ASi Convention Motivates Members To Be ‘Empowered To Serve’ in Furthering the Mission

Hundreds of chapter members from across the Inter-American Division met in Panama City, Panama.

August 23, 2024 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

More than 300 Seventh-day Adventist business owners and professionals from across the Inter-American Division (IAD) answered the call to continue fulfilling the mission of sharing the gospel in their places of work, their communities and through their unique ministries on the last day of this year’s Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASi) Convention in Panama City, Panama, Aug. 17, 2024.

This year’s ASi Inter-America convention became the 26^th annual event since it was organized in 1998. The event featured dozens of seminars, plenary sessions, devotional segments, a panel discussion, chapter ministry reports, award sessions and more.

ASi chapter members were urged to take the incredible calling from God to advance His kingdom and stay faithful to serving others, said Pastor Elie Henry, president of the IAD.

“When God calls us to action, to change, He is waiting on us to answer and go,” said Pastor Henry.  As he reflected on Isaiah chapter 8, Pastor Henry reminded the ASi delegation not to follow the ways of the people around them. “We cannot continue to the way the world is going.” he said.

“We are living in a time when lying, stealing, witchcraft, embracing eastern religions, idol worship is common, premarital sex, adultery, pornography, rudeness, pride, constant pollution of self is so common, but we must go against the flow,” he said. “We are to be holy because God is holy and as ASi members when you are in the business world you must do business different.”

Putting away fear and the uncertainty that the world brings needs to drive each believer to only fear God in honoring, holding Him in high esteem, revere Him, put Him above everything else and talk about Him, added Pastor Henry.

Pastor Henry encouraged, just like this year’s convention theme “Empowered to Serve,” they continue their efforts in serving others and work together to spread the message of hope to a degrading and desperate world.  He also thanked them for their commitment each year to making a difference while preaching, teaching, and serving through their businesses, their ASi chapter projects and their support to the church. “We are here to create new bridges in the world and be in the heart of God,” Pastor Henry said.

ASi mission impact in Panama

Dozens of young children and young people took part in this year’s evangelism impact in the Central Pacific region in Panama through ASi Mission 2000 and Beyond—a project which involves children and young people in preaching and taking part in mission impact initiatives.  “Through this initiative we want to disciple our children so they can remain in the body of Christ,”  said Marvalee Franklyn, chief coordinator of ASi Mission 2000 and Beyond. It’s about helping them realize that God is interested in everything about them as well as helping them to develop courage born of commitment and personal experience to immerse in the mission of the church to take the gospel to the world, she added.

This year, Mrs. Franklyn said the more than 60 children and young people took part in preaching the gospel and impact activities in 12 sites for two weeks. Church leaders reported that 132 baptisms resulted in their efforts which will also benefit the expansion of the gospel in the experimental field that should soon become an organized mission field in the Central Pacific region in Panama.

The group reported on their experience in Panama and throughout the years in music performances during the convention.

ASi as a partner in mission

During the past year, ASi leaders have worked on repositioning the organization to not only provide guidance and support to local chapters but also to combine efforts to tackle major issues and projects in the church, said Rohan Riley, president of ASi Inter-America.  “Some of our unions such as Jamaica, Costa Rica and Haiti, have established solid working relationships between the church leadership and the laity,” said Riley.  “One of the pillars of our vision is to forge an enhanced working relationship with our church leaders. It is the founding idea on which ASi was built so it is the combined efforts of the clergy and laity, which will finish the work.”

There is an ASi presence in 21 IAD countries, he said, but there are still challenges in creating new chapters and strengthening those who are struggling, he explained. “We have targeted much of our efforts in these areas and have conducted team-building programs in the French and Spanish territory.”

“We have a strategy to enhance the growth and viability of chapters and as a first step we have appointed a vice president for membership development as well as an associate treasurer who will work with him to maintain our funding plans and more,” said Riley.

The special offering collected during this year’s convention will be used for humanitarian aid to Haiti and upgrade the Caves Primary Health Care Center in Barbados.

In addition, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Adventist Healthcare Service in Inter-America (AHSIA) and ASi Inter-America that will include a commitment to help raise funds for primary health centers across the territory. “ASi business owners will be included in the supply chain for goods and services for these institutions,” Riley said.

Outstanding ASi members honored

Two ASi members were honored during the convention for their decades of dedication and commitment to sharing Christ in the marketplace.

Verna Clarke from Limon, Costa Rica, is the president of the ASi Chapter in the Caribbean Costa Rican Mission, has served in her local church for years and for decades in the community organizing seminars at school for parents and children and for visiting native communities in the mountains for Costa Rica to distribute food and clothing.  She has also started a prison ministry. Clarke was also part of a team that organized five evangelistic campaigns in Nicaragua and has been able to attend ASi IAD conventions in Jamaica, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala and The Bahamas.

Diamond Andrews of Tobago was also honored for his active leadership, dedication, and involvement in the spiritual growth of his community. As an entrepreneur with a focus on health and well-being, Andrews shares Christ’s message through his professional interactions. He has served for 24 years as an ASi member, including as president of both the Caribbean Union chapter and the local chapter in Tobago.

At the close of the convention, Johann De Dier, pastor of the Maranatha district in Panama City, Panama, reminded ASi convention delegates that only God can empower them to go further in the mission. “Unless God empowers you through His Spirit, you will never make it,” said De Dier. He reminded them to seek a daily connection with Jesus so that their lives and their market ministries can thrive and enlarge the Kingdom of God.

About ASi

Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries, known as ASi, is an organization of Seventh-day Adventist lay people involved in professions, industry, education, and/or services and exists to challenge, nurture, and provide experience in sharing Christ in the marketplace as well as supporting the global mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

 

To find out more about this year’s ASI Inter-America Annual Convention, its speakers presentations, and live streaming, visit asi24.interamerica.org