On October 10, during the afternoon business session of Annual Council 2023, Geoffrey Mbwana, General Conference general vice president, introduced the recommendation to grant union mission status to the South Sudan Attached Territory by saying, “Even in the midst of the most challenging situations, God will still carry forward His purposes. The country of South Sudan has gone through very difficult times, and yet, through it all, God has caused the seed of the gospel to grow and to grow tremendously. Today, we are celebrating that fact by bringing a recommendation for a change of status to the South Sudan attached territory into [a] union mission.”

To support the recommendation, Executive Committee members heard results of a survey assessment of the South Sudan territory done under the chairmanship of Mbwana. Elbert Kuhn, GC secretariat, began by sharing a brief history of the work in South Sudan, which began in 1979 when the Adventist Church officially entered the country. Pastor David Ogillo, from Tanzania, was selected by the Church to officially lead the work. Under his leadership, and with God’s guidance, the number of believers ready for mission grew exponentially.

After South Sudan gained independence from the Republic of Sudan in 2011, it was realigned under the East-Central Africa Division (ECD) in 2012. In 2015, the South Sudan field was officially organized into four different fields known as the South Sudan Attached Territory. As ECD leadership realized the fast growth in the territory, they proposed the creation of a survey commission team to the GC which would assess the territory’s future potential and the feasibility of turning it into a union mission rather than an attached territory. 

South Sudan Attached Territory from 2015-2023

Since its official organization in 2015, the Church in South Sudan has seen considerable growth, from approximately 17,000 members to over 72,000 to date, just eight short years later. The Church in South Sudan added approximately 3,000 additional members during the recent Hope for Africa evangelistic campaign held by Pastor Mark Finley.

Kuhn highlighted South Sudan’s strong Adventist educational system, with more than 11,000 students in its elementary and secondary schools. Additionally, Church leadership in South Sudan is focused on financial sustainability and leadership formation. 

George Egwakhe, GC associate treasurer, presented relevant financial information, following Kuhn’s overview. 

According to Egwakhe, the Church in South Sudan is in a strong financial position. Tithes and offerings have not been negatively impacted, despite wars and conflicts in the region. Instead, tithe saw an upward trend, going from $481,421 in 2019 to $816,380 in 2022. Offerings have similarly seen an upward trend, going from $105,546 to $197,869 in the same time period. Overall, Egwakhe emphasized the Church in South Sudan is faithful in giving and has seen tremendous growth in eight short years.

To conclude, Kuhn ended the presentation by encouraging the Committee that challenges and potential challenges the Church in South Sudan may face transitioning from an attached territory to a union mission have been assessed and addressed, and the survey commission team feels confident making the recommendation for a change in status. The Church is a thriving group of faithful and committed believers, he exclaimed. It is dedicated and fully engaged in the mission of seeking and saving the lost. 

When directed to Election Buddy for a vote, Executive Committee members voted in favor of the recommendation.

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