Gratitude, Deeper Commitment Define Inter-American Division Treasurer’s Report

“We are united, working together for God’s glory and honor,” Ivelisse Herrera says.

May 11, 2026 | Miami, Florida, United States | Inter-American Division News

A deep sense of gratitude and a deeper sense of commitment to God and the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church defined the Treasurer’s Report during the Spring Meeting of the Inter-American Division (IAD) in Miami, Florida, United States, May 7, 2026.

IAD treasurer Ivelisse Herrera reported on the state of regional church finances to the members of the IAD Executive Committee as she recommitted herself and her team to greater accountability, transparency, and efficiency to better fulfill the mission of sharing the gospel with every person across the vast territory.

Ten Months Later

The May 7 report allowed IAD financial officers to assess the state of the regional church finances 10 months after the latest General Conference Session of the world church in July 2025, Herrera explained. “We must ask ourselves two important questions: What do we have ten months later?,” Herrera asked. “And how are we doing so far?”

As a way of an answer to the first question, Herrera highlighted a clearly defined vision for the IAD region, a clear strategic plan to achieve that vision. “We are convinced that in every corner across Inter-America, we must move forward saying, ‘I Will Go Living the mission,’” she said.

Against that background, Herrera reminded church leaders, everyone is clear about focusing on the four strategic priorities—communion with God, identity in Christ, unity in the Spirit for service, and mission for all. “Being sure about these goals is indeed one of the most powerful tools to fulfill God’s mission in Inter-America,” Herrera said.

An Integrated Approach

Herrera highlighted that, over the past ten months, regional financial leaders reached consensus on an integrated financial strategy and work plan already voted which brings together treasury, stewardship, planned giving and trust services, auditing, and information technology across the church.

“I think that working in an integrated way under this approach can help us be more effective and efficient in all our endeavors,” she said.

Generosity, Mission, and Focus Areas

The financial department of the IAD has developed a clear path for the next five years, Herrera shared. It can be summarized in “Connecting Generosity with Mission,” a motto the team has selected as their guiding principle of action. “This is what we want to focus our efforts on,” Herrera said. “We want our financial system to become a launching pad, so that the fruit of the generosity and faithfulness of our brethren may actually be used to fulfill our mission.”

To strengthen regional financial performance, the team identified three key priorities: increasing participation, promoting integration, and ensuring ongoing evaluation at every level, Herrera said.

“The Lord has already blessed us with this vision,” Herrera emphasized. “We are united, working together, and we trust that the same God that gave us the vision will help us succeed for His own glory and honor.”

Participation in Systematic Giving

Based on the focus areas she stated, Herrera shared a preliminary assessment of the situation across the region.

“I think one of the challenges we have is to increase participation in every one of our ministries,” she said regarding the first focus area. Specifically as regards church finances, the treasury team has pledged to help increase the percentage of church members who are actively involved in supporting the mission of the church through their tithes and offerings.

“The goal is to achieve a 15-percent increase of new donors by 2030, or 3 percent a year,” Herrera shared. “The financial soundness of our region must not depend on a specific amount, which may vary according to the circumstances,” she explained. “We want the soundness of finances across the territory may rest on the number of brethren who are faithful in returning their tithes and offerings.” The latest figures estimate that just 34 percent of church members included in church rolls are systematically returning their tithes, she said.

Overall, Herrera reported, in the last year, tithes increased 3.85 percent and offerings 5.24 percent in local currencies across the region. When exchanged into US dollars, the increase reached 1 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. “We thank God for this moderate increase, which still reflects positive results,” Herrera said. “These figures are the result of what is happening in each local congregation, when our brethren are generous in their returning of tithes and offerings.”

Increasing Integration

Herrera also highlighted efforts to increase operational integration across the board. The goals are to promote economic growth, achieve financial stability, and provide sustainability in mission at every level, she shared.

“The goal is to achieve greater integration in finances, in technology—interconnection between systems and platforms—and in human talent,” Herrera explained. For years now the region has invested in significant resources to increase the level of regional integration.

As regards human talent, the goal is to be able to respond with greater agility before challenges to achieve greater efficiency. “We want to promote creativity, innovation,” something that, Herrera said, is already taking place across the region.

The Role of Technology

Daniel Zúñiga, IAD chief information officer and associate treasurer in charge of technology, shared how regional church leaders are trying to use technology to improve operational efficiency and members’ effective commitment.

