He is never satisfied with the status quo. And that could be one reason why under Jan Paulsen's leadership the Seventh-day Adventist world church has grown phenomenally over the past five years, from nearly 11 million to presently 14.3 million. As the new
He is never satisfied with the status quo. And that could be one reason why under Jan Paulsen’s leadership the Seventh-day Adventist world church has grown phenomenally over the past five years, from nearly 11 million to presently 14.3 million. As the newly re-elected president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Paulsen has kept the church focused on its original mission: sharing the Gospel with as many people as possible.
Those who know him well say the well-educated, well-traveled 70-year-old’s passion is making the Adventist Church synonymous with family.
As the first Adventist church president to hold a doctoral degree (from the Tubingen University), Paulsen has been a leader at various levels of the church, including a college president, a teacher and a published author. Working in those many different capacities seems only to have reinforced his personal and professional passion for mission.
For the past 50 years—Paulsen and his wife, Kari, have ministered together. Their anniversary is celebrated today, on his re-election day. Before he gave the president’s report Thursday evening, June 30, he paid tribute to his wife for her support over the years.
Looking at his travelogue gives a picture that Paulsen is a man with an international outlook. He was educated in Norway, Germany and the United States, lived in England when he was president and secretary of the Trans-European region of the church and president of Newbold College, was president of the Adventist Seminary of West Africa in Nigeria, and was a Bible teacher in Ghana and began his pastoral career in his native Norway. He was first elected to the office of president in 1999, then re-elected for a full term in 2000.
What those who work closely with Paulsen want others to know about him is that this is a church president who is passionate about mission, about his work promoting mission, and about the church family.
“It is exciting to work in the president’s office because Pastor Paulsen has a global vision of the church and has a good grasp of what needs to be done,” said Orville Parchment, assistant to the president. “He is very, very much interested in the mission of the church.” Parchment adds that this is why Paulsen’s office has pushed initiatives that encourage mission, such as Sow 1 Billion, Grow One Million and Let’s Talk—an initiative that involves a series of conversations with young people.
Paulsen would like to see all parts of the church and every individual involved in the primary purpose of the church, which is to share Christ with everyone, said Bettina Krause, special assistant to the president for global initiatives.
He has a great sense of humor and has an indepth of knowledge of cultures, Krause added.
His personal passions seem to complement his professional ones: people.
“Many see the president as untouchable, but when you get to know him he is not that way,” said Parchment, explaining that Paulsen “is very easygoing and easy to talk to.”
This has been made clear over and over again. “Our assignment is to move out, to reach out. People are what matters,” Paulsen said nearly two years ago at a meeting of Annual Council, one of the church’s biannual business meetings.
Parchment described Paulsen as an avid reader who knows what’s happening around the world and in the church regions all over the world.
As someone who has been handpicked to join Paulsen’s team, it is clear that Parchment believes in Paulsen. He expressed great confidence in Paulsen’s leadership for the next five years. “He can go on for more than another term. He is one of those individuals who are built for longevity.”
When he was re-elected for the first time in 2000, Paulsen told the Adventist Review, “I have to say I observed with a certain sense of wonder how the Lord would use me. I am not as young as I used to be and yet I find within myself an enormous amount of energy and a sort of desire for the opportunities that the Lord has opened.”
Upon his second re-election, he said: “Brothers and sisters, it is a privilege to serve the Lord and the church in a leadership position. I want to show my appreciation for the trust you have placed in me.”