Adventist Leaders Commit to Greater Focus on Mission with ‘I Will Go’ Initiative

November 12, 2020 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Top Seventh-day Adventist leaders from across the Inter-American Division (IAD) unanimously voted to carry-out the church’s I Will Go strategic plan throughout the territory for the next five years, as the Year-End Executive Committee meetings concluded on Nov. 11, 2020. The final seal of approval of the new comprehensive mission plan represents the culmination of dozens of brainstorming and planning sessions with top level leaders throughout the territory over the course of nearly two years.

“We worked in groups and individually, listened to the Lord, consulted the scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy and the Holy Spirit,” said Pastor Elie Henry, president of the church in Inter-America.  “This is not simply a theme or a slogan, it is the fulcrum from which to fulfill the mission of the Lord in the division during this quinquennium.”

Reaching everywhere

It’s about following the mandate given to the church by God to reach every country, city, town, local community, home and heart in the territory of the Inter-American Division, added Pastor Henry. “God drives the mission and He is on a mission to Redeem. This strategic plan is the guide to total leader, employee and member involvement in the mission.”

The large-scale I Will Go Inter-America plans include integrating ministries and departments and focusing on initiatives and activities in its framework with the three main strategic issues Inter-America taking center stage: evangelism, education, and service to the community.  The comprehensive mission plan was derived from the overall plan set out by the Adventist world church’s I Will Go initiative voted officially last month.

Church leaders spent time reviewing action plans and initiatives as well as key performance indicators for the community service strategic focus, before casting their final vote of approval. The community service objectives involve connecting with people, addressing their mental, social, emotional and spiritual needs for further mission impact, community development, socio-economic impact, as well as physical growth and development.

Various items voted

Based on the 249 new action plans of the I Will Go Inter-America mission plan, committee leaders voted preliminary baptismal projections or goals to reach at least 911,000 new members and former members in the for the 2020-2025 quinquennium.

Leaders voted the missionary book of the year 2021 entitled “Hoped for Troubled Times” by Mark Finley. Plans are for 5 million books to be distributed across the IAD territory. One million are expected to be distributed in Chiapas, Mexico alone, said Pastor Erwin Gonzalez, publishing ministries director for the church in Inter-America.

Votes also included to adopt the document which was voted by the Adventist world church’s executive committee last month “One Humanity: A Human Relations Statement Addressing Racism, Casteism, Tribalism and Ethnocentrism,” as well as reaffirmation with a statement of confidence in the writings of Ellen G. White—a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In addition, leaders voted to amend the operating policy of 13 unions, calendar of special days and events for 2021, authorized meetings for 2021, as well as for each union to appoint a news coordinator to consistently share news stories, among others.

Church leaders went over licensing requirements for Adventist Development and Relief Agency offices to be able to operate across the territory, ensuring that leaders are watchful and helpful to victims of the domestic violence within church congregations and bringing about more awareness through the Enditnow Adventist Say No to Violence initiative, and prayed for families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and affected by Hurricane Eta across Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Travel and lodging details on the upcoming General Conference session of May 20-25, in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, were discussed, as well as guidelines for union sessions, among others.

To learn more about Inter-America’s initiatives, activities and upcoming events, visit us at interamerica.org