In Inter-America, Top Leaders Vote on Evangelism Initiatives for Greater Member Involvement

Inter-American Division church leaders vote on ensuring that Hope Channel Inter-America is managed properly and affiliated correctly in the church’s local regions, via video conference on Apr. 27, 2017, in Miami, Florida. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD

April 28, 2017 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD

Top Seventh-day Adventist officials and board members of the Inter-American Division (IAD) Executive Committee met yesterday to vote on numerous initiatives, activities and events that will mark the direction of the church during the next year and beyond.

Nearly 100 church administrators connected from their regional headquarter offices to review activities during the past year and vote on 42 items on growth, evangelism, and planning.

“Everything that has been presented and voted today has been done so with the intention of allowing enough time for the implementation of these programs and initiatives so these can run smoothly at the start of the year and the church can continue expanding in the mission of the church,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America.

Pastor Pedro Iglesias, IAD associate secretary leads a committee meeting while Myrna Costa, IAD vice president looks on. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD

Hope Channel Inter-America

Speaking about one of the largest evangelism undertakings in the IAD, the expansion of the church’s Hope Channel Inter-America, Pastor Leito emphasized the importance of growing the television network together as he addressed each top administrator in the 24 unions as official representatives of the channel in their local regions.

“You must ensure that the Hope Channel brand is guarded and managed according to the guidelines set forth by Hope Channel Inc.,” explained Pastor Leito. Channels need to be affiliated correctly through the proper requirements and standards set out to be part of the Adventist television network taking hope to people, added Leito.

Each union administration will sign a cooperation agreement with the IAD administration to guarantee the administrative management and coordination of Adventist television efforts in their territory, explained Abel Márquez, communication director for the church in Inter-America and director of Hope Channel Inter-America.

“The agreement will include network representation by the union president, and appointment of a Hope Channel Inter-America union coordinator in each union,” said Márquez.

Hope Channel Inter-America will continue in its capacity of coordinating tv production and distribution efforts across the territory, Márquez added.

Among the top comprehensive evangelistic initiatives voted on included the launch of Inter-America’s Year of Children and Adolescents in 2018.

2018 as the Year of Children and Adolescents

Dinorah Rivera, children and adolescents ministries director for the church in Inter-America presents the Year of Children and Adolescents initiative for 2018. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD

The initiative will reinforce values, nurture spiritual gifts, and encourage witnessing opportunities for thousands of children and adolescents across the IAD territory.

“We want to involve all the children and adolescents in an engaging way to build their spiritual gifts and awaken the spirit of service and mission so they too can be directly involved in the mission of the church,” said Dinorah Rivera, children and adolescent ministries director for the church in Inter-America.

The initiative will see the integration of many of departments and ministries in support of the world church’s total member involvement initiative to get as many church members, including children and adolescents, engaged in spiritual growth and testifying in their church and communities.

Committee members were in support of the 12-month initiative in 2018 that will see children earn a special backpack, pins, patches, and see territory-wide online programs, as they take part in the activity. For resources and more information, visit HERE

Lord Transform Me, Total Member Involvement Mission

Inter-America will celebrate its annual baptismal event in Haiti, next year. IAD File photo by Libna Stevens

Church leaders voted to double their efforts for greater evangelistic effectiveness in member participation and productivity as the Lord Transform Me evangelism initiative continues to focus member involvement in the life of the church and community.

Leaders voted on strategies for greater pastoral and member involvement in preparing evangelism campaigns, a closer look at the progress of pastoral districts, pre-campaign initiatives and social projects as well as post campaign initiatives, and greater small groups ministry involvement all across the IAD territory leading up to the first quarter reaping campaigns early in 2018.

IAD will hold its annual evangelism celebration coined as Lord Transform Me – Total Member Involvement Mission, in Haiti on Mar. 31, 2018.

Events and Meetings voted for 2017 included:

Educating for Eternity Conference

A leadership conference for church administrators, union education leaders, and educators from Inter-America’s 14 universities will meet to establish measurable goals to increase the number of primary and secondary enrollment of Adventists by reinforcing the SDA education philosophy, enhancing standards of academic excellence, development of education resources, and more. The Conference will be held in conjunction with the South American Division, Sep. 8-10, 2017, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

IAD top church administrators pray during the first day of mid-year executive meetings through video conference, Apr. 27, 2017. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD

Adventist Photographers Summit

An Adventist Photographer’s summit will take place in Havana, Cuba, Sep. 1-2, 2017. The summit will seek to strengthen collaborative relationships among Adventist photographers in Inter-America, enrich creativity, technique and evangelistic mission. Training will include lectures as well as collaborative project planning activities that will support the work of the church. Attendees will cover their own travel, lodging and food expenses.

Society of Adventist Communicators Convention

The North American Division’s Society of Adventist Communicators Convention, which gathers communication professionals from North America, Inter-America and around the world church, will hold its three-day conference this year in Portland, Oregon, on October 19-21, 2017. For more information click HERE

Bible Connection instead of Bible Boom

Bible Connection is the new name for the annual Bible boom program, which has engaged children and youth in deepening their study of the Bible for more than a decade. The initiative will have a less competitive focus and more emphasis on the study and personal experience of spiritual transformation with Jesus and His Word. This year’s Bible study books are Daniel, Joel and Hosea. The territory-wide finals are scheduled to take place Dec. 1-3, 2017, in Cancun, Mexico.

Committee members log into see committee agenda and voting system online. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD

Committee members also reviewed the world church’s recently voted new Adventist Identity Guideline System strategic plan for media integration, expansion of chaplaincy training, the 13^th Sabbath Offering promotion funds that will benefit Southeast Mexico, Trinidad and Puerto Rico on the first quarter of 2018, and additional events and initiatives for 2018 and 2019.

In addition, church leaders voted to hold this year’s second annual executive committee meetings in Merida, Yucatán, Mexico, October 25, 2017, instead of the previously voted venue in Haiti.

Inter-America’s Mid-Year Committee Meetings will resume on May 1, in Miami, Florida, where top leaders will be present to vote on additional initiatives, policies, reorganization of local fields, the executive secretary’s report and the treasurer’s report.

For more updates, visit us at interamerica.org

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