October 29, 2011 – Miami, Florida, United States…Libna Stevens/IAD
The plan was ambitious and the purpose was clear: To connect all pastors throughout the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory to top church leaders via the internet to discuss ways of motivating church members to pray and study the Bible.
This first-ever virtual ministerial council, held Oct. 26 from the IAD headquarters in Miami, Florida, was part of the church’s call to territory-wide spiritual revival, a call which has gathered momentum since the beginning of the year.
For two hours, some 3,000 district pastors and chaplains gathered in their respective regional conference or mission offices to hear top church leaders in Miami speak on spiritual revival and reformation, division-wide initiatives and new resources. Participants also engaged in a question and answer session.
“We are so busy with leading churches, visiting members, baptizing souls, that it is good that we come away for a few hours to chat with you, learn what concerns you and encourage you to continue being effective super pastors,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America.
During the council, ministers were challenged to continue in the mission of ‘shepherding the flock’, spreading the Gospel and preparing a people for Jesus’ Second coming.
Adventist World Church President Ted N.C. Wilson encouraged ministers and leaders, via a pre-recorded video message, to deepen their study of the Scriptures and be led by the Holy Spirit.
“God’s Word is so crucial to our future as a prophetic people,” said Pastor Wilson. “Please don’t ever discount or depreciate the Bible and its message as only symbolic or allegorical. God’s Word and its accounts of history, including miracles, are true and real and demonstrate God’s authority. Believe in the authenticity of God’s Holy Word and the veracity or the truthfulness of the Spirit of Prophecy books. Heed God’s Word.”
Pastor Wilson also reminded pastors that the “Seventh-day Adventist Church believes in the historical biblical method of interpreting scripture and not on the historical critical method which casts doubt and unbelief on the miraculous events and prophecies recorded in scripture allowing skeptics to reconfigure the biblical record in a humanistic manner. God’s Word is God’s Word, not our words,” he continued.
During his 10-minute message, Pastor Wilson posed a question to leaders:
“Are we willing to climb out of our areas of comfort…to let God do what is necessary to prepare each of us for a true revival personally and corporately for a change or reformation through our lives as we become more like Jesus and for the reception of the latter rain?”
“Let’s gather together to pray and heed God’s Word,” he said. “Let’s use God’s Word in personal and public evangelism and witness, allowing the Holy Spirit to set us on fire to share with those in large urban areas and rural settings…proclaim in love the Third Angel’s message of Revelation 14 in anticipation of Christ soon coming.”
During the virtual council, the strategy of revival and reformation for next years was laid out for local pastors.
“We want every church member to know the Adventist doctrines and we need each of you,” said Pastor Roberto Herrera, revival and reformation coordinator for the church in Inter-America. “We will provide all the tools available so that our members study the doctrines.”
A number of literature and power point presentations will be available to use in churches and small groups throughout the territory, added Herrera.
Other division-wide initiatives were announced, such as a continuing education program for ministers, retention programs, and a new Sabbath School booklet. Vision One Million, a discipleship training program designed to equip one million church members to share the gospel in their communities by next year, was also emphasized.
Pastor Hector Sanchez, ministerial secretary for the IAD, encouraged pastors to continue pursuing a spiritual revival within themselves to effectively tend to their ‘flocks’.
“My dear pastors, let’s dedicate two hours a day meditating on the Word of God,” he said. “In the midst of our many tasks, commit to studying the Bible. We want to invest in you, we love you from the bottom of our hearts, we believe in you and want to train you further and provide the tools you need to continue with the mission.”
As the program turned to its forum segment, Pastor Leito encouraged pastors to minister to their families and focus on taking time with their children and spouse.
Leaders also announced a plan, which has not yet been approved, to bring a select group of local pastors to Miami to tour the IAD offices and the General Conference building in Silver Spring, Maryland, next year.
Questions brought up through chat during the program ranged from continuing education for ministers offered through the General Conference, to Vision One Million resources and how to measure its success, as well as new resources available through IAD’s publishing houses.
“Much more emphasis is being put on the Adventist doctrines than in a relationship with Christ,” a viewer said.
Dr. Elie Henry, executive secretary of the church in Inter-America, responded that the doctrines come from the Bible. “Our 28 [Adventist] doctrines have Christ in the center, and as we study those doctrines we will see how God reveals himself and asks us to participate in His service,” said Dr. Henry.
During the program Pastor Leito encouraged Inter-American ministers to guard the church and not allow speakers on their pulpits who seek to create division in the church. Pastor Leito also encouraged ministers to watch out for each other and seek for leaders when they are struggling with issues or challenging situations.
“Let’s be pastors to our pastors,” Pastor Leito said.
As the program came to a close, ministers were given three questions to discuss after the live program and provide answers for a further study by the ministerial association. The three main questions were, 1. How can we prepare the church and its ministers to face dissident movements; 2. How can the church grow further when pastors have so many churches with the demands of work and family; and 3. What elements should be considered to determine what makes a successful pastor?
Presidents from each of the IAD’s 21 unions addressed ministers in their respective territories and committed to continue fulfilling the mission of the gospel through the revival and reformation initiative.
“We know that God is leading the church and we are honored to belong to a church that is interested in a qualitative growth and not just quantitative growth,” said Pastor Josney Rodriguez, president of the church in East Venezuela Union.
“On behalf of our 320 ministers gathered and watching right now at our Linda Vista University in southern Mexico, we commit to continuing the work God has put before us,” said Pastor David Javier, president of the church in South Mexico.
For organizers, the task was ambitious but one that they want to repeat soon.
“This was a fantastic way of connecting one-on-one with our pastors in almost all of our 116 conferences and missions,” said Pastor Sanchez. “This experience has already ignited excitement and has brought us to plan for more virtual councils,” he added.
Plans are already underway to hold a virtual council with thousands of church elders who serve in the more than 10,000 churches in the IAD. “It’s really ambitious,” said Sanchez. “But we are dreaming and planning within the next year or so to connect directly with all our thousands of dedicated elders who minister alongside our pastors.”
Inter-America’s Virtual Ministerial council will be available online soon in English, Spanish and French. For this and more resources, visit us at www.interamerica.org
To view a photo gallery of the event, click here
