Seventh-day Adventist world church president Pastor Jan Paulsen called for continued unity among believers as the Adventist church in Kenya marked the centennial of the arrival of its first missionary. A.A. Carscallen arrived in that country in 1906. Pastor Paulsen was among the church leaders who welcomed national vice president Moody Awori to the official celebration at a ceremony on August 23 in Kendu Bay Town, Kenya.

“Unity is something we carry in our heart; it is made effective by the Holy Spirit. We should seek to hold on to the spiritual ‘glue’ which will hold God’s people together,” Paulsen said, citing Jesus’ prayer for unity among His disciples as recorded in John 17.

According to the Daily Nation newspaper, Awori applauded Adventist principles. “I know that besides its commitments towards a just and harmonious society, the church has also not been left out on the issues of governance and administration of justice. You have upheld your philosophy of political neutrality and remained positive in your criticism without compromising your religious values and principles.”

The vice president added that he was “impressed at the discipline among the Seventh-day Adventist youth. It’s something other churches could borrow.”

Separately, Pastor Paulsen endorsed an expanded commitment to a post-graduate Adventist studies program on the African continent.

At a private luncheon in Nairobi on Aug. 24, Paulsen’s attention turned to the growing needs of higher education for Adventists. According to Pastor Paul Muasya, president of the church in Kenya, there are nearly two million Adventist believers in this nation alone, and the need for more pastors continues to grow.

“I can see a time when no pastor need leave Africa to pursue theological studies at the post-graduate level,” Pastor Paulsen said, especially “with the Adventist University of Eastern Africa already conferring higher degrees in its own right.”

He added that he expects to see the African church’s program of higher education studies consolidated into the one university, serving all three of the continent’s Adventist Church regions.

In 2003, the Adventist world church leadership voted to establish a graduate school serving Africa. At that session, Pastor Paulsen endorsed the concept, noting the millions of Adventist members in Africa and the demand for well-educated pastoral leadership.

“We’ve got to do something to provide for them,” he declared at the time. [ANN, Oct. 13, 2003]

The new institution offers post-baccalaureate training, primarily in theology, pastoral ministry and church leadership. A report from the commission that studied the matter noted that eventually, the school may expand its portfolio to include offerings in other areas, “especially those deemed vital for maintaining a sufficient supply of well-qualified and trained church employees.”

The fledgling AUEA program, which already has 84 students, will expand in stages to include a wide range of students, said Pastor Geoffrey Mbwana, president of the East-Central Africa church region. It is to be modeled after the successful post-graduate program operated by the Adventist Institute of Advanced Studies (AAIS) in the Philippines.

Also attending the luncheon were Pastor John Wani, president of the Adventist church in Uganda and Dr. John Jeremic, director of Amazing Discoveries, along with his wife, Shirley, who were both in Nairobi for an evangelistic event. Jeremic said he will fund a 144-bed dormitory for children who’ve lost parents to HIV and AIDS, to be located in Nairobi. Paulsen expressed interest in this development.