Treasurer’s Report Highlights Commitment to Supporting Frontline Mission

Paul H. Douglas and his team thank God for positive financial results amid high volatility.

October 16, 2024 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review

More than 300 members of the Executive Committee (EXCOM) of the General Conference (GC) of Seventh-day Adventists listened to the Treasurer’s Report on October 14 as part of the 2024 Annual Council, held at the denomination’s headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.

During the report, treasurer Paul H. Douglas shared a general outlook of the GC’s financial position, while associate treasurer Timothy Aka and undertreasurer Ray Wahlen respectively reported on macroeconomic trends and on the world allocations and appropriations budget for 2025. Wahlen also reported on the use of tithe funds in 2023.

A video presentation also highlighted the role of treasury personnel in mission, at a time when the Adventist Church celebrates 150 years since deploying its first missionary overseas.

Macroeconomic Trends

After Douglas’ introduction, Aka, who had been absent due to major health challenges, thanked God and his colleagues. “I wasn’t sure I would [have] this opportunity again,” Aka said as he addressed EXCOM members. “I am so thankful that I am standing here and so appreciative of all of your prayers.”

Aka discussed some global economic trends and how they affect the ministry of the Adventist Church. He noted that while the global economy has been growing, inflation has also been rising all over the world. He noted the current trends in the countries that affect the GC budget the most, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Philippines, and the United States.

These seven countries contribute approximately 75 percent of the tithes remitted to the GC and 65 percent of the offerings, Douglas said. “We praise God for the faithfulness of all our members, but we pay special attention to the macroeconomic realities of these countries, because the realities that affect these countries will indeed affect the financial picture of the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.”

Financial Outlook

Douglas was pleased to report that the financial position of the General Conference is strong. “It is important for us to be strong, because we don’t only serve but also support the world field to ensure that this mission, indeed, can go forward.”

He reported that cash and investments, which account for 83 percent of total assets, have increased 6.2 percent when comparing August 2023 to August 2024. While tithes have slightly decreased against the budgeted amounts through August 2024, offerings have increased 24.5 percent against the budgeted amount.

Likewise, working capital (current assets minus current liabilities) has reached 16.6 months, against the 6 months voted by policy. Liquid assets (those that can easily be converted to cash) reached 13 months against the 3 months voted by policy. “God has provided for His church, and we give all the glory to Him for the resources we have to do the work for which we have been chosen,” Douglas said.

Budget and Mission

As Douglas introduced the budget 2025 presentation led by Wahlen, he highlighted once more the renewed emphasis on targeted spending. “I want to assure you today that our budget process and priorities will be going through a period of deliberate study with the expected outcome that the General Conference itself will exemplify for the church what it means to put our money where the mission is,” Douglas said.

Wahlen agreed. “In the preparation of the budget, we remained mindful of the mission that the Lord has placed upon every level of His church. Therefore, we have attempted to consider the impact of our financial activities throughout the entire system,” he said.

A Conservative Approach

As in the past, Wahlen added, financial officers of the world church have deliberately taken a conservative approach at the time of budgeting, something essential in a macroeconomic environment that remains highly volatile, he said. The church has also taken a global view, as for instance, currently, only 21 percent of world offerings are given in US dollars (which makes the budget more susceptible to currency fluctuations).

Wahlen reported that working on the budget required factoring in four major items: the impact of the continuing shift in tithe-sharing percentages (contributions by the North American Division have been reduced while the contributions of other divisions increased as per policy), currency fluctuations across various division currencies, post-pandemic giving patterns, and appropriations.

Despite challenges, the budget has been balanced, Wahlen said. “I praise the Lord for this strong evidence of the continued growth in the financial capacity of our church organizations and of our church members around the world,” he said.

Expenses and Appropriations

After “the slump caused by the pandemic,” expenses have increased, Wahlen reported. At the same time, appropriations have increased for GC institutions to offset the effect of inflation. International Service Employees (ISEs) and GC Auditing Service (GCAS) will also receive increased amounts to fund their services.

Wahlen also reported changes in GC-administered funds, with a higher appropriation ($3.35 million) to the Digital Strategy for Mission (including hybrid evangelism), church software platforms, major church gatherings and business meetings, and insurance premiums. The only major decrease is a $2.3 million budget reduction in the expense of the Adventist World magazine.

“We praise the Lord for the assets He has entrusted to the world church which have provided a certain amount of flexibility during uncertain times,” Wahlen said.

Use of Tithe

Wahlen also reported on the use of tithe monies, as he reminded administrators and executive committees about their policy prescribed to “understand scriptural and Spirit of Prophecy counsel regarding the use of tithe,” “assess and evaluate its application within their territories,” and “make an annual report to [their] executive committee” to trigger meaningful discussions.

“Tithe is a sacred biblical resource provided to the church,” Wahlen said. “We have good policies outlining what tithe can be used for, but without regular review it is possible that tithe may be unintentionally allocated to areas that are not the greatest priority for the advancement of mission,” he said.

The overall goal, Wahlen said, is to rein in operating expenses relating to administration in order to increase expenditures for pastors, evangelists, and frontline workers. “Remember that we must focus the use of tithe on its primary objective—the support of pastors and their soul-winning activities,” Wahlen said.

Mission Refocus, a Reality

After Wahlen’s presentation, Douglas returned to the podium with a call to action for EXCOM members. “God has provided us the resources; let us do the work. Let us do the work locally and let us do the work globally,” he said.

Douglas also noted that Mission Refocus, a GC initiative that reviews and reassigns more funds to frontline mission, “provides us the framework to work both locally and globally in the work of seeking and saving the lost.” He added, “Mission Refocus is no longer a dream; Mission Refocus is no longer a project, Mission Refocus is a reality!”

Douglas also emphasized that the GC is committed to rethinking its strategies and refocusing its resources to ensure a greater impact. He announced that in the next quinquennium, the GC is planning to spend approximately $75.5 million in supporting frontline mission work in the 10/40 Window (a region of the world where most people live but where Christians are a minority), the post-Christian populations, and the urban societies around the world.

An Example of Service

As he concluded his presentation, Douglas shared a video report of a mission trip the GC Treasury team made to the Caribbean island of St. Croix in April. According to organizers, the initiative created synergy among various church entities, but most importantly, it got everyone involved in mission. It also resulted in many baptisms across the island.

The trip to St. Croix was only one of many mission-driven and evangelistic initiatives led by treasurers of the Adventist Church around the world, Douglas said.

“My brethren, the Lord is coming, and we need to bend every energy to the accomplishment of the work before us,” Douglas read at the end of the video report, quoting Adventist Church co-founder Ellen White (Gospel Workers, p. 115). “The mission is for everyone and there is something for us to do for the Master,” Douglas said. “Let’s do our part in building up the kingdom of God … so we can finish the work and go home!”