territory. These included the following:
Member retention, verification and discipleship
Retaining new members and ensuring that regular members stay in church and remain active was one of the major issues discussed. Leaders voted to take aggressive measures to implement a disciple making program and maintain accurate member statistics in each congregation.
“It is expected that each local congregation conducts an annual verification of its members, and when a member has not been in attendance for a considerable amount of time, to implement the instructions of the Church Manual to visit, encourage and rescue such member. If this is not possible, the instructions of the Church Manual should be followed in maintaining the church records up-to-date,” the vote said.
“Member verification is a tool for seeking out and reaching out, not just about counting sheep,” emphasized Pastor Leito.
Although local congregations must keep an accurate list of their members periodically as stated in the Church Manual, church leaders want to ensure that local fields follow up closely. Leaders also voted to make available a series of special magazines to aid in the spiritual life of church members throughout the territory.
Youth delegates
For Mynor Batz of
“I feel so privileged and happy to be part of this church,” said Batz. “I was able to understand what our administrators do, and the decisions they take. I leave very satisfied because [the youth] sometimes have questions on how decisions are made by our leaders. It was really impressive to see how fair and correct decisions are made in a democratic way.”
Amoy Johnson of Jamaica agreed. “I’ve grown a greater appreciation for my church, its structure, and the way decisions are made. It was a good insight into how the church operates, and getting to see our leaders on a more personal level was good.”
“This was such a wonderful experience,” said Lelis Viera of
Puerto Rico . “You see how leaders make the decisions that will affect the local church and you get to see how their method is not a dictatorship.”
Batz, Johnson, and Viera join the four other young people who have participated in Inter-America’s Executive Committee meetings in previous years. The decision was made in 2006 to include young people in the church business meetings.
Events approved
Conversations with Pastors
A group of Adventist pastors from throughout the Spanish-speaking unions will have the opportunity to meet with Adventist World President Pastor Jan Paulsen in an open forum called “Conversations with Pastors.” The one-hour dialogue will allow pastors to ask the Adventist leader their questions. The program is scheduled to take place in
Let’s Talk Spanish
Let’s Talk –A conversational program between General Conference President Pastor Jan Paulsen and a group of young people will take place on Feb. 6, 2010, in
Super Bible Bowl 2010
Inter-America’s Youth Ministries department will hold a Super Bible Bowl where winners of the last four annual Bible bowls will compete against each other for the title and a chance to become a special youth delegate at the
Adventist
World
Church ’s General Conference Session in
Atlanta next summer. The finalists will be tested on Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Isaiah, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Revelation. IAD’s Super Bible Bowl will take place during IAD Executive Committee meetings May 18-20, 2010.
Inter-America’s next scheduled business meetings will take place in
For more information on the church in Inter-America, visit www.interamerica.org
