Pastor Abner De los Santos (center), president of the Inter-American Division, leads the Communion service concluding the division’s Week of Prayer Emphasis on June 27, 2026, at the IAD headquarters in Miami, Florida. Beside him are Pastor Josney Rodríguez, ministerial secretary, and Pastor Pierre Caporal, executive secretary of the IAD. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
Messages encouraged leaders and staff to deepen their relationship with Christ, strengthen unity, and embrace God’s mission.

June 28, 2026 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Top Seventh-day Adventist leaders and staff at the Inter-American Division (IAD) took time last week to pray, worship, and renew their spiritual focus during the church’s annual Week of Prayer Emphasis, held June 22–27.

Dozens of administrators and employees at the IAD headquarters in Miami, Florida, joined colleagues serving remotely throughout the territory for the weeklong spiritual emphasis, themed “Living the Mission With Purpose.”

Pastor Artur Stele, general vice president of the General Conference, speaks during the Annual Week of Prayer Emphasis in Miami, Florida, United States, held June 22–27, 2026. [Photo: Keila Trejo/IAD]
General Conference Vice President Pastor Artur A. Stele was the featured speaker, presenting a four-part devotional series that challenged leaders to deepen their personal walk with Christ while embracing God’s mission to reach others.

Throughout the week, Stele developed four interconnected messages that challenged leaders to deepen their relationship with Christ while strengthening their commitment to mission. He called them to follow God’s leading, actively seek the lost, set their minds on heavenly things, and depend completely on God rather than on their own abilities.

“We can live our mission with purpose only if we follow the Lord,” Stele said at the beginning of the week. Later, he reminded leaders that the Every Church, One Church initiative “actually means every member actively involved in searching” for those who need Christ. He also urged employees to “set your GPS on heaven” by filling their lives with God’s Word and prayer before concluding Thursday’s message with an appeal to stop “building our own towers” and rely fully on God.

Pastor Abner De los Santos, president of the Inter-American Division, stands with his 8-year-old granddaughter, Gabriella Smith, as she presents the Scripture reading before his Sabbath message concluding the division’s Week of Prayer Emphasis on June 27, 2026. De los Santos encouraged church leaders to intentionally involve children in the life and mission of the church. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
Communion Brings the Week to a Close

Concluding the Week of Prayer on Sabbath, June 27, IAD President Pastor Abner De los Santos invited leaders, employees, and their families to reflect on the unity found in Christ before participating in the ordinance of humility and the Communion service.Preaching from Philippians 2 and John 6, he reminded worshippers that before serving as administrators, departmental directors, or employees, “we all belong to Christ.”

Building on that shared identity, De los Santos pointed to Jesus as the Bread of Life, saying every believer is sustained by the same Savior. He called leaders to set aside pride, competition, and personal recognition in favor of Christlike humility and service.

“We are not competitors seeking recognition. We are companions covered by the same grace,” De los Santos said.

“One mind, one Bread, one mission,” Pastor Abner De los Santos, president of the Inter-American Division, calls leaders and staff to move forward together in fulfilling Christ’s mission. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
He urged leaders to follow Christ’s example of servant leadership, reminding them that greatness in God’s kingdom is measured not by position but by service.

“The kingdom of God does not measure greatness by how many people serve us, but by how many people we serve.”

Closing the week, De los Santos challenged the diverse team serving at the Inter-American Division to embrace unity as the foundation for mission.

“One mind, one Bread, one mission,” he said, calling on leaders to move forward together in fulfilling Christ’s mission.

The IAD Ladies’ Group presents a special musical selection during the closing Sabbath worship service of the Annual Week of Prayer Emphasis on June 27, 2026. [Photo: Erich Stevens/IAD]
Messages Inspire Personal Reflection

For many employees, the Week of Prayer became more than a series of devotionals—it provided an opportunity for personal reflection, spiritual renewal, and renewed confidence in God’s leading.

Cori Villarreal, professional assistant in the youth ministries departmnet, said Stele’s opening message about Peter following the angel in Acts 12 resonated deeply as she recently returned to work after several months recovering from a serious illness.

“Sometimes we can be in the church but spiritually asleep,” Villarreal said. “God has a purpose for us, but sometimes He has to wake us up so we can move and become active in His mission.”

The week’s emphasis on prayer also reminded Villarreal of God’s faithfulness during one of the most critical moments of her illness. While she was hospitalized, IAD colleagues gathered online to pray on her behalf.

Giselle Abastida, of the IAD Secretariat, recites a psalm alongside her husband, Roberto Brown, of the IAD Treasury Department, during a special worship presentation on June 27, 2026. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
“Everything was completely out of control, but the moment they began praying, everything started returning to normal,” she said. “It was clear evidence that intercessory prayer has power.”

Giselle Abastida, professional assistant for Secretariat, said the week strengthened her faith that God hears even the prayers believers sometimes hesitate to pray.

After joining coworkers in prayer throughout the week, her family received unexpected news that buyers were moving forward with the sale of her parents’ home in Honduras after it had been on the market for more than a year.

“God listens when we pray,” Abastida said. “The week reminded me that we should bring everything to Jesus—even the things we hesitate to pray about.”

Cori Villarreal, professional assistant in the IAD Youth Ministries Department, shares how God’s faithfulness and the prayers of her colleagues sustained her through months of serious illness during a testimony on June 27, 2026. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
She also said Stele’s message on the lost sheep prompted her to see herself in the illustration.

“When they asked us to write a name on the little sheep, I thought, ‘I should put my own name,'” she said. “Sometimes I realize that I am the one who needs to come closer to Jesus first.”

Pastor Marvyn Smith, recently elected youth ministries associate director of the IAD, attended the Week of Prayer with his wife, Elodie, while visiting the headquarters from their home in Guyana. He said Stele’s biblical illustrations and practical counsel offered lessons he intends to carry throughout his ministry.

“The illustration of Peter following the angel through the prison gates will stay with me for life,” Smith said. “It reminded me that walking with Jesus changes everything.”

Pamela Scott, of the IAD Treasury Department, and her son, Everette, take part in the Communion service on June 27, 2026. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
Smith said he was especially encouraged by Stele’s four practical principles for sustaining a vibrant Christian life: filling the mind with God’s Word, continually singing praises to the Lord, doing everything in Christ’s name, and devoting himself to daily prayer.

“Those four principles really stood out to me,” he said. “They were simple, practical reminders that I can apply every day as I seek to serve Christ and minister to others.”

Throughout the week, leaders and staff gathered to pray for one another, their families, the mission of the church across the IAD and around the world, as well as for personal and special prayer requests.

The Week of Prayer also featured daily worship services, musical selections, personal testimonies, prayer sessions, and concluded with the ordinance of humility and the Communion service.

Members of the praise team lead the congregation in songs of worship during the Sabbath School program on June 27, 2026. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
The Inter-American Division oversees the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s work among more than 3.7 million members across 25 union territories spanning Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the French Antilles, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

To learn more about the Inter-American Division, its ministries, and mission initiatives, visit us at interamerica.org