Spiritual commitment, not statistics, is the true measure of the strength of a church, according to Pastor Pardon Mwansa, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Eastern Africa. Speaking to more than 600 church leaders in Eldoret, Kenya, Mwansa urged administrators and pastors to take up the challenge of helping church members grow spiritually.

With 700,000 church members, the East Africa Union, or administrative district, is the largest single union of the Adventist world church. Mwansa noted that while the East Africa Union has had the highest rate of baptisms within the region over the past several years, it has also had the highest rate of those leaving the church.

“Many of our members love the message of the church, but are not committed to it in their practical day-to-day living,” said Mwansa. “It is our responsibility as leaders of the church in this territory to make our members come to the place where we are committed.”

“Success will not come primarily because of our experience, or our preparations, or our strength as a union,” he added, “but rather as we make God our hope.”

Mwansa made his comments during his keynote address at a seven-day gathering of East African church leaders and pastors March 24 to 31. Delegates met on the campus of the Adventist University of Eastern Africa, Barton, for a leadership training conference and for the launch of the region’s “five focus issues”—spirituality, soul winning, unity, leadership, and self-reliance.

The East Africa Union includes the countries of Kenya and Somalia, where 700,000 Adventist believers worship each week in some 8,000 churches and companies.