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General Conference

With new territories added and rising challenges, the Northern Asia-Pacific Division renews its mission-first focus to reach 680 million people with the gospel.

‘I Will Go to the Most Challenging Field’

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The Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) is a territory of diverse ethnicities and religions with a long history of rich cultural heritage. Throughout its vast landscapes, 680 million people live in the countries of Bangladesh, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan. 

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In 2019, the Chinese Union Mission, part of NSD up to that time, became directly attached to the General Conference (GC), and NSD then requested new territories to add to its division. On October 23, 2023, at the eighth business session of the NSD, the territories of Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (previously of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division), and Nepal (previously of the Southern Asia Division) joined NSD.

With these additions, the division’s Muslim population grew to nearly 400 million, presenting challenges and opportunities. Added to the deeply rooted religions of Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, and Hinduism, these diverse but entrenched beliefs both humble and implore the NSD to get on its knees in prayer for the millions within its lands who need a Savior. 

Through diverse efforts and initiatives, NSD officers and directors began visiting these newly added countries. They held mission strategy meetings with each country's union and mission officers and visited educational, medical, and mission institutions to assess the situation. And they encouraged local leaders, listened to their challenges, and discussed potential improvements.

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As a result, they were able to lay the foundation for further development in mission work in these new territories. 

With unified awareness of the great challenges of the NSD, leaders of the General Conference visited the NSD in November 2024 to encourage and strengthen those who have been called to carry out this weighty mission.

President Ted N. C. Wilson, secretary Erton C. Köhler, treasurer Paul H. Douglas, and assistant to the president Magdiel Pérez Schulz visited South Korea and attended NSD’s year-end meeting and the 120th anniversary of the Korean Union Conference.

During this time, Wilson delivered encouraging messages to the division’s executive committee. He led a revival meeting at Sahmyook Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Seoul and preached God’s message for the Korean Adventist members during the 120th anniversary, strengthening Korean believers to continue in their pursuit of mission.

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With a commitment to achieving a balance between mission and spirituality during the last quinquennium, NSD actively promoted the GC initiatives through programs like Global Total Member Involvement, Health Ministry, Biblical Creationism, Back to the Altar, and Human Sexuality.

As a part of the GC’s emphasis on “Global TMI—Disciple Making Evangelism and Harvest 25,” the NSD launched the “Loud Voice 2025” project. In this project, the division has been holding simultaneous evangelistic meetings in 2,025 locations around the territory, with the goal of baptizing 20,250 people through the year 2025.

Church workers and members across NSD have been participating in these evangelistic efforts in the spirit of “Mission First,” dedicating their lives to God and to fulfilling Jesus’ gospel commission.

To accomplish this, NSD has established strategic and systematic mission projects designed to reach people in this constantly changing world.

Through the GC “Mission Refocus” strategy, NSD has chosen to concentrate evangelistic efforts on the frontlines, where the gospel is most urgently needed, developing plans to successfully share the gospel.

In 2002, NSD created the Pioneer Mission Movement to reach the frontlines of the mission field. Since then, 149 PMM missionaries have been dispatched to 26 countries. This project sends pastoral families to overseas mission fields for six years to plant churches and share the gospel with local communities.

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So far, PMM missionaries have been sent to Armenia, Cambodia, China, Congo, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Macao, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northern Cyprus, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Türkiye, Uganda, and Vietnam. As a result, 369 churches and companies have been established, and 34,719 people have been baptized.

Since 1993, the 1000 Missionary Movement has played a crucial role in frontline missions, sending young people into mission fields and empowering them through service. After intensive training on the 1000MM campus in the Philippines, operated jointly by the Southern Asia-Pacific and Northern Asia-Pacific divisions, these young people are sent two by two to mission fields, where they devote one year for mission service.

For the past 32 years, nearly 12,000 young people from 64 countries have served as missionaries. The fruit of their labor includes 80,585 baptisms, 809 church buildings constructed, and 1,530 churches and companies established in 47 countries.

Among all the challenges NSD encounters in its mission work, the most difficult is reaching North Korea. Even today, 25 million North Koreans suffer from hunger and lack of freedom and have never had the opportunity to hear about God. Under the guidance of the GC, NSD established the North Korean Mission in 2021 and is actively involved in mission activities for North Korea.

To prepare for the opportunity of entering North Korea, NSD has coordinated a Prayer Campaign, engaging many dedicated people in intercessory prayer. Missionaries are now being trained through various educational programs to be ready to share the gospel when the time comes to enter this closed country. Recently, because of these efforts, North Korean defectors have accepted the Adventist faith and have been baptized.

Each department of the NSD has carried out various initiatives over the past year.

The stewardship department continues to hold seminars for pastors and church members across NSD to educate and encourage workers and members to be faithful in their tithes and offerings, explaining the importance of putting God first and demonstrating His goodness through faithful giving.

The youth department organized the Third International Pathfinder Camporee with 4,000 participants, fostering the faith of young people. Changed lives through the activities and spiritual gatherings stand as a testament to the hard work of planning and overseeing such an event.

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Sabbath School and Personal Ministries, as well as the Ministerial and Children’s, Women’s, and Family Ministries, faithfully visit the various NSD countries to teach how to raise up children, form happy marriages, and grow stronger spiritually as pastors and spouses. Their work addresses the realities that pastors and churches face.

The education department spreads its umbrella over each school institution to ensure schools and colleges remain true to academic standards while imparting the love and saving grace of Jesus, knowing that education is one of the greatest tools of evangelism of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The health ministries department continues to oversee numerous evangelistic seminars aimed at training local churches in healthier habits, providing foot massage therapy and healthy meal preparation, and informing members and non-members of the health hazards related to a poor diet and lack of exercise.

The communication department uses the power of the written word, film and video, and the fast-paced, ever-changing Internet to inform and reach millions of people within seconds. Its work in technology constantly finds new avenues for the ageless story of Jesus and His love.

Adventist Mission oversees the multiple mission groups within NSD, encouraging and instructing missionaries, finding the best candidates for the mission field, visiting mission sites to see and feel what missionaries are experiencing, and sending forth with God’s blessing courageous and fearless men and women ready to reveal the love of God to those around them.

Currently, there are 233 institutions, including universities and colleges, secondary and primary schools, hospitals and clinics, publishing houses, and food industries serving the people of the NSD territory. Every year, thousands of students accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior in these centers of academia. Each institution is an important soul-winning ministry where God's love is practiced, and many people are meeting Jesus and being transformed.

Our gracious God has richly blessed the humble efforts of His people in the Japan Union Conference, the Korean Union Conference, the Pakistan Union Section, the Bangladesh Union Mission, the Taiwan Conference, the Mongolia Mission, the Sri Lanka Mission, and the Nepal Section as they have worked to spread in a mighty way the three angels’ messages to the hundreds of millions who call our territory “home.” We praise God for the wonderful way in which he has guided our footsteps to accomplish His mission. 

‘I Will Go’ in the Most Challenging Field

The NSD exists for the sole purpose of placing mission first, to carry out the gospel commission of reaching 680 million people within the NSD territory. Following the mission given by God, leaders state they will continue to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth, shouting the slogan “I Will Go!” 

"The mission is not just our choice," they say, "it is our identity and our life." The end by saying, "As Jesus’ second coming draws near, let us continue to move forward! Maranatha!"

For more coverage of the 2025 General Conference Session, including live updates, interviews, and delegate stories, visit 