A review of a recent mission trip set a singular tone for the Secretariat Report at the Annual Council of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (GC) in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, on October 13.
The report would be “a precious time to share with you a picture of our church and its worldwide mission,” GC secretary Erton Köhler told the more than 300 attending members of the Executive Committee (EXCOM). Köhler and his team reported church growth and other figures but went beyond statistics to review the genesis of Adventist mission to the world, discuss the current state of missionary deployment, and share some of the possibilities and challenges for the months and years ahead.
What Member Statistics Show
Accessions to the Adventist Church have fully rebounded after the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to David Trim, director of the GC Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research. In 2023, the church welcomed more than 1,465,000 new members — more than 4,000 a day, or one every 21.5 seconds. “In fact, 2023 saw the largest number of net accessions of any year in Adventist Church history,” Trim said.
At the same time, more than 836,000 left the denomination in 2023 (excluding deaths), the third highest figure ever recorded. “The four highest losses have been in the last five years,” Trim reported. Thus, he added, “accessions alone do not count for church growth. We have to find ways to disciple [sic] more members if we want our net growth to become more explosive.” Currently, the percentage of members who leave is closer to 43 percent, he reported.
Regarding the ratio of Adventist members to world population, there is currently one Adventist per 350 people (against 519 per church member in 2000).
Trim also shared that globally, 30 church members are needed to produce one accession. It’s a statistic that, he said, shows “how effective our church is in reaching people.” He then discussed regional differences, stating, “Every division has its own mission field.… This highlights again the need for Mission Refocus, with missionaries and resources deployed within divisions but also between divisions,” he said.
Moving Mission Forward
In the last section of his report, Köhler referenced Mission Refocus, an initiative of the GC to redirect more funds and resources to the worldwide mission field. This emphasis on frontline mission service has required financial adjustments at all church levels, he acknowledged, but it’s already rendering tangible results.
Three Mission Windows
Köhler then delved into what he called “three mission windows” present in every church region around the world. They include the 10/40 Window (a region of the world where most of the world’s population lives but where Christians are a minority), the Post-Christian Window, and the Urban Window.
EXCOM members voted overwhelmingly to record receipt of the report.
Treasurer’s Report Highlights Commitment to Supporting Frontline Mission
During the report, treasurer Paul H. Douglas shared a general outlook of the GC’s financial position, while associate treasurer Timothy Aka and undertreasurer Ray Wahlen respectively reported on macroeconomic trends and on the world allocations and appropriations budget for 2025. Wahlen also reported on the use of tithe funds in 2023.
Macroeconomic Trends
After Douglas’ introduction, Aka, who had been absent due to major health challenges, thanked God and his colleagues. “I wasn’t sure I would [have] this opportunity again,” Aka said as he addressed EXCOM members. “I am so thankful that I am standing here and so appreciative of all of your prayers.”
Aka discussed some global economic trends and how they affect the ministry of the Adventist Church. He noted that while the global economy has been growing, inflation has also been rising all over the world. He noted the current trends in the countries that affect the GC budget the most, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Philippines, and the United States.
These seven countries contribute approximately 75 percent of the tithes remitted to the GC and 65 percent of the offerings, Douglas said. “We praise God for the faithfulness of all our members, but we pay special attention to the macroeconomic realities of these countries, because the realities that affect these countries will indeed affect the financial picture of the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.”
Financial Outlook
Douglas was pleased to report that the financial position of the General Conference is strong. “It is important for us to be strong, because we don’t only serve but also support the world field to ensure that this mission, indeed, can go forward.”
He reported that cash and investments, which account for 83 percent of total assets, have increased 6.2 percent when comparing August 2023 to August 2024. While tithes have slightly decreased against the budgeted amounts through August 2024, offerings have increased 24.5 percent against the budgeted amount.
Likewise, working capital (current assets minus current liabilities) has reached 16.6 months, against the 6 months voted by policy. Liquid assets (those that can easily be converted to cash) reached 13 months against the 3 months voted by policy. “God has provided for His church, and we give all the glory to Him for the resources we have to do the work for which we have been chosen,” Douglas said.
Use of Tithe
Wahlen also reported on the use of tithe monies, as he reminded administrators and executive committees about their policy prescribed to “understand scriptural and Spirit of Prophecy counsel regarding the use of tithe,” “assess and evaluate its application within their territories,” and “make an annual report to [their] executive committee” to trigger meaningful discussions.
“Tithe is a sacred biblical resource provided to the church,” Wahlen said. “We have good policies outlining what tithe can be used for, but without regular review it is possible that tithe may be unintentionally allocated to areas that are not the greatest priority for the advancement of mission,” he said.
The overall goal, Wahlen said, is to rein in operating expenses relating to administration in order to increase expenditures for pastors, evangelists, and frontline workers. “Remember that we must focus the use of tithe on its primary objective—the support of pastors and their soul-winning activities,” Wahlen said.
Mission Refocus, a Reality
After Wahlen’s presentation, Douglas returned to the podium with a call to action for EXCOM members. “God has provided us the resources; let us do the work. Let us do the work locally and let us do the work globally,” he said.
