Delegates turned down a motion that would have allowed each division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to decide for itself whether to ordain women to the gospel ministry in its territory. By a margin of 1,381-977, with five abstentions, delegates by secret ballot ended a five-year process characterized by vigorous and sometimes acrimonious debate.
Delegates at the General Conference session in San Antonio, Texas, have approved a milestone update of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s 28 Fundamental Beliefs that, among other things, underscores the church’s teaching of a recent, literal Creation week. The core statements of the church’s Fundamental Beliefs had not been touched since they were first adopted in 1980, with the lone exception an additional belief in 2005.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church seldom revises its Fundamental Beliefs. So why now? There are at least six reasons why a denomination might consider a revision to its belief statements. It might wish to
A secret ballot system has been installed for Wednesday’s ordination vote that will offer the most fair and secure voting process possible, General Conference officers said. “We have tried to be transparent, honest and thoughtful, and to ensure the privacy of the vote to the best of our ability,” said Nancy Lamoreaux, chief information officer for the General Conference and organizer of the logistics for Wednesday’s vote.
Inter-American top church leaders decide on names for the General Conference nominating committee at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center,…
Pastor Abner De Los Santos was elected as general vice president for the Seventh-day Adventist world church during the 60th General Conference business session yesterday in San Antonio, Texas. The election came as the church chose its six vice presidents who will help implement three mission-oriented goals that will be a priority around the world during the next five years.
General Conference (GC) session delegates elected 12 of the 15 department directors of the General Conference on Monday. Eight directors were incumbents, and two of them replaced officers who are retiring. The retiring department directors are Jonathan Kuntaraf of the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries department, and John Graz, director of the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty department.
A slimmed-down leadership team of six general vice presidents has been elected to the General Conference and charged with helping implement three mission-oriented goals that the Seventh-day Adventist Church intends to prioritize over the next five years. The lineup includes three new officers—Guillermo E. Biaggi, Thomas L. Lemon, and Abner De Los Santos—and three reelected officers—Geoffrey G. Mbwana, Ella S. Simmons, and Artur A. Stele.
As the Seventh-day Adventist world church holds the General Conference (GC) session in San Antonio, Texas, about 550 young adults ages 18 to 35 are gathering for Impact San Antonio at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel from July 2 to 11. The 10-day experience is composed of dynamic worship services and breakout sessions that will be accompanied by community service projects in the afternoons.
Delegates voted on Sunday to not use electronic voting at the General Conference (GC) session after repeated tests of the system failed to yield accurate results. General Conference president Ted N.C. Wilson took to the stage after lunch on Sunday to lead delegates in a final test of the e-vote system.
Pastor Israel Leito, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America was re-elected Monday, July 6, to serve another five years as president of the vast growing membership. Pastor Leito was confirmed by the GC Session delegation after his name was submitted by the Nominating Committee of the world church.
Church leaders are encouraging each of the world church’s 18.5 million members to find a way to get personally involved in the Adventist Church’s new five-year “Reach the World” strategic plan after the General Conference (GC) session ends in San Antonio. The plan, which will be implemented from 2015 to 2020, is based on the results of a two-year survey of more than 41,000 current and former church members worldwide and approved by church leaders at the Annual Council last fall.