Summit Emphasizes Volunteer Service as Essential to Mission Growth

Leaders highlighted opportunities for volunteer service and cross-cultural mission across Inter-America and beyond.

June 1, 2026 | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | Royston Philbert and IAD News Staff

With the Inter-American Division [IAD] aiming to recruit 2,000 volunteers by 2030, Seventh-day Adventist leaders and mission organizers gathered at the Intercultural Mission Church Planting Summit to challenge members to embrace cross-cultural service as a vital part of fulfilling the gospel commission.

Held May 27–30, at the University of Southern Caribbean, the summit brought together pastors, young adults, professionals, educators, and lay members to explore new approaches to volunteer mission service, church planting, and intercultural ministry across Inter-America and beyond.

Pastor Samuel Telemaque, Adventist Mission director of the IAD and main organizer of the summit, said the division’s volunteer initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen missionary engagement throughout the territory and prepare more members to serve beyond their local churches and communities.

According to organizers, the summit represented a strategic shift in how mission is understood and practiced across the division. Rather than viewing mission primarily as the work of pastors and church employees, speakers challenged delegates to see every church member as a missionary equipped to serve through their professions, community involvement, and willingness to cross cultural, linguistic, and geographic boundaries.

“We cannot leave mission to a few people,” said Fylvia Kline, manager of VividFaith at the General Conference (GC). “God has called every believer to participate in His mission.”

Kline highlighted VividFaith, the church’s official mission recruitment platform, as a practical tool for connecting willing members with service opportunities around the world. The platform supports the GC’s Mission Refocus initiative, which seeks to align church resources and membership with areas of greatest mission need.

Kline noted that VividFaith records show the Inter-American Division ranked among the top five territories sending missionaries for service in 2025, with 59 missionaries deployed during the year. She added that 15 missionaries from outside the division are currently serving within the IAD.

Mobilizing Members for Mission

One focus of the summit was expanding access to missionary service through VividFaith. Participants received hands-on training in posting mission opportunities, recruiting volunteers, and connecting qualified candidates with mission needs worldwide.

“Volunteering has always formed part of the fabric of mission work,” said Janelle Scantlebury-Smith, associate secretary of the IAD and former Adventist Volunteer Service coordinator. “Volunteers provide much-needed human resources in Adventist institutions and often do so at significantly reduced costs, allowing ministries to expand their impact.”

Mission Refocus has increased the need for volunteers willing to serve in the 10/40 Window, unentered territories, and major urban centers, she explained.

“Because spreading the gospel through missionary work will accelerate our Lord’s return, we urgently need more willing volunteers to answer the call,” Scantlebury-Smith said.

She also distributed copies of a GC’s missionary handbook to participants. The resource provides practical guidance on mission preparation, cultural adaptation, expectations, and field service for future volunteers responding to mission opportunities worldwide.

Many church members remain unaware of available avenues for service or hesitate because of concerns related to employment, finances, or long-term commitment, noted Scantlebury-Smith. She encouraged professionals, retirees, university students, and lay members to consider how their skills and experience can advance the church’s global mission.

Expanding Opportunities for Young Adults

Telemaque challenged delegates to view young adults as a vital force for advancing mission throughout the region and beyond.

“Our young people enrolled in school can take a year off to serve in places like Costa Rica, Panama, or even Haiti,” Telemaque said. “There are opportunities for teachers, church planters, healthcare workers, and many others who are willing to answer God’s call.”

“This training is about creating a culture of mission where volunteering becomes a natural expression of discipleship,” Telemaque said. “We want every church, school, and institution to become a launching point for service.”

Reaching the division’s goal of 2,000 volunteers by 2030 will require churches and institutions to intentionally promote mission opportunities and develop future missionaries, he added.

Telemaque described VividFaith as “a marketplace for mission,” connecting mission needs with individuals willing to serve in different regions of the world.

“The world is changing, people are moving, and we need pastors and young professionals who are willing to serve beyond their own countries,” he said. “When they return home, they bring new knowledge, new skills, and a broader perspective that strengthens the church and its mission.”

Building New Pathways for Service

For many participants, the summit opened new possibilities for expanding mission engagement in their territories.

Gail Smith-Anthony of the Caribbean Union Conference said the training helped her envision additional opportunities for young people throughout the Caribbean.

“There’s a plethora of young people across the Caribbean ready to get involved in mission activities abroad,” Smith-Anthony said. “This resource provides a practical way to connect them with opportunities where their gifts and talents can make a difference.”

Vincent Peterkin of Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica said the training highlighted the important role educational institutions can play in developing future missionaries.

“We have talented young people who are looking for purpose and opportunities to make a difference,” Peterkin said. “Through initiatives like this, they can discover that mission is not limited to pastors but is something every believer can be involved in through their profession and personal calling.”

Daniel Martinez of the Panama Union, who previously served as a missionary in Rwanda and now pastors in Nicaragua, said the platform’s simplicity makes mission opportunities more accessible to church members.

A Unified Church for Global Mission

Presenters noted that while another major religious denomination deploys approximately 66,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, the Seventh-day Adventist Church currently has more than 3,000. Leaders said increasing volunteer participation will be essential if the church hopes to expand its mission footprint globally.

“We cannot keep Jesus to ourselves,” Kline emphasized. “Our faith leaves no room for exclusivity; we are called to share Him with the world.”

The summit also highlighted growing collaboration between the IAD and the Middle East North Africa Union Mission as church leaders seek to strengthen cross-cultural partnerships and expand global mission opportunities.

Pastor Denis Sand, president of the Middle East North Africa Union Mission, challenged delegates to embrace a broader vision of service beyond their own territories and cultures.

“The gospel was never intended to remain within the borders of one country or one culture,” Sand said. “God is calling His people to cross boundaries, build relationships, and share hope in places where the Adventist message is still little known.”

Current assignments available through VividFaith include teaching positions, online service roles, church planting initiatives, and community outreach projects throughout the IAD and beyond.

To find out more about volunteer and missionary opportunities, visit vividfaith.com