“The strategy to achieve integrated solutions is to reach standards and effectively integrate all flow processes across the board,” Zúñiga explained. “When information is integrated, every territory is strengthened. We feed on each other.”

According to Zúñiga, integrated technological process also help improve regional coordination and accountability. “The goal is to achieve only one financial ecosystem,” he emphasized.

Zúñiga also reported that 75 percent of local congregations have been already integrated to the IAD technological network. “This reflects a change, a new paradigm, a new language we use to discuss our finances.” In this regard, Zúñiga mentioned the goals of achieving greater harmony, not centralization, and of aligning every mission initiative with the organization strategies. “When we can report trustworthy data, God’s business is strengthened,” he said. “The goal is not to have more systems in place, but to support better management, accountability, and assessment so we can support each other.”

Why Evaluation Is Important

Regarding evaluation—the third focus area of the IAD financial department—Herrera emphasized that the combination of sound technological systems and ongoing assessment can help financial officers to make sound and intentional decisions across the territory despite local and regional challenges.

“In Inter-America, we are a family, everyone with its own reality and challenges,” Herrera said. “It is the reason the requirement of financial evaluation will certainly support regional efforts when facing unexpected roadblocks.”

IAD financial leaders acknowledged those regions and organizations which recently underwent an evaluation process, including the Panama Union and Cetebedi, the Adventist healthy food factory in Guatemala.

Other Significant Figures

IAD Undertreasurer Abilio Cima shared some figures related to the financial performance during the last few months. He reported that in the last 12 months, tithes were 32 percent above what the team had budgeted. “To God be the glory for that,” he said.

Non-tithe funds—mostly offerings—were also 1 percentage point above what had been budgeted. “Once again, we have seen God’s blessings,” Cima added.

As regards expenses, Cima reported that the IAD has spent less “compared to the budget and also compared to 2025.” Even travel expenses have been below what had been budgeted and were similar to a year before. Only program expenses were above what had been budgeted. “This is because we had already allocated funds that now were disbursed” as previously agreed, he explained.

Appropriations to the fields across the territory were well above what the IAD received from the General Conference. Overall, liabilities—or debt—amounts to just 20.4 percent of the total, while net assets amount to 79.6 percent. And both liquidity and working capital—which are used to establish the organization viability—are well above what has been defined by policy. “Every perfect gift comes from above,” Cima reminded church leaders.

Comments from the Floor

At the time of comments from members of the executive committee, former IAD treasurer Filiberto Verduzco thanked Herrera and her team for a “well-designed, well-structured report.” Verduzco called for a special blessing on church members, who are, he said, “faithful and the only partners we have in mission.”

David de Jesús, a lay member of the committee, emphasized the financial soundness of the region, something he has witnessed since he was appointed to the body. “I especially want to congratulate you for what you are doing regarding integration,” de Jesús said.

Leslie Moses, president of the South Caribbean Conference, commended the team for a report he called “excellent.” Despite regional challenges, Moses emphasized, he found “very encouraging” the increase in contributions by members. “I just want to rejoice and give glory to God,” he said.

For Ney Davis, from the East Venezuela Union, the “detailed report” helped him “value the focus on financial soundness not based on specific amounts but on the church members’ faithfulness.” He also celebrated the attempt to increase members’ participation in generous giving. “I find these efforts commendable,” he said.

Finally, Bertie Henry, treasurer of the Caribbean Union, shared he wanted to “celebrate this moment and thank our treasurer. He added, “I can see you are putting money in the mission of the church, and I appreciate that. We are really happy to see the growth experienced in this division. We want to keep that momentum going and hope that the division can move from strength to strength.”

All Belongs to God

In closing, Herrera made a point that she didn’t want to end her team’s report focused on the challenges, which do exist, but on a spiritual note. “We are not one more business but God’s church,” she emphasized. Against that background, Herrera said, “we are called to be careful in our management, because those resources belong to God and are sacred. It’s all about managing what God provides for fulfilling our mission.”

She also called leaders to remember the privilege everyone has. “We have a treasure to share with the world, which is the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ,” Herrera said. “This is our mission, and it’s a mission that deserves to be financed in faithfulness…Because everything we may achieve will show that is just God’s grace what saved all those for whom we served and also all those of us who serve in God’s work.”

Herrera closed expressing her full confidence in God’s leading. “This church will stay till the end. And it will always have funds to do mission—to the very end.”