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The 2025 Annual Council of the General Conference (GC) Executive Committee was held from October 8 to 15 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Under the theme “Integrated for Mission,” this year’s meetings focused on strengthening unity across all levels of the church and encouraging every member’s active involvement in evangelism.

Key highlights included leadership appointments, financial and membership reports, and strategic discussions aimed at advancing the church’s mission in today’s complex global landscape.

In his Sabbath morning message on October 11, Pastor Erton Köhler, GC President, made an appeal to everyone to “make a firm commitment to move forward together, to work together, to plan together, to seek revival together, to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit together, to move forward together, grounded in the Bible and focused on the mission.”

“I Will Go”

Anchored in the 2025–2030 “I Will Go” strategic plan, the General Conference Executive Committee is advancing measurable goals in disciple-making and evangelism through four key priorities: Communion with God, Identity in Christ, Unity through the Holy Spirit, and Mission for All. To support these priorities, initiatives such as the Digital Strategy for Mission, Mission Focus, Global Total Member Involvement (TMI), and OneVoice27 will be implemented in alignment with the “I Will Go” framework, strengthening the church’s global mission and outreach.

Digital Strategy for Mission

The church embraces technology as a vital tool for global outreach. Initiatives such as the Digital Strategy for Mission and “OneVoice27: Mission for All” have been designed to bridge the digital and physical worlds—connecting online seekers with welcoming local churches and nurturing their spiritual journeys.

Reporting on the $3.8 million offerings raised during the GC Session in July 2025—earmarked for innovative digital evangelism—GC Associate Treasurer Richard Stephenson shared a compelling vision:

“We challenged our divisions to imagine a world where the glow of billions of screens becomes beacons of hope.”

He emphasized the transformative power of digital outreach, explaining that “every click turns into an occasion to engage…  an opportunity to connect an online seeker with a local Adventist church.”

As the official media network of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Hope Channel International aligns its work with the church's strategic framework. During one of the sessions, President Vyacheslav Demyan announced that the network has expanded to 88 broadcast channels globally. By 2030, with a unified mission, Hope Channel aims to reach one billion people worldwide with the message of eternal hope, delivering inspiration and faith to homes everywhere.

OneVoice27: Mission for All

One of the highlights of the Annual Council was the approval of “OneVoice27: Mission for All,” set to launch in September 2027, commemorating 2,000 years since Jesus’ baptism in AD 27. This global initiative will include a worldwide prayer effort, a collective study of Daniel and Revelation, and readings from The Desire of Ages by Ellen G. White. Backed by a funding commitment of at least US $27 million, OneVoice27 will unite divisions, congregations, and members worldwide, utilizing social media, TV, radio, books, and live streaming to proclaim one powerful message: “Jesus is coming soon!”

Grounded in God’s Word, United in Mission

The Annual Council concluded with President Köhler emphasizing the importance of unity and being grounded in God’s Word. “We are united because the Word of God is unifying us. Let us move forward, grounded in the Bible,” he urged. Reflecting on the church’s identity, he added, “If we keep our identity strong, our mission will be strong.” President Köhler encouraged everyone to “share the message of the Word of God in a lovely way, in a hopeful way, because in a hopeless world, we need to be a hopeful church.”

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a global Christian family, with over 24 million members worshiping in more than 180,000 churches and companies across 212 countries—all united in mission and grounded in the everlasting Word of God.

Pastor Edwin Martin
Communications and Media Director

Reference:

Adventist News Network (ANN) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2WJGoxXppg&list=PL7QHoSK_c_KnXof1fqKhOwt944PkVflGe

Photo: Peterson Fagundes