Seventh-day Adventist Church members need to do more in connecting with their local communities than just evangelistic events, leaders say.
Seventh-day Adventist Church members need to do more in connecting with their local communities than just evangelistic events, leaders say.
Recognizing a need for enhanced community involvement, the Adventist world church leadership has announced an international conference designed to inspire Adventists to become more involved in their local communities. It’s scheduled to meet at the church’s world headquarters in October of 2004 at the conclusion of Annual Council, one of two annual meetings of the church’s executive committee.
Less than 40 percent of Adventist Church members are actively witnessing and less than 30 percent are involved in community service, according to a worldwide church survey released last year by the Institute of Church Ministry at Andrew University in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
“We hope to come up with a plan on a number of fronts and people will say this church takes the time to reach people on their needs,” says Mike Ryan, director of the church’s global mission initiative.
Church administrators from around the world will be at the meeting as well as members of the diplomatic community, governmental community and inter-faith community. Leaders expect similar conferences in all the church’s world regions catered to local communities.
“There are a lot of churches that can do the same thing on a local level,” says Ryan. “They’re going to invite them to events that show what we’re doing.”
Eugene Hsu, church vice president and chairman of conference planning committee, hopes all the local Adventist churches are inspired to get involved in the community. “We have 13 million members, just think how powerful that’s going to be,” he says. “First we need to change our whole attitude. We should serve just to help and not think of it just as an entering wedge.”
“Our hospitals are very high profile,” says Ryan. “Of course we have a very large education system, but a lot of people don’t know that about Adventists.”
Sung Kwon, director of Adventist Community Services in North America, says church regions around the world are contacting him asking for ideas and leadership. After the church’s development and relief agency assists countries to become developed nations, community service programs are vital to address communities’ ongoing needs, he says.
“In our church, community services must become a way of life, not an isolated act, and we must empower our members to be the agent that builds bridges between the church and community,” says Kwon.
Guests of next year’s conference will include active members involved in the community, who leaders hope will inspire attendees. For example, the Good Neighbor House in Dayton, Ohio—once a house by the side of the road is now a full fledged community services center with a dental clinic and dental care available for the working poor, a thrift store and counseling services.
“Some churches have more community programs than others,” says Hsu. “We’re trying to present a few successful community service programs, and show the opportunities that are there, for local communities. Ultimately we hope that all local congregations can use the programs they’ve learned or to initiate a program on their own, because we don’t know all the possibilities that are out there.”
Of course, church leaders would like people to join the church as a result of this renewed emphasis on reaching the community. “But even if they don’t,” says Hsu, “we are here to serve.”
