The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Inter-American Division (IAD) celebrated a special day of baptisms across local churches on May 27, 2023. The event highlighted the primary mission of the local church pastor, which includes discipling members and influencing people to accept Christ, organizers said.

“There are always ways in which local church pastors can maximize their creativity in reaching souls for the kingdom and the need for them to serve as models in influencing souls toward Christ before their members,” said Pastor Balvin Braham, vice president and Evangelism director for the IAD. This event is intended to create a renewed motivation for the mission, he added.

“Pastors set the tone and pace in their local congregations, so if pastors focus on winning souls to Christ, ultimately, that kind of inspiration is passed on to the members,” continued Braham. It’s like a domino effect, he said. It’s about setting an example.

The online program, hosted from Belize City, Belize, saw top IAD leaders during a worship service and baptismal ceremony, with local church pastors baptizing new believers as well as connecting with each of the IAD unions at specific times during the day’s event.

“Each pastor [baptized] at least three persons he has been discipling and preparing for baptism on that day, as well as [reported] to us about their witnessing experiences,” said Braham.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division website.