New Year’s resolutions: a common activity for many this time of year. As the goal-setting for 2023 begins, it also brings an opportunity for reflection. In 2022, ANN was committed to bringing news stories from the Global Church to every corner of the world. As the official Adventist news source, we highlight baptisms, General Conference initiatives, and humanitarian efforts among other news from world divisions. In 2022, ANN published over 4,000 articles featuring the victories and challenges of the World Church family. By looking back on these stories, we can see, without a doubt, God has been present in every circumstance.
Although every news story is a good one, ANN wanted to highlight the top ten news stories from 2022:
On February 24, 2022, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine started when Russia invaded in the early hours of the morning. Since the start of this conflict, thousands have died, and millions have been displaced from their homes. Elder Ted Wilson, president of the General Conference (GC), addressed the World Church, urging all to pray for peace, the Euro-Asia Division, and those impacted by the conflict in Eastern Europe.
For nearly 50 years, Elder Ted Wilson has served the Adventist Church in some capacity. On June 6, 2022, during the GC Session, the GC Executive Committee voted to reelect Elder Wilson as GC president for his third term. Despite the exciting call to office, he expressed, “You don’t need to know what the General Conference is or who the president is. All you need to do is know the Lord, attend your local church, be involved in mission, be in relationships, and love people—telling them about God’s love and Christ’s soon coming.”
3. World Church to Hold 40 Days of Prayer for Revival, Mission, and GC Session
Leading up to the start of the 2022 GC Session, the World Church held a 40 Days of Prayer event. As prayer continues to be the underlying foundation of the Global Church’s work, Adventists worldwide were invited to pray for their pastors, church leaders, and World Church leadership.
4. Heroes Players Get Baptized, Thousands of Others Undertake Bible Studies
Heroes: The Bible Trivia Game celebrated its first anniversary on March 25, 2022. Since its launch, the game has improved the biblical knowledge of more than 120,000 individuals and inspired more than 2,300 students to take Bible studies. Through this gamified ministry, many have been baptized. In this story, several young people impacted by the game share their testimonies of transformation.
At ten years old, Melissa and her family relocated to serve as missionaries in Palau, a small island in the western Pacific Ocean. One night, as she and her family slept, an intruder killed her parents and brother. However, years later, Melissa met the man who killed her family. In this remarkable testimony, Melissa uncovers how, with God’s help, she managed her loss and pain to forgive the man who had hurt her.
6. Adventist Church Welcomes 303 Former Rebels After AWR’s Earth’s Final Countdown: Series 2
Miracles occurred in Mindoro as former rebels and minorities surrendered their lives, not to life imprisonment, but as an offering to God through baptism. Despite heavy rains and the scare of the pandemic, the week-long Earth’s Final Countdown evangelistic initiative ended on a high note as hundreds of former rebels, including their leader, surrendered their lives to God and accepted Jesus in baptism. Over 2,000 people were baptized during the AWR series.
Fifteen-year-old Anderson Huamán learned about Jesus and Pathfinders through the love others demonstrated when he was invited to a basketball game. This short testimony highlights the transformative power a simple invitation can have in the life of an individual.
8. Record Attendance at Scottish Mission Day of Fellowship Reflects Church Hungry for Revival
John Knox, a Scottish minister, famously prayed “Give me Scotland, or I die.” These words emphasized the passionate cry of a man willing to die for the expansion of the gospel throughout Scotland. Today, Adventist pastors pray these same words as the gospel slowly grows in the Scottish Mission. With a total of 730 Adventist members, the region recently experienced a transformative revival event where nearly 80 percent of the total membership attended. This unanimous hunger for God and revival is a miracle in Scotland’s postmodern context.
9. Southern Archaeologists Find Ivory Comb with First Written Canaanite Sentence
Southern Adventist University students contributed to a historical discovery when an engraving was identified on an ivory comb unearthed in Tel Lachish, Israel, in 2016. The engraving highlights an interesting wish against lice, and the Canaanite alphabet used points to the earliest books of the Hebrew Bible.
10. Church Celebrates More than 240k Baptism Worldwide Since 2015 Thanks to Total Member Involvement
Total Member Involvement (TMI) is a core focus of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s strategy and the cornerstone of this quinquennium’s theme, “I Will Go.” While God does not require humanity’s help to complete His work, His children have the privilege of carrying this message of hope to the ends of the earth. When the church collaborates with Christ in fulfilling the gospel commission, results are inevitable. Since 2015, the Adventist Church has celebrated the baptisms of over 240,000 individuals worldwide. To God be the glory! Great things He has done!
Although 2023 is unknown, Adventist pioneer Ellen White stated in her book Life Sketches, “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history” (p. 196). God has led His church since He founded it on earth and will continue to do so for all eternity. May you place your trust in Him this new year and remember, Jesus is coming again! Get involved!