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Derek Morris Named President of Hope Channel, Inc.

Story by Hope Channel staff

Derek Morris has been named President of Hope Channel Inc., the global Christian television network of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Morris, who currently serves as editor of Ministry magazine, will now oversee the operations of the Hope Channel network of 43 affiliate channels.

“The process of nomination and appointment of Hope Channel’s new president was done under the guidance of the Holy Spirit with seasons of prayer,” said Billy Biaggi, Chairperson of the Hope Channel Board of Directors.

A Message to Church Members from NAD President Daniel Jackson About Hope and Compassion

Dear Co-workers,

I want to personally thank you for everything you do for the advancement of God's kingdom in your communities and in your churches. I am grateful for this because mission must be at the very top, front, and center of our agenda.

I believe that in order to be effective in reaching others we must have a united vision which leads us all in the same direction. We also need an ongoing and active conversation, which empowers our pastors, congregations, and institutions to reach people within their sphere of influence. This is why, during our 2015 Year-end Meeting, our North American Division Executive Committee voted three very significant outreach initiatives.

How Church Structure Works

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is organized with a representative form of church government. Authority in the church comes from the membership of local churches. Executive responsibility is given to representative bodies and officers to govern the church.

Adventist Church Tops 19 Million Members

Two people being baptized during a mass baptism of 1,000 in Guatemala's Lake Atitlan on March 29, 2015 (Gustavo Mendez/IAD)

Story by Andrew McChesney / Adventist Review

The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s official membership has topped 19 million for the first time in history, and the number of local churches has doubled worldwide to more than 80,000 in just two decades, according to newly released figures.

All About Union Constituency Session

Story by Kimberly Luste Maran

All members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are part of a constituency, which is defined as a group of voters in a specified region who elect representatives to a legislatorial body. In this case, church members of the Columbia Union Conference have designated about 310 delegates who will represent them during the quinquennial constituency session occurring this May (2016).

Every five years representatives elect union leadership, receive reports from union leaders and entities, and vote on general decisions and church business. Reports on finances, church membership, auditing and other statistics are also received and voted. The session delegates will also vote on any proposed changes to the union constitution and bylaws.

7 Steps to Starting a Refugee Ministry

Story by Edwin Manuel Garcia

1. Prayerfully study the Great Commission and the inspired counsels on reaching out to “the stranger in our midst.”

2. Get acquainted with refugees and immigrants near your church—in apartment complexes or grocery stores that specialize  in ethnic foods.

3. Contact refugee resettlement agencies that help identify and place refugees in local communities.

4. Identify church members who can teach English as a Second Language classes, provide transportation, assist with tutoring school children or know about the availability of meaningful jobs or employment agencies.

5. Appoint a coordinator who will be sensitive to the refugees’ needs and fears.

Is Education “Golden” or Gone?

photo by andeecollard on Flickr

Editorial by Hamlet Canosa / Photo by andeecollard on Flickr

Not too long ago, I listened intently to a long-time supporter of Seventh-day Adventist education say to me, “Adventist education is not what it used to be. Its ‘golden age’ is behind us and will never return.”

His prognostication was difficult to refute. Measured by enrollment trends only, one cannot deny that Adventist education in the ’50s and ’60s was formidable. Accessibility, affordability, work-study programs, strong church demographics and other factors optimized Adventist education’s growth and impact on the church as a whole in North America.

Staying Relevant Through STEM

Story by Daniel Granderson / Image by Mars P on Flickr

The four pillars of STEM—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—already shape nearly every aspect of our lives, and Adventist educational leaders, if interested in staying relevant in a business-minded world, must embrace its effects. It’s becoming clear that American business leaders of tomorrow are the STEM students of today.

Building Better Schools Together

Story by Daniel Granderson / Images by iStock

Jesus came not just to preach, but also to teach. Is it any wonder then that He was referred to by His followers as rabbi (teacher)? He held class on the mount and in fishing boats. Wherever there were ears to hear, He saw opportunities to educate.

Today there are more than 1.8 million pairs of ears still receiving the teachings of Christ through the schools, colleges and universities the Seventh-day Adventist Church operates worldwide. These modern teachers develop not only the intellect, but also the spirit, allowing the ministry to live on beyond the pulpit. In these schools, there is no ministry without education. The two are twin branches growing together on the same gospel tree.