September 27, 2026 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Office of Adventist Mission

A first-ever church planting consultation between representatives of Seventh-day Adventist supporting ministries and General Conference mission leaders took place September 10-12 at the church’s world headquarters.

The Aligned for Mission Church Planting Consultation’s stated objective was “to strengthen our unity in Christ for mission in order to sharpen our focus on planting new groups of believers among the unreached, reaffirm our commitment to Christ’s wholistic ministry model, and explore means of aligning our mission strategies.”

Rick McEdward, secretary of the General Conference, welcomed participants with an appeal for unity: “We have a big mission, and we have enough to do. Let’s go together. . . . It’s about one message, one church, one mission.”

Representatives of supporting ministries focused on church planting pray together with General Conference church leaders during the September 10-12 Aligned for Mission consultation at the world church headquarters. [Photo: Office of Adventist Mission]

A Focus on Mission

The three-day gathering included devotionals, prayer sessions, ministry presentations, strategic discussions, and informal conversations.

General Conference president Erton Köhler thanked supporting ministry leaders for their work and emphasized the need for the entire church to participate in mission. “We need many hands to push the mission of the church—pastors, administrators, the members, and those who are leading supporting ministries around the world,” he said.

Supporting ministries are organizations operated by Adventist lay members that work in support of the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Leaders of these ministries shared details of their work in church planting, health ministry, education, media, literature evangelism, refugee ministry, missionary training, and sending both international and local missionaries.

Organizations represented included Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASi), a membership organization for Adventist businesspeople, professionals, and supporting ministries; Adventist Frontier Missions (AFM); Adventist Medical Evangelism Network (AMEN); Adventist Southeast Asia Projects Ministries (ASAP); Gospel Outreach (GO); Jesus for Asia (JFA); Outpost Centers International (OCI); and Quiet Hour Ministries (QHM).

Danny Houghton, president of ASi, said the spirit of unity was one of the most meaningful aspects of the gathering. “We all love the church,” he said, “and to be invited in and talk about strategy and push the work of the church forward was an honor and a blessing.” He described the consultation as “a very meaningful start in enhancing collaboration between supporting ministries to work in an aligned way with what the church is doing.”

Rick McEdward, secretary of the General Conference, addresses representatives of supporting ministries focused on church planting. “We have a big mission, and we have enough to do,” he told them. “Let’s go together.” [Photo: Office of Adventist Mission]

Talking and Listening Together

A recurring recommendation was improved communication between supporting ministries and official church organizations. Participants also suggested developing agreements between supporting ministries and denominational organizations working together in mission fields.

“The purpose of this meeting was to gather mission leaders together to strengthen our cooperation,” said Greg Whitsett, planning director for the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. “We value our diversity of mission strategies, but not at the expense of harmony. . . . I came away encouraged by what can happen when mission leaders sit together in a close setting like this to work through our common challenges.”

At the conclusion of the consultation, the group agreed on a statement identifying shared interests such as alignment in mission, better communication and collaboration, and co-ordination for frontline work in high-priority mission areas. It also addressed the need to share mission stories with honesty, sensitivity to other belief systems, and sensitivity to security concerns in certain areas officially closed to Christian mission.

John Shin, president of AMEN, expressed his appreciation for the consultation. “I have found this event uplifting and encouraging because it allowed me to meet like-minded leaders of other ministries and fellowship with them and leaders in church administration as we discussed expanding the reach of the gospel message and the Lord’s work,” he said.

Gary Krause, director of the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, expressed a similar hope. “It was wonderful to see lay ministries gather to pray, share, and discuss ways to work more effectively together, and with official church organizations such as Adventist Mission,” he said.

McEdward closed the consultation by pointing beyond organizational structures to the ultimate purpose of mission: leading people to Jesus. “Our calling together matters,” he said, “because it is to introduce people to Jesus, ground them in the Scripture, be whole-life worshippers of Jesus, and to invite others to worship Him, as well.”

Looking back over the three days, McEdward summarized his hope for what began in Silver Spring: “I believe this weekend has been the beginning of an era of closer cooperation with supporting ministries